Crazy dry scalp...maybe exema

[peach]

The whole right side of my face....

I have like dandruff or exema or something. My face always is dry in winter, and I do sometimes get a bit of flakes in my hair in winter - just along my hairline. Usually dandruff shampoo or applying lots of lotion/scalp moisturizing products fixes it.

It worked on the left side. The right side - it's my skin on my face near my hairline and the first few inches into my hair, is horrible. Burns. itches. Flakes like crazy. The skin feels like dragon scales. I am exfoliating, using a scalp moisture shampoo. Applying hydroocortizone cream in case its exema, and also using a product from Lush called Snake Oil at night - it's a greasy, oily product for dry scalp.

The entire side of my head is so flakey its unbelievable. It looks ok when I style it, but an hour later it's starting. by mid morning my hair is full of flakes and my forehead is flaking too. I have to go stick my head in the shower and scrub/rinse my hair at lunch time every day to get it out. I keep wearing my hair down low over that side to hide it but you can still see.

Its awful!! my doctor said it's probably the pregnancy and says just keep using the hydrocortizone cream.

Any advice?? It's mortifying! I only wash my hair every second day. I use moisturizing shampoo or dandruff shampoo. I use lots of lotions and creams...it's healed up the left side but the right is getting worse.

Does it sound like exema? I've never had it.

[peach]

my right earlobe is also crazy dry and itchy.

[sjh722]

I used to be an every other day hair washer, but now I stretch it to every third or fourth day. My scalp is not nearly as dry as you're describing but the flakiness has pretty much gone away.

[kaylie]

Head and Shoulders makes a version for dry scalp. I'd give that a shot. Also, exfoliating a lot might actually make it worse (at least it does for me when my skin gets dry).

[bunnymendelbaum]

It's not PUPPS right?

Might be seborrheic dermatitis. Try the expensive nuetrogena shampoo.

[Beebs]

Usually lurk but - My husband has/had this problem, and had to get a Rx shampoo from the doctor. Its not eczema though, but a kind of dermatitis. The Rx has made a huge difference though - regular shampoos/treatments weren't doing much.

[bunnymendelbaum]

Look for shampoo with either of these:
Selenium sulfide is found in products available by prescription. Some people who use selenium sulfide experience scalp irritation or lightening of their hair color.

Zinc pyrithione is available in over-the-counter products. It may cause irritation.

My skin is ridiculously itchy right now too. No flaking but I have to stop myself from scratching because it feels do damn good but makes it worse. I wake up scratching at night. Ugh.

[peach]

What is pupps? I was just googling dermatitis actually too. I don't know what it is but it's awful. Do you mean the neutropenia shampoo that is the yellow clarifying one? I have that.

[bunnymendelbaum]

I think I was wrong about the nuetrogena shampoo unless they have one with coal tar or the zinc.
I think you can get another zinc OTC too.

[bunnymendelbaum]

PUPPS is a horrible rash some people get during pregnancy. They get it mostly on their core, not scalp.

[gnomesweetgnome]

Is it kind of white/grey & scaly? It sounds like when I had psoriasis on my scalp. You can look for T/FAL shampoo as an over-the-counter remedy, but it really does best when treated with a steroid cream. I'd see a dermatologist if it doesn't clear up soon!

[Deleted]

OMG. I had that when I was pregnant too. Much in the areas you describe.
One night I totally olive oiled my head, let is soak in and then scraped it all out with a fine tooth comb. Like you'd do to a baby with cradle crap.
It worked wonders.
It was towards the end of my pregnancy so I only had to do it twice, and the it went back to normal the second I wasn't pregnant.

[moolarkey]

Try Selsun Blue, I think I spelled it correctly. I have extremely dry skin which means flaky scalp. Head & shoulders was not helping. I was concerned Selsun Blue would be too strong and my hair would look like crap - even if it was flake free! I was wrong, my hair looks beautiful. It's very shinny and soft and no flakes. I squirt a blob about the size of knickel on my fingertips and work it in.

[OG Jo]

It's probably not strong enough for what you need, but that shampoo/conditioner that Heidi Klum advertises - Clear - has been great for my scalp health... It's worth a shot...?

[auntie]

DH has something like that. He uses the Head & Shoulders in the dark blue bottle. Clears it really quickly/

[Blueper]

Extra virgin coconut oil. I went in to my Dr. to see what a huge dry, flaky patch of skin on my face was a bit over a week ago and he prescribed hydroc. cream. I started using the coconut oil, bumped into him a few days later and he was really impressed with the progress. I still have to apply it daily or else a few says later it will flake up again.