Allergy to my own hair

[cheeny]

Is it possible to be allergic to your own hair? My hair brings out a rash on my face and neck where it touches. This does not happen all of the time but when it does it is extemely itchy and brings out small red spots. This then spreads out to other areas of my body. The problem seems to be worse when I am on my period. I have tried switching shampoos several times but nothing seems to work. I don't know if there is anything I can do apart from have my hair cut extremely short. Any advice?

[goodluckm8]

Hi there,

I suffer from something similar to that which most people are posting in this blog.

Still do not have a cure for it yet. Doc said it's eczema, however I believe my skin is reacting to my hair.

Here's some things I've found that helps keep my skin a bit less irritated.

Soap for my skin (I believe it's a local make to South Africa)
Aqua-Bar
https://clicks.co.za/aqua-bar_pure-aqueous-cleansing-bar-original-120g/p/795054
Ingredients might help you find something similar:
Directions for use: Use mornings and evenings for deep cleansing and care of your skin. Ingredients: Sodium Stearate, Sodium Sulphates, Propylene Glycol, Glycerine, Triethanolamine, Sodium Laureth Sulphates, Sodium Cocoates, Titanium Dioxide, Purified Water.

When it gets really bad, I use this for 2-3 days and my skin is irritant free for at least 2 weeks:
"Locoid Crelo"
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/skin-and-hair/a7026/locoid-crelo-hydrocortisone-butyrate/

Hope it helps those who have not found a solution yet. Certainly eases my irritations.

[scared198698]

Thank you will give it a try

[Emma099c]

You can not be allergic to your hair. You can, however, be allergic to different microorganisms that live in it. Everyone has tiny organisms living on their skin, and a specific type of the like to live around the roots of your hair.  I have this specific allergy, and it sounds similar to what you are describing. There are shampoos, and conditioners made specifically for this, but they can be "dangerous" if bought in large quantities, and therefore you need permission from a licensed doctor to buy the majority of them.

[msmonap]

I was wondering also if I am allergic to the dye my hairdresser used and short of shaving my head, I am not sure what to do. My fingers that I use when drying my hair are all full of eczema. I am going to an NAET practitioner and will have  him test my hair!  Thanks!

[Sunlee]

Make sure to take the hair dye product

[LHG111]

I just recently moved from California to Tennessee, and I have not stopped itching. My hair started to fall out and I have three dogs. My back is full of small itchy bumps. Also, my head itches terribly- no dandruff. It happens mostly at night. I have tried Benedryl for itching, but nothing helps, including anti-itch spray. I am so miserable. I noticed the water in the shower burns my eyes, and makes my skin itch more. It smells of chlorine. I have very dry itchy eyes and my husband thinks all of this is due to my Fibromyalgia. Any thoughts?

[PurpleVelvet]

I also have this same thing since I started growing my hair out. It was very short before this. Now my face is the worst at my jawline and is moving closer up toward my cheeks. I have small spots, hives around those areas and smal...Just but dermatologist could not figure out what it was and .that was prescribed to me has just made it worse. I cannot use anything on it. I can no longer wear perfume or earrings either. It will sometimes start to heal and then come back with a vengeance about a day later after its almost gone I am 50 and premenopausal

[PurpleVelvet]

My apologies. My phone cut part of my explanation out. I stopped with the fact that I get hives, small itchy bumps which some are small blisters and with the fact that nothing seems to help them and everything makes them worse that I try. I have also recently had blood work done that all came back normal including my hormone count. I think that mine is due to more than one thing though and am almost sure that it’s some type of allergy to different things. I work with a lot of metal and it seems worse at work. It still breaks out at home and in the cold weather too.

