Seborrhoeic dermatitis on scalp. Shampoo recommendation

[maldivemoment]

Our son has had a sudden flare up. Looks like cradle cap you see on babies.

Any recommendations for treatment/shampoo?

He’s 14.

Thank you

Cut & paste from my favourite dermatology site, to save typing it all out:

• Medicated shampoos containing ketoconazole, ciclopirox, selenium sulfide, zinc pyrithione, coal tar, and salicylic acid, used twice weekly for at least a month and if necessary, indefinitely.
• Coal tar cream can be applied to scaling areas and removed several hours later by shampooing.
• Combination therapy is often advisable.
• Alternative treatments, such as tea tree oil shampoo, may be used.

Your pharmacist can show you the different shampoo options.

It probably is seborrhoeic dermatitis, because a flare in adolescence is classic but, if it doesn't improve, see your GP to rule out other causes, especially psoriasis. There are also some prescription-only treatments for S.D, if over-the-counter treatment doesn't work

@MissLucyEyelesbarrow

Enormous thanks. Very helpful

The only thing that has helped DH is Nizoral but it seems to be really hard to find atm. Have just bought Dandrazol from amazon as it also contains ketoconazole and he said it is working.

Nizoral.

Nizoral spelling is probably wrong. Amazing stuff!

Nizoral is good but selenium based treatments are the best for my scaly offspring. We have to use different ones depending on what Amazon has available but they really work for us.

Nizoral

Thanks all. Used Nizoral a few times but still big flakes on his hair/scalp. Popped into pharmacy en route home. Nizoral Out of stock so came home with sone poly tar.
Everything crossed.

None of those products previously listed worked for me- they were like napalm and made things worse. I've started checking the ingredients of everything I use on this website- https://sezia.co/ and if it isn't flagged up as a potential irritant, I can use it. I wash hair with AVEENO Skin Relief Soothing Shampoo.

Nizoral didn’t work for me. Neutrogena T-Gel does. It is coal tar based and has a distinctive smell. I happen to like it but it’s not to everyone’s taste. Available on Amazon.

@maldivemoment
I don't know how many instances of this your son has had?
I'm completely free of this condition now, but had my first bout in my 30's when under stress.
Then it happened again quite a few years later.
I've not had another flare up for around 30 years!
For the 2 outbreaks, my GP prescribed a liquid called Betacap.
You gently squeezed the plastic bottle and applied a few drops to your scalp several times a day.
I could feel it soothing my scalp straight away, and it cleared within days.
A quick Google shows it's still available and prescribed.

Thank you all. Much appreciated.

If the medicated shampoos clear it up try Body Shop ginger shampoo and Lush scalp treatment.
Lush also do a good shampoo bar (think it is called soak and float).

Moo goo

Kelual DS shampoo. Recommended to me by a dermatologist. Works really well and does not stink like the coal tar or selenium based ones. Nizoral stopped working for me years ago but this one is very good. Takes a week or so.

I have psoriasis on my scalp and I use Alphosyl, I get it on prescription but you can get it OTC.

My 18 year old has this pretty badly (exam stress I think) and we've tied Nizoral, coal tar shampoo etc but they made it worse. The thing that helped was dabbing mct oil the affected areas and leaving it to loosen the scales for a few hours (she's on exam leave so either puts it in of a morning and washes in the evening, or puts it in at night and sleeps with a shower cap on), and then washing with E45 dermatological dry scalp shampoo. The shampoo has the anti fungal in (sd can be caused by a yeast overgrowth), but it doesn't seem to make her scalp even more dry, which the others did. It has honestly worked a treat, and it was pretty bad.

Thanks again for all the advice.

This brand has been amazing for my eczema on my hands and legs and I’ve just bout the scalp lotion to try for dermatitis. Nizoral didn’t work for me.

https://www.delhiciousbody.com/products/scalp-eaze-scalp-balm?variant=40826814332994