Scaly Itchy Scalp
Discussion
In my late 40s and never had this problem before but the last 6 weeks or so slightly in front of and along my fringe line back into the hair my scalp is flaking, red and itchy. never really had much of a dandruff problem before either.
I have a pet cat but had him for 6 years now with no issues like this before so I doubt its down to my feline pal. He is always flea treated wormed etc.
Diet is crap but has been for ages although I am now changing that but its too soon to think that the new diet started last week has brought this on as Ive had it 6 weeks now long before the new health plan kicked in.
I am looking for work and have been for 7 months so doubt that the worry of finding work has brought this condition on either. Surely it would have happened months ago......
I have had the odd itch previously and with nails tend to scratch the area hard including when shampooing in the shower. with several areas now itching on the scalp i have a good old scratch in the shower and I am wondering if having long nails and scratching the scalp has simply made what might have been something quite minor into a more serious irritating condition through constant picking and scratching.
Not sure if there is any sort of conditioner or special shampoo that treats sore or flaky scalps that I could try or whether I should go and bother my GP with this or the NHS walk in centre perhaps? Its driving me nuts and doesnt look too good either.
I have a pet cat but had him for 6 years now with no issues like this before so I doubt its down to my feline pal. He is always flea treated wormed etc.
Diet is crap but has been for ages although I am now changing that but its too soon to think that the new diet started last week has brought this on as Ive had it 6 weeks now long before the new health plan kicked in.
I am looking for work and have been for 7 months so doubt that the worry of finding work has brought this condition on either. Surely it would have happened months ago......
I have had the odd itch previously and with nails tend to scratch the area hard including when shampooing in the shower. with several areas now itching on the scalp i have a good old scratch in the shower and I am wondering if having long nails and scratching the scalp has simply made what might have been something quite minor into a more serious irritating condition through constant picking and scratching.
Not sure if there is any sort of conditioner or special shampoo that treats sore or flaky scalps that I could try or whether I should go and bother my GP with this or the NHS walk in centre perhaps? Its driving me nuts and doesnt look too good either.
Edited by ToothbrushMan on Wednesday 31st October 10:57
I have this occasionally and I'm responding because the last day or my scalp has been very very itchy and I want to pass on some help if I can!
My main problem is that we live in an incredibly hard water area. This certainly does not help. I would certainly recommend Polytar scalp shampoo which is available from Boots, which I've known about for a year or so now.
My in-laws have a water softener feeding their bathrooms and when visiting I can use any shampoo and it makes a such a big difference that relatively speaking I feel I could be in an advert haha.
My main problem is that we live in an incredibly hard water area. This certainly does not help. I would certainly recommend Polytar scalp shampoo which is available from Boots, which I've known about for a year or so now.
My in-laws have a water softener feeding their bathrooms and when visiting I can use any shampoo and it makes a such a big difference that relatively speaking I feel I could be in an advert haha.
I’ve suffered with scaly itchy scalp on and off for about 4 years now. I get periods of bad dandruff and big flakes that make me want to scratch and scratch all day long.
Keep your nails short as possible at all times. I’ve tried various anti-dandruff shampoos which make my hair feel like crap and either don’t work or make the problem worse.
I’ve resorted to using baby shampoo only and that at once a week. Keeps it under control somewhat.
Keep your nails short as possible at all times. I’ve tried various anti-dandruff shampoos which make my hair feel like crap and either don’t work or make the problem worse.
I’ve resorted to using baby shampoo only and that at once a week. Keeps it under control somewhat.
I get this occasionally. Its made worse when I drink a lot of booze regularly and eat crap. I really notice how alcohol and crap diet flare up skins issues (e.g. ezcema gets worse as well). So certainly a better diet will help.
I use Nutregena T-Gel. Its funny stuff, made from coal tar. Stinks. You have to do it for about a week but it clears it up. Also use conditioner regularly as that moisturises the scalp as well. My barber told me to wash my hair before bed and put baby oil on the really dry bits
I use Nutregena T-Gel. Its funny stuff, made from coal tar. Stinks. You have to do it for about a week but it clears it up. Also use conditioner regularly as that moisturises the scalp as well. My barber told me to wash my hair before bed and put baby oil on the really dry bits
Similar problem to me.
Itchy scalp for the last few months, tried T-Gel and various other medicated shampoo but didn't help.
Last week I went to my GP and they prescribed me this...
|https://thumbsnap.com/8ieLqulV[/url]
It certainly does stink, but it's cleared up the flaky scalp and stopped the itching in 3 days. Now I just use it now and again.
Itchy scalp for the last few months, tried T-Gel and various other medicated shampoo but didn't help.
Last week I went to my GP and they prescribed me this...
|https://thumbsnap.com/8ieLqulV[/url]It certainly does stink, but it's cleared up the flaky scalp and stopped the itching in 3 days. Now I just use it now and again.
I had planned on buying some Polytar on Fridays food shop.
Thursday night I thought sod this I cant have another night with this scalp. I knew scratching it (with nails) was only making things worse so I went up to Tesco for some Polytar. They didnt have any out - all they had was Neutrogena T/Gel therapeutic shampoo (made with coal tar extract so maybe similar to Polytar).
