Does anyone else deal with Dermatitis or Psoriasis?

[Disneyatic]

I know this may seem like an odd topic, but does anyone have experience dealing with Dermatitis?
I have had it for years on my scalp in varying degrees of severity and my dermatologist has to occassionally change out the medicine I use to treat it because it stops working after awhile (I guess my body builds up an immunity).
It's usually some version of steroid creams or foams that are prescribed. My current medicine is not working and I hate to go back and get an even stronger steroid to put directly on my head! I tried going to my PCP to see if he had any alternatives and he told me that I should be happy that I only have it as bad as I do :confused: so it's either back to the derm-o or find an alternative treatment.

I was wondering if anyone else has had success with treating this annoying ailment? Especially experiences with homeopathic or home remedies?

I would love to hear any and all experiences and suggestions!!!

[kakn7294]

DD 13 has psoriasis - we discovered it in 2005 while at WDW of all places. Hers is also on her scalp and it's difficult to treat due to her long, thick hair. She uses a Tea Tree oil shampoo along with a medicated, prescription shampoo and the foam. She also has Elidil for when it's really bad - just one or two doses usually brings it right back under control but she never gets rid of it on that spot. She also has it in her finger and toe nails but we really can't do anything to treat those.

[AuntDJ]

I have it on my scalp...used the foams and shampoos....and basically I stay away from black or dark colored clothes.

I also get this on feet and hands, usually these are easy to get rid of. but I can seem to shake the scalp.

Someone told me to put Vinegar on your scalp...I tried it....it took the itch away for a little bit, but didn't really "cure" anything.

I hope we get some good suggestions from here.

p.s I love Intercot...things you never think to ask or think your alone on....and here you are asking it....makes me feel all warm and fuzzy!!

DJ

[Deesdisney]

I have had psoriasis all my life. My son has it only on his scalp. He use to use the Perscription shampoos but they made his hair look oily. So we tried T-Gel extra strength and it keeps it under control. It is over the counter at most stores. However since mine is on my elbows and legs I have had to start using Enbrel. Try the T-gel he loves it.

[Dakota Rose]

I have dermatitis. Always have. About a year ago, I switched from hydrocortisone to using emu oil. I've had MUCH better success with the emu oil lotion than I ever had with the hydrocortisone. I also recently started taking an acidophilus supplement and since doing that, I haven't had a break-out.

[princessjojo]

DH uses an OTC shampoo that's special order thru our pharmacy, DHS I think it is. But it's more of a coal-tar based shampoo and if anyone is familiar with it, coal-tar stinks. But he swears by it and won't go back to the others. It's about $12/14-16 oz bottle and you can get it in a fragranced shampoo as well.

I'll have to tell him about the emu oil/lotion. He currently uses a hydrocortizone ointment on his face every day after taking a shower. Lotions don't do away with the itch and dryiness as well. His face always looks like he's terribly sunburned. His skin, especially around his arms and trunk area become inflammed seasonally as well. But he's the knuckle head who won't take his meds like he should. In that respect I don't feel sorry for him.

I hope you all find something that works. I am excited about hearing others solutions as well.

[SBETigg]

I have it and I haven't found very effective treatments of any kind. But, I do find that it's worse seasonally, depending on what I eat, and always really bad at - yipes- WDW! I think I'm allergic to their soaps and laundry products, and all the hand-washing in parks dries my skin out really badly.

I have it worst on my hands, elbows, behind my knees, and then in random patches, not as bad on my scalp. I can't eat citrus or garlic. My skin is in better shape when I eat dairy two or three times a day. I have allergies that exacerbate my skin problems, partcularly to a lot of things that are supposed to help. It's not easy, but I'm happy to see people with solutions and more things I can try!

[Disneyatic]

Thank you so much to everyone for sharing their experiences and treatments!
I have some scars on my scalp from being attacked by a dog when I was young and the first dermatitis spot seemed to pop up around one of the larger scars when I was a teenager.

