Scalp Dermatitis Remedies

A skin inflammation caused by a substance that has touched the skin. When the reaction is caused by repeated exposure to harsh chemicals, it is called irritant contact dermatitis. When it is caused by an allergy, it is called allergic contact dermatitis.

.How can you tell the difference between allergic and irritant contact dermatitis? Soap, for example, can cause either one. But it's the repeated exposure to soap that causes irritation. In contrast, an allergic reaction can be triggered, for example, by a brief exposure to the fragrance, colour or preservative agent in the soap.

Irritant contact dermatitis may be caused by numerous industrial chemicals, as well as household soaps, detergents, oven cleaners, and bathroom cleaners. Allergic contact dermatitis is a bit more complicated. Sometimes it appears soon after contact with the substance. Other times, it may not develop until six or seven days after the contact. In rare cases, the reaction shows up only after years of repeated use. There are also cases in which a substance, such as a shaving lotion or cosmetic, produces a “photo allergic” reaction which is a rash that develops when the skin is exposed to sunlight. Tar shampoo, one of the more common scalp dermatitis remedies suffers from this drawback.

The most common cause of allergic contact dermatitis is poison ivy, which causes reactions in about half the people exposed to it. The next most common allergen is nickel, a metal commonly used in costume jewelry. Nickel can be hard to avoid, since even 14-karat gold jewelry contains some (24-karat, or pure, gold does not).

Some other possible causes of allergic contact dermatitis include: Neomycin, a topical antibacterial drug; benzocaine, which is found in topical anaesthetics; leather; formaldehyde, which is used in shampoo, detergent, nail hardeners, waterless hand cleaners and mouthwashes; cinnamon flavour in toothpaste and candies; PABA, the active ingredients in some sunscreens; chemicals found in hair dyes; preservatives found in many cosmetics and popular latex based products such as condoms and gloves.

An inflammation of the skin, marked by small blisters, redness, oozing, scales, crusts, scabs, burning, itching, and dryness. The skin at the back of the knee and the top of the elbow are common targets. When eczema is caused by allergies, it is often called atopic dermatitis

This condition, which is characterized by intense and miserable itching, takes its name from atopy, the term for an inherited condition that can show up as dermatitis, as allergies to certain airborne substances, or as asthma. If any other family members have any one of these conditions, you many be at risk for atopic dermatitis.

Infants and children are most likely to be plagued by atopic dermatitis. However, a majority of these cases subside by adulthood. If you or your child suffers from this chronic rash, you will need the care of a dermatologist or an allergist. Certain foods such as nuts, wheat, milk, and eggs and other substances such as pollen and fur often bring on symptoms.

Also referred to as Seborrheic Dermatitis (Seborreic Dermatitis), this common condition causes dandruff in adults and cradle cap in infants. According to an article written by the Mayo Clinic and published by CNN (Mayo Clinic Report - Dermatitis / Eczema) seborrheic dermatitis may even occur during times of physical stress or travel. Symptoms of Seborrheic Dermatitis (Seborreic Dermatitis) may include scaling and inflammation of the scalp, face and sometimes other body parts. This condition is often associated with an over production of oil that is secreted from the sebaceous oil glands and is pushed out to the surface, forming a dry scaly crust of oil. Common scalp dermatitis remedies are described below.

The following is a list of skin & scalp dermatitis remedies that require no prescription drugs or other potentially harmful treatments.

• Chill Out: A cool compress can often calm the itching and swelling associated with many types of dermatitis. Use a clean handkerchief or thin towel dipped into cool water. Place it on the rash for 10 minutes or until the itching subsides. Repeat as necessary. On weeping, oozing blisters, the water will help dry-up the rash. Optionally, whole milk can be used. The protein in the milk helps relieve the itching.
• Bathe Your Itch: One of the easiest skin & scalp dermatitis remedies is a soothing bath in warm (not hot) water which may temporarily relieve the itch. Adding a cup of oatmeal or baking soda to bath water can make it even more effective. Over-the-counter colloidal oatmeal is recommended because it is ground up and dissolves better.
• Take A Pill: Research done by the "National Institute of Health" concludes that OTC (over-the-counter) antihistamines that make people dwowsy can help stop nighttime scratching.
• Slap On the Sap: Pacific Northwest Native Indians have been using tree essences or tree sap for centuries in a variety of teas, poultices, tinctures, and body wraps as skin & scalp dermatitis remedies.