So I bought that in the hope of getting even some relief.
Straight home into the shower with it. Followed the instructions massaged like properly hard (no scratching) and then left it in for 5 or 6 mins. rinsed then repeated. straight away I felt better.
Checked on the Friday morning and most of the redness visible on my fringe hairline had gone. quite amazed given its only the first treatment. The itching was reduced to virtually nil and the flakiness was also reduced a lot. So far I'd rate it 9/10 but its early days.
It says to use 2 or 3 times a week so I missed a day yesterday and will be doing treatment no. 2 tomorrow then no.3 on Monday night then repeat for 5 more weeks. Will report in as and when............
oh for the biggest bottle of 250ml I paid £7.00 which is probably the most you will pay but I was in a hurry. I dare say deals are around at Boots etc.
Thursday night I thought sod this I cant have another night with this scalp. I knew scratching it (with nails) was only making things worse so I went up to Tesco for some Polytar. They didnt have any out - all they had was Neutrogena T/Gel therapeutic shampoo (made with coal tar extract so maybe similar to Polytar).
So I bought that in the hope of getting even some relief.
Straight home into the shower with it. Followed the instructions massaged like properly hard (no scratching) and then left it in for 5 or 6 mins. rinsed then repeated. straight away I felt better.
Checked on the Friday morning and most of the redness visible on my fringe hairline had gone. quite amazed given its only the first treatment. The itching was reduced to virtually nil and the flakiness was also reduced a lot. So far I'd rate it 9/10 but its early days.
It says to use 2 or 3 times a week so I missed a day yesterday and will be doing treatment no. 2 tomorrow then no.3 on Monday night then repeat for 5 more weeks. Will report in as and when............
oh for the biggest bottle of 250ml I paid £7.00 which is probably the most you will pay but I was in a hurry. I dare say deals are around at Boots etc.
just an update as its coming up to a month since my OP - the flaky itching sore scalp has now pretty much gone so to anybody else I highly recommend using T-GEL. be generous with it too and leave it in the hair and dont mess with it for a good 5 mins each time just let it sit on the scalp and the hair.
really glad its now cleared up as it was driving me nuts........not to mention it didnt look very nice.
thumbs up from me on T-GEL.
really glad its now cleared up as it was driving me nuts........not to mention it didnt look very nice.
thumbs up from me on T-GEL.
I suffer dry skin most of the time. I think linked to swimming so much... the chlorine and the hair washing at the end just knackered my skin (I used to be in the pool 2 times a day every day for 2 hours a go)
I find drinking plenty of water does help. But then I am pissing every 5 minutes (and I mean that literally).
My scalp can get very sore and itchy, seemingly in sync with hair growth. I’ll get a chop and it’ll be a couple of weeks growth where it starts getting horrible. Then as more hair grows it eases off.
However, it has been much much better since I stopped washing it regularly. I will literally only wash hair now at the pool, never at home. Been away on holiday for 3 weeks an I washed it once a week and other times, just Dont spend ages in the shower and then dry properly.
I used to wash with head and shoulders regularly and when I stopped, it got better. So I avoid anything like that now.I find a tgel and other tar based stuff doesn’t work when it does flare up either.
I discovered a shampoo called Nizoral that does work. If I get a bad scalp, one wash usually does it. Sometimes have had to follow the prescribed washing (you can only use it like 1 time per week) and it does the trick.
I find drinking plenty of water does help. But then I am pissing every 5 minutes (and I mean that literally).
My scalp can get very sore and itchy, seemingly in sync with hair growth. I’ll get a chop and it’ll be a couple of weeks growth where it starts getting horrible. Then as more hair grows it eases off.
However, it has been much much better since I stopped washing it regularly. I will literally only wash hair now at the pool, never at home. Been away on holiday for 3 weeks an I washed it once a week and other times, just Dont spend ages in the shower and then dry properly.
I used to wash with head and shoulders regularly and when I stopped, it got better. So I avoid anything like that now.I find a tgel and other tar based stuff doesn’t work when it does flare up either.
I discovered a shampoo called Nizoral that does work. If I get a bad scalp, one wash usually does it. Sometimes have had to follow the prescribed washing (you can only use it like 1 time per week) and it does the trick.
Woody John said:
CarbonXKR said:
T Gel same for me, my flakiness has gone and I just use it once or twice a week... amazing!
Too strong for most. Psoriasis. Sort out your diet. Avoid beer and bread. See how it goes.
Once I realised what was going on and removed the sugar it has all gone and I have no further atopic symptoms but I am an idiot and sometimes I eat sweets or Oranges and pay the price.
The meds / creams the doctors gave me made no difference.
So yes diet can be the cause like myself, it does not need to be beer although beer is high in sugar, the worst is guiness with 16g of sugar.
Sometimes scalp can be irritated by sulphates in shampoos, the worst being Ammonium Laureth Sulphate. For such a long time I would get scalp irritation flare ups and not know where they would come from. Even T Gel and Nizoral wouldn't work, but it turns out that they had sulphates in too. Since avoiding sulphate shampoos my scalp has got a lot better.
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