[Lolitsmedram]

I have  this exact same thing. If I’m itching and it causes a reaction and check around it and find a piece of hair. My face such as my cheeks,chin, ears, forehead and all around my neck. It also reacts on my shoulders and my back and parts of my chest. I keep it out of contact with my skin as much as I can. If I have an open top I put my hair up. I’ve switched shampoos and I never put any oils or creams in my hair. It’s extremely strange but my mum had never heard of being allergic to my hair but there’s no other thing it could be. My eyebrows have little irritation spots and my arms and legs and many other places that grow hair also have reactions as soon as the hair begins to grow. I shave/ wax as soon as the hair starts growing.  It’s not nice at all. It can be mild sometimes and it’ll go by it’s self but it gets bad sometimes and swells up and causes blotchy red and white patches with swollen areas. I take an allergy tablet and it calms within 10-20 minutes

[coffeeluv42]

You can get immediate relief and be completely free of this by going to an NAET allergy therapist.  They will put a piece of your hair in an allergy small glass vile and then do a nerve/strength test to see of your allergic.   Then they do a quick strength test on you and within 24 hours to a week, you should be good to go.  My hair has been brittle and falling out much more than it should for a 40 year old.   No matter what I put on it, natural coconut oil, it would not take to it.    I went to Dr. Clifford in Nashville, All About Health, and couldn't believe I was allergic to my hair.      He tests for about 20 different things, thru his therapy, not just one at a time, like some NAET therapists do, who could ever afford that?  We pay 60.00 and have insurance, those that don't pay about 85.00.   My friends daughter had bleeding psoraisis on her legs and now is completely healed by using this therapy.   Hope I helped somebody here.

[scared198698]

@coffeeluv42 What was the solution? Like what was the therapy that healed you? I'm in Knox and desperate

[Karieberry]

I know they say u cant be allergic to your own hair, but i swear im allergic to all hair. Mine makes my skin burn so badly. If a piece of my hair goes into my shirt i feel like im on fire and theres a red mark exactly where i fibd the hair. My dogs hair is worse, its not only everywhere but it literally is causing my skin to burn and itch so bad that i have scabs from scratching. I use perfume free dye free everything as i know im allergic to dryer sheets. I use no products in my hair because it baby fine and falls out by the hand full....it must be something ive had all my life because when I was 5, i got my siblings and myself to pull all of my hair out.....my mom lost her mind that night....but i do feel like i have some sort of auto immune thing, my hair is thin and ugly and has no elasticity or strength, it just falls out or breaks off just by combing it

[Jay02184]

I have had this happen to me a number of times but all I do is wash my face with a fresh wash cloth and moisturize my face and go to sleep at night and by morning my skin is nice and smooth but try to refrain from touching your face after you do this other wise you are back to square one and also when you do this you might wanna put you hair in a bun or something were it won't touch your neck or face.

[joni27]

I find heated and dry rooms start all the lumps and itching .I use cool boiled water to help to calm my face. have been under a dematoligiest for 4 years fedup with all the tests

[Roes]

i would avoid products with fragrance and plant oils as this can irritate.  I had this happen to me.  I would try Dove, Eucerin, Aveeno, Cetaphil or Vanicream brand shampoos.  It is ok if they are not 100 percent natural; they are great for sensitive skin!

[Roes]

I would not try "natural" shampoos, they tend to cause allergies. plant ingredients can do that .  I would use Vanicream or Aveeno or Dove sensitive with no plant ingredients or scent.  That worked wonders for my allergic skin.  

[min8]

*their

[min8]

I do, it becomes red raw in blotches on my cheek, sometimes my neck & my scalp can get itchy, I get sores, extreme in temperatures & stress seems to make it really sore, I've had it my whole life thought or called eczma just given steroids or moisturiser..i haven't managed to get to dermatology yet... I have problems with my nerves? have spasms the best likeness was dystonia in the face & neck & creak like aunt sally...not sure they're connected the other conditioons have developed later on but thought I'd mention inncase as have no diagnosis there either...interesting to find

[min8]

I do, it becomes red raw in blotches on my cheek, sometimes my neck & my scalp can get itchy, I get sores, extreme in temperatures & stress seems to make it really sore, I've had it my whole life thought or called eczma just given steroids or moisturiser..i haven't managed to get to dermatology yet... I have problems with my nerves? have spasms the best likeness was dystonia in the face & neck & creak like aunt sally...not sure they're connected the other conditioons have developed later on but thought I'd mention inncase as have no diagnosis there either...interesting to find

