[embodiment] further adventures in looking after my hair

[kaberett]

I was bemoaning, the other day, that my scalp is highly specific about needing (1) 2% ketoconazole shampoo followed by (2) Head & Shoulders 2-in-1 in order to keep it happy, and it has to be precisely this or it goes sad and H&S conditioner isn't adequate, and yet also Frizz and How Might I Persuade It Not To Be A Dragon --

-- & recessional pointed out, after combing through ingredients lists, that the H&S conditioner has only half as much of the active anti-fungal as the 2-in-1, and that might actually be Relevant.

I am now two weeks into cautiously finishing up with a round of A's conditioner, and thus far my scalp's not having a tantrum and my hair is somewhat more manageable. I have tentatively ordered some conditioner of my own. I am contemplating the merits of just following up the ketoconazole with H&S shampoo, instead of 2-in-1, if I'm going to be adding an extra shower step anyway. I will... see how this goes, and then probably report back again at some point in future.

Comments

[worlds_of_smoke]

Hmmmm. I might have to try the shampoo and Head and Shoulders trick once I can shower again. Needless to say, my scalp psoriasis is a mess right now.

[kaberett]

Ye-ah. FWIW I do know that ketoconazole gets prescribed for some people with psoriasis? But it's also available OTC here. Honestly I have found it makes a massive difference to how much low-grade wretched misery I feel about Embodiment As A Whole.

[worlds_of_smoke]

Yeah, I have prescription ketonazole. I don't think it's OTC here. I'm going to have to use it daily once I can shower again to get this mess under control. -sigh- I usually only use it twice a week, since it dries my hair out like straw. I use selenium sulfide shampoo the other days.

My dermatologist said that I can use the scalp oil she gave me, but with only being able to wash my hair once a week, it gets so fucking gross and greasy as it is. I'm going to see if I can bend over enough to wash my hair tomorrow - if I can, I'll go back to washing it daily.

[ewt]

I have never been able to get my hair properly clean with only one round of shampoo when in a hard water area (and even with two applications I will struggle if the water pressure isn't excellent). I do find my scalp is happier if I use one type of anti-dandruff shampoo followed by some other type of anti-dandruff shampoo, rather than the same type for each shampoo, but my ones are different than yours because SLS/SLES makes my skin itch to the point that I don't really want to use it regularly. (I switch to 2% ketoconazole Nizoral if the scalp stuff gets really bad, though, or to the Head and Shoulders "Clinically Proven" range which has IIRC selenium disulfide in it instead of zinc pyrithione, but is even more irritating -- I have to wear gloves to wash my hair if I use it or my hands end up in a horrible state.)

Conditioner that actually conditions my hair usually actively makes my scalp worse; may I ask which conditioner A's conditioner is, that you are using and that isn't causing scalp tantrum?

[kaberett]

A is using Aussie. I do very much notice needing to be lots more enthusiastic about moisturising my face and hands after using the various medicated shampoos, yes.