Dandruff Remedies Questions
SEB DERM ON FACE
11/07/2008: DaisyPrincess (jen78285@yahoo.com) writes: "Well I went to the dermatologist he said I have Seborrheic Dermatitis he told me to wash my face with Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo and gave me Hydrocortisone 2.5% Does anyone else have this? I am really skeptical about the baby shampoo working but I am trying it anything else I could use? Please email me suggestions. If you have this as well please I can't stand this I hate that my face looks like this I live in Florida so most think it's a sunburn but it is really bothering me. Any help thanks
"
11/07/2008: Earth Clinic replies: "Readers have reported remedies for seb derm on the face here: http://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/dermatitis.html"
 |  |  |  |
QUESTIONS ABOUT TED'S REMEDIES
10/30/2008: Elusive_MsJ writes: "When I stumbled upon your website with a home remedy for seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp I felt relieved. I've been suffering with a very scaly scalp for over a year now. It's really embarrassing because it's right at my hairline. I am in my 30's and have never had any skin problems at any time in my life, and no one in my family has any skin problems either. Over the past year I've tried every OTC shampoo, conditioner, topical treatment, etc. Nothing has worked. My last resort was going to a dermatologist, but I don't want to spend inordinate amounts of time using treatment after treatment that may never work but make the situation more visible and embarrassing. The information you provided was very informative and helpful; HOWEVER, I am a little confused with your measurements. "1 part apple cider vinegar, 1 part hydrogen peroxide, 10 parts water" What does that mean? Is it 1 teaspoon? 1 tablespoon? 1 cup? 1 oz? And doesn't hyrogen peroxide lighten your hair? Regardless, I chose to use straight organic apple cider vinegar. In the evening I soaked my scalp, wrapped my head in plastic wrap so I wouldn't ruin a towel, wrapped a towel around the plastic wrap, and let it sit for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes I rinsed my hair thoroughly, washed with Johnson & Johnson's Baby Shampoo, conditioned with Redken All-Soft, and let my hair air dry. I DID THIS FOR 5 DAYS STRAIGHT AND MY SCALP IS STILL EXTREMELY ITCHY AND FLAKEY!!! In fact, my scalp burns now when I take a shower and use the blow dryer! At least I didn't spend a ton of money. This "treatment" is a complete waste of time and money, and I regret not having followed my instinct in going to a certified, practicing dermatologist."
| | | |
7 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WITH SERIOUS SEBORRHEIC DERMATITS
05/18/2008: Centtella Powell writes: "PLEADING FOR HELP! I have a daughter is only 7 years of age, she has suffered from seborrheic dermatitis for over two years. My heart cries out for her because I wish it was me instead of her, she deals with so many other illness she really doesn't need this one as well. Since the start of the new year her condition has worsened. She has noticable patches of her hair missing, puss bumps all over her head, and she scratches profusely. They've tried to kicked her out of school for it, make her wear hats, and even made her wear mittens on her hands.The teachers and the principle thought my beautiful child was repulsing. I've tried everything possible from all the medicated shampoos, to the cooking oil, whatever the docs said i tried. Nothing is working and I'm so tired of ppl treating my daughter like she has some contagious disease that they can catch. Please help me!!"
05/18/2008: Joyce from Joelton, Tn. replies: "Hello Centtella Powell from Westmont, Ill. First lets drop all these medicated ointments and other stuff you're using one your daughter's seborrhea. It sounds like they're not helping and they may be adding to the problem. Also drop off using soap for the time being. Since apple cider vinegar has both some antibiotic activity and helps stop itching, when you shampoo her hair use a mild (maybe like tearless baby shampoo) and after rinsing shampoo out, have her lay back in the tub and rinse hair with half & half ACV/warm water, being careful not to get it in her eyes because it will sting like fire in her eyes. Do not rinse this out. The smell will go away when it dries. For bathing, just use warm water with one to 2 cups of ACV in the bath water and a good terry cloth washcloth (cotton) preferably. Do not use any hair spray or other stuff on her hair. If those pus bumps her scalp is full of don't start looking better in a couple of days, then take a cup of ACV and keep adding epsom salts until no more will dissolve. This is a saturated solutition. Use it to swab those pus bumps and they should start drying up within days of starting using it. If you think there might be a fungus involved here, a health food store should have an extract of black walnuts (made from the green hulls) which should work great on it. If the itching seems to be beyond the control of the above, go to Sam's (there's gotta be one there)where you can get the generic version of Benadryl (antihistamine that works to control itching also & usually located next to the Benadryl) called diphenhydramine Hcl. A package of 400 25mgm. tablets cost less than $4.00. You'll pay more for a bottle of l00 of same tablets at Walmart! Both of you relax and take a whole bunch of deep breaths and keep us posted on how she's doing. Another thing I would suggest since you said she had so many other problems is to take a look at her dietary habits. Start with googling monosodium glutamate and aspartame, making a list of all the names they hide monosodium glutamate (MSG) under, then go into your kitchen and read ingredients on everything in there and start working on eliminating both of these from your families diets. Research both of these on the internet and you'll see why this is so important. Remember that just about anything made with a sauce, gravy, and ketchup are going to have one or both in them."
06/04/2008: Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Dear Powell:
A simple remedy for seborrheic dermatitis is fish oils 500-1000 mg taken once or twice a day, plus three times a week evening primrose oil. Most seborheic dermatitis, at least one of the cause is due to low omega 3 type 2, which has DHA and EPA, as well as possible GLA (gamma linoleic acid). Some flaxseed may be helpful too for skin problems
The alkalizing remedy, or at least a mild one is 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda in 1/4 glass of water taken three times a day assuming the weight of the child is 1/2 of a small adult whose weight is 100 pounds.
An adult dose is 1/2 teaspoon taken three times a day in 1/2 glass of water. However a much more effective remedy against skin problem over the course of taking it for about a week. A more effective dose may be the carbicarb remedy where a combination of sodium bicarbonate and sodium carbonate are used, such that at 1/2 of the weight of an adult, 1/8 teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate, 1/8 teaspoon of sodium carbonate in 1/2 glass of water taken twice a day for a period of a couple of week would have a more lasting effect, but omega 3 should not be dismissed as they are important to immunity conditions too.
The other supplements that I also found helpful were vitamin A, vitamin C sodium ascorbate and vitamin E. Although vitamin A does not require a lot, and usually twice a week would do. Magnesium also is helpful, in reducing certain bacterial flora in the intestines reducing toxic buildup on the body too.
If extreme itchiness is observed, and I have from time to time, I found sodium carbonate (washing soda) mixed with baking soda often called carbicarb by scientist to be the most helpful of all remedies. Some immediate reduction in tichiness can also be reduced by bathing in epsom salt, mixed with washing soda compound such as sodium carbonate. Some supermarket carries washing soda, sometimes under the brand name of Arm & Hammer, or other brands.
I have also found quick relief from a weak solution ammonium chloride solution where the itchiness is changed to mild stinging pain before all problems vanished within an hour. This is the quick remedy, but not as lasting as the alkalizing remedies.
The above are quick remedies that should be helpful in most cases. However, the use of borax as a shampoo may be preferred in the head, if mixed with weak solution of washing soda. In the long run, omega 3 fish oil is going to slowly reduce this problem. Certain common food intolerance are dairy products, peppermint oil in toothpastes, sugar, potatoes, and tomatoes.
Ted"
| | | |
21 YEAR OLD WITH SB FOR 8 YEARS
05/11/2008: G. writes: "Hi again, I read on the Internet that making a baking soda paste and applying it on the skin and leaving it for a while can cure some skin problems. I did this and my skin reacted terribly to it, my face was very inflamed for 4 days.
2 weeks ago I had been trying coconut oil and grapefruit seed extract internally. This seemed to help with general inflammation. But I wanted to find out which component was making the difference. So this week I just drank water + GSE only. It seemed to help a bit at first but now I feel it isn't doing much. I need to find something quick, something that is portable as I'm going on vacation to Thailand in a few weeks.
This is in incredible frustrating to me. this condition is all I think about -- it's ruining my life.
Anyways, today I am trying your baking soda internal idea. I'm going to try to drink 3 x 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. I hope this works, I have no idea how to get sodium carbonate, or borax. So baking soda, is it the idea that it will alter my bodies PH so it will allow my skin to heal?
Thanks so much."
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Using a baking soda paste on the skin is a bad idea. The pH differences between the skin and the baking soda is too large. Usually taking a bath with a solution of baking soda won't cause irritation. But if a paste is applied it becomes a mild caustic burns leaving the skin inflammed. Usually baking soda mixed with water taken internally for a couple of weeks will do the job, but sometimes adding a small amount of potassium citrate or potassium bicarbonate such as 1/8 teaspoon helps. As to the sodium carbonate a dilute solution is often used, although that's in certain conditions where baking soda remains unresponsive to certain areas."
| | | |
21 YEAR OLD WITH SB FOR 8 YEARS
04/30/2008: G writes: "Hi Ted I have read many of your posts(on earth clinic), you seem to have a great knowledge of SD and it's many factors.
