to want to do something about my daughter's terrible dandruff?

[parakeet]

Head & Shoulders ain't shifting it.

I'm cautious about trying stronger types of anti-dandruff shampoos as she's only five. She's always had it - it kind of developed from cradle cap when she was tiny, and it's been with us ever since.

It's not just a cosmetic issue either, as it really makes nit-combing difficult

Anyone got any tips?

Have a chat with your GP. They can prescribe something that is stronger, but not too strong, or refer her to a dermatologist for advice.

It's quite pricey but Aveda scalp remedy is excellent. Just out of curiousity you could try your GP, does she have any other skin conditions?

My dd has always had it as well she is now 15 and the doctor always recommended the Tgel for greasy hair(even though her hair isnt greasy) its the one with salysic (sp) acid in.
I've also used it on my younger sons hair to get rid of a bit of left over cradle cap and its been fine.

Go to GP. There's horrid pink stuff dd2 has been prescribed. Can't remember the name of it but it does help.

Depends if you ar ebothered about heavy duty chemicals.

Begins with K I think

Have you tried cradle cap shampoo?

Is this really an AIBU topic?

Perhaps we should just close down all the other topics on Mumsnet and make it one big AIBU.

I'm not particularly 'New Age', but I know a fair few people who've been successfully treated by alternative means. It seems to work particularly well with children.

Try a homeopathic 'remedy' called GRAPHITES. You can get it in Holland & Barrett.

Look at it this way. For minimal outlay, it certainly won't do her any harm.

DH has had various skin conditions over the years, and absolutely nothing he gets from the chemist or the GP has ever made the blindest bit of difference.

It's worth a try, no?

hi parakeet, i put up with what i thought was terrible dandruff for several years. eventually saw the GP and it was a yeast infection. he gave prescribed me some medical shampoo that cleared it up almost instantly, can't believe i put up with it for so long!!

No, I totally accept I was probably being unreasonable to post here in the first place. It's just I know I will get some fast answers.

I have posted before in other topics and you get about one answer a day!

To answer some other posters, no she has no other skin conditions, and I am not averse to heavy-duty chemicals.

Thanks for all the replies.

def think the yeast infection route is worth checking out, i had/have never had any skin conditions either.

sorry tmi, but the flakes were really quite large in my case.

Wanting to treat dandruff != unreasonable.

ketaconazole = one active ingredient (can be bought over the counter/from pharmacies, (Nirozal, Boots also have an own brand version) but is expensive, so may be an idea to get it prescribed).

I alternate between using ketaconazole and coal tar (I tend to use Polytar Plus because it's a slightly thicker consistency than some of the others and thus easier to use).

Mmm, I don't want to sound ungrateful for the advice, but I think I'll give the homeopathic remedy a miss, thanks. If I wanted to chuck some pure water on her head, I could source that straight from the tap.

You're right it certainly wouldn't do her any harm though...there's a good reason why homeopathic remedies are side effect free.

yabu

ketaconozole, that's the one. That's prob what a gp would prescribe.

DS has an awful problem with his scalp its an extreme form of eczema I was recommended poly-tar off the hairdresser it works for him but is very strong smelling.

I've had dandruff/cradle cap for 32 years. I bought some Nizoral over the counter and it's worked better than some of the ones the doctor prescribed (alphosyl and t-gel being 2 I remember). I think mine was more of a fungal thing rather than a dry scalp as my hair was greasy too, even after washing it every other day. Hope you get something that works, it's horrible having it.

Right, going to bed now, thanks for all the replies ladies - even the "New Age" ones.

I thought I had dandruff, but it was actually a fungally thing. I got rid of it with daily hairwashing, massaging the shampoo into the scalp really well for at least 2 minutes.

I've had dandruff for years and so far I've found that coal tar is good, but Nizoral made my head sting if the dandruff was bad. I'm now using the Elvive one, which seems to work well, and smells nice. :)
Is there any chance it's not actually dandruff, but just dry skin? If so, I'd try a baby shampoo with camomile.

yabu It's HER dandruff for God's Sake! Who are you to come along and "remove" it...it' part of her! She is not an extension of yourself.

Rude cow ...

They're tablets, by the way.

Are you calling ME a rude cow Desiderata?

I think the rude thing is being directed at the OP. Because she really is being very rude.

Oh I see! Thanks curlymama! She was bloody rude wasn't she!