HOMEMADE ITCHY SCALP SPRITZ

gg has had eczema on & off since she was born, nothing too major, small patches here and there. A few weeks ago she was scratching the back of her neck so much that it was raw pink with scratch marks and her prescribed creams were not working. I took her to the Dr's where they prescribed me a 1% steroid cream to apply twice a day for 1 week.
I applied the cream as directed by the Dr on the first day, on the second and third day I applied it once and discontinued using it as the itching had stopped and the raw pink skin had turned into a darker version of her skin colour.

A few days later gg kept scratching her head, so  I went to the Dr and he said I should use some of the steroid cream on her scalp. Now no way was I going to do that! That cream was so powerful that in just four applications on her back it changed her skin I would hate to think what it could do once absorbed into her scalp. I decided from here on I was no longer going to use any of the medication prescribed to me by my Dr and started to research on natural alternatives to prevent and cure eczema. I read a few blogs and found that calendula oil is great for those with eczema, and extra virgin olive oil (evoo) is great for a dry scalp.
I mentioned this to my mum and she said she had a natural oil that is recommended for babies which has calendula in it. I put it on gg's body and in two days her skin was silky smooth and itch free, and within a week the dark patch on her back left over from using the steroid cream was the same colour as the rest of her skin.
I also started applying evoo on her scalp morning and night parting her hair rubbing the evoo in gently into her scalp until all her head was done then I gently massaged her scalp for a few minutes (which she really loves (",)) making sure I didn't miss any spots. I did this for two days, I washed and conditioned her hair and only applied the evoo to her scalp and hair, because I didn't want any products to counteract the effectiveness of the evoo. On the second day whilst I was oiling her scalp I noticed my poor baby's scalp was as dry and leather looking as a reptiles and there were big flakes of dry skin caught up in her hair.
I ended up at the Dr's again. This time I saw a different Dr and she said it wasn't eczema but it was cradle cap and I should carry on applying the evoo for another week, and if it has not cleared up in two weeks we should go back.  When gg was a baby she had cradle cap so the scaly scalp and the big flakes of dry skin in the hair was familiar. I did what I did when she was a baby and massaged evoo into her scalp helping lift the dry scales and then I wet her hair and combed out the dry scales/flakes (I made sure her hair was wet because if I was to comb her hair dry it would break her hair and it would really hurt gg because dry curly hair combed results in pulling/tugging of the hair). The flakes were gone within 2-3 days but her head was still itchy and open sores were now on her scalp from over-scratching.

SORES ON SCALP

I did some more research and found tea tree oil is great for scalp infections and healing sores and jojoba oil is great at mimicking the scalp's ph level and un-refined shea butter is a good natural moisturiser (I wanted to keep gg's hair moisturised but didn't want to use any complicated products on her hair and wanted something natural and simple). I went to Holland&Barret and purchased a bottle of dr.organic pure tea tree oil for around £5 and then I went to planet organic and was recommended Baby Organics scalp oil which contains safflower seed oil, sesame seed oil, jojoba oil and wheatgerm oil for around £7 and then I went to Mother Earth and bought some un-refined shea butter for £10.79 for 500g. That evening I added a few drops of tea tree oil into gg's shampoo and massaged it into her scalp and left it on for about 10 minutes then rinsed. I then added her conditioner and rinsed, then applied the baby organics oil onto her scalp as I did previously with the evoo and then melted some shea butter between my hands and combed my fingers through her hair to moisturise. Within a few days the sores had gone and the itching had subsided, but she still had the occasional itch.
I did some more research and found out it was a good idea to make my own oil spray to have on hand whenever her scalp became itchy. I read a few articles and watched a few youtube videos and then came up with my own concoction to suit our needs. I went to Holland&Barret and purchased jojoba oil for £10, vitamin e oil (70,000 I.U. the higher the better) for around £7, lavender essential oil for £11.99 for 30ml, and it was buy 1 get 1 for 1p so I get two for £12, bargain (",), I got my sunny isle jamaican black castor oil for £13.99 from Charlie's in west london and evoo for £2.49 from sainsburys. Here's our recipe or as gg likes to call it 'Itchy Spray' LOL (",)

ITCHY SPRAY RECIPE
You will need:

• distilled water
• virgin olive oil(conditions hair and scalp)
• jamaican black castor oil (helps replenishes dry skin and other skin conditions)
• jojoba oil (help alleviate symptoms associated with dandruff and dry skin)
• vitamin e oil (moisturises dry skin)
• lavender essential oil (for smell, soothing, and also a great for it's antibacterial properties) or whatever oil is your preference
• tea tree oil (great for it's antibacterial properties and also acts as a preservative)
• sterilised spray bottle

OILS I USED

*You can substitute or add to any of the ingredients below to suit your individual needs, but try and keep it as natural as possible for optimum results*

How to make:

• sterilise bottle by boiling it in a pan of boiling water for 10 minutes. I like to do this to make sure our bottles are clean from any bacteria
• pour water (enough to fill bottle 3/4 full) in to a measuring jug, this makes it easier to pour mixture into bottle
• add oils. I add my oils in equal quantities
• add a few drops of essential oil
• add a few drops of tea tree oil
• stir and pour into spray bottle
• store in the fridge to preserve oil for longer. I cover mine in a plastic sandwich bag just to make sure the smell of the oil doesn't seep into the food in the fridge
• the oils separate and sit on top of the water, so before each use shake your spray bottle well to combine the ingredients

OIL SPRAY BEFORE BEING SHAKEN

THIS IS WHAT SPRAY SHOULD LOOK LIKE WHEN YOU SHAKE IT JUST BEFORE USE

I use this spray on gg's hair every morning and evening and if she finds her scalp a bit itchy. This has worked great for us as she no longer has sores, dry patches or flaky skin on her scalp, and she now goes days without a single scratch (",)

*I am not a medical professional so please consult your Dr or a professional before you try this recipe out if you have a severe scalp problem or any medical condition. Also please test on a small area first for any reactions before use*