Hi jamiewow,
There are two primary causes of itchy scalp; dandruff and eczema.
Dandruff
========
?An itchy, dry scalp is usually a sign of dandruff. Dandruff is a
harmless and common, yet irritating, condition in which dead skin is
shed from the scalp, often, but not always, producing those unsightly
white flakes. The usual cause of dandruff is seborrheic dermatitis, a
type of skin rash.?
Go Ask Alice
http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/0639.html
?What is dandruff?
Dandruff is the common term used for white skin flakes shedding from
the scalp, or in some cases, other hair-covered skin. Dandruff is not
contagious and usually not serious, although can be embarrassing and
itchy.
Skin is naturally shed from the scalp, but in dandruff sufferers it
becomes noticable on the shoulders and causes an itchy scalp.
Seborrheic (seb-o-REE-ik) dermatitis is the technical term for this
common condition.
Dandruff is usually due to the overworking of the sebaceous glands.
These glands produce oil and help shed dead skin. In the case of a
dandruff sufferer, the sebaceous glands are overactive, shedding more
skin than usual.
Sometimes dandruff is caused by a naturally occurring yeast fungus
called Pityrosporum ovale. Some people have more of this fungus than
others, causing flaky scalp.?
?Shampoos contain one of five active ingredients: salicylic acid,
coal-tar, zinc pyrithione, selenium sulfide and sulphur. These
shampoos are non-prescription and the ingredients are approved for use
by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Well known
over-the-counter brands include Head and Shoulders, Denorex, Selsun
Blue, Tegrin, Sebutone or Neutrogena T/Gel or T/Sal.
If necessary, shampoo daily with these shampoos, lathering well and
making sure the lather remains on the scalp for 5 minutes before
rinsing to allow the active ingredients to work. Take care with
tar-based shampoos as they can stain light-coloured or grey hair and
make the scalp more sun-sensitive. Anti-dandruff shampoos can make the
hair brittle and weak, so use of a good hair conditioner is
recommended.
When dandruff has cleared, begin using a good quality shampoo and
rotate the use of the anti-dandruff shampoos as necessary. Some
sufferers may need to try a range of anti-dandruff shampoos to gain
best results, or rotate between various products, as continued use of
one product seems to lose effectiveness over time.
A newer anti-fungal product containing Ketoconazole was approved in
1997 by the FDA in USA for over-the-counter sale in the form of
Nizoral A-D shampoo. This medication can be helpful for particularly
difficult cases, according to some pharmacists.?
http://www.medic8.com/healthguide/articles/dandruff.html
More on dandruff
http://www.coolnurse.com/dandruff.htm
It?s very important to keep the scalp clean ? shampooing every day is
safe, followed by a thorough warm water rinse. You could try regular
dandruff shampoos first, and if after a week or two you see no
improvement, try T-Gel or Nizeral, or ask the pharmacist for a good
dandruff shampoo. Follow the dandruff shampoo directions closely, and
massage the shampoo into the scalp. If the label recommends leaving
the shampoo on the scalp for 4-5 minutes, then be sure and do so. If
the condition does not improve after 2-3 weeks, the doctor may need to
collect samples for fungal cultures. Once the results are back, an
appropriate treatment can be prescribed. It?s very important also to
keep hairbrushes, combs, bed linens and towels very clean. If, after 3
weeks there is no improvement, please have your daughter examined by a
doctor.
Eczema
======
?The most common problem of this kind is known as seborrhoeic eczema.
It is accompanied by reddening of the skin, irritation and scaling.
Sometimes it is associated with an unusually greasy scalp.?
http://www.pg.com/science/haircare/hair_twh_113.htm
http://www.pg.com/science/haircare/hair_twh_114.htm;jsessionid=ZT1T2YOOIDC0NQFIAJ1SZOWAVABHMLHC
?Seborrhoeic Dermatitis/Eczema: in infants appears in the nappy area
and the scalp. In adults, also appears on the scalp and in the skin
creases between the nose and sides of the mouth. Can be caused by
yeast infection.?
?It seems likely though that increasing exposure to allergens (protein
substances to which people can become allergic) such as house dust
mite and other environmental factors have been the main causes of this
increase.
Although some older industrial practices have reduced the level of
exposure of workers to irritant chemicals there are still plenty of
examples of poor practice, or of inadequate care being taken at the
individual level in handling materials known to potentially cause
irritant contact eczema.
Even within the home environment ever more cleaning agents, solvents,
detergents, oils and other materials potentially harmful to skin are
easily available.?
?Increased redness of the skin usually means increased blood flow. An
extensive network of tiny blood vessels (capillaries) is present in
the deeper layers of the skin that project loops of smaller vessels
into the more superficial layers.
The very top layer of skin is composed of dead skin cells and has no
blood supply, so a superficial cut to this level will not bleed. When
skin is inflamed the local network of blood vessels widens, increasing
the flow of blood and making it red.
The process of inflammation in eczema is complex and can be triggered
by a range of factors but an important additional one to take into
account when eczema flares up is the presence of bacterial infection.
When bacterial infection gets into the deeper layers of the skin there
is usually a marked increase in redness and heat from the tissues.
Recognising that this may be due to infection is important in bringing
the eczema under control.?
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/eczema.htm
If any part of my answer is unclear, please request an Answer
Clarification, before rating. This will enable me to assist you
further, if possible.
Regards, Crabcakes
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