I thought SD was mostly a canadid issue for everyone , but your theories state there could be as many as 6 causes of it.That's very interesting, I never heard anyone say that before, I think it could be true.
I'm a SD sufferer Ted, and I'm really reaching out for some help, I have tried so many things wasted so many dollars, on this horrid condition.I haven't gotten very far.
I will give some backround info on me to help you find the root of my sd;I'm a 21 yr old male, been suffering from SD for 8 years. I have it on my scalp, over just about my entire forehead, butterfly of sd around my nose, under my eyes, bridge of nose ect..It has really destroyed my life.
The SD has a distinct line where it ends and where my normal skin is, in most areas. It is persistent, throughout all these years it has never actually cleared, just varied in inflammation levels.I know that long hours in the summer sun really helps. Cold weather/wind tears my face apart.I tried all those shampoos the first years of my condition( on my face/scalp ) they helped a bit but not anymore I don't use them. Nizoral seems to help a bit.I tried acv it seemed to help a bit but not much, I forget why I stopped using it but it must be that reason.
Scaling and flaking used to be a big issue, I used to be able to peel like a inch of skin off my face... Now I don't flake very much it seems I have a lot of white heads or little balls of flakes now? It's not a huge issue, but redness is my main problem just a persistent red sunburn appearance...
Wheat, sugar, and fried foods seems to make it worse, so I avoid them. I have been taking many supplements over the years with varying success. Including D, gse, zinc, fish oil, green tea, acidiophous, b complex, coconut oil, anti canidid ect..
I tried virgin coconut oil as I heard it healed some people, but it just seemed to make my skin worse. I tried virgin olive oil and salt combo (5 days) that I read cured someone, not sure of my conclusion on it, but I think it just made my skin worse or didn't help much.
I think this email is getting a bit long, if you have more specific questions I would be glad to answer.
I really appreciate your help ted, I'm on my last straw, after this its off the bridge "
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Dear Grant:Most men seems to have inflammatory skin problem mostly from toxins while woman have due to their progesterone levels being low leading to a skin condition as well as common western diet. The food list to avoid is an important one, and I must mention them again, they are:
peppermint in toothpaste, caffeine, yeast, alcohol, all fruits, peppers, wheat, sugar, all fruits, aspartame, chlorine, cheese, potatoes, tomatoes, radishes, peanut butter, and dairy product.
The safest food are hormone free chicken, fish and some complex carbohydrate, namely rice, but possibly rye and millet. They are alkaline forming foods.
Seborrheic could be many cause, but obviously our blood is supplying them with the right food for the seborrheic dermatitis to grow, which is an indication that the body is obviously still in an acidic condition, so avoiding all sour foods helps at least during the treatment stages.
Therefore the simplest possible remedy is simply 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda taken three times a day, mixed in 1/2 glass of water. Some scientist do not like the use of baking soda because baking soda does not neutralize the acid in areas where there is high CO2 pressure in certain hidden areas of the body, and the other remdy is the 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda plus 1/4 teaspoon of sodium carbonate (washing soda) in 1/2 glass of water as more effective ways to reduce redness.
Redness is simply an inflammation usually from fungus and an ocassional borax applied to the skin used as a soap substitute may help. However in men, it appears toxins accumulate more so then women because woman have menstruation periods which just gets rid of toxins every 28 days for example. Therefore, the simplest ways of neutralizing excess toxins is simply 10 drops of 3% H2O2 is added to the 1/2 or 1 glass of water whenever baking soda or baking soda & washing soda is added, during the morning, and possibly before bed time. The H2O2 3% is the food grade kind I will buy, or at least the ones they don't add stabilizers.
Its been my experience if redness does not stop with baking soda and sodium carbonate, perhaps a small pinch of potassium bicarbonate that I try a 1/8 or 1/4 teaspoon of borax in a one liter of drinking water for 5 days out of a week. Interestingly when both baking soda are taking along with the borax added to the drinking water usually most of the skin redness is reduced by at least 90%, at least thats what I observe here.
As to why some of my theories are not like anyone else it is very simple: i observed first hand. Other people rely on second hand information and the information they received gets distorted everytime the information gets passed on from one person to the next. The internet is sometimes notoriously interbreeding itself borrowing information, where the best source of information is direct observations. Sometimes I take my time off answering emails, which I do regret, but I always needed to do more experiments and observations.
If the seborrheic dermatitis is very itchy a relatively quick way to stop the condition is always the baking soda with sodium carbonate, plus some topical application I recently made using' 5%-10% ammonium bicarbonate solution, or if ammonium bicarbonate can't be found, then 5% ammonium chloride plus milk of mangesia for applied to the skin. It will cause a stinging and the itchiness goes away.
A seborrheic dermatitis usually a vitamin D deficiency and lack of omega 3 fatty acids and fish oil where both are related to normal immunity of the body. This is why the conditions worsen during winter. There is less sun, so you get less vitamin D. Unfortunately vitamin D sold in supplements is not sufficient. The body produces about 6-10,000 i.u. by being out in the sun for a couple of hours. While supplements rarely have vitamin D above 1000 i.u. A compromise, if some people like me cannot get 10,000 i.u. of vitamin D3, is to just take only 1000-5000 i.u. of vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 is responsible for the immunity and helps with the skin problem, this is also true of omega 3, but also interestingly vitamin K2, usually in form of Natto. Once a week application of aloe vera gel may help, or perhaps twice a week application.
It should be noted that frequent use of any oils, whether they be vegetable oils or olive oil or even too much olive oil can quite often backfire to cause worsening skin conditions. Yogurt does not necessarily reduce it but often worsening it too, that's because it is acid and calcium puts fuel to the fire too.
If the skin problem persists, sometimes it is form a free heavy metals which feeds the fungus (they feed on sugar, free heavy metals, and loves acid environment), so taking chlorella and spirulina helps. In case the body responds well to the sun, sometimes, but kelp supplements help, But kelp supplements may not be a priority. Fungus growth is also limited if the person has sufficient amount of manganese 25 mg/day for example and chromium picolinate 500 mcg The theory behind this is relatively straightforward and has worked well because chromium reduces blood sugar and manganese is something fungus don't usually like in adequate amounts too."
| | | |
SEB DERM ON FOREHEAD AND BROW
04/06/2008: Brian writes: "re: Seborrheic Dermatitis BAD. I am currently a senior in high school with this plaguing problem. I have struggled with Seborrheic Dermatitis for over a year now trying everything. It got so bad to the point where I couldn't run up the stairs because any activity would cause a flare up. My skin was very thick and scaly and was constantly red. My dermatologist prescribed Loprox shampoo and Cutivate lotion. It worked for a while and I was cured of it. However in January, it came back full force. I currently am trying the ACV method. I apply it in the morning and at night with a cotton ball. My problem area is my forehead and brow area. I have it on my scalp but it is not red like my forehead is. I really need to get rid of the redness. When i feel my skin, it feels soft and there a few scales but not many. I used neutrogena face wash to de-scale my forehead. It contains salyicic acid and works wonders for de-scaling. I sometimes use nthe loprox shampoo on my face, leaving it on for about 3 minutes and then washing it off. However, i still have a persistant red forehead. Does anyone know how this can be stopped?!!?? I need this to go away before my graduation and senior prom. Please! We got to stick together and find a cure for this unbearable problem of ours"
| | | |
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR AS A RINSE
04/01/2008: Judi A writes: "Ted, I've read a number of comments and questions on the Natural Cures website about using ACV on dandruff and ichy scalp. (I had been using a specialty shampoo (imported) that my hairdresser sold, but they've change the formula and'the new formula isn't working.) Is there a particular way one should use ACV as a rinse? I've seen both before and after shampooing; leaving it on before shampoo for varioius lengths of time; diluting or not diluting; mixing with baking soda or other things. I'm confused. This is a pretty agressive problem and my scalp has been itching so badly for the last week or two that I seriously want to scream. I like what I've read, but I need some "how to" information. Thanks for any help you can provide"
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "The ACV remedy or even a white distilled vinegar remedy is for mild dandruff condition. For a more chronic problems of dandruff, it's commonly caused by a manganese deficiency and some evening primrose is needed. This generally will reduce the dandruff problems. I prefer to use a borax as a shampoo more than anything else since part of the dandruff problem is the fungus. The manganese I used is manganese sulfate, 25-50 mg. taken usually 2-3 days out of a week and once the condition is reduced, will take only a couple of weeks, it is then discontinued. As for the supportive evening primrose oil, it's usually 250 mg/day for 3 days out of a week. Further supplementation of manganese is possible such as soy milk, as it is high in manganese are also helpful. Other helpful remedies include, selenium yeast supplements, and vitamin E, vitamin A and vitamin C. The selenium is antifungal. The vitamin C is an antioxidant, but interestingly has certain antifungal properties, which reduces the dandruff, especially with the itching. Since fungus is often metabolic acidosis as it grows on scalp whenever the scalp is oily (if it is), then zinc gluconate 50 mg maybe needed to cause the lowering of oily scalp. Metabolic acidosis causes capillaries to be constricted, so taking alkalizing remedies such as 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda a day taken twice a day is helpful. In case sun exposure is reduced, and if the person has dark skin, I remember one Indian, living in England of reduced dandruff, just increasing vitamin D2 or D3 through taking plenty of cod liver oils, such as 15-20 small softgels a day, where each of the cod liver oil softgels are about 250 mg each. It was taken for a couple of week, plus perhaps soaking borax, un rinsed, kept overnight before rinsing, which has a tendency to kill the fungus, if applied only a couple of days a week, such as 2-3 days a week. If it's all too complicated, then I would just take 25-50 mg of manganese sulfate (or manganese gluconate), plus some evening primrose oil, and just drink soy milk. Those three things has helped the most. If not, eliminating fluoride, aspartame, chlorine, white bread, vegetable oils, margarine, and white flour are the other things that seem to cause a lot of problem."