Therapeutic tree essences such as Birch, Cedar, Douglas fir, Spruce, Hemlock Alder and Pine combined with herbal tea infusions made with healing plant extracts from Chamomile, Alfalfa, Echinacea, Nettle and Red Clover have shown to be effective skin & scalp dermatitis remedies by soothing the skin, relieving the itch and breaking the cycle.

Liquefying skin creams and moisturizing shampoos with these natural ingredients offer a natural alternative to commonly prescribed and controversial Hydro-Cortisone-based skin & scalp dermatitis remedies. The liquefying properties of these skin cream products allow the ingredients to quickly absorb into the skin to better saturate, hydrates, and nourishes each layer.

It seems obvious: The best way to prevent allergic contact dermatitis is to find out what is causing the reaction and avoid it. The trouble is that uncovering the cause is not always easy.

First of all, we use so many products on our skin every day that it may be difficult to figure out which caused the problem. Another difficulty is the delay that can occur between exposure to the allergen and the developing rash.

Here are some prevention tips:

• Cool Jewelry: The combination of hot, humid weather and jewelry that contains nickel may worsen the allergic reaction because perspiration leaches out some of the nickel. So before you turn up the heat, remove any jewelry containing nickel.
• Paint-On A Protective Coating: If you must wear jewelry containing nickel, paint the surfaces that come in contact with your skin with clear nail polish.
• Cover Up: Protect your skin while working outdoors. For example, by wearing work gloves and a long-sleeved shirt.
• Check The Ingredients: Familiarize yourself with the ingredients in your skin care products by reading the labels. The term “Hypo-Allergenic” on a label does not guarantee that your skin will nor react to it's ingredients.

Those “hard to pronounce, cryptically named” ingredients may not be safe at all. Surprisingly, many of them come with health warnings that unless you were involved in product research, you might never know.

One of the most eye opening reports on the potential dangers of ingredients commonly used in common household products can be found at StopYourSkinProblem. This report also includes information on the potential dangers of many ingredients in OTC (over-the-counter) skin and scalp dermatitis remedies.

With this type of dermatitis the best means of prevention is to avoid contact with the irritant. If contact is through the hands, try using vinyl gloves rather than rubber. Cotton liners can be used to reduce irritation from hands sweating in the gloves.

According to The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety

The key to preventing bouts of this particular dermatitis is to reduce the irritation to the skin.

The following tips will help you to do just that:

• Wash Away the Irritant: Before wearing new clothes, wash them to help remove formaldehyde and other potentially irritating chemicals that are used to treat fabrics and clothing. It is also wise to rinse your clothes twice to make sure that all the soap is removed, even if you use a mild laundry detergent.
• Say “No” to Polyester: Choose loose-fitting, open-weave cotton or cotton blend clothing allowing your skin to breathe.
• Avoid Abrupt Temperature Changes: Try to keep temperatures as consistent as possible in your home and avoid drafts. Maintaining a constant humidity may also help.
• Rinse-Off the Chlorine: After swimming, take a shower using a mild body-wash to remove the chlorine and other chemicals found in most swimming pools and hot tubs. Apply a moisturizer after patting yourself dry.
• Stop Using Thick, Oily Moisturizers: Many of these products use synthetic ingredients such as Dimethicone or Mineral Oil that remain on the surface of the skin to form a “so-called” protective barrier. This protective coating however, only keeps the top layer of skin moisturized and traps in the heat that is desperately trying to escape!

