Cancer Survivors Network - Chemo Chicks: Rash on Bald Head - Comments

Mine was diagnosed as folliculitis.

Skeezie — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 00:09:42 -0500

My onc gave me an Rx for Augmentin and it cleared up but left red dots on my head. I had posted the same question and was told to get Calamine lotion and it really helped with the itching and then just plain hurting. My onc agreed that was a good topical.

I agreed with Pitt. It was a big pain to deal with along with everything else. It hurt to lay down! :-(

Call your onc and get help for those spots before they get worse.

Hugs, Judy :-)

Yes

aztec45 — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 19:22:24 -0500

Talk to your Onc. I think this is the dreaded head acne. I was able to keep mine under control with a medicated shampoo, but as others have mentioned, you may need a medicated cream or a prescription for it. I also did not wear anything on my head while I was at home.

Good Luck,

Bumped up for Tinabug

Marlene_K — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 18:06:01 -0500

I remembered that Pitt posted something about a head rash.. there was a lot of good stuff here.

Good luck!

Mary Kay product....fondly named 'axle grease'....

KathiM — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:06:32 -0500

Pink butter-like stuff....REALLY worked!!! Took care also of the dryness...I live in So Cal...so I went bald when I slept...aired everything out...rofl!

Hugs, Kathi

Oh man

mimivac — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:58:51 -0500

Sorry to hear that, Pitt. It's a good thing that you went to your doctor and didn't just ignore it like I probably would have. Infection during chemo needs to be treated promptly. It's totally understandable that you got one. Chemo makes us very vulnerable and things that might have been mild irritants before become infections on chemo. It should clear up soon.

It's so strange how people react differently. I had some nasty side effects, like mouth sores, but my skin actually improved and was so dewy during chemo. Weird.

For heaven's sakes...

TraciInLA — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:52:03 -0500

...JUST what you need to have to deal with while you're on chemo! I'm so sorry.

I'm tellin' ya...you should have just used whipped cream on your head like Teena did.

:-) Traci

Went to Dermatologist

pitt — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:49:08 -0500

So I just returned from an expedited visit to the derm only to find out that my now big pimples have become infected. He started me on an antibiotic, gave me an antibacterial soap to use on my head, and we are waiting for the culture of the infection to tell him how to proceed from there. We should have that information by Monday. Lovely...

Pitt -- I'm sorry I'm late in posting ..

VickiSam — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:21:01 -0500

T-Gel worked for me. I agree with Teena - I feel my scalp reacted to the buzz with my electric shaver .. burns, scratches and explosure are to blame.

Aloe gel worked for a few days, then my scalp became sticky and irrated. TGel has continued to keep my scalp pimple free for 2 weeks.

Has any chemo chick notice any regrow of hair .. on your scalp ??

VickiSam

red bumps

tgf — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:41:52 -0500

While Traci might be right ... and I might have been using Redi-Whip on my head ... whatever it was ... it helped.

However ... if you don't have any Redi-Whip in the house ... another suggestion might be aloe gel (the clear stuff ... NOT a lotion with aloe). I'm one of those people who sort of swears by aloe gel. It's great for itches, burns, scratches and just about everything. I don't think I could have gotten through radiation without the stuff!

Good luck.

hugs.
teena

It's okay. Just having

pitt — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:37:49 -0500

It's okay. Just having someone say "poor girl" makes me feel better. I was ready to lose it there earlier. Thanks...I'm calm now. The neutrogena seems to be working!!! It's all drying up so maybe I found a nice over-the-counter remedy!

thanks for listening. Pitt

poor girl

Sam726 — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:39:44 -0500

Geesh Pitt...so sorry you are having such a rough time. Dont let it get you down..things will get better girl. Have you tried some gold bond powder or a drying agent. I know it sounds harsh but just for a day or so to dry it up? Just a thought, i havent had this problem so I could be way off, lol...

They look like pimples to

pitt — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:32:22 -0500

They look like pimples to me...severe acne. I talked to my doctor's assistant yesterday and she wouldn't get the doctor to prescribe an acne medicine without seeing me. The transmission on my car blew so I can't get down there until the car is fixed so I'm stuck trying to treat myself. I'm currently sitting in my house bald with tons of Neutrogena acne cream on my head!!! Really, with everything else I have to deal with: cancer, chemo, nausea, upset stomach, etc., I now have to add ACNE to my list?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!??! I'm really wanting to scream at someone. It's a good thing my car is in repair because if I could drive to my oncologist's office, I would give them all an ear full...which is really upsetting to me because I'm a very analytical, unemotional kind of person. Needless to say, this is bothersome!!!!! But I want to hurt someone!!!! ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

my onco just had me use tgel

mberg — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:06:49 -0500

my onco just had me use tgel shampoo, it smells like wet dog but does the trick!

Traci I love your humor.

natly15 — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:04:54 -0500

Traci I love your humor.

May have also been Clindamycin

TraciInLA — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:23:04 -0500

Your "stuff" may have been Clindamycin too, Teena. I'm one of those people who always reads the package inserts that come with any new prescription, and there was a whole section with instructions for the "foam" version of it (mine was just plain old gel in a tube -- foam would have been a lot more fun!)

Or...maybe your doctor really DID just give you Redi-Whip -- did you ever try it on jell-o, just to be sure?

:-) Traci

Chemo Chicks: Rash on Bald Head

pitt — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:41:14 -0500

Hi everyone. I have a rash on my otherwise cute little bald head. I am almost 99.99% certain it is due to heat from wearing my cute sleep cap. (I live in Florida and it has been in the 90F here.) It could also be trapped heat from the scarves. (It's too hot for wigs.) Does anyone know what I can do to help make my red bumps go away? They don't itch but they are rather tender to touch. Thanks. Pitt