SEBORRHEIC DERMITITIS

by SONDRA
(RICHMOND,VA)

I am so embarrassed by this sever crusty, flakey, spooky looking scalp of mine. I have read many tips that expect me, a women who work long hrs. in the hospital, and mother of 3 girls, care taker of a sick husband, to wash my hair daily to help alleviate this condition.. I just don't have that much me time in a day. This stuff has restricted my life.. I no longer go to hair salons due to the embarrassment and not wanting to be the topic of the salon as you will obivious be able to see these large flakes fall on a always black drape as they style my hair. I do not wear my hair in a pony tail because of it's appearance around my hairline and ears. And not to even to mention the now receeding hairline in the front due to the constant scratching and lifting of these flakes. I have tried the OTC products, but i find them to work...but gosh... the harshness of them. They have a tendency to kink, knott, tangle, mat, etc... my hair which is now thin due to me trying to comb it out after washing.. Conditioning does not seem to help loosen it.. Please tell me that there is a better option to control this so i can stop walking in shame as when my stress level rises during the day... it is very noticiable... I have relaxed, shoulder length, thick hair by the way... used to be longer before this happened. Must I be bald by 45 because of this.. im soon to be 40..HELP

RESPONSE

Enduring chronic itching, flaking, and irritation of the scalp for weeks, months, or years can be quite a pain!

However, from what you describe, there should be a way for you to get relief. I agree that daily shampooing is not a very practical approach to trying to control this problem, because it is incompatible with most hair styles preferred by African American females and as you mentioned, medicated shampoos of all types can make the hair dry, brittle, and contribute to breakage.

Now, getting back to the itching and flaking of your scalp. You may be dealing with a more severe case of seborrheic dermatitis or psoriasis of the scalp which causes thicker silvery scaly plaques. There is also a condition called sebopsoriasis which is a combination of features of both of these disorders in the same individual.

Prescription strength anti-inflammatory medications administered topically or by injection, along with oral medications to control the itching until your scalp heals would be an appropriate treatment regimen to start with.

Of course, it would also be appropriate to do a scraping of your scalp and microscopic examination to make sure that a fungus infection is not mixed in with everything else that is going on.

All of these conditions can be aggravated by stress, so finding a way to cope and keep your life situations from getting the best of you will also help to keep your scalp from flaring up.

Also, don't give up on hair stylists. They want to help you have a healthy scalp and preserve the growth of your hair as well. The best way to handle the situation completely is with appropriate medical care combined with hair care from a professional who is comfortable with helping you to overcome your scalp inflammation.

Dr. W

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Jan 19, 2012
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starstarstarstarstar 		Something Has Got to Give
by: Anonymous

I've had a scalp condition from since I began getting relaxers 20 years ago (dry itchy scalp with thick flakes on the crown of my head and then scabs - because the bleed when you pick them off - that occasionally appear on my frontline) .

I went to my dermatologist about four years ago and she said I had psoriasis and prescribed FLUOCINONIDE TOPICAL SOLUTION 0.05%. This worked great for the first 6 to 8 months. I washed my hair once a week and used the solution. However, I started graduate school and wasn't able to wash my hair once a week, but continued to used the solution. Now I'm pretty sure it doesn't work. As a matter of fact, when I use it, my scalp itches. I began using Morrocan and Argan Oil directly on my scalp and specifically on the front line and that seems to help a little bit.

However, I've been very stressed out in school and haven't been eating a very healthy diet and attempting to do at home relaxers because I am a full-time student and that is what I can afford. Needless to say, a patch of my hair broke off in the back of my head so I decided to put medium sized extensions in my hair to transition it into natural hair. The itching is unbearable! It's also flaking/scaling like crazy! I decided to wash it and to my dismay, immediately after drying the extension, I could feel my scalp getting tight, turning white, and then it just felt like a huge crust was on my head. I've literally had to take out each extension, remove the flake/scabs, oil it and treat each section with the solution.

I'm going to do a Psoriasis Detox soon but my hair and scalp issues are adding stress to my life, which is in turn flaring up my scalp and making my hair fall out!

I just don't know what to do... Something had got to give! Any advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Oct 23, 2009
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starstarstarstarstar 		Relief from Seborrheic Dermititis
by: Anonymous

I am 42 years old and have had this problem as long as I can remember. Last spring I went to the dermatologist and she prescribed FLUOCINONIDE 0.05% SOLN 60ML. For the first time, I was able to get a relaxer without be severely burned from all of the scratching due to the itchiness and severe flaking. I can say that it has been almost a year since I have seen any dandruff at all in my hair and no itching at all. Just yesterday I saw a flake of dandruff and it looked strange. I will definitely start using the medication more regularly. Hope this helps.

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