Please help me, what is wrong with my head (pictures attached)?!

[Helpmyheadplease]

Posted before a while ago but it’s back unfortunately so trying again for help.

I’ve got some kind of eczema flare up/dry skin on my scalp. It’s open, weepy and looks like big patches of raw skin. Sort of like when you would fall and skin your knee when you were a kid and it looked all wet and gunky. Sometimes it goes all scabby but the skin falls off and leaves the big open wound, then the skin scabs over again and falls off and leaves a big open wound again. It’s in this vicious cycle and started 2 years ago.

It was all over my head and on my face and inside my ears at one point, but now that’s all cleared up apart from a big stubborn patch at the back of my head.

I’ve been to the GP and they’ve been really helpful about it and referred me to dermatology at the start of 2021 but in the meantime we’ve tried everything- lots of different steroid creams, antibiotics (it was infected with staph at one point), antifungal creams/washes/shampoos. The most effective thing so far was antifungal tablets, I took them for 2 weeks and it completely disappeared for a good while. Then I woke up one day and it was back again on the same place in my head. I was going to phone back for more fungal tablets but I didn’t want to be annoying and be thaaaat person that keeps calling the doctor and being annoying so I just left it until the dermatology referral came through, which thankfully it has and I’m going in a few weeks.

It’s very itchy and painful But I m not picking it, and I wore white gloves during the night to see if I was scratching it accidentally when I sleep and I’m definitely not.

Does anyone know what will happen at the appointment? I’ve never seen a dermatologist before, I don’t even know what this is (I’m guessing eczema?) and my skin was fine before all this started. Does anyone know what they’ll do to fix it? The antifungal tablets have been the most effective thing so far, but even then it just came back. I’m starting to get worried that nothing will make it go away for good.

I’m so sick of the back of my head being a big wet and crusty mess😩 brushing nevermind washing my hair is agony, I can’t ponytail it without it being really obvious, I can’t even lie on my pillow at night because it hurts so much and when I do my head sticks to it with all the gunk.

I agree with other posters that this could be kerion but have you been reswabbed for bacterial infection? Some staph aureus infections can be very persistent and reinfect from your bedding or towels. If swabs do show staph aureus again it can be tested for PVL production which is a toxin associated with persistent abscess formation and is treated a little differently to ensure it is eradicated. (You would need to wash bedding at a higher temp and also use antibacterial wash to decolonise your skin after the lesion heals )

Not to be mean OP, but this is exactly the kind of thing the GP is there for. Yljre not one of 'those' patients, whatever that means. You have a severe medical condition that needs treating. You found something that worked but are being told much of a martyr to ring back and say you need more!!! Bonkers. Ring the GP, get another prescription and then you might not even need to see the dermatologist!!!

Hopefully you're sorted now but if not. Google seborrhoeic dermatitis and use Nizoral shampoo.

I’ve suffered in the past with my scalp and t-gel didn’t help. My hairdresser suggested I try a shampoo with tea tree oil. Doesn’t have to be pricey… I buy a cheap tea tree and mint one from Sainsbury’s and it’s great!