Diagnosed end of feb, done the surgery (twice because the margin wasn’t clear the first time), chemo and finally radiotherapy finishing 10 days ago.
My hair is growing back, a couple of centimetres now, but my scalp has suddenly gone very dry and itchy with the skin flaking off.
I assume this is all chemo related as it’s not a prob I’ve had before.
Any suggestions? I tried putting almond oil on last night, but even with a little hair it is quite difficult to apply to the skin.
Hi Welwyn,
well done for getting this far through your treatment - you’ve had ‘the works’!
I do have a vague recollection of flaky dry scalp skin just as my hair started to grow back. I was also thinking about brand new babies and how they get cradle cap - maybe it’s the same mechanism?
I think you’re doing the right thing - a few days smothered with oil and it should all drop off revealing lovely new skin underneath.
Good luck
jacquie x
I’ve noticed this as well… i finished chemo late last oct and found my scalp was really itchy and flakey and then seemed to calm down… but just recently my hair seems much thicker and it has happened again… i’ve been trying things like head and shoulders but it doesn’t seem to making any difference…
would be interested if anyone has any hints…
Theresa
try a mild baby shampoo and gentle conditioner, I had same problem and it got worse after using ordinary strength shampoo.while hair was v short I would put aqueous cream on my scalp this soothed the rash.I was told chemo could make skin very sensitive.Have found I get very prickly heat when I get hot as well,Didn’t happen before.
Hope this helps
thanks i will give the baby shampoo a try…
theresa
Both my daughters had cradle cap and flaky scalps and i used olive oil rubbed into their heads at night then washed off next day. Always worked.
You can get cradle cap shampoo and that was quite good but totally unsure if that would help your poor head.
S
Hi ladies
Same problem. Advised by BCN to use a shampoo with Ketoconazole in which did the trick and not to use baby shampoo as the chemicals in it to stop it stinging if it got in the eyes may not help the new hair.
Before I got the ketoconazole shampoo I used a preparatory brand of cradle cap shampoo that a friend had been given as a free sample. It worked a treat, so did the ketoconazole shampoo.
Hope this helps
Crispy
Interesting.
My son had cradle cap and I found that the oil treatment didn’t cure it but did stop it getting worse. The cradle cap shampoo did get rid of it though.
Hmm - going to have a look through the bathroom cabinet and see if it’s still there.
The itching is really getting to me and putting the oil on was really messy and I’m not sure how much went onto my scalp rather than my hair!
When I was bald I used Body Shop Vitamin E spray moisturiser on my scalp every day. It is in a pink bottle and smells of rose petals and is just like a mist, so nothing thick to try and rub in.
I also had a dry, flaky scalp as my hair started to grow back. I tried T Gel shampoo. It doesn’t smell very nice but it did the trick.
Nicky
My daughter had recently had a new baby and suggested I try cradle cap shampoo when I had the itchy scalp thing - everyone else thought it was hysterically funny that gran had cradle cap at the age of 54!
however, it worked. I’m 11 months post hair growing back now and my hairdresser says my hair is still as fine as baby hair, so I haven’t dared colour or straighten it yet - unfortunate as I have a lot of partly grey curly hair that doesn’t really suit my fat Tamoxifen face!
Ho hum - it’s still better than the no hair look of last year!
Keep the faith…
Used the cradle cap shampoo last night and this morning.
Itching considerably reduced and scalp dryness lessened even if not gone.
Much relieved - thanks!