[rd42]

Has anyone found any remedies for dandruff? The shampoos don't do a thing any more. I even have it in my eyebrows. I wonder what the connection with PD is, what clue dandruff plays in the discovery of the cause.

[lindylanka]

Don't use anti dandruff shampoo ever.

Try rinsing out your hair under shower with only a little conditioner - no shampoo at all.

Or just a tiny bit of shampoo, a thimble full, and rinse really well.

But not too often. Daily is too much, weekly too little.

Tea tree shampoo is better than most.

I had the worst a few years ago, I couldn't move my head for fear of showering everything, and as you describe even my eyebrows were flaky!

The thing that worked best was not using shampoo at all. Once it had gone then I gradually re-introduced shampoo.

Would love to know why some of us have this dry flakiness and others are prone to sweating and the opposite with hair. Is it autonomous? no-one has explained it yet.....

[bldavidson56]

i too have had bouts of intense scalp flaking, a kind of "super" dandruff. i used with some success a prescription shampoo that i got from a family practice doctor. i found the following abstract with a google search on dermatitis and parkinson's/



Seborrheic Dermatitis in Neuroleptic-Induced Parkinsonism

Renee L. Binder, MD; Frank J. Jonelis, MD


Arch Dermatol. 1983;119(6):473-475.


Abstract

• An increased prevalence of seborrheic dermatitis has previously been noted in idiopathic Parkinson's disease and in postencephalitic parkinsonism. Our study of 42 hospitalized patients with drug-induced parkinsonism and 47 hospitalized psychiatric patients without that disorder showed a statistically significant higher prevalence of clinically diagnosed seborrheic dermatitis in the group with drug-induced parkinsonism (59.5% v 15%). To our knowledge, this is the first report of an increased prevalence of seborrheic dermatitis with drug-induced parkinsonism.

(Arch Dermatol 1983;119:473-475)

[rd42]

I wonder if there are any specifics on the "drug-induced parkinsonism" they mention?

[bluedahlia]

Originally Posted by rd42

I wonder if there are any specifics on the "drug-induced parkinsonism" they mention?

http://www.pdcaregiver.org/DrugsCausePark.html

[rd42]

Originally Posted by bluedahlia

http://www.pdcaregiver.org/DrugsCausePark.html

Thank you!

[chasmo]

"Capex" medicated shampoo and for topical use "Derma-Smoothe/FS"

[scrumptious]

there are a number of causes for what we call 'dandruff' - seborrhea, yeast infection, inability of skin to shed at rate fast enough to keep up with production of new skin cells. Parkies often have seborrhea. had to smile at thought of not using anything but water....this person can't have had what my husband has....whatever it is which won't shed fast enough and eventually clumps into sores which until we learned better, had to be removed by the dermatologist. we use straight tea tree oil which works but is a pain to remember. we also use straight dandruff shampoo (selsun blue) rubbed onto the scalp and left for a few minutes while showering with more dandruff shampoo....he sheds all over so this helps tremendously. it will also help if you alternately use an ex-foliant (we use old fashioned boraxo which is the basis for a lot of ex-foliants and a lot cheaper - we found it in the bathrooms at Ted's Montana Grill.) his nails and hair grow really fast so i guess that is the same with his skin although i always thought it was due to the supplements we take since i have the same rapid growth. i get no dandruff though....i guess he just doesn't want to give up his skin!

[Bob Dawson]

You really don't want to ponder the details too much, and I don't even know the cause, but I woke up one morning and it was like my skin had fallen off. Hair, ears, face, neck... what, did I fall into the pool at a nuclear reactor, or is this a new feature they have added to the seligilene.
I did not like when that happened.
The Beast was demonstrating that it could do anything to me, any time. It was simply a show of power.

[lindylanka]

There are similarities between sebborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis, (sorry spellings won't come today). an overgrowth of skin tissue that does not shed easily and that builds up and clogs follicles etc sometimes createding sores and infection. I do know about this, and the abnormally fast growth of hair and nails too. I have pretty long hair, as it is too much to keep getting it cut, and the dandruff problem was insightly sore and and felt very antisocial, it got everywhere!

The treatment of severe psoriasis of the scalp often involves involves discontinuing shampoos and other drying chemical treatments for the hair, and using something called an emulsifying solution which breaks down surface tension and allows the hair to be cleansed by water without soap or detergent type products, as well as hydrating the scalp.

I had first hand experience of using this technique as one of my children had extreme infantile eczema, and this was the only technique that worked.

I took my cue from this, but went to the next step of the treatment process which was where you reintroduce hair products, and instead of using shampoo wash only with water and rinse with a very mild unperfumed conditioner. It was this that worked best for me. I avoided using emulsfying solution because unless you have really short hair it really is the most difficult stuff to wash out.

It takes time to get rid of the scales and crusts this way, but you are not contributing to further drying the scalp, the conditioner acts to moisturise it.

Other natural strategies that can be combined are using dilute fresh lemon juice as a rinse, and using sparing amounts of organic coconut, almond, or olive oil massaged into scalp only with fingertips, and then brushed through. The crusts eventually start to loosen easily, and for a while it APPEARS as though the problem is getting worse, but then they stop re-forming as the chemical irritants get shed, and the scalp is hydrated, and the scalp heals. I don't clain it works for all, and it does take patience, and I know it worked for me.