I too am EXTREMELY SENSITIVE to poison ivy and recently broke out in a similar rash after being careless while propagating my all time favorite plant, the philodendron micans. I also suspected that had to be it so I took a fresh cutting and dabbed the sap several times in my arm and didn't wash off for a few hours. Somewhere between 12 & 24 hours later, I started feeling that familiar itch and watched as my test patch gradually spread out the size of a dime and rose up with the little tiny bubble pattern I'm used to seeing with poison ivy rash. THIS SUCKS! I'm in the middle of battling it right now and in my research found this helpful article. I also read another helpful tip that said the sap from these plants can somehow penetrate through standard medical gloves so thicker gardening type gloves should be used when propagating and caution should also be taken when refreshing propagation water. I plant to purchase some thick, SOLID rubber gloves that can easily be thoroughly washed. NOT those gardening gloves that have a breathable section at the back of the hand and wrists! You should also clean the tools you use and the work area. Rubbing alcohol AT LEAST 70% grade is known to be effective for cleaning tools that have come in contact with poison ivy so I plan on implementing that. As well as never shortcutting again by taking rushed cuttings and not doing the basics like laying out a protective mat and immediately washing my hands afterwards. I lazily let my NUMEROUS cuttings drop to the floor (CARPET!) and I know I didn't wash my hands right away like I normally do. A couple hours later I laid on this floor in a tank top and got a mild rash a day later across my upper back and shoulder area as well as my ear lobes which I believe is from handling my earbuds right after propagating my favorite plant. PLEASE MAKE MY PAIN WORTH IT AND LET THIS BE A LESSON TO YOU... PUH-LEAZE!

Even though THIS SITE is selling something, it seems like a pretty good source of info on what may cause dandruff: scalp yeast imbalance. Click on "All about dandruff". (Note, I do not own Johnson & Johnson stock.) :) I have used tea tree shampoos in the past. They feel nice for sure, but my problem just got worse. Some shampooing alone can remove flakes and give the appearance of helping, plus that "tingly" feeling will override the itching for a while. I would definitely recommend seeing a good dermatologist. My problem was intermittent, the occurrence and severity often related to stress. It was worse in winter as the site says. In addition, the dermatitis irritated my eyes. My doctor proscribed Nizoral. This worked! There are also OTC versions of Nizoral available. I have also used prescription and OTC T-Gel shampoos as well. Luckily drandruff shampoos do lather up better than they used to. This makes it easier to use a minimum amount for savings. Do yourself a favor and go to a dermatologist. Whatever he/she recommends, you will save a lot of money and frustration from ineffective OTCs (like Head and Shoulders) and herbal solutions. Good luck!

My dog recently had bad skin irritation on her belly and the inside of her hind legs (very dry and flaky, and also red and raw). I first tried A&D ointment, but that only helped a tad. Then I took her to the vet and he gave me a special shampoo which worked wonders. If anyone wants to know the name, I'll be happy to write it here when I get home. Anyway, it's some sort of shampoo for excema (sp?) type conditions. He thinks she got it from some type of irritation (she leaks urine on herself occasionally and also drags her back end due to paresis, so it's probably from that). My main point is that he also said to use a light cream such as Cetaphil or Eucerin. And it is not bad for them to lick it. She's 100% better now. So if anyone is having dry skin or irritated skin issues with their dog (especially with this cold weather), try Cetaphil or Eucerin.

MSN news had a slide show this morning of what might trigger psoriasis: blood-pressure medications !! It's the binder/filler ingredients in pills, such as magnesium stearate which is the culprit. With my 3-years hand rash I finally found the culprit besides my hard-well water: It's magnesium stearate coating on pills, also a component in Nature-Made magnesium pills, and a component in Nature-Made vitamin D tablets. An amazon customer reported that magnesium stearate in Align probiotic pill caused bad rash, so I stopped my magnesium pills ... and no more rash !! I'm taking magnesium oxide powder, which doesn't have the magnesium stearate coating .. so far zero problems, zero rash with magnesium oxide. That's why a few Amazon customers complained about magnesium stearate as the coating/binder ingredient in pills. See excerpt from below link: http://www.listmyfive.com/d1a158f6/The-Top-Five-Red-Flags-of-a-Magnesium-Stearate-Allergy "Magnesium Stearate is a waxy filler made from animal fat or pesticide laden vegetable oils like cottonseed oil. Manufacturers use it in the making of the majority of medical pills, vitamins and supplements today. Mild to severe cases of hives for short and long periods can be due to magnesium stearate. Unexplained itching with small red bumps to big red blotches have been reported from people who have allergic reactions to this unhealthy filler. This can go on for years until the culprit is discovered and eliminated from the diet. Magnesium stearate kills cells when too much is in the body and it can dry out the skin and eyes. Workers that manufacture this useless stearate have to wear protective gear when handling it due to the toxicity of it to the skin." http://www.listmyfive.com/d1a158f6/The-Top-Five-Red-Flags-of-a-Magnesium-Stearate-Allergy