[JustMe803]

I have the same problem. My hair actually hurts to comb it sometimes. Even on my leg, arms, underarms etc. I can touch the hair and the skin actually feel as if its stinging or burning.  I have tried different shampoos and natural oils. It helps with the soothing but the problem never goes away. It is ongoing. Even other peoples hair that touches my skin causes the same reaction with the bumps that are so painful. Shaving does not help, it seems to make it worst.

[asarmien]

stupid ***** read the all of the comments before yours and then you will get your answer

[itsyo70]

I am ironically a hair dresser and have this problem. No one believes me. I have tried many shampoos. the sulfate free didnt work but am going to try the burts bees as recomended on here. Noticed when I got my hair cut that the bumps moved up to where the new length. Wear it up at night as much as it kills my head but still have a face and neck full of itchy red bumps. am going to start a benadryl regimine to see if that will help. Good luck to anyone with this problem. I definately sympathize with your plight

[laurendev]

So is their any medenice or something to take I don't want my son to have same problem as me being allergic to hair

[Brandigirl6]

Well, I guess it's true! For most of my life I have thought I was allergic to my hair. Now that I see others experiencing similar problems I know it's true. For yrs I cut all my hair off & wore short like a boy & my face still broke out. So figured it was the products that I used in my hair. From that point on I started tying my hair up or wearing a night cap & that really worked for me. Now my hair is long. It's down the middle of my back and any time it touches my neck, shoulders or back I get a rash. I'm itching right now, lol. Needless to say in order not to be bothered I have to wear a night cap whenever I'm at home. So try that. Get yourself a night cap to wear at night because it doesn't matter what shampoo you use. You've probably already tried changing that without much relief. So much for looking cute at night. Lol

[cooltheatrechick]

I have the same exact thing!! I am going through a period where I am lsing my hair and as the hair falls on my shoulder and back it gets ready and extremely itchy immediately. Did you ever find out what causes this and why? It has not always been like this for me just in the last year.

[margypops]

Try using shampoo with out sulphites ..I had same reactions and I switched shampoo they non sulphite shampoos are in the drug stores .

[riannerietje]

I also have allergic reactions to my own hair, but only from hairs that have fallen out (or are about to fall out). When such a hair touches my skin I get a rash and the skin gets swollen.
My father, who is a GP, wouldn't believe me at first, but then I showed him what happens when a hair touches my skin. Now he acknowledges that I get rash from my own hair, but he still says that it shouldn't be possible.

[killemallbutsix]

This happens to me too.  My worst spots are my scalp where I still have hair and my chin underneath my goatee.  This has been happening since I was a little kid and often mistaken for simple dandruff.  I have asked a doctor about being allergic to my own hair, and they have said it is impossible, but I do not believe them.  As I have gone bald over the years, my scalp has become clear where I no longer have hair, and if I shave my head and face, the rash clears up within a few days and will not come back as long as I am clean shaven.  Anyone have any solutions to this?  If I could find a doctor who could actually diagnose something rather than just treating symptoms, I would like to have my hair simply removed permanently.

[xZombie]

I get a rash around my neck and on my legs arms and underarms if i dont shave... basically anywhere with hair. even my eyebrows. I also have a reaction to other peoples hair like my BF's facial hair causes me to break out in a small rash on my face or where it comes in contact with. i don't suggest cutting your hair super short unless you find a style you really like and can't put up with the rash. i have tried many different shampoo's but nothing seems to help. my advice it you could wear your hair up in different styles when it irritates you. best i can give right now. hope you figure something out :)

[gatrocks]

I also had allergies and the amazing thing is the second I cut my hair my body swelling and rash disappeared. I almost can't believe it. My problem was I used shampoos with natural ingredients. We don't really know what they put in their shampoos or how much. I like you got rashes on my neck. All gone now.