Itchy scalp and skin, allergy or not? - Skin Problems Message Board

doodledog · 10-09-2008, 04:47 AM

I tried posting in the Allergy forum with no success. So I'm here. I have a really itchy, tingling scalp, no dandruff, could this be seasonal allergies or something else?

lucylucy · 10-09-2008, 06:11 PM

That doesn't sound like a seasonal allergy (such as hayfever) to me. Other possibilities are 1) contact dermatitis (due to something you put on your hair or neck) or 2) a food allergy (hard to pinpoint), or a common skin condition that causes itchiness or rashes for no apparent reason. I had it a couple times and never got a good explanation for why. I get itchy areas and little rashes all the time and they're fairly easy to treat with creams, lotions or a special shampoo. (I used to get so many, they kept testing me for Lupus.)

Try Benadryl allergy pills if the itching bothers you at night. Depending on the cause, it might help a lot. But it'll make you drowsy. (My doctor calls Benadryl the safest sleeping pill on the market.)

Read some of the other posts on itchy scalps for more ideas. There is a nice liquid that helps control the itching. I can't remember what it was called. Maybe someone else posted the name of it.

AuntieLeela · 10-09-2008, 07:35 PM

Could be yeast overgrowth or simply a dry itchy scalp rash called seborrheic dermatitis. "Dandruff" doesn't always cause flakes.

If you've gone through the dandruff shampoos with no luck (Nizoral, Selson Blue and Head & Shoulder are all anti-fungals) try a shampoo with tea tree oil or jojoba oil. Neutrogena's Triple Moisture Soothing shampoo is supposed to be very good as well.