| | | |
HAIR SHEDDING AFTER USING REMEDY
01/19/2008: Rob writes: "Hi I was wondering what i should be using to treat my dandruff problem..... I e-mailed Ted explaining what I tried and It seemed to work okay.... I only started yesterday cause i was using Selsun when i learned about all the hazards of these and other shampoos. I had only been using for about a month however shampooing is a crucial step in eliminating dandruff I use ACV shampoo w/ Borax and then put lime juice on my head. I tried it again today and my hair was shedding and it seemed i was getting flakes... my hair still looks okay but all the shedding? is that normal? Even when i used selsun my hair was hardly shedding I'm sure the ACV and lime juice are fine but what should I be shampooing with because i don't feel like I'm cleaning my scalp...... however again with all the negative consequences of these shampoos, it's not worth it either to go back to them especialy if they are adding to the problem. at the same time not really washing harms it especially since i sweat alot there just so many options to choose from here but i want to be doing the right thing to rid me of my dandruff problem and i don't want to feel like a guinea pig. I'm not even sure what caused this cause i always had thick healthy hair... from reading here there are a lot of factors which point to me but i'm not even sure what it is. any help is sincerely appreciated ASAP sincerely Rob"
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Rob: Hair shedding problem is natures way that we are not even close to finding the true underlying condition. However if a hair sheds, a milder borax and baking soda may be a more appropriate remedy.
It should be noted that none of the the remedies you are using may deal with the underlying cause. My own friend has a hair loss, and the underlying cause may also mean a vitamin and mineral deficiency. Therefore the use of any shampoo may not work. Mind you I have had some successes with tea tree oils and other things. But this is not the underlying cause.
Therefore, the remedies that I have found to work in that instances of a suspected nutrient deficiencies is the manganese sulfate 25-50 mg., dissolved or pulverized (tablets) in water, taken 5 days out of a week for 2-3 weeks. Many people who have hair loss I have noticed not not eat vegetables and will just eat anything else besides vegetables. A dietary biasness may lead to nutrient imbalance. For my other case, a 1000 mg of sodium ascorbate, or even a rose hips vitamin C were especially useful. However, it should be noted that if the scalp is oily, zinc should be taken to prevent overproduction of sebum, which results in hair loss. A zinc gluconate is usually 50 mg taken for about 3 times a week. Soy milk I have also found to be helpful against hair loss, as it is also high in manganese, which is a common deficiencies I have seen for people with hair problems. In some parts of the country, a copper deficiency might also lead to hair problems, usually cocoa 100% can also help.
Resolving hair problems is a difficult one at least for me. I have noted a millionaire who patented copper peptides for hair growth is also completely bald, as well as other health gurus that I can't name here are just as bald. However, I do have good successes with zinc, biotin 10 mg (along with vitamin B complex), manganese, and vitamin C. In some surprises, sometimes iodine was completely missing from people with hair problems too.
As to the dandruff, my newer remedy requires manganese which seemed to resolve this problem overnight. That, of course, along with flaxseed oil and evening primrose oil to a lesser extent.
Ted"
03/08/2008: Joyce from Joelton, TN replies: "To Rob l/l9/08 with dandruff problem - After losing half of my hair using a dandruff shampoo which actually did a good job controlling dandruff and finding that Selsun was not effective - I started using the least scented shampoo and after rinsing it out, followed up with 50/50 ACV/water rinse (which you don't rinse out - the smell mostly is gone when hair dries - Voila no more dandrulff problem"
| | | |
SEVERE SEBORRHEIC DERMATITIS AND HAIR LOSS
10/30/2007: Scott writes: "Hello Ted, I have been reading many of your posts on Earth Clinic regarding seborrheic dermatitis/dandruff and hair loss and I must say I am impressed, however I am at a loss as to what may help me...... I know you are a busy guy but I plead with you to please somehow find the time to get back to me =)..It would be so greatly appreciated.. I have had a very severe case of seborrheic dematitis and severe hair loss for 7 years now. I have been to 16 doctors, naturopathic, allopathic, and homeopathic with little to no help..I have seemingly tried everything... Let me give you a quick background first...I was seemingly healthy all my life (up till 7 years ago after taking Accutane) although I had acne on my back I could not get rid of so I went to my dermatologist and was prescribed Tetrycicline and Minocycline antiboitics for many many months but they did not help...Then out of desparation I made a huge mistake, I took Accutane, a horrible drug for acne...I only took it for about 1-2 months but stopped due to massive hair loss..I went back to my dermatologist (I now have NO faith at all in any dermatologists or M.D.'s- they seem to be very uneducated) and he said the Accutane was not causing the hair loss (which I now know that is not true - it is for sure what caused it), and suggested trying Rogaine...I tried Rogaine, which was huge mistake #2...A mixture of Rogaine right after Accutane caused very severe scalp damage and hair loss (later learned Rogaine is not to be taken from hair loss caused by a drug)...I have had a very thick crusted scalp (seborrheic derm) ever since covering about 90% of my scalp (thickest on crown area) from front to back, and it is very deep causing severe hair loss due to large chunks of skin coming off my scalp.....My skin used to burn from head to toe for about the first 3-4 years after Accutane/Rogaine also, but thank goodness it doesnt burn much anymore...
Unfortunately I did not know about natural remedies for acne but I am trying not to look back on this horrible experience, only forward on how to get better... My naturopaths I have been to took many many tests...Fortunately, my liver did not seem to be damaged...however, I found I have severe allergies to all dairy, and have not eaten dairy for a very long time...this still has not helped the condition...I had Candida/Yeast stool tests and they came out Non-pathogen however, "Rare Budding Yeast" was present (not sure if budding yeast can cause this scalp condition but in the summary from Genova Diagnostics it says it "could contribute to symptoms in susceptible individuals, e.g. reduced immune function, deficient beneficial bacteria, or fungal allergy")...I also tested NEGATIVE for "leaky gut"...I thought since Seborrhea is a type of yeast, that for sure I had Candida and that it was leaking out of my gut into my bloodstream, then to my vulnerable scalp...but apparently this is still not the cause? ..I have tried seemingly every herb, colon cleanses, liver cleanses, homeopathic preparations, efa's, vitamins, minerals, nutrients, tea tree oil, strict diets, etc...I tried your suggestion on ACV and Hydrogen peroxide mixture and sprayed it on my scalp (seems to burn quite a bit), soaked it, etc, still very little/not much help....Currently I am taking 10 mg Biotin, P73 Oil of Oregano, a Candida/Yeast Cleanse (in case budding yeast is part of the problem), and liquid vitamins/minerals...
I suspect my conditoin has something to do with bacteria, yeast, or some sort of fungus, but probably in my blood because topical solutions don't really seem to help?...I also have learned that Accutane severely depletes nutrients in ones body (but I have supplemented so many nutrients for 7 years and still wondering why I'm not better)..I still have hope though and believe I can be healed given the right remedy =)... ..I have attached some pictures to give you an idea of my condition...
My scalp now looks a little better as far as chunks of skin, however the hair loss is much worse than the pics (my hair just couldn't seem to survive all the trauma/thick flaking)... ...I am interested in trying something you suggest on your hair loss forums although I have tried Zinc/Vitamin C already (but perhaps not at the right dosage), however I would like something more specific for my problem (or at least your opinion)...I have experimented enough on my own to no avail, and am tired of playing the guessing game...hahaha..=)..So what dose would you consider for possibly Vitamin C, Magnesuim, Zinc, Manganese, and perhaps Borax (although reluctant because I don't know much about this remedy and not sure if it is natural)....Or any other suggestions would be so helpful to me...You have no idea how greateful I would be for a regimine that could possibliy reverse this disease... ...Looking forward to your response...take all the time you need to thoughtfully consider this seemingly complicated issue... ..You may post this question on earthlink and edit it if you would like to make it shorter if needed, because I know others who may benifit from it as well."