She uses a Tea Tree oil shampoo along with a medicated, prescription shampoo and the foam. She also has Elidil for when it's really bad - just one or two doses usually brings it right back under control but she never gets rid of it on that spot. She also has it in her finger and toe nails but we really can't do anything to treat those.
I also have the worst time with creams on my scalp because it seems like more gets on my hair than on the scalp area!
Where do you buy the tea tree oil? Does she just apply it directly to the spots on her head?
What is the Elidil? Is it an oral medication?


About a year ago, I switched from hydrocortisone to using emu oil. I've had MUCH better success with the emu oil lotion than I ever had with the hydrocortisone. I also recently started taking an acidophilus supplement and since doing that, I haven't had a break-out.
I will definitely give the acidophilus a try. I am not a fan of dairy products so I don't get enough in my regular diet.
Where do you buy the emu oil???


[FONT=Century Gothic]DH uses an OTC shampoo that's special order thru our pharmacy, DHS I think it is. But it's more of a coal-tar based shampoo and if anyone is familiar with it, coal-tar stinks. But he swears by it and won't go back to the others. It's about $12/14-16 oz bottle and you can get it in a fragranced shampoo as well. FONT]
I have tried prescription shampoos (SALEX) with salicylic acid, but they seem to make is worse, it itches so bad and is majorly flaky after I use it. So I have pretty much quit using it. I did find a shampoo OTC at Walmart called DermaRest and it does help the itching some but it hasn't seemed to treat the actual spots.

I was using OLUX foam and it worked so good and didn't make my hair greasy but it just stopped working after about a year or so.

I never thought about my diet effecting it, but I am going to have to watch that closely and see if I can find some patterns. I have noticed that humidity and dry/cold weather do seem to make it worse.
I have also heard the vinegar suggestion, but never tried it....I may have to!

[Dragongirlx]

[QUOTE=princessjojo;1643749]DH uses an OTC shampoo that's special order thru our pharmacy, DHS I think it is. But it's more of a coal-tar based shampoo and if anyone is familiar with it, coal-tar stinks. But he swears by it and won't go back to the others. It's about $12/14-16 oz bottle and you can get it in a fragranced shampoo as well.
QUOTE]

Yes my sister and I use a coal tar baed shampoo that you can buy at any chemist in the UK - it does stink but I works (its better for me than my sister but she has a worse type of psoarsis than I do). I would say though that you need to take turn about with it and a normal gentle shampoo and use a really good conditioner as well

[RAIDER]

I suffer from it on my feet ,scalp and sometimes hands .....

A good tea tree based product normally takes away the itching and i have found that a baby shampoo also helps as well ...Cortozone cream is also not bad for taking away irritation .... :thumbsup:

[kakn7294]

We use a Tea Tree based shampoo because using the oil itself left her hair very greasy and dirty-looking. She currently has Loreal's Nature's Therapy Scalp Relief Treatment Shampoo for dry scalp. It came from a beauty supply store. We also have Jason Tea Tree Scalp Normalizing Shampoo and Conditioner (bought from VitaCost online) on the recommendation of a guy at work with psoriasis of the scalp. She hasn't used them on a regular basis and has complained that the shampoo didn't lather well and the conditioner is thick and did not leave her hair soft - it probably works better on someone with shorter, thinner hair. We had Paul Mitchell previously and it worked well so we'll probably switch back to that when her Loreal is gone. We also tried the DermaRest and it worked okay as did an extra strength dandruff shampoo. She won't use the coal-tar products because they stink (can't say I blame her there!). They used to give her a liquid steroid to apply to the scalp - we've had several different ones - but they are all based in alcohol and burned like mad when applied to open skin. She has betamethasone ointment for flares on other parts of her body - generally hands, elbows, and knees but fortunately those are rare. The Elidil is a cream and isn't easy to get on due to her thick hair. I have to do it for her - we use a rat-tail comb to part the hair over the area and I rub the cream in with my fingers. I haven't noticed any food connections for her yet. Stress causes flares and her scalp to worsen. The summer sun seems to help as well.