Itchy Scalp Hair Loss? Here's Why

Itchy scalp and hair loss can be very frustrating and worrying, and there can be a number of factors which cause or aggravate the hair loss. The hair loss caused by itchy scalp problems is not always permanent, and will often grow back once the main itchy scalp problem is sorted out.

In saying this though, it is vital that you take swift action to properly diagnose the problem and search for suitable remedies and treatments in order to avoid long term scarring from the itchy scalp irritation, and thus enable your hair to begin growing back.

Here I'd like to tell you about a few common reasons for itchy scalp hair loss and what you can do to alleviate the problem.

Folliculitis - strong ingredients in shampoos can damage hair follicles and lead to infections such as folliculitis.

Symptoms are normally small, white-headed pimples around one or more hair follicles. Deep folliculitis will often result in larger painful red boils.

If left untreated the folliculitis can significantly injure the hair follicle resulting in localised areas of scarring and bald patches where there are no visible follicles; this is known as "cicatricial alopecia".

Antibiotics are often used to treat folliculitis, but as with all antibiotics they can lead to a resistance to the antibiotic used. Natural remedies containing Tea Tree Oil or Lavender Oil can be extremely effective in treating the itchy scalp hair loss of folliculitis, particularly in the early stages, and can help to stimulate hair growth.

Ringworm of the scalp (tinea capitis) - a superficial fungal infection of the scalp. It is caused by mold-like fungi called dermatophytes, and the symptoms include red, itchy patches on the scalp, hair loss and, if left untreated, can also lead to cicatricial alopecia.

The skin might peel or scale and be red and itchy, with swollen blisters or a rash (that can spread) that appears as black dots.

The rash, being highly contagious, is normally treated with over the counter products containing miconazole, clotrimazole, or similar ingredients. Sometimes prescription medications are needed to clear it up.

There are many natural products that can be used to aid the healing process and act as natural antibiotics, but it must be stressed that ringworm is an aggressive fungus requiring close monitoring and appropriate treatment.

Psoriasis - said to affect some 2.5% of the US population (about 7 or 8 million people) psoriasis is a fairly common, non-contagious skin disease in which the skin cells replace themselves too quickly and cause red lesions covered with scale to appear.

Scalp psoriasis is said to affect at least half of all psoriasis sufferers and is characterized by white scales on patches of very red skin, often accompanied by severe itching and possibly temporary baldness on the affected areas.

Using a shampoo containing zinc pyrithione (in its natural form) can be extremely effective at combating psoriasis and itchy scalp hair loss in general, as it has very strong anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.

Home remedies using birch or avocado oil are also extremely effective in soothing and healing psoriasis.

Seborrhoeic dermatitis - similar in appearance to eczema (Atopic Dermatitis), this is an inflammatory reaction to the proliferation of a yeast called Malassezia (or Pityrosporum Ovale). It produces toxic substances that irritate the skin. This yeast is always present on the scalp in small numbers and feeds on the natural oils produced there.

Imbalances in the levels of oils (sebum) on the scalp, (often due to harsh shampoos, conditioners and hair dyes) can cause the yeast to multiply and grow, resulting in dry redness, flaking, itchy scalp and sometimes cause temporary hair loss. The flakes of skin are normally characterized by a yellowish colour and oily texture.

Since the dermatitis is generally caused by the use of harsh shampoos and the stripping and drying out of the scalp, it is advisable to use a shampoo containing only natural ingredients like Tea Tree Oil which will not only help to fight the infection but will control the yeast and condition the skin, as well as maintain the natural pH balance of the scalp. Adding Rosemary Oil to the shampoo can work wonders, in addition to using simple home remedies containing Manuka or Tea Tree Oil, as well as Lavender to stimulate hair growth.

By Anne Cresacre

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Chicken Pox Treatment - How To Get Rid Of Chicken Pox Quickly and Easily From Home

Chicken Pox is a highly contagious disease that usually occurs in children. For the most part, chicken pox occurs in children ranging from 3-4 years old. The older the child, the worse the attacks seems to occur.