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Dear Scott: You can try the recommendations mentioned, although I would probably try to take plenty of manganese supplements first, such as manganese sulfate, or other manganese such as chelated manganese, some evening primrose oil and make sure the body is sufficient alkalized, such as taking either lemon (or lime) and baking soda, such as 2 tablespoon of lime juice plus 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in 1/2 glass of water taken at least twice a day. Magnesium in some individuals with hair loss seems to be appropriate, so perhaps, a larger dose such as 250-500 mg of magnesium citrate (or magnesium gluconate or magnesium chloride) with plenty of water seems important too. For some reason or another some people with hair loss seems to have some iodine deficiency as noted with hair mineral analysis, in case you do it, there is some pattern to indicate that, but that is done on like using it as a mouthwash, adding in 1/2 glass of water 2-5 drops once in the morning. Manganese still is most important and I think vitamin C sodium ascorbate and alkalization are right close to that.
While the condition can have several causes, your condition based on your feedback may not be a fungus or yeast otherwise it would have responded to the hydrogen peroxide 1% or the saturated borax in hydrogen peroxide 1%, at least initially. Hence the other cause may either be bacteria, mineral and vitamin deficiency or hormonal problems. Magnesium, manganese, iodine and vitamin C is one possibility.
But it would seem that I would need to consider whether there is any other mineral uptake from supplements. The only way to be sure, is to chew on the mineral supplements. A copper chloride weak solution (which means a copper chloride less 1% dissolved in 99% water) applied to the scalp would be an antifungal and react with the body's protein to become a copper peptide.
An interesting healing of the scalp may be possible with even an aloe vera (high concentration) applied topically. The active substance of aloe vera I suspect is the allantoin that allows some scalp to recover.
The real hair losses and the conditions you mentioned, does not appear to be a generic seborrheic dermatitis, and hence the problems of the treatment.
It appears to be an Accutane that causes sebeorrheic dermatitis which is why the scalp is so unresponsive to many treatments. Would be nice if you have mentioned to me earlier that the Accutane and Rogaine (or Regaine) was causing the seborrheic hair loss condition. It helps to know the cause. Your cause, in my opinion is a bacteria and Accutane, with possible mineral deficiencies, namely zinc. The reason is that Accutane was designed to kill the bacteria and kill off the body's sebum (which naturally would cause hair loss). Too much or no sebum, either way is related to hair growth since sebum works together with the hair or at least found along with it.
Furthermore, I would look and examine how Accutane and Rogaine caused the hair loss in the first place. The ingredients of accutane is the isoretinoin.
The active ingredients of accutane listed is isoretinoin and the problem inactive ingredients that I worry about is BHA (not BHT), hydrogenated oils, and iron oxide food coloring. I isoretinoin to be a dangerous chemical that induces oxidative DNA damage, and there are literature to say that since it causes birth defects too.
The reason why isoretinion works is it works by killing off the sebum, reducing its production and killing off the acne. The problem about this is it causes extreme scalp drying and kill off the sebum, you kill the hair too since the hair needs sebum, without which to lubricate would cause hair to dry or can no longer form. Isoretinoin also causes the body to go into hyperlipidemia, please see research abstract below. That is because once the sebum is destroyed (just my opinion), the body has no way of getting rid of the oils, so it increases inside the body which leads to oil rancidity, such as oxidation of isoretinoin and other oils, which is toxic to the body, but might be food for the bacteria, which leads to more hair losses.
Therefore, there is two possible addition to reduce this problem namely one tablespoon of granulated lecithin taken two times a day, vitamin E 400 i.u. a day, and if it is not working out 250-500 mg every other day of BHT supplements, to reduce the oxidative effects of the oils. The other oils that need to reduce is the triglycerides and free fatty acids. Therefore 1000-3000 mg of trimethylglycine and glycine may be helpful also. If liver is effected due to hyperlipidemia than 500 mg of N Acetyl Cysteine. The glycine reduces free fatty acids. Methylated glycine may also be more useful, but if cannot be obtained than glycine would do. Lecithin by the way is a fat emulsifiers, and reduces the body's hyperlipidemia.
As to the damaged DNA, little can be done if it is damaged except to provide the supplements for DNA repair. Lacking time right now, I would consider brwer's yeast, since it is rich in RNA/DNA, usually 1000-3000 mg.
P.S.
As a side note, high fatty foods and sugar should be avoided altogether. It may worsen the condition except only occasional supplements of evening primrose oil and fish oil (such as twice weekly), 500 mg for example. Vitamin Complex will help some of the sugar problems as well as lecithin by reducing some fatty buildup in the liver. "
Isotretinoin and serum lipids: studies on fatty acid, apolipoprotein and intermediary metabolism M.F. LAKER*, C. GREEN1, A.K.M.J. BHUIYAN* AND S. SHUSTER1
1Department of Dermatology, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K.*Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Metabolic Medicine, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K. Dr M.F.Laker, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, U.K. SUMMARY
Thirteen patients with severe acne were treated for 16 weeks with 1·0 mg/kg/day isotretinoin. There were significant increases in serum cholesterol (P < 0·02), triglycerides (P < 0·02) and apolipoprotein B (P < 0·02). No changes were found in serum apolipoprotein A-1, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), carnitine, lactate, pyruvate, glycerol, alanine, beta-hydroxy-butyrate, glucose or insulin.
We therefore found no evidence that the hyperlipidaemia of isotretinoin therapy is due to increased fluxes of NEFA from adipose tissue to the liver, although we cannot exclude the possibility that there are changes in the proportion of NEFA being esterified to triglyceride or undergoing beta-oxidation. We suggest that the hyperlipidaemia induced by isotretinoin may be due to an increase in circulating lipoprotein from increased production or impaired catabolism."
| | | |
ISSUE SINCE HAVING HAIR PROFESSIONALLY DONE
10/13/2007: TM writes: "In June I got my hair done,since then I have what appears to buildup/dandruff or both, my scalp right around the crown is thick and scabby bleeds sometimes, flakes sometimes, I have tried everything, I was thinking it had something to do with the chemicals used but all this time later it wont go away!! it itches and burns,and its embarrasing!! Please help"
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "I might try a solution of borax to use as a shampoo for hair wash. The borax solution, a concentrated one is left overnight and rinsed the next day. The boraxis antifungal and is more ideal for hair applications.Although the same fungus,
I might use a different solution on the face, such asa 1% hydrogen peroxide solution in borax solution or1% hydrogen peroxide alone. However, the 1% hydrogen peroxide solution with borax, while it is a stronger solution, might cause some hair discoloration with frequent use. Hence, I would just use a borax solution first for a couple of days.
However most important is internal body chemistry,where 2 tablespoons of lime juice plus 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in at least 1/2 glass of water, is taken twice a day needed to alkalize the body sufficiently giving a chance to heal.
The dandruff would be most helped to get a 1000 mg of evening primrose oil, taken twice a day, 5 days out of a week. The same can be considered for flaxseed and fish oil, but I think, at similar dose of 1000 mg,although this is only once a day, instead of twice.Vitamin A is important, and in some cases at least my friend anyway, a manganese sulfate was important,where 25-50 mg were taken only just 5 days and then stop or might be extended up to a couple of weeks.
While my own experience is that most people who do contact me often have two things working against me,one is that the condition is quite bad, otherwise you won't contact me, and the other is the body is quite sensitive. In my own personal experience, just taking a small pinch of manganese sulfate 100 mg and evening primrose oil, in one dose does the trick every time.But that is because it was taken care of in the beginning stage where the problems are quite less severe.
It should be noted that it is important that dietary changes of avoiding steak, oily foods, and sweets, but most importantly the body needs to be properly alkalize so that the scalp can heal. If the body is too acid, the healing would not commence. It is also helpful that aloe vera juice or gels is used, taken internally or applied depending on the product, and a magnesium citrate 250 mg/day five day out of a week supplements and vitamin C sodium ascorbate 1000 mg can also help the healing process. In some cases, skin can also be healed by preparing a 50/50 mixture of vitamin E capsules mixed with lavender oil and applied on the scalp. However, this is used generally when manganese,alkalization, evening primrose oil and some others are used for at least a week.
Most of the scalp condition is quite often due to imbalances or the lack of the oils, in particular evening primrose oil (Gamma linoleic acid), flaxseed oil, fish oil, vitamin A and vitamin E. The vitamin A25,000 i.u. and 400 i.u. of vitamin E is often takenonly just twice a week should be sufficient.
