Desperate for advice - scaly scalp, bleeding and sore

[Wiifitmama]

I am at my wits end. My 11 year old has always had a dry flaky scalp. It got so bad that it was a scaly and flaky so we started using an educated shampoo. It helped but as soon as we stopped it came back. I hated the idea is the chemicals so followed someone's advice to wash his hair only in bicarbonate of soda. We have done this for quite a few weeks and his scalp is the worst it's ever been. Scaly, bleeding, flaking everywhere.

I seriously have no idea what to do. Do I take him to the doctor? Should we be seeing a skin specialist (he has a history of excema as a baby).

Help!

It sounds like it may be infected? So would get him to the GP! My DS1 has a history of ezcema and I only wash his hair with plain water, anything else makes him itch.

Yes it might be infected now but how do I stop it coming back in the first place??

My DH had cradle cap around that age. GP prescribed him a shampoo.

Was it kind of a yellow flakiness?

Yes, let his GP have a look at his head.
Could be scalp psoriasis, dermatitis or any number of other things.

You can get things like Betnovate ointment in a bottle to apply on to the scalp which helps with flare ups.
I always use a medicated shampoo and it does come back whenever I stop using it.

what is an educated shampoo ?

would something like coconut oil help? my Ds had terrible cradle cap / fungal scalp infection as a baby and as it's antifungal / antibacterial / healing and soothing it really helped...

Yes to the doctors. He will probably have a course of antibiotics and then perhaps a liquid steroid to put on his scalp. Initially you have to do this daily but once it's cleared you may need to apply 2/3 times a week.
Honestly, we have tried every medicated shampoo on the market (and they are expensive!) and every old wives' tale remedy such as bicarb, tea tree, coconut oil. They don't work, and rather than keep putting my DS through it, we've had to embrace conventional medicine.

Yes it's yellow. Ugh. I really wish the answer was not medication endlessly. There must be a more natural way.

About coconut oil - how on earth do you apply that and not make him look like a giant head of grease???

we left it on overnight and washed off next day

that said DS was a baby so having a greasy scalp didn't matter, he already loooked bizarre enough with his infection.

poor thing was terrible, practically weeping red ,scaly, turned orange and yellow scalp but got tons better with it over time. I was prescribed steroid cream which I didn't really use beyond a couple of times as I wanted to go the natural route and the coconut worked so well.

yy to take to the doctors. DD1 at around the same age had psoriasis - also had eczema as a child (and DP has psoriasis flares too) - she got some medicated (coal tar? based) shampoo (stinks) on prescription and OTC traditional (H&S type anti-dandruff) zinc shampoo - can't remember how/why but know she used both - it would either have been the zinc one as a second wash to remove the smell of the stinky one - or she was only supposed to use the stinky one twice a week or something... it did clear up eventually...(Advantage of having lots of thick long hair ...PIA to wash but easier to hide scaly scalp at that sensitive age...)
At 14 has been clear (just uses zinc shampoo) for years but did have a minor flare a month or so ago - dug out the stinky shampoo and used twice and it cleared -think the trick was to treat it early (and maybe age/development played a part)

(Don't think relevant in your case but worth considering and I think needs to be more well known about - I react to Methylisothiazolinone (MIT) found in loads of shampoos etc (use has increased as it is a paraben replacement) which either just has been or is in process of being being banned in face creams etc -things that stay on your skin - in Europe for causing loads of skin problems. Apparently the reaction gets increasingly severe. DD1 doesn't react to it though. I get a burning face if I use MIT containing shampoo...the only shampoo without MIT I found was Johnsons baby shampoo (even Tesco own label baby shampoo has it) - I've just bought a organic handmade SLS etc free shampoo bar - was using Ecover washing up liquid at one stage...)

You'll probably need something medicated to clear up this episode.

After that, maybe try the Yes to Carrots gentle scalp shampoo. I've been using it a couple of weeks with some success.