chemical sensitivities?

Hi Again :)Okay, I hope it's not too soon to be asking another question. Thanks everyone who was so kind as to help me with my other question. I really appreciate it. Recently, I thought it would be good to try Aveda Clove Shampoo and the Deep Penetrating Hair Revitalizer. The shampoo seems to be working well for me so far (crossing fingers), but I'm not so sure about the conditioner. I've tried it so far two times and yesterday after using it I was okay for awhile,but then my scalp started getting itchy. Also, years ago I visited a dermatologist for acne and she told me I had seborrhea. My medical doctor(Who has always been more helpful than the dermatologist) told me it was folliculitis,told me not to use conditioner,and gave me a prescription to clear it up. She told me not to use anything with animal protein. Now after reading Jennifer's post, I began to wonder if maybe what it really is, is chemical sensitivies and maybe I shouldn't use certain products. Jennifer, is this what you get to when you use something you shouldn't? Red,irritated itchy scalp and cyst like bumps around your hairline? I haven't had any of the cyst like bumps ever since being on Accutane three years ago, but sometimes I still get the other symptons. What products work for you? I think I'm going to take your advice and ask my doctor to be tested. Not sure if this has anything to do with anything, but I've also had acne,ezcema,and was recently diagnosed with asthma. I've always suspected I had allergies to pollen and dust too but my doctor says they're mild enough that I don't need any over the counter medicine or shots. Thanks everyone! Hope you don't mind these questions, but searching for products that don't irritate my scalp can be kind of frustrating sometimes. LOL! Email welcome at SiouxMac@aol.com.Maria :)Related Link:My home page

> Recently, I thought it would be> good to try Aveda Clove Shampoo and the Deep Penetrating> Hair Revitalizer. The shampoo seems to be working> well for me so far (crossing fingers), but I'm> not so sure about the conditioner. I've tried> it so far two times and yesterday after using> it I was okay for awhile,but then my scalp started> getting itchy.I wish I could use the Clove Shampoo, but since I'm allergic to coffee, that's not an option for me. (Now THAT is an evil allergy!) I've been very happy with Madder Root and Camomile, though.I also have problem scalp - I have for years. Sometimes it's better than others. I have never been able to be sure what all causes it, although stress does seem to play a role (no big surprise there).> Also, years ago I visited a dermatologist> for acne and she told me I had seborrhea. My medical> doctor(Who has always been more helpful than the> dermatologist) told me it was folliculitis,told> me not to use conditioner,and gave me a prescription> to clear it up.I also went to a dermatologist, who told me I had seborrhea. I am not so sure, though, because 3 different prescriptions failed to clear it up. With a history of allergies as long and complex as mine, I started to wonder.> She told me not to use anything> with animal protein. Now after reading Jennifer's> post, I began to wonder if maybe what it really> is, is chemical sensitivies and maybe I shouldn't> use certain products. Jennifer, is this what you> get to when you use something you shouldn't? Red,irritated> itchy scalp and cyst like bumps around your hairline?> I haven't had any of the cyst like bumps ever> since being on Accutane three years ago, but sometimes> I still get the other symptons.It sounds like the cyst-like bumps and the irritated scalp are not really the same problem per se. The bumps sound more like an acne flare-up that was provoked by irritation (my husband gets these at times). The itchy scalp, however, I am familiar with.Lately, I'm finding that silicones may be part of the problem for me. This may be why you were told not to use conditioners - most of them contain some silicones these days. I don't know about the Hair Revitalizer, but Aveda's Cherry/Almond Bark doesn't have silicones in it. You might try that. Also, avoid their Shampure at all costs - it does have silicones, and since you put shampoo on your scalp... The other things to keep in mind are that the hair near your scalp probably doesn't need conditioner anyway, so keep it near the ends only. And also, rinsing is extremely important. I read an article a few years ago that said most people don't rinse their hair nearly long enough, and that you should rinse for at LEAST a full minute after the last perceptible signs of shampoo or conditioner are gone from your hair. I always rinse for at least 3 minutes or more, myself.> What products> work for you? I think I'm going to take your advice> and ask my doctor to be tested. Not sure if this> has anything to do with anything, but I've also> had acne,ezcema,and was recently diagnosed with> asthma. I've always suspected I had allergies> to pollen and dust too but my doctor says they're> mild enough that I don't need any over the counter> medicine or shots.Tests for chemical sensitivities are not as widely available as many people might like. You probably won't be able to get officially tested for, say, a silicone sensitivity. For that type of thing, the best strategy is to see if avoiding it solves the problem.Gee, eczema, allergies - that sounds a lot like me, except that I've been blessed with never having had acne. The allergies, on the other hand, I have in spades! Sensitive skin is prone to irritation, so it's not all that surprising that your scalp should also be sensitive.Good luck! My scalp is finally starting to really begin to clear up at last, now that I'm being more careful to keep silicone products off it as much as possible. I hope you can figure out what's bothering yours! Feel free to e-mail me if you want more of the details about things I've tried.Laura lswanson@sunflower.bio.indiana.edu

> Lately, I'm finding that silicones may be> part of the problem for me. This may be why you> were told not to use conditioners - most of them> contain some silicones these days. I don't know> about the Hair Revitalizer, but Aveda's Cherry/Almond> Bark doesn't have silicones in it. You might try> that. Also, avoid their Shampure at all costs> - it does have silicones, and since you put shampoo> on your scalp...I've started avoiding silicons as well... not so much for my scalp, but because when I changed to products with no or fewer silicons I experienced a dramatic drop in the amount of hair getting caught in my drain. I think the Hair Revitalizer does have silicons, Cherry/Almond Bark does not and also the Rosemary Mint conditioning rinse does not... also I've had really good results with Aubrey organics GPB conditioner that also doesn't have silicons. I don't know about the other Aveda color shampoos, but the Clove shampoo DOES have silicon in it, but not as much as the Shampure, I'm pretty sure the All-Sensitive shampoo does not have silicon.> Gee, eczema, allergies - that sounds a lot> like me, except that I've been blessed with never> having had acne. The allergies, on the other hand,> I have in spades! Sensitive skin is prone to irritation,> so it's not all that surprising that your scalp> should also be sensitive.I hear you as well... I only have mild occasional eczema, but I have allergies and asthma in spades. My allergist told me that the three often go together, and that someone with say pronounced hay fever will often have mild excema and so on. YUCK.-jennifer