In some rare cases of extreme dandruff, of an Indian living in England, that case were due to dark skin and lack of sun exposure. In which case about 5000-10,000i.u. of vitamin D per day were needed during the treatment period too, and required taking many capsules of cod liver oil, which is equivalent to about 2 tablespoon a day of cod liver oil. By the way both vitamin D and vitamin K2 are antifungal and that's probably why it helped the extreme dandruff."
| | | |
SUPPLEMENTS AND ACV
10/13/2007: F writes: "Ted, thank you for taking the time to respond to me, I didn'texpect that. A nice surprise.As far as the dermatitis of the scalp, I will definitely try some of the suggestions. I think when you were talking about a citrate additive, and you mixed the words lemon and lime together, you meant that either could be used. I am really loving the apple cider vinegar, and will most likely continue that. I have become adept at checking my pH and found a cheap source on the Internet ( phion nutrition) and you get 240 tests sticks with shipping for 23.70. Much cheaper than the health, aquarium stores.I just received a lotion from a Chinese source DR Zhao, a world renowned dermatologist/ herbalist, and has specific formulations for seborrheic dermatitis, (which can promote hair loss).There seems to be some clinical studies, and he has received several international awards for his formulas. Hopefully hes not just another con man!If you can respond to one question, if not I am thank full for all the time.If I am going in for surgery, and the Dr. says stop taking any vitamins/supplements for 10 days prior to surgery, as they thin the blood, would apple cider vinegar be a blood thinner?thanks again, my friend,keep up your precious work,Frank"
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "<P>Dear Frank:A seborrheic may be a yeast problem, so getting thebody alkaline as mentioned that you do is quite fine.I can't say about the quality of the products, and youjust have to test them out yourself as I have nevertried their products to know.</P>
<P>There vitamins are a two edge sword. Certain vitaminssuch as vitamin E is a blood thinner and reduces theclot. On the other hand certain other vitamins, suchas vitamin C (sodium ascorbate) helps with clottingand tissue damage as a result of surgery. While asyet, vitamin K, helps the blood clotting. Hence itdepends on what vitamins. But at the very least, twovitamins should be avoided that causes blood thinner,vitamin E and cod liver oil. Vitamin C and vitamin Kon the other hand seems to promote healing andclotting. Aloe vera gels, helps healing fairlyquickly. So aloe vera juice and supplements help thehealing during surgery, especially form burns andtissue damage. The allantoin content of the aloe verais what helps the healing of the tissue damage. </P>"
| | | |
HEAT AS A CAUSE?
07/08/2007: A writes: "I'm from India, in Chennai (very hot place). I m 24, Male. I m suffering from SD for last 15 months. I have Black Skin patches around my nose... forehead, chin. I don't have it in my scalp, or anywhere else. I have done lot of Google research and consulted several doctors. Currently Im taking Ketoconazole cream for prescription. I have applied lot of creams in my nose area, nothing seems to work. Please suggest me some natural medicine...or pills to reduce this black patches around my nose.....
Note: I was in Wisconsin, USA for 3 months, where my SD went away.. no rashes..my skin was clean I came back to India, it came back. Is it due to Hot weather. plz advise"
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Hard to tell what organism are responsible for S.D. in your case, however, sun exposure and moisture are two common factor.
For sun exposure I would try applying an antifungal remedy such as lavender oil mixed with a sun screen solution. The lavender oil is both antifungal and anti inflammatory.
If the reason is due to moisture and humidity, however, most of India, the weather is dry, but there might be some exceptions, then a 1% H2O2 solution applied to the area several times a day would kill the fungus and dry the skin.
If sun is a factor, which a more likely case, I would use sun umbrellas or a cap to prevent the sun from reaching the face. I have seen cases of S.D. where sun exposure is the cause since it only occurs in areas or parts of the body that is exposed to the most sun, that area usually is the face. Sun screening therefore, in practice will help, there are many products so I suggest trial and error and look over a couple of brands, since they don't work the same way due to differences in ingredients. If I am short on cash I make my own, such as a solution (in water) of zinc oxide (or titanium dioxide), or sometimes vitamin E (only the kinds they used where you take it internally) and applied to the face. However, if sunburns is partly responsible, aloe vera oil or lotion may work, but those are applied after sun exposure while sunscreen lotion are applied during the day. It takes a week to notice no increase in S.D. and a slowly decrease in such conditions.
Whichever the cause, I would also check for urinary sugar and urinary pH, sometimes excess sugar (they happened a lot in hot climate) as a result of dehydration may cause the body's immune system to be lowered, in which case a simple water with a small amount of sea salt would help. In this case one liter of water mixed with 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt will correct the electrolytes, pH somewhat, and diluting the sugars. Usually the normal urinary sugar is about 2% and should never exceed 5% in hot weather, if they do a skin problem, tends to occur whenever urinary sugar exceeds 5% or more. I tend to rely on maximum urinary sugar to gauge my health, rather than minimum blood sugar (fasting) as the former detects early warning rather than late warnings as used in blood sugar. Of course that's my opinion, which seems to work and a simple remedy if sugar is the cause is drinking more water whenever exposed to the sun.
Finally certain vitamins are essential, especially antioxidants so the skin can withstand the free radical effects of the sun, such as vitamin A, vitamin E, and vitamin C, and sometimes B complex."
| | | |
SUPPLEMENTS
06/28/2007: Y writes: "Hello Ted, You suggested me cod liver oil, tea tree oil and borax for dandruff. I am using tea tree oil regularly + taking cod liver oil regularly + using Borax also sometimes, as it increases my hair fall + vitamin C regularly..+ I am taking a multivitamin regularly.But these does not seems to help with my dandruff. Please suggest something else."
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "You haven't consider that most poeple with problem' dandruff needs a lot of vitamin D, something closer to 20,000 i.u. The cod liver oil has only about 50 i.u. Vitamin C sodium ascorbate simply increases the body's available manganese, and those manganese supplements are still needed. Of course more natural form of manganese, but in much lower amounts, such as soy milk can help. Still manganese sulfate are needed, such as 50 mg-100 mg one or two dose on an EMPTY stomach. Baking soda 1/2 teaspoon plus 1/2 glass, 2 times a day, allows better circulation of the scalp and reduces hair to fall. Iodine foot painting once a week also helps. I do not know if tea tree was applied overnight in generous amount to reduce both the dandruff and hair loss. However I found manganese to be most important of all supplements, but only taken on an empty stomach.Vitamin D 20,000 i.u. is the second one. If the scalp is oily, than zinc gluconate or zinc acetate is needed at 50 mg 2 times or 3 times a week.
"
| | | |
SOMETIMES SCALP IS DRY AND FLAKEY, OTHER TIMES MOIST AND GUMMY
03/30/2007: Jennifer writes: "I am so confused and frustrated with my condition. I am a 31 year old female living in Michigan. I am married with 3 children (not currently pregnant or trying to conceive) and only 6 months ago noticed a severe dandruff problem. I of course tried several over the counter shampoos with no relief, then several presciption shampoos with no relief, my dr now wants me to try a topical steriod and I am not interested in such treatment but must have a solution to this problem. What was intially a dry patch near the back of my head had now covered my entire head from forehead to neck and ear to ear, at times the scalp is extremely dry and flakes like crazy and at other times areas of my scalp are gummy and moist. The condition has reached my ears and now behind my ears as well as my actual ear are so dried and cracked (and even ooze at times) they are almost shriveling up. My face is very dry especially my eye lids. My neck is developing dry red patches also. I am afraid this is going to slowly work its way down my entire body. Other info that may be pertinent....Spring is almost here so warmer weather is coming, I have been dieting and recently lost 20 lbs, I am almost 5'6 and now weigh 145 lbs, I am trying to lose an additional 15 lbs, I am not currently exercising regularly, I sleep with all feather pillows and blankets, I average 6 hours sleep per night, I have curly, color treated hair (I have colored my hair for years though), I do use commercial hair products in the shower and after to prevent a frizzy mop on top of my head. I would have to find a suitable replacement because no products would be not cute at all (I am not going for the stray dog look) I have read much of the info from the website and am a bit confused. Is the only way to determine the origin of my problem to trouble shoot with various treatments to rule out possibilities? I will of course try anything. If you are able to provide a course of treatment I would be so appreciative. If you need additional info regarding my situation I would be more than happy to disclose. Thank you so much Jennifer"
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "The mentioned "racked (and even ooze at times)" indicates the body is severely acid, and taking a larger dose of baking soda, about 1/2 teaspoon with 1/2 glass of water in the morning and 1/4 teaspoon before sleep may help reduce the oozing. Then reduce the dose after a couple of days to just 1/4 teaspoon 2 times a day of baking soda. Getting a diarrhea will immediately dry up the ooze, but I prefer to use a magnesium hydroxide only, such as Milk of Magnesia, found in most drug stores.
Since spring is coming, it appears you are suffering them throughout the winter. It appears that 2000 i.u. of vitamin D3 and plenty of sunshine is needed here. Take some cod liver oil now and then, some evening primrose oil (twice a week at 1000 mg), flaxseed oil once a week, and vitamin A 25,000 i.u. twice a week, and most importantly fish oil (omega 3). The body's oils are imbalance and this should resolve most of the conditions.
