How to Treat Eczema on Your Scalp

Eczema is one of the most common skin disorders, but scalp and hand eczema are quite common too. The scalp is quite susceptible to eczema, as the skin is different from the skin on the rest of the body, and it gets a lot of oil and grease from hair follicles and sebaceous glands.

Scalp eczema is not caused by diet, and is also not contagious, but it can get aggravated by psychological stress, illness, change of season, fatigue and deterioration of health. People with immunodeficiency and neurological disorders are quite prone to this condition.

An effective scalp eczema treatment is to use medicated shampoos that contain selenium sulfide, ketoconazole, coal tar, zinc pyrithione and salicylic acid. The medicated shampoo should be used twice a week for a month. Using steroid scalp application can also be quite an effective scalp eczema treatment. In severe cases, doctor may prescribe scalp ointment that contains salicylic acid and coconut oil. This ointment is applied on the full scalp and is left overnight, and is washed off using mild shampoo the next day.

Other than itching, people suffering from scalp eczema may also experience dry skin, redness of the affected area, blisters or lumps. If you're suffering from any of these symptoms, it's important to let your physician know, so that an appropriate scalp eczema treatment can be provided.

Many people feel that using external ointments and creams is the only effective scalp eczema treatment, but it has been proved that some foods can also improve the scalp condition in just few days. An effective scalp eczema treatment diet includes raw food such as fruits, green vegetables and vegetable juice. The main ingredients of this diet are tomatoes, spinach, apples, carrots, celery, cabbage, peppers, broccoli, onions, parsnips, brown rice, split peas and lentils.

If you're suffering from scalp eczema, it is important to understand that constant scratching must be avoided at any cost, as scratching makes the disease much worse. During winter, try to use shampoos and conditioners made exclusively for dry scalps. Hot showers must be completely avoided as they drastically affect the scalp condition. After shampooing and before conditioning, rinse your hair thoroughly, as conditioner seals the outer surface of the hair, making it smooth. But if there are some remains of shampoo, they will also be sealed, later coming off as flakes.

The best eczema scalp treatment is to combine the use of good shampoos, conditioners and ointments with a good diet. This will help deal with other skin conditions as well.