When a skin problem develops, inflammation often results and the body generates heat while fighting the inflammation If this heat is not allowed to escape, it may further aggravate the condition by spreading to a larger area.

To prevent this, use moisturizing creams that contain natural vegetable oils. Particularly the oil from olives, avocados, pumpkin seeds, sunflowers and flax seeds. These provide the skin with a much healthier alternative as they are more easily absorbed and nutritionally rich.

Dandruff is part of a natural and important process of shedding skin cells that goes on continuously all over the body. In fact, every 27 to 28 days, all the old cells have been replaced and you have a brand new suit of skin. Many of the best scalp dermatitis remedies consist of little more than rinsing the scalp with a mild shampoo and applying a skin conditioner.

For unknown reasons, this natural skin shedding process is even more pronounced on the scalp. Instead of floating away like the dead skin cells do on other parts of the body, the tiny scalp flakes become trapped by the hair. Oil from the hair and scalp causes the flakes to clump together into larger, visible flakes. These more conspicuous lumps are called dandruff.

If there is an excessive amount of oil secretion and shine on the scalp and forehead, the condition has usually progressed to what is known as Seborrheic Dermatitis (Seborreic Dermatitis).

Cradle Cap is a common condition that infants develop during their first year. It is basically the same as Seborrheic Dermatitis (Seborreic Dermatitis), but with the addition of small hard scaly flakes.

It is not yet understood why some people's scalps shed more than others. However, a common link to a microscopic fungus, known as Pityrosporum, does appear to be more apparent with people who suffer from large amounts of dandruff.

The following table lists scalp dermatitis remedies and means of relieving Seborrheic Dermatitis (Seborreic Dermatitis):

• Shampoo Every Day: Often, the only treatment you need to control light dandruff is a daily washing with a daily moisturizing shampoo.
• Avoid Harsh Shampoo Detergents: Commonly used shampoo detergents such as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) and Diethanolamine (DEA) are harsh and drying to the skin and should be avoided. Look for shampoos that use milder ingredients such as saponified Palm Kernel, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil and Corn.
• Natural Dandruff Control: If the regular daily moisturizing shampoo is not holding off the flakes, try washing your hair with an anti-dandruff shampoo enriched with natural vegetable oils such as Olive, Avocado, Pumpkin Seed, Sunflower and Flax Seed. Also look for shampoos that contain Tree Sap or Tree Essences in them. These ingredients are highly therapeutic and help soothe the itch and redness associated with more aggressive dandruff conditions.
• Leave It On: To be effective, leave the anti-dandruff shampoo on for several minutes so that the active therapeutic ingredients have a chance to come in contact with the scalp and absorb into the skin cells.
• Lather Twice: Once is good, but twice is better. The first lather and rinse gets rid of the loose flakes and excess oils; the second really goes to work on the scalp.
• Condition It: Many times a conditioner can work wonders for your scalp. But choose a conditioner that is not full of synthetic oils or silicones. Many of these synthetic products give you a false hope of natural conditioning, shine and luster; when in fact, they are simply coating your scalp and hair with chemicals that may even be the cause of the dandruff.
  
  Instead, use a daily moisturizing and hydrating conditioner enriched with herbal tea infusions (chamomile, alfalfa, Echinacea, nettle and red clover) and vegetable oils. The herbs will help soothe the scalp and the vegetable oils will provide the moisturizing properties needed to eliminate the flakes as well as put a natural shine and luster onto your hair.
• Get Rid of the Sweat: Like other parts of the body, the scalp sweats. This perspiration can irritate the scalp and speed the flaking of skin cells. After exercising or strenuous work that makes you sweat, shampoo your hair as soon as possible to get rid of the perspiration.
• Go More Natural: Sticky gels, sprays and other styling products may make your hair look great, but they can also contribute to the flaky skin build up. Try to cut down on the quantity of product you use and using them less often.