Shampooing is best if done using just a borax solution and some epsom salt, 10% concentration each as a shampoo. This should get rid of most of the bacteria and viruses quite well, but it won't resolve the biochemical imbalances. Vitamin C sodium ascorbate 1000 mg. is another one that you should try to take once a day. Ted"
| | | |
WHERE TO FIND MANGANESE SULFATE
12/04/2006: Michelle writes: "I was wondering if instead of manganese sulfate I could use chelated manganese, and if not where can I get manganese sulfate because I was unable to find it. also when you add the baking soda to the lemon juice or to the apple cider vinegar it seems you can add quite a bit before it stops fizzing is that correct ( I just want to make sure I do it right). I took accutane for two months and after a month my hair started to fall out . My hair is not dry, rather it is really oily and I have to wash it every day. I read that this is probally due to a zinc deficiency and I have been taking zinc gluconate for a couple days. also is it necessary to take sodium ascorbate and not any other form of vitamin c? any advice you have for me would be grreat. I really appreciate your help and was so happy when I found this site because my derm just wanted to have me use steroid cream and some shampoo on my scalp"
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Dear Michelle: Cannot find manganese sulfate? Chelated manganese will do for now. Just make sure they dissolve in glass of water within 15 minutes, if not the supplements are totally useless.
My hair is not dry, rather it is really oily and I have to wash it every day.
Oily hair is often due to zinc deficiency. Taking too much will cause dryness. It will take about one month for the oily issue to stop, faster or slower than one month depends on the dosage.
A natural steroid is vitamin D, so that is safe, and it does help hair growth too. The issue seems to be finding the right dose, often 10,000 I.U. - 20,000 I.U. taken no more than a month. Cod liver oil have some vitamin D, but not enough, the capsules are too small. In the olden days they take it by the tablespoon, now we are taking something like 10 drops (which equals one tiny capsule). Ted"
| | | |
SCALP TURNED RED AFTER USING ACV
11/05/2006: Dan writes: "Could someone provide feedback? I began using ACV on my scalp to combat dandruff. I noticed that it turned my scalp a deep red, for about 30 minutes. Futhermore, I know some people use it on their face; however, everywhere it contacted mine it turned it tomato red. I tried, as an experiment, to lightly wipe my face with ACV to see what would happen. It turned in beet red for about 40 minutes. Have any of you guys had this reaction? Thanks"
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Dear Dan: The bugs that is causing the redness is a bug that is acid resistant, many strep and staph are like that. Try a 20% potassium citrate solution , or a weak 10% solution of sodium carbonate (washing soda) the redness should be gone. Ted"
| | | |
SB AND PRURIGO NODULARIS ON FACE AND ARMS
09/21/2006: Stella writes: "I have S/B and prurigo nodularis on my face and arms. I tried everything known to man, but the only thing that's helped my face is RF Cool laser. Kleen Free enzyme wash seems to help.Can't use it on the scalp because this particular laser permanently removes hair, too. Prednisone tapered/three weeks worked temporarily. Bentonite and liquid paraffin help, too. Could having had my gallbladder removed be contributing to this condition? Do S/B and P/N occur together often? Lack of sleep seems to make my condition worse. (BTW, the name of the microscopic bug you were looking for is Demidex. Same bug that causes mange in dogs.)"
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Dear Stella:
Could having had my gallbladder removed be contributing to this condition?
You need to know what a gallbladder does, herein lies the answer to the cause of your problem.
The gallbladder is a fat emulsifier and acts as detergent. Without this your body cannot digest fats or absorbs oils from the food you eat. Certain oils are essential to your health, such as omega 3, linoleic acid, gamma linoleic acid, conjugated linoleic acid, etc.
The solution appears to be a simple one, take 2 tablespoons of granulated lecithin with every meal you eat. The lecithin will do the job in place of the gallbladder and will help your body absorb the needed oils essential to your health.
To get the body to achieve it faster, take evening primrose oil and flaxseed oil, 1/2 teaspoon each along with your food. This also includes other oils such as vitamin A and vitamin E.
The second thing is gallbladder stores bile. While I cannot give you a perfect bile, you can take 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda mixed in your drinking water one glass everytime you eat with every meal. Baking soda in someways is a rough formula for bile needed for digestion. It is not an exact formula, but something you can easily get in the supermarket.
By solving this cause, the fatty free radicals would be reduce and you skin problems should slowly lessen. We are treating the cause, albeit, your condition may have multiple causes, but at least it is a step in the right direction.
Do S/B and P/N occur together often?
Most skin problems come with multiple conditions. It is a reflection of the body's immune system, improper eliminations, pathogens, parasites, acid/base imbalance. It could be any one of the problem.
However, if it itches, apply vinegar. If that doesn't work then just follow the dog mange formula by taking up borax and 1% hydrogen peroxide solution. What it does to your skin is it eliminates parasites, if you suspect it is a parasite. If you don't know, apply it anyway and see how it works. The solution is quite safe anyway.
Lack of sleep seems to make my condition worse.
Lack of sleep reflects the body's acidity is high. Taking plenty of baking soda as mentioned should help relax the system. If not take melatonin should help. Ted"
| | | |
REMEDIES WORKED, BUT STILL BUILD UP OF SCALES
08/08/2006: Steven writes: "Hello all, hope you're all well. I've had SD for about 1 and a half years now and finally got to grips with it a few months ago after finding this website. At first I used a spray bottle filled with ACV and hydrogen peroxide and sprayed the concoction all over my scalp. After that, I doused my scalp with tea tree oil and left that on overnight. This treatment worked very well and after a few days my scalp was almost 100% clear!! Thanks Ted from Bangkok for this recipe! Anyway, I have been spraying my head every night with apple cider vinegar ever since and most of the time it keeps the SD away. Unfortunately though, I find every now and then that I still get a build-up of scales. The scales are very small though compared to when I first had SD. The problem is, I still find it very hard to remove the scales without some of the hair falling out to! I am still using a coconut oil compound (prescribed from doctor) to soften the scales before removing them. This helps a lot, but I almost hate using it because its full of chemicals! Can someone please recommend any non-harmful natural ingredient that I can use to soften the scales? I've tried using hot olive oil but this does not seem to help much. Ted from Bangkok, your advice on this would be very much appreciated!! Ok folks, please bare with me as I still have loads more questions!!...sorry! If it is at all possible I would like to eliminate my SD and get rid of it forever because I find that it does hinder me. From reading I understand that there can be many causes for SD and so finding the root cause can be tricky. Does anyone know where I could go to find out what the root cause of my SD is? I figure that there must be some tests that can be carried out to find out what the root cause of my SD is. Can these tests be carried out by my doctor or do I have to go to a Homeopath etc? Thank you all very much for your time and if anyone can answer my questions then it would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks and good luck."
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Steven: You asked me if you can possibly get rid of seborrheic dermatitis completely. Now, I am a pessimist by nature, but with my experience in dealing with this I am somewhat of an optimist.
You have what I called a somewhat of a more severe form of S.D. (persistent seborrheic dermatitis) which required getting certain compounds that are a bit harder to find and you need to take supplements. This is the real reason I refrain from mentioning such treatment.
For the severe form of S.D. here are the directions:
1. Get a weak copper chloride solution (1-3%) PLUS zinc acetate solution (1%-2%) Apply to scalp. Do this only once every three day or a month should be more than enough to get rid of it. Need not wash it out, unless it causes irritation. Might cause you to have green scalp skin, but this will be temporarily, and if this is a problem, then just rinse it or lower the concentration. Please lower the length of treatment since I DO NOT know the extent of your condition to only 2 or 3 weeks if you should improve.
The zinc WILL have an astringent effect. If you don't like the zinc, then a copper solution will do. Zinc acetate has a nice pH that is friendly to your skin, but copper chloride may be a bit acidic, so you might add a pinch of baking soda to reduce the acid content, but in practice, I don't do it.
2. You will need to supplement yourself with plenty of zinc acetate supplements at 50 mg is what I do for only a week or two week. Then stop. Then once a week for at least two months.
3. I might consider taking manganese sulfate for 50 mg. for about a week or two on an empty stomach for two weeks, then stop, followed by maintenance dose of once a week for about a month more.
4. I would take vitamin C for two months at two grams/day. Vitamin C will aid absorption.
5. Take magnesium chloride 100-200 mg./day for a month. Magnesium citrate is acceptable.
6. Cod liver oil, one teaspoon/day.
7. Evening primrose oil 1 teaspoon, plus flaxseed oil cold pressed for only a month.
This is the best formula that I can come up with all the limited time. It should solve the falling hair and the severe form for at least 90% of the severe seborrheic dermatitis condition. The cause for most seborrheic dermatitis is a fungus(yeast) in your scalp as well as your suppressed immune system.
Helps if you also take 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda plus 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid in 1/2 glass of water, but this is not an absolute requirement, but will aid circulation to your scalp. Or if you prefer, you can take 5 mg/day of biotin plus vitamin B complex. Ted"
| | | |
10 YEARS OF SD, NOW HAS IT AROUND THE NOSE
07/08/2006: John writes: "10 years of Seborrheic Dermatitis - First time i got cured with ketanazole tables and shampoo(2%) [1996]. I was told that those tablets are not good for liver. And this condition is lifetime. - Later i applied normal shampoo though i will always have scaling on my scalp. - Recently for last two[2004,2005] year it has come around my nose. I have to decide my schedule around my condition. - So i have done lot of google research ,documented lot of remedies but it seems no one has perfect solution. - Also i heard ketanazole just dissolves the flakes not cured the root problem. - Till now i was thinking i will find the miracle cure but havent found one. - I strongly feel there has to be simple solution to this and someone knows it. Whoever has the success recipe for seborrheic dermatitis, place this on this board. Though it looks complicated with below dimension but it should not be that complicated. -yeast -bacteria -ph imbalance -immunity -hormonal imbalance I believe it has to have one solution for all."
