Red Tender Patches Of Skin On Scalp

[surferdude]

Hey everyone.

Maybe someone can help. I have NEVER had so much as a skin rash in my life. However, I recently went through a really stressful period in my life. Wasn't eating right or much at all for months. Stayed in bed alot! Basically didn't take care of myself.

Anyway. I finally came out of my funk. I shaved my head(which I often do as I like the look)...when I noticed I have a series of red, tender patches on my scalp. They are on either side of my head and around the back.

I NEVER had them before. My scalp was always clean and unblemished. I think its some sort of rash. It doesnt itch at all. It also doesn't appear to be flaking. I am puzzled.

I looked on line and found everything from Dandruff to seborrhoeic eczema or dermititis.

Some of those sound like it.

I tried head and shoulders shampoo. Which STUNG the first day. Less stinging the second day.

Its still red though. There are other shampoos, Coal tar, selenium, salicylic acid etc. As well as topicals like over the counter 1% hydrocortisone and zinc oxide.

I even read about home remidies like olive oil and apple cider vinegar.

Anyone care to take a guess? Or who has had a similiar thing? I'm a 37 year old guy. No one in my family ever had this...so i know its not hereditary. I never had it before. I read that STRESS or laying in bed for long periods with bad nutrition are possible causes. So I KNOW thats how it probably happened.

But what now? How long will the redness take to go away? I've never had red patches on my scalp before. Again, there is no flaking. Just reddish tender patches. The front and top of my scalp are fine.

Right before I snapped out of my stressful period, I did have some flakey ness behind the ears. But no longer. Totally clear now. Its just the red patches around the sides and back of scalp I am worried about.

I have ALL these different shampoos and ointments sitting in front of me now. LOL. I just wanted to know how to go about using them, and how long this will take to go away. I am back eating well and working out again. I am normally a very positive person. It was just a really bad few months there.

These red spots are all thats left to remind me of that period...and I cant WAIT for them to go away.

Please help.

[bluelotus]

Sounds like psoriasis, though I have never had eczema or DH, so I couldn't tell you about those. Psoriasis tends to be raised patches of skin, usually red in color (though it can be pale), sometimes itchy, sometimes flaky.....I wouldn't describe it as tender or painful per se. These may show up anywhere, but are common on knees, elbows and the scalp. I usually get mine behind my ear on my scalp and on my knees. This is an autoimmune disorder that appears to be related to celiac disease. I think it is an inherited disorder as well. They make creams for psoriasis, but I haven't used any in years (have hair on my head so it isn't noticeable, like yours may be).

Good luck and sorry if what I am describing doesn't help or isn't applicable.

[lovegrov]

Not DH. More likely psoriasis. A dermatologist would probably know just looking at it.

richard

[debmidge]

Recommend that you see dermatologist as those patches could be psoriasis or dermatitis and they could get infected and you could need an anti biotic as well as cortisone cream, etc.

DH: Well, my husband had DH at hairline area and when he went gluten-free most of it went away -- so we assumed it was DH. If it didn't go away, he would have went to dermatologist to check further.

[bluelotus]

Psoriasis tends to abate when a person goes gluten-free, though takes some time.

Never meant to imply that you shouldn't see a derm., that's something you really should do. So many skin disorders out there - may not even be DH, psoriasis, or eczema. Anyway, good luck.

[jenvan]

It also sounds more like psoriasis to me. I have it on my scalp. It has different stages, one of them being red and tender, exposed spots, another being the heavy scaling and flaking with some itching. I say go to a dermo and have it cked out/diagnosed. Psoriasis can be an annoying disorder. I have been gluten-free since Feb and mine has not improved yet. For some it can take a while. Oftentimes it can get worse when you are dragging or sick. My experience is that topical meds do offer some help...but the coal tar shampoos help greatly (sebutone is one i use). I wouldn't recommend using them forever though...coal tar certainly isn't 'good' for us! My dad who has severe psoriasis has also found that sun exposure helps him. But be careful combining exposure with meds, b/c they often make the skin more photo-sensitive. If you want articles on celiac and psoriasis connection, pm me and I can send you some.

[bluefin]

hello there

i think your skin is too delicate for all this

well anyway apply a calamine lotion to your scalp and you will be ok

the other reason for such a condition is dandruff

so also get a treatment for it

have a look at the important facts about skin care

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[jenvan]

bluefin-

not sure what do you mean by "your skin is too delicate for this?"

[bluelotus]

I don't know that calamine would help if its psoriasis - esp since it is on the scalp...kind of messy.

[Ursa Major]

Surferdude, you don't mention if you have Celiac disease or not. The answer to that question is important!

I've had (what I've thought) psoriasis on my scalp probably all my life. I tried head and shoulders, which made my hair fall out, tar shampoo which caused unbearable burning and a host of other things, all very unhelpful.

When I found out about Celiac disease, I got a shampoo without wheat germ, which helped quite a bit, but now I switched again to one without wheat germ AND without salicylates, and the itching is almost completely gone within a day (and maybe the rash will go away? I hope so).

So, depending on what the cause of your rash is, any of the things you have 'sitting in front of you' could either be helpful, or making things worse.

Therefore, you need to figure out what it is, and what you are intolerant to. So, seeing a dermatologist is definitely a good idea!