Extreme dandruff!!!?

Question

As you can guess i have extreme drandruff now i have had it for a few years now, yes years, and i want RID! I have been to the doctor loads of times and now am just fed-up. I have tryed loads of shampoo from head and shoulder to Nizoral Shampoo to T-Gel. Nothing works. a short description would be that my hair gets really hard, tought almost to put my hands through and drandruff pours out and it gets everywhere, eyebrowns clothes without even touching it. Now the shampoos just seem to make my hair softer, but drandruff pours out like snow just by touching my hair even after washing everyday. I did think that i was deficiency but for a while now i have been having vitamin tablets and no improvement. I do not use hair products like gel, nor do i have emxa. I really need some help.
Thanks in advance

i have short hair, have tryed Betnovate Scalp and nizoral

Answer 1

Hello,

I wonder if this scalp condition is an expression of your having 'seborrhoeic dermatitis?' (prounced seb-o-ree' -ic derm-a-tight' -us). If so, you would also have red itchy skin in your eyebrows, the skin folds at the sides of your nose, and on your central breast-bone, (see pics below).

This is caused by an infection of the scalp and face etc. by a 'yeast' fungus, but the way the yeast actually produces the flaking and redness is by chemically breaking down the natural skin oils (called "sebum") into irritant breakdown-products.

So there are three lines of treatment. The first aims at killing off the yeast germ, - treatments like Nizoral, medicated shampoos, medicated ointments like Vioform HC.

The second line of treatment is to use mild steroid creams like Hydrocortisone, Eumovate, diluted Betnovate etc. to reduce the inflammation that the breakdown products of sebum cause.

The third line of treatment is to remove the natural oils that the yeast attacks. If you have skin that is at all oily, then that is normal *but* you are making an excess of oils for the yeast to have a go at.

If you have oily skin then I recommend that you wash your hair and face twice a day every day using ordinary green Fairy Liquid. This is really good at getting excess oil under control. Better than any 'shampoo.' There may be some under the sink!!

The other thing I recommend is, after washing, apply a yeast-killing and scale-dissolving lotion to the scalp. Doctors use "2% salicylic acid in alcohol" lotion, but almost as good is vinegar, preferably wine vinegar which is colourless. This contains 'acetic acid' which will help dissolve scales and kill yeast germs.

If you try this, I am afraid *it will be very sore and raw* the first few times. This is because your skin is likely very inflamed. If it's too bad, you might try diluting the vinegar to half-strength with ordinary tap water first. If you like the treatment, then spraying it on with a little spray bottle is quick.

You can dry your skin with an ordinary hair drier, that is fine. Blowing the hair gets rid of the vinegar smell. You could apply a mild perfume when it's dry if you like.

I suggest you try to drastically reduce the oiliness of your skin as a first measure. I am afraid if you have an oily skin it will stay like that until you are old and your hormones dry up :))

That means that until then you will have to wash it at least once a day, twice when it is bad.

Hope this is some help. Belliger (retired UK GP)

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Extreme dandruff!!!?
As you can guess i have extreme drandruff now i have had it for a few years now, yes years, and i want RID! I have been to the doctor loads of times and now am just fed-up. I have tryed loads of shampoo from head and shoulder to Nizoral Shampoo to T-Gel. Nothing works. a short description would be...

Answer 4

1] buy a shower cap, some Demarest, Nizoral, or TGel shampoo and conditioner. Wash hair thoroughly, using 50 cent size of shampoo. If that doesn't lather well, rinse and wash again. Leave shampoo on while you scrub the rest of you. Rinse well.
2] use 50 cent size of conditioner. Leave on while you shave or exfoliate. Rinse twice as much as you normally would.
3] Blot hair with towel, and scrub combs/brush with shampoo and a nail brush, or old toothbrush.
4] comb out tangles.Part hair, and divide into one or two inch pieces.Rub in small amounts of vaseline, Alpha Keri oil, or ointment from doc. Do entire head, and cover with shower cap. Leave on at least twelve hours.
5] wash, shampoo, and condition again. Do the 'special treatment' every two days or so, so you don't wear out your hair, but scalp cleans up nicely.
6] avoid using any hair products while treating for a week or so.
7] eat well - avoid all fried, fast, and junk food - even diet junk food
8] drink 1/2 gallon of water a day
9] take good quality stress vitamins with Minerals - a little bit of one mineral or vitamin makes a big difference.

Answer 5

Refer to a Question asked by J 1978 earlier about Listerine mouthwash and dandruff.

Answer 6

I am sorry, that has to be tough. Proactive has a dandruff shampoo out. I can't vouch for the shampoo but I love their face products. I know a lot of people use products with tea tree oil for help. One of my friends was prescribed a mousse called Olux and she swears by it. Good luck!! I know it can be difficult when you feel like you have tried everything and you're out of options. I felt that way when I was looking for face stuff.

Answer 7

I have this same problem, and it's the most frustrating thing ever. I have experienced all of that and tried all of the things that you named as well. Friday I saw a dermatologist and he said it was seborrhea. He gave me a sample of a zinc shampoo, it's called DHS and it's sold over the counter. It seemed to work a little better. He also gave me a prescription for a corticosteroid liquid that I have been putting on there twice a day. I still have the flaking, but it is getting better - it's better than it has been in months anyway.

I also ran across this website and I thought it was helpful:

http://www.dermadoctor.com/pages/newsletter66.asp

One thing that I noticed from personal experience that the website mentioned was that it may be better to switch types of shampoo periodically. I feel your pain and I hope it gets better!

Answer 8

Forget the vitamin tablets!

Bad dandruff is often the medical condition Seborrhoea Capitis. This is is a combination of a dermatitis and a fungal infection. http://www.hairscientists.org/Library/P%20Steatoides.png
at its worst it produces plaques like this.

It is best treated with a combination of Betnovate Scalp application and Nizoral shampoo. Go see your GP for appropriate prescriptions.

Answer 9

Poor hygiene, improper diet ,sluggish condition of the scalp caused by poor blood circulation are the main causes of dandruff. A herbal rinse is a safe method of removing dandruff. Apply lemon juice with the rind on the scalp .After 5 minutes wash off with shampoo and water. More simple remedies for dandruff at http://usefulinfo-dandruff.blogspot.com/

Answer 10

MMS will attack the fungus and works faster than the shampoos. I've used it for years with nothing but good effects. Most of the controversy surrounds ingesting it however for topical application it is actually significantly less harmful than a swim in the pool especially at the suggested dillution. Sodium Chlorite is used as a water purifier for drinking.