Let's go over some home remedies for treating chicken pox:

o Chicken Pox home remedy treatment can be achieved by using Oatmeal. A bath of oatmeal is considered one of the best natural remedies for relieving the itching sensation caused by chicken pox. The bath can be prepared by cooking two cups of oatmeal in two liters of water for fifteen minutes. Put the mixture into a cloth bag and tie a string tightly around the top of the bag. Allow the bag to float around a tub of warm water. Swish the bag around the water until it becomes turbid. Be careful to make sure the bag does not tear. Now, allow your child to play around in the water, letting the water splash over all the scalds. Leave the oatmeal pouch inside the tub.

o Chicken Pox home remedy treatment can be achieved by using Vitamin E Oil. Rub the Vitamin E oil into the skin and watch for a healing effect. The marks left by chicken pox will slowly fade away by the use of Vitamin E oil.

o Chicken Pox home remedy treatment can be achieved by using Herbal Tea. Herbal tea prepared by any of the following herbs has shown to be effective in treating chicken pox: basil, chamomile, lemon balm, and marigold. Add lemon, honey, or cinnamon into the tea. Drink several times a day

o Chicken Pox home remedy treatment can be achieved by using Brown Vinegar. The use of brown vinegar is known to be one of the most important home remedies for treating chicken pox. Add half a cup of brown vinegar to a bath for best usage and results.

o Chicken Pox home remedy treatment can be achieved by using Baking Soda. Baking Soda is a very popular home remedy used to control the itching resulting from chicken pox. Put baking soda into a glass of water. Sponge the child with some water so that the baking soda dries onto the skin.

Follow the above home remedies and the tips below to relieve the symptoms and effects of chicken pox:

1. All juice diet - Put the patient on an all juice diet for a couple of days. Give the patient plenty of raw fruit and veggie juices. Lemon juice is known to be one of the best juices to give the patient.

2. Well-balanced diet - At first, put the patient on a 100% fruit diet. After the condition seems to be improving, switch the patient to a more well-balanced diet.

3. Well-ventilated room - Keep the patient in a well-ventilated room. Be sure to keep the patient from any direct light.

4. Warm baths with neem leaves - Give the patient a warm bath with neem leaves included in it. Neem leaves should be added to the water for the best results.

_y Kim Grace I

Do You Know The Symptoms Of Psoriasis?

Man, I'm so tired of reading everybody's stuff about Psoriasis, especially this topic, because obviously they never had Psoriasis. My Psoriasis began when I was 25 years old and I'm 59... and it is only as recent as two years ago that I really and seriously did something about improving it. So do you think I know something about the symptoms of psoriasis?

First, I'll tell you how it started and what I think could have triggered it based on my past research. Then, since I've had psoriasis from toe nails to scalp, I think I'm quite capable of describing the symptoms. What do you think?

Here we go. I was driving a Cutlass Supreme at the time and it was summer in Montreal. Sticking my arm out the window to wave to my wife, the chrome piece of molding along side the door panel was damaged and made a nice scratch on my left forearm. Thinking nothing of it... I went on my way. Little did I know then, that I had just been subjected to toxins, bacteria, and whatever, from that piece of molding. The beginning of mine which spread to my elbows first.

I hate it when people say that the symptoms of plaque psoriasis, as an example, is red... itchy skin...covered with silvery scales. Hello, this is not a symptom... it's a full blown psoriasis. Now do you see what I mean.

In all forms of psoriasis except maybe behind the ears, you will first experience very small or a tiny red pimple or pimples wherever it is starting. However, this pimple doesn't hurt like a regular pimple, it's itchy. It's when you go scratch at it that you'll feel relieved while at the same time removing a small piece of skin. That my friends, is a tiny silvery scale, your first symptom.

Thinking nothing of it, more of these little pimples will begin to show up, and as usual, you'll scratch and remove to relieve the itch. As new ones develop... the old ones are beginning to show sign of growing (getting bigger). Yo scratch and remove a bigger scale. Eventually, the start joining together. Those are the true symptoms of psoriasis... nothing else.

If you see your toe nails getting thicker or yellowish, this is a sign of bacteria, toxins, parasites etc., the root of psoriasis... another symptom of psoriasis. If you see your finger nails become pitted, this is another symptom of psoriasis.

If you see or feel flaking or cracking behind the ears... that's another symptom of psoriasis. Inflamed or swollen patches are also another sign.

So my advice to you is when you see any of those symptoms, don't run to your dermatologist so he can prescribe cream! Your wasting precious time. Your goal is to kill the toxins, or parasite thats giving you the psoriasis... and change your diet not to get reinfected.

