Scalp Issues

by Em

Hello Nanette,

I came across your website tonight when looking at calendula oil for seborrheic dermatitis.
Here's my story:

2 months ago my head started to itch. I wasn't sure what to do, so I went to see my nurse practitioner thinking it might be possible that I got my grandkids head lice. My granddaughter had loaned her head band to a girl at school and pretty soon the whole family had it. I had been at their house just prior to that. My np said that it didn't look like head lice, but there was another issue: recently I had gotten a couple of ticks crawling on my head and also a spider. (My dog is a magnet for ticks and sleeps in our bed) The ticks were dog ticks and weren't attached. My np thought that perhaps I was bitten and was having an allergic reaction as I had little red spots in certain areas and alot of inflammation. She prescribed hydrocortisone pills and I started taking them and went off to a meditation retreat for 3 weeks. My symptoms weren't totally taken care of but not terrible either.

When I got home I started weaning myself off the meds and started having more intense symptoms. I started using home remedies such as yogurt on my head (actually provided temporary relief); tea tree oil straight (too strong I think), vinegar rinses and straight vinegar. I went back to my NP and she told me to raise the dose to 30 mg of hydrocortisone pills....still bad. Desperate due to itching and burning and crawly feeling I went back again and she told me to take as much hydrocortisone pills as I needed to suppress the symptoms. ( I got up to 50 mg of the hydrocortisone and have now weaned down to 40) Her theory was that the bite I had that produced inflammation wasn't totally suppressed.

I got into see my dermatologist a few days later (last week) and his theory is that it is seborrheic dermatitis. He made the diagnosis of seborrheic dermatitis vs Psoriasis due to some itching I have had more recently on my ears. I guess he didn't buy the tick or spider bite theory of my NP. He gave me medications: Ketoconazole 2 %, fluocinonide topical solution 0.05% also some scalpicin. I have started using this but I have to use alot of the fluocinonide as I have a bunch of curly hair and it gets in my hair too.
Also, with the shampoo he told me to use it 2-3x a week but the written directions said daily so I did that 3 days and it made the itching and burning worse.
One thing that may have complicated things is a week ago friday we had family in town and had dinner outside and I was sitting in the sun with no hat on. Now my head really itches and hurts when I'm in the sun even with a hat on. Oi vey!!

I have been using spray collodial silver on my head and I was thinking that helped; I also have used a mixture I read about 1/2 witch hazel w/o alcohol with 1/2 glycerine, this gives some relief. Also just plan calendula oil (olive oil and calendula has provided some relief, but this whole thing has become an obsession I have never experienced before. It's horrible beyond belief.

I also do have a nummular dermatitis which developed on my trunk area 4 years ago, but it is pretty much under control. I have gone though all my soaps and looked up ingredients on the Environmental Working Group site, also same with clothes soap, and recently got rid of all hair products with wheat in them as I have gluten intolerance. Have been taking these kinds of steps even before the scalp situation

So there is my story, and I would be so grateful if you had some suggestions for me.
btw: I just turned 70.