Seborrheic Dermatitis aka Cradle Cap

Okay, I know that most of my readers are practically perfect human beings and as such, do not ever suffer from ailments such of these, but for the one or two of you that do, it would be wrong wrong wrong of me to not share my hard-won wisdom.

Seborrheic Dermatitis, also know as Cradle Cap amongst the more genteel, has been a mild botheration to me in the winter months, until last year when (probably due to stress) it took over my head. I will not embarrass myself further with the details, but words like YUCKY, GROSS, and DISGUSTING do not do it justice, not to mention that it made my hair fall out by the handfuls.

So, naturally, I googled it and found a faint rumor that some LUSH products were helpful. Well, yipppe for me, as I love LUSH.

Two products helped me, both of them a bit unpleasant, but certainly far less unpleasant than the condition I was battling.

The first is a discontinued product called Recon Hair Treatment which is still available on eBay. It was messy stuff that I applied to my scalp and left on for hours and hours and then washed out, and washed out, and washed out, and washed out. And then washed out some more. I had to use this about 2-3 times a week for about 2 weeks.

The next product is called Soak & Float Shampoo Bar, so named I believe because it smells like a piece of charcoal that has gotten soaking wet and is floating around in some rank water. MMmmmMMMMmmmm. I tell you, I was that desperate. It is -- as you can see -- a solid shampoo which did make it easier to apply it directly to the scalp, as my poor beleaguered tresses had done nothing to deserve such treatment. I had to use this product as a spot-treatment for the rest of the winter.

If you get the soap, you'll want to get the little shampoo bar tin for sure, as you will want to keep that smell under lock and key. Just make sure the shampoo bar is dry before you put it away (a quick blast with your hairdryer will do the job).

When you are in the ReCon stage, you won't want or need a conditioner, as you will be still be trying to wash the darn stuff out. However, once you get through the worst of Close Encounter with Blechy Scalp, and are just using the Soak and Float on impeding outbreaks, you'll be wanting American Cream Hair Conditioners as is smells marvelous and seems to cover the damp campfire smell.

So there you have it. Everything you ever wanted to know about the mother of all dandruff, but were too refined to ask. (If ever this info is useful, do let me know, so I will take comfort that I have not humiliated myself in vain.)

LUSH