Best of luck!

By Jonathan G. Michel

Ten Skin Problems of Pregnancy

Pregnancy brings with it many changes, emotionally, physically, and mentally. From a mental and emotional standpoint, you're preparing to adopt a new role of parent, with all its accompanying responsibilities. Physically, of course, you're dealing with changes in the shape, function, and movement of your body. While we have a society-wide belief that pregnant women are always glowing, that, unfortunately, is not always the case. No where is this more evident than in the skin problems of pregnancy.
You've probably heard the phrase, "the eyes are the window to the soul". If this is true, your skin is the window to your current state of health and the changes taking place on the inside. During pregnancy, aside from all the other issues, you may also have to deal with a variety of skin changes, including rashes, acne, stretch marks, breaking nails, hair growth or loss, and dark blotches on the skin.
Most of these changes are directly linked to the enormous amount of hormonal fluctuations women experience during pregnancy. During pregnancy, there are all kinds of changes which can have impact on your skin, leading to new skin problems or worsening of existing ones. In some cases, pregnancy may actually help improve existing skin conditions. Let's look at various skin conditions in more detail, defining the main ten skin problems of pregnancy.
1) Rashes. Rashes appear due to irritation of the skin. One common pregnancy rash is called pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP). This is the most frequently seen condition specific to pregnancy. Women with PUPPP demonstrate a rash which starts on the abdomen and can spread to the breasts, arms, thighs, and buttocks.
2) Acne. Acne is another skin condition that may get better or worse during pregnancy. Acne is, at least in part, driven by hormones, so the hormones of pregnancy can lead to more breakouts for some women, and clearer skin for others.
3) Oily skin. Oily skin is third skin condition which may arise during pregnancy. This is related to increased levels of androgen, the male sex hormone, which causes an increase in sebum production. The more sebum produced, the oilier the skin. Many women report that their skin and hair becomes oilier during pregnancy. Most of the time, these issues can be addressed with over the counter oil controlling cleansers and products.
4) Stretch marks. The fourth skin problem of pregnancy, stretch marks arise when the under layers of the skin is stretched, resulting in visible striations on the surface of the skin. Stretch marks can be treated after the fact, but the best treatment is always prevention. Keeping your skin well moisturized, especially on your tummy, breasts, thighs, can help reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
5) . These are another possible skin problem of pregnancy. Spider angiomas are groups of very tiny blood vessels which gather around a central point and radiate out like the legs of a spider. Pregnant women are likely to develop these on their chest, faces, arms, and sometimes on other places on the body. Most of these spider angiomas clear up after pregnancy.
6) Chloasma. Chloasma, also called melasma, or the "mask of pregnancy" is another skin condition which is diagnosed when certain areas of the skin turn darker because of excess pigmentation. Most often, this condition affects places of the skin which are most often exposed to sun, like the upper lip, forehead, cheeks. This condition is likely to clear up after pregnancy. Again, you can lessen your chances of chloasma by using a good (baby safe) doctor recommended sunscreen throughout the course of your pregnancy.
7) Too much hair. Changes in the hair are also common during pregnancy. Some women lose a lot of hair within a few months after delivery, while many are troubled with excess hair growth during pregnancy. Excess hair growth is most often seen on the lip and chin, and is triggered by an increase in androgen and other male hormones during pregnancy.
8) Brittle nails. Many women experience breaking, splitting, or brittleness to their nails during pregnancy. Physicians aren't quite sure why this occurs, but it may be managed with an over the counter nail hardening polish. Check with your doctor.
9) Skin tags. Skin tags are little pieces of skin which over-grow and hang from the neck. These can increase in number during pregnancy. If you have skin tags before pregnancy, it may be that pregnancy will cause these to increase.
10) Atopic dermatitis. Also known as eczema, this skin condition may appear or worsen during pregnancy. Marked by extreme skin itchiness, too much scratching can lead to the skin become red, swollen, or cracked.
If you are pregnant, be sure to watch for these ten skin problems of pregnancy. If you begin to develop any of these conditions, seek appropriate medical advice; you don't have to suffer through these conditions for the whole nine months. Chances are that your doctor will have recommendations which can address your skin problems so you can have healthy, beautiful skin, even while you're pregnant.

By Ally McNeal