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "My comment: Seborrheic dermatitis is not a big issue where I live. It seems in U.S. everything is a big issue and everyone is lost and then they turn to use toxic medicine. Most medicine for this condition either use antifungals or cortisone, which both tea tree oil and licorice can be clearly an easy substitute.
Usually the cause is often fungus, followed closely by nutrition imbalance, immune problems, nano-insects,and someimes sometimes hormonal imbalances and allergies.
If you are asking me to find a medicine to treat everything mentioned, that's simple. Tea tree lavender will handle the fungus and bacteria. Regular shampooing with borax will handle both the nano-insects and the fungus. Usually supplementation of borax, licorice extract and DHEA will handle most of the hormonal imbalances, with possible exception of an immune disorder, in which case supplementation of seaweed, echnaceae, selenium, garlic oil, and kelp will do that. On the other hand common nutritional deficiencies associated with the condition is often vitamin D4, magnesium, and vitamin K2 as well as gluten free diets.
pH balancing issue will handle the inflammation and allergies. Usually a homeopathic preparations of pollen should eliminate most of the allergy problems.
So if you want something that deals everything, you must make prepare long shopping list. For me I KISS (Keep it Simple and Stupid) and just assume it is a fungus/nanoinsect/bacteria using lavender tea tree oil plus regular shampooing with borax while completely stopping the use of shampooing and use just a borax solution as the detergent. Apparently people are frequently have skin reactions with most of the ingredients in a shampoo, especially sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, or even the fragrance, in particular are the aldehydes. By law, fragrances do not required by manufactuer the ingredients. The other problem is the dioxin that is found in shampoos quite frequent. The only antidote is indole. Sodium thiosulfate might help but mostly from the chlorinated water which may cause skin drying. Ted"
| | | |
QUESTIONS AFTER TRYING TED'S REMEDIES
06/24/2006: Marcus writes: "Ted, many thanks for your quick reply and advice. I will certainly give all of this a try and let you know how I get on. In fact I've already got hold of some cod liver oil tablets. I just have a few brief questions in reponse to what you've told me. Firstly, I had given the ACV-hydrogen peroxide-tea tree oil treatment a go before you mentioned that mine was not a fungus issue. After shampooing the following morning with some anti-dandruff shampoo my scalp seemed very red indeed (I haven't got much hair unfortunately) and the redness persisted for several days. In fact, whenever I shampoo the scalp looks more irritated. Could washing my hair actually be counter productive or is just natural for the scalp to look a bit redder after massaging it etc? With what you're telling me about mine being a vitamin defficiency issue etc, I'm wondering just what shampoos, if any, are going to be that beneficial for me, and whether washing my hair on a daily basis might be too much. Also, for now, apart from what you're told me about increasing my vitamin D intake, are there are foods I should avoid in my diet? Thanks again. Marcus"
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Dear Marcus: The problem with most shampoo that I tested is that they all seem to cause irritation. Part of the problem could be due to the dioxin found in shampoo as well as aldehyde contents found in shampoo that cause the redness. There is also a problematic issue about sodium lauryl sulfate (or other such as sodium laureth sulfate) used in shampoo that seems to cause skin's ability to absorb toxins which is responsible for the redness.
The best solution is simply to use cheap unscented soap as they are usually free of sodium laureth sulfate, such as baby soap, or unscented baby soap. In fact scientists now use the same ingredient we use in shampoo to destroy skin cells or cause skin to absorb toxins or perhaps used this to absorb vaccinations using the same solution without the need for injections. There is studies to show that skin cellular structures changed (not for the better) when it is exposed to the same chemicals.
Washing the hair is counter productive which causes the redness. You don't get redder skin from use of unscented soap or non-shampoo products. In fact it has been recommended by Edgar Cayce about 80 years ago that we should not use shampoo at all. I agree, because sodium lauryl sulfate seems to cause abnormalities in skin cells and this may cause you to lose hair, if not cause fungus, or a lot of other problems.
Definitely take more vitamin D and certain foods to avoid are obviously sweets, especially fruit juices, soda pop, bakery products, cookies, candies, etc. This is the most obvious ones. The other, although less obvious seems to cause the same problem, such as all fried foods, foods with lots of vegetable oils, which includes salad dressings. Saturated fats for me are better than unsaturated ones, since these don't get into the blood stream and mess up your hormone systems, and create liver problems. Scientists in fact can reduce your hormones (e.g. growth hormone) just by increasing the amounts of vegetable oils in your diets. They seem to block the actions of any hormones in your body, including sex hormones, as well as insulin and other things. Simply put, it messes up everything.
The best approach is to avoid oily foods and take more fat emulsifiers, such as granulated lecithin. Pectin prevents absorption of fats also, which the real reason why blood sugar levels are reduce since, less fats are blocking the actions of insulin.
Daily shampooing is not beneficial. You can use just plain water and use soap, but never shampoo. Ted"
| | | |
HOW IMPORTANT IS CLIMATE, HOW IMPORTANT IS DIET?
06/01/2006: Marcus writes: "Dear Ted, I've been reading with great interest all the Q&A on SD in this web page. I'm a 37 yr old who's been suffering from SD for about 2 years. It's got a lot worse over the last 12 months and mainly affects my scalp, although there are a couple of patches on my face now too. I've been to see a couple of dermatologists who've prescribed the same cream, elidel. It's had a so-so effect, so I'm now starting to look at alternative options. (I've also tried various steroid creams and several specialist shampoos over the last few months.) Having looked at your list of possible causes, what I really wanted to know firstly was whether by testing my skin I could identify my own particular cause, at least in that way I'd know where to begin. For instance I'm keen to try your ACV remedy, but maybe mine's not a fungus issue. Also, how important is climate? I live in Madrid which has a lot of sun (although I'm indoors a lot), but quite dry. The only couple of times recently that my skin got a lot better was at the beach last summer and on holiday a month or so again when I was doing a bit of swimming. I know UV light is supposed to be good, but dryness is perhaps not. Is diet really that important? The dermotologist I saw a few week said that it wasn't. Then I came across a website that said avoid all yeast or yeast-producing products as this only makes the condition worse. In all, I've received and read quite a lot of information about this problem, some of it contradictory, but really want to put myself on the right track. I do hope you're able to answer these questions. Many thanks. Marcus"
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Dear Marcus: You already have some idea of the causes and know the answer This is what you told me:
my skin got a lot better was at the beach last summer
Your problem is an immune problem and the cells attack healthy cells. The fact that you got a lot better at the beach and the fact that you are indoors is clearly a vitamin D deficiency. When you are out in a sun for a healthy individual of course, it will produce about 10,000 I.U. of vitamin D4. It looks like a lot, but it comes to like a couple of milligrams. So taking 20,000 I.U. of vitamin D4 (best form if you can find it) for about a month should restore the conditions. Or 10,000 I.U. might do it too. However, many supplements are now being controlled in certain parts of Europe (no doubt that UK already controlled), therefore you can try to supplement yourself with about a tablespoon or two of cod liver oil, as it is rich in vitamin D.
While you are at it, just take some fish oil too as it has a reputation for restoring your skin conditions. Evening Primrose taken seems to help clear up the skin.
Yours is NOT a fungus issue. It is an immune problem. Taking zinc, selenium, garlic, and most of all try to stay in the sun more often should help with your skin conditions. Not too long of course in the sun, but just keep it moderate.
Having looked at your list of possible causes, what I really wanted to know firstly was whether by testing my skin I could identify my own particular cause, at least in that way I'd know where to begin.
