Monday, September 29, 2014

Eczema treatment for natural hair

Eczema or dermatitis is a skin condition that causes inflammation, itchiness, dryness and flaking of the skin. Eczema can affect the skin on the scalp as well, which could lead to hair loss. A dry, scaly and itchy scalp can be extremely irritable, not to mention an embarrassing condition.

How do you treat it?

Eczema can be treated temporarily with topical creams and shampoos, but it is important to treat eczema at its root cause. Treating the symptoms is easy, but getting rid of eczema completely is the difficult part. Fortunately, there are a wide variety of treatments available today and it is important to find the solution that works best for your scalp and hair type.

First it is always advisable to confirm whether it is in fact eczema and consult with your dermatologist, before starting any home treatments. A doctor can distinguish between eczema, and conditions similar to eczema. He/she could suggest certain prescription shampoos, topical creams and lotions, or oral medication to help treat the eczema. If you are using any deep conditioners, or leave-in conditioners, check with the doctor to make sure they aren't worsening your condition.

Try good quality, anti-dandruff shampoos or any shampoo that treats seborrhoeic dermatitis. They go light and easy on your scalp and hair. Even shampoos containing 2% sacylic acid will help relieve the dryness, itching and irritation. Also consider using natural hair products, they are gentle and do not cause any side effects. However, you might want to avoid shampoos containing an ingredient called sodium laureth sulphate (SLS), as this is a very harsh chemical and can worsen the eczema by causing more irritation to the already affected scalp. It could even lead to excessive hair loss.

Precautions to be taken

Remember not to use medicated shampoos everyday or every time you wash your hair, as it could cause your hair to become dry, rough, or dull. Eczema is a condition of the scalp, not the hair, so remember to go gentle on your precious tresses. Alternate your medicated or chemical shampoos with natural or herbal shampoos. Use shampoos containing lavender for fragrance, and coconut or yukka to help work up a good lather.

Certain shampoos like Kerytol, require you to leave it on for at least two minutes before washing it off, so remember to follow each shampoos’ washing instructions carefully, if you want them to work effectively.

Other important factors are to always use lukewarm or cold water while washing your hair and scalp as much as possible, instead of hot water, because it can irritate the infected scalp and cause excessive hair dryness and hair loss. Combing out hair with a wide-toothed comb after shampooing, helps remove flakes. Try not to wash your hair too often as it will only worsen the condition. Fish oil tablets are high in omega-3 fatty acids that help relieve a dry scalp too.   

2 comments:

  1. This post is really nice and informative. The explanation given is really comprehensive and informative..

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  2. Here i had read the content you had posted about eczema treatment. It is much interesting so please keep update like this.

    ReplyDelete