SMS- Save My Scalp!

[Golfhotelromeofoxtrot]

It's got bad, ladies. Really bad.

I have tried: Aveda Scalp Benefits, Philip Kinglsey, Nioxin, Kevin Murphy, T Gel, L'oreal for men, head and shoulders, Redkin, Kertase, I've used coconut oil and aloe Vera and probably a million others. Aveda, Nioxin and Philip Kinglsey worked for a few months, but now it's back...and man, is it angry.

I have just had a Brazilian blo dry done, so should be avoiding silicone/sulphates- though that was four weeks ago now, so probably ok.

What do I need to buy? I will try anything and spend anything. I have a newborn so also suffering hair loss, so my once glorious hair is making me very sad at the moment!

Please, please wise ladies of the beauty and style- solve my scalp woes!

What are the plaques like? Are they like scabs, but quite flat? I get a very itchy scalp, as does DS. He never really got past cradle cap and still has flaky scabby bits in his hair.

Oh poor you. I have had this for a while but it got much worse after my Brazilian blow dry. I stopped using. The sls shampoo because honestly it didn't help at all and I went back to t gel and also do have to very occasionally top up with betnovate steroid drops from the Dr. Hope this might work for you?

Plaques seem like spots on my head- lumpy flaky spots?

So attractive.

So those who've used betnovate, how often and long did you use it for? Ive had this for months and the lotion doesnt seem to improve, the alcohol just makes it drier i find, but crems get it almost back to normal within a week but with vaseline matted hair.

It sounds like seborrheic dermatitis. I started with it on my face last winter, gp's steroids cleared it up but it came back once I stopped using it (can't use steroids indefinitely on face). Dr Google came up with a seb derm forum, which I spent many hours I'll never get back reading, but the solution mostly recommended there was cold-pressed honey and virgin coconut oil.
How you'd treat your scalp with this sounds messy but you might be desperate enough to try it.
The other thing I discovered was MooGoo products. They have a scalp cream specifically for seb derm, which I now use as a moisturiser without any recurrences. There's also a lovely milk shampoo which is the only one besides Dead Sea's brand that doesn't irritate my scalp. Loads of other potentially good things I've yet to try, but that cream is the only one I've found that doesn't 'feed' the yeasty growth. Even weari g cream blusher now leaves me with an it hy cluster, but the scalp cream sorts it.
I think it's something you always have, sadly, best you can do is learn to control it.

Ginger shampoo from the body shop is the only thing that keeps on top of mine. When it got really bad I used polytar liquid which is ok if you don't need to go to work or leave the house nothing else worked and I asked the doctor when I was there for something else and they suggested t gel after I had said it didn't work

Sometimes I fantasise about shaving my head bald and just rubbing creams into it til its fixed!

I used to have a really itchy, flaky scalp and tried all sorts of dandruff/scalp friendly shampoos and treatments some of which worked for a while, some not at all. I hated it, it was a constant battle.

However, I started using the Liz Earle shampoo a few years ago now and haven't had any scalp issues since. Worth a try.

Def talk to gp as my DP has just been prescribed an anti fungal shampoo for similar. Also, DD has been using Soak and Float shampoo bat from Lush which has done wonders for her milder dandruff, although I think this has SLS in.

I found The Body Shop ginger shampoo made mine worse.

I have Betnovate solution too. But the only shampoo which had any long lasting effect was Nizarol. For the first time I have no itchy bits or scabs. I use it twice a week, as I have dry hair so don't need to wash it very often. It works brilliantly BUT! It only works if you leave it on for the full 5 minutes. Washing it off straight away makes no difference. What I don't understand though, is this thing is meant to attack oily areas of the body. But I don't have any! I have dry hair, dry scalp and dry skin. I have never ever had any oily skin anywhere

DustBunnyFarmer mine are like flat, thick, dead skin flakes. Usually a lot larger than normal dandruff.

Tinkerisdead I normally use it just for a few days at a time, it clears up within a week. The stuff I use is a liquid though, not a lotion, it is very thin. I put it on morning and night and if particularly itchy, in the day as well. Even though it is a steroid, I use it so infrequently, I just soak the itchy bits until they stop itching rather than sticking to the set number of applications. I never need to use it for more than 5 days at a time. It usually clears if for a few weeks/months or until I am really stressed/start picking again!

Thanks pumpkin. Sounds a bit like mine and DS2's - he calls them his "crusties".

And thanks for Golf too (for plaque description).

Yes mine is a lotion and ive put it on at night every maybe three days because it stings and dries it out. You think i should ramp it up a bit?

Moogoo scalp cream

I don't get dandruff but I do get scabby bumps, hairdresser suggested Unite Smoothing shampoo and it does seem to be helping. It's very thick and doesn't foam so a bit odd to use.

I also now and then use Boots scalp tonic which you sort of squirt along your scalp, it's very cooling.

I'd also suggest addressing from the inside - increase your good fats: nuts, avocados, oily fish, oil of evening primrose. Try omega fish oil supplements.

I had the same problem but found that some of the more mainstream products called SLS free weren't - or they had other chemicals in which irritated just as much. I second MooGoo shampoo which is the best thing I've ever found for my scalp and also Liz Earle hair products - I use the conditioner and also the hair oil which I use like a serum. I find MooGoo best for my scalp and LE best for my hair. Don't forget to go silicone free if you go properly SLS-free - I didn't realise I had to at first and my hair started looking dull with the build up of product that the milder shampoo couldn't strip.
I highly recommend trying MooGoo for a week - mine improved dramatically when I did and the flakes, itchiness and plaques cleared up.

I have the same problem, the only thing that works is selsun shampoo. only use it now and again when it flares up so you can use whatever you want in between times.

Have to agree with flapmy about silicones. Not only do they build up if you go SLS free - because it takes harsh chemicals to remove them, but silicones are also an irritant on their own.

shotgun thanks for the advice and the link, I've ordered the scalp cream, shampoo and conditioner. Fingers crossed!

And again- thanks so much for everyone's advice. It's really good to hear how everyone deals with it and it isn't just me with a disgusting scabby flaky scalp.

I agree with the person who posted saying the more they stress about it, the worse it gets. I also find warm weather pretty much cures it...it's just never warm enough here to fix it for long!

I'm also going to try Liz Earl's shampoo and conditioner. Great tip to be extra careful about SLS and silicone free. The Kevin Murphy shampoo and conditioner feels so heavily fragranced that it's no wonder it has irritated my scalp!

I'm currently using the Dr Organic Tea Tree Shampoo after getting huge horrible itchy plaques with Naked shampoo (now discontinued). It seems to be working, but blimey it's a bit zingy.

I'm not sure how it will get on with your Brazilian Blow Dry though - it is salt free however, and salt was the big no-no when I had my blow dry in.

Let us know how you get on - hopefully you will be itch-free very soon.
My other tip is that if on occasion you need to use a silicone product, wash it out with a normal shampoo and then immediately shampoo again with MooGoo, to minimise the effect on your scalp. I find that I can get away with doing it every now and then.

That's a great tip! Thank you!

Please let us know how you get on with the scalp cream.

I'm following this thread in hope of finding something that'll work in my scalp!

For me, a water softener was the cure. I used to have a terribly itchy scalp, with thick plaques - I too would fantasise about shaving my head and rubbing creams in, anything to stop the itch.

Then we got a water softener, and my scalp cleared up and stopped itching almost overnight. Now I know when the salt's running low because the itch returns.

Worth a try maybe?