Yes, you can test it. An easy way is to see what you are doing that makes you get well and find the causes based on that. I have shown you already that you told me being out in the beach improved your conditions, while being indoors is not. To test on your skin is a simple matter. Just take plenty of vitamin D and see how it goes, if it doesn't work, it might appear that the body needs other minerals and vitamins having more to do with immunity conditions. If the above doesn't work at all, I just go for taking 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda before I go to sleep which will allow the body to heal itself. Perhaps you can try to mix a saturated solution of borax and some baking soda and apply on your skin. This should help restore the skin problems. Borax has certain properties that is hard to describe, it is antifungal, it is antibacterial, it restores hormones, it balances out magnesium, it protects the body's sugar from crosslinking with proteins, etc. etc. Perhaps adding a pinch of borax to a glass of water might help too. Borax is like nature's steroids, taken in a moderate amounts and only a couple of days can help, and free of side effects. Ted"
| | | |
TERRIBLE HEAD SCALING, VERY ITCHY, POSSIBLE MOLD ISSUE
05/31/2006: Dani writes: "I am 39, thin and a female, bodybuilder. I first started noticing a problem about 2 1/2 years ago. I became allergic to makeup, and beauty products. My eyes would swell up. I remembered being allergic to formeldehyde in nail polish when I was 20, so I began to study the ingredients in all my products. I studied all the different names for formeldehyde ( which is used as a preservative in so many popular beauty products ). Imadazolydinal urea, urea, DMDM hydantoin, quaternium 15, Cinnamal, and Geraniol were in most department store and drug store items...shampoos, lotions,and makeup. Whatever sits on your skin all day is worse than something you wash off like shampoo, but that is not good either for your head. I began purchasing only all natural, nonchemical products. This cured my eyes, but I have terrible head scaling...chunks of dead skin come off in sheets and large flakes. Very itchy, and I seem to dig at it. Also at this same time I first began to notice my head itch, I was staying in a remodeled condo which had previously had a bad mold problem. There were new walls, and carpet installed because of mold when I stayed there for a month, sleeping on the new carpet on the floor. Could this have started the problem ?? I now buy all organic products from health food stores. I read all labels, and avoid chemicals as much as possible. Maybe a lot of people who have SB are alllergic to chemicals in their hair, or skin products, causing the original problem here ( SD ). Many commercial hair remedy shampoos have the chemicals I mentioned here !! Worsening , or actually causing the problem !! Nizoral has quaternium 15 etc etc. Read labels, and use holistic cures !! I have not been able to resolve this. Tee tree oil makes my head peel!"
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "New carpets have either formaldehyde, molds and mites which accumulates and sticks to new carpet during remodeling. It is frustrating to know that companies don't try to neutralize these chemicals on carpets they remodeled. After extensive research I found that a chemical that does neutralize formaldehyde on new carpets is actually ammonia. A Bo-Peep cleaning product diluted sufficiently with water should be able to neutralize the formaldehyde build up at the same time reduce some molds. Ammonia also kills molds too. Try to avoid the ammonia vapor and follow instructions of proper use on the product. I
Skin peeling on my face of head is a result of fungus going deep into the skin. This is why you dig when it itches. The skin tries to remove the fungus by creating a new skin, due to either the irritation of the fungus or certain microscopic insect yet unidentified. (I think researchers these days are getting lazy about discovering these all too common bugs we see in hotels, motels, resorts, etc.) So if the issue is indeed fungus and insect, it appears that you can reduce the usage of tea tree and use less frequently and replace these with boric acid solution (maybe 10% -20%) you can use sodium perborate also. The boric acid (or borax, or sodium perborate) kills both the insects (whatever they are) and at the same time kills the fungus and molds. Tea tree does this too, but I doubt about its effectiveness in killing the insects.
Only orange oils does this, but it irritates the skin. Insects are commonly found on floors and carpets too, but they are so microscopic that you won't see it, but you will feel it crawling under your skin, but it is very very less noticeable on the scalp if you compare to other parts of the body. Boron will is actually a birth control device that prevents insect from laying egg and it also causes them to be dehydrated.
Your condition of allergy is an interesting one. The liver simply can no longer detoxify whatever chemical toxins that it used to. I used to have bad skin condition due to toxic chemical buildup in the liver. There are many ways to detox. For me I just take a couple of drops of food grade H2O2 3% (3-6 drops) per glass of water and drink it. On the other hand another simple way to detox your body is to take 6-10 drops of sodium thiosulfate (they sell this in fish shops and referred to as dechlorinator - for some reason or another they don't make it available for humans!). This detox differently from H2O2, but used it alternatively is best. The third way to detox, but usually it is the heavy metals is the use of MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) which is really helpful too. The sulfur compounds are a magnet for toxic heavy metals and some other things. You would not be surprise that you have more than 500 toxic chemical in your body now!
The other that I now make a requirement to detox is all those pseudoestrogen compounds and dioxin (TCDD) commonly found in consumer products and some other really liver killing chemicals, these are so important. For some reason the authorities "claimed" there is no antidote for dioxin (TCDD) and pseudoestrogen! You can check on google and try this on your search engine: Dioxin antidote. Is there a conspiracy here? The antidote is actually partially cooked brocolli, especially. Cabbage is another good source. However in your condition it appears that you are desperate, so I would go for the antidote for these hormonal disruptors using the major component of brocolli, which is indole-3-carbinol.
Finally a more natural way you can detox many of them, which is simply taking 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda, taken once in the morning and once before sleep on an empty stomach. Just mix that with 1/2 glass of water. For some reason or another this causes the body to rid of toxins generally heavy metals faster. The reaction of citric acid and baking soda results in a by-product called sodium citrate which reduces inflammation from free radical heavy metals.
Doing the above for at least 2-3 weeks should help reduce your allergy. If none works then just try fulvic acid, this works too by balancing mineral compounds in your body and reduce from free radicals. Most bodybuilders have issues about their pH, which is quite acidic, so sod loading of 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, and a pinch of potassium citrate (1/16 teaspoon) in 1/2 glass of water will help. Certain amino acids that I now recommend to reduce lactic acid buildup which destroy muscle and heart cells that I favor is L-Carnosine. Not well known in sports medicine, but it will be important issue in the future. Skin peeling will usually persists but this is o.k. as body tries to rid of fungus. You can assist this by the mentioned borax rinse. Then after the rinse you can peraps apply some oils, which is the use of lavender mixed with some natural vitamin E and ALOE VERA oil applied to the area of the peeling. The mix should be that most of the component should be lavender be more and vitamin E, and aloe vera to help cell's recover should be no more than 20% of the formula. Ted"
| | | |
TED'S REMEDIES
03/08/2006: Tom writes: "I have read through the two pages of questions & answers and see much advice from Ted. I notice several different recommendations of his, however there is not one easy reference point for his routines. Is it possible to clean this up? In one answer Ted advises aloe vera oil tea tree oil, and then in another area he advises the addition of lavender oil. Just a little confusing for me, possibly others. Also, where can I find this pure aloe vera oil? Thanks! Tom."
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Aloe vera is not critical but it is important for regeneration. The key is usually the tea tree oil. However on certain sensitive skins you need to add aloe vera. If you want stronger solutions, than a tea tree oil and lavender will be best."
| | | |
SAFE TO USE ACV AND HYDROGEN PEROXIDE ON A DAILY BASIS?
03/07/2006: John writes: "I've had seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff for over 14 years. I tried the hydrogen peroxide/ACV combination prescribed and it took about 3 applications before I noticed almost all of the flakes were gone (I didn't use tea tree oil as I find this to be very expensive, however I did try to use a shampoo that contains tea tree oil and other natural ingredients). The redness on my scalp seemed to go down quite a bit. However, the redness on my eyebrows didn't go down and it continued to be very red and itchy. I decided to not use the ACV on the fourth day and the scalp dandruff came back. So I tried the ACV again on the 5th day and it reduced but it took the 6th day application before the flakes disappeared. I skipped the ACV on the 7th day and the flakes came back. The eighth and ninth days I used acv again, but it seems to be less effective in getting rid of the flakes. I am on the 10th day and I can still see a lot of flakes. My diet was not very good in the last few days, so perhaps this contributed to the results I'm seeing. Also, I started off using a natural shampoo with tea tree oil in it, but then had to revert back to my regular shampoo as it was causing too much itchiness. How safe is it to use ACV and hydrogen peroxide continuously on a daily basis? Will the fungus be able to adapt to this mixture and eventually be able to resist it? Also, I was wondering if the fungus can also thrive on pillows and towels and so reinfect someone who uses these after he cures himself with the acv mixture? I'm guessing that in spite of the initial success, this remedy will not work be a long-term cure for me and I will have to look at internal remedies. Thanks."
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Dandruff is caused by fungus issues as well as a vitamin A and vitamin D deficiency. The recommendation was based on resolving fungus problems which will take many continuous applications to rid of the dandruff entirely. It is the same thing with nail fungus, they are hard to rid of. Taking cod liver oil of one tablespoon per day will reduce the dandruff issues also as well as taking some salmon oil and other fish oils regularly. These will relieve the scalp from drying too. I have seen people cured of dandruff, as long as tea tree, lavender, ACV and H2O2 is used over long term about a month or so of regularly use. However, you need to take salmon, fish oil and cod liver oil to get it controlled. It is necessary that you avoid all fried foods and vegetable oils and replace these with the use of coconut (unhydrogenated) oil or the use of good old fashion lard instead.
Pillows and others will caused reinfection so it is necessary to launder them regularly using borax and other detergents that uses sodium percarbonate or sodium perborate too. Most chlorinated bleach will also be ideal to rid of fungus. Carpets are also the main source of fungus and molds and therefore require cleaning or removal of them through the use of hydrogen peroxide to rid of them.
The regular use of ACV, H2O2 will not cause fungus to be resistant and it will in no way develop any resistance to them. Just regular use is of an extreme necessity"