My Silent Killer!

I, Kamilah Jones, have a problem. Well, not the problem you may think... It ‘s a silent problem that I haven't heard a lot of people talk about. You see, about two summers ago Curtis (my beau) and I prepared to go on vacation with his dad's family. That was when it all started. Elise happened to be in town so she helped me get ready. I washed my hair, and as I was moisturizing and twisting out, Elise says to me, "Uhh, you have flakes in your hair". Like many things, I ignored her but she persisted to tell me there were huge flakes in my hair and insisted that I look in the mirror. KAM SCREAMS!!!! "Omg I must have left conditioner in my hair".  I washed my hair again but the flakes were still there. “Ugh... I am going on vacation on tomorrow. What am I going to do”??? We had a day between leaving NYC and starting our cruise so I went to Rite Aid and bought everything from Neutrogena T-Gel to Head and Shoulders. NOTHING WORKED! I basically flicked as many flakes off as I could to make my hair presentable.  A few days later, the flakes had increased, but with itching as well.  I was soooo frustrated and for weeks I kept treating my scalp condition as "dandruff". It would help at first but only to come back with a vengeance. 

When I returned from vacation I consulted with about 4 or 5 dermatologists over a two year period and all of them would write prescription after prescription of harsh shampoos that not only dried my hair but were expensive and required that I constantly see a doctor (with a co-pay).  I was diagnosed with Seborrheic Dermatitis (SD for short). My Mommy, "the herbalist", suggested that I try essential oils to clear the flakes, but those were super expensive and the smell could be over-powering. I was OVER IT; not only embarrassed, but ashamed that I, the problem solver to so many, couldn't figure this out. 

Like many people, I took to the Internet to find a fix. I came across countless people with SD on the web who either had symptoms much worse than mine or their hair was not natural (therefore I couldn't identify with their condition). Many suggestions were to wash your hair everyday and let's face it, I am a busy New Yorker who barely finds time to even wash my hair weekly, much less daily. 

I went to a new dermatologist’s office most recently to see what help they could offer me. I saw the Physicians Assistant (the only open appointment). She listened to my woes, showed concern and offered this (in addition to a stack of prescriptions):  Try unconventional methods such as Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV), products that contain zinc, tea tree oil or anti fungal creams in addition to the prescriptions. I had already done the ACV wash before, but I had never heard of using zinc or anti fungal creams. 

A week after that appointment, Elise and I were having our daily "life updates" chat and she suggested I try "Monistat".  Say whattttt?!?!?! You want me to use “va-jay-jay” cream on my head?!?! She had heard it worked well as a makeup primer, but thought it would be a good thing to try since technically SD is a yeasty fungus on the skin. I thought about it and thought, “What do I have to loose? I haven’t found anything that works consistently to my liking, so I’ll try it.”

Photo: Any product that is Miconazole Nitrate Vaginal Cream (2%) can be used....As Elise would advise, "Store brand works too" lol :)

So, I recently started a Monistat regimen: Wash every 4 days, separating hair into 4 or 5 sections and apply the cream to my scalp. This is hard to make time for because after washing I have to detangle and moisturize my hair, then part and apply cream to scalp, and then twist hair all over.  We are talking a 3-hour process (my hands are tired just thinking about it). But if this turns out to be a winner like I think....  It will be worth it. 

Photo: My hair sectioned off using Banana clips ......ready to wash

Stay tuned.....