Re: Clear scalp for seven years now

Hi Kizzy

Wow - your experience sounds just like mine in so many ways.

OK - the story on the alcohol & Clindamycin. Like I said, I got this from a really groovy dermatologist in Japan who really knew his stuff.

I Just looked up Isopropyl Alcohol on Wikipedia - its the same as "rubbing alcohol".

Wiki says... Isopropyl alcohol (also isopropanol, iso, rubbing alcohol, or the abbreviation IPA) is a common name for 2-propanol, a colorless, flammable chemical compound with a strong odor. It has the chemical formula C3H8O and is the simplest example of a secondary alcohol, where the alcohol carbon is attached to two other carbons. It is an isomer of propanol.

Anyway the Doctor gave me these little bottles of alcohol, and some capsules of the Clindamycin (the same sort that you would swallow... and probably have swallowed over the past ten years). You break open the capsules, and put the powder into the alcohol bottle and mix it. Dab it onto your scalp regularly. I can not remember the exact dose of the clindamycin.

Re the shaving of head - I started that just before I went to this Dermatologist.

Like you - I think the combined shaving plus topical application does the trick, and the results were so dramatic and long lasting.

I can really relate to the shaved head and scar tissue look. But hey - at least its "CLEAN" scar tissue. No red inflamation or weeping sores. God I hated that. I would always sit in the back row of the theatre or any gathering because I would be ashamed that the guy behind me would be staring straight into my head. Now its just a bit of scar tissue - OK a lot of scar tissue. But even the thought of growing back my hair, which just highlights the scarring - and those damned corn rows. Nah - I'll stay shaved.

I shave my head three times a day. I use a Phillishave three rotating blades. Not a plug for philishave - but the motor is really really gentle and the whole thing pivots to the shape of my head. I tried the Braun. Great shaver - but a brutal motor - and the flat blade just doesnt follow the shape of the skull. I blade sheve my face and neck with Gillette sensitive disposables (although I tried my wife's leg blade shaver - a venus disposable - which was quite effective).

Like I said in my first post - I finish off with a rub over with an alcohol wipe. These are the Briemar alcohol wipes (70% isopropyl alcohol). They are the same ones that hospitals use to wipe down stainless steel instrument trollys etc. Again - not a plug, I just work in a hospital so I can get these by the box load :) Try these on your neck. I think they are brilliant. Oh - and I also use them to wipe off my Phillishave to keep the blades clean.

Thanks again for the reply. I must admit - I felt sooooooo alone for many many years.

All the best

Rot