Effective Natural Remedies for Seborrheic Dermatitis Relief

Borage Oil

Posted by D (Az, US) on 02/26/2015
★★★★★

My son has battled Seborrheic Dermatitis for over 6 years. He has seen 5 doctors, and 3 dermatologists and we have tried every remedy on EC, and many prescriptions. It wasn't until I came across an article linking dermatitis and a lack of a certain enzyme produced in the body, and the ability of borage oil to stimulate production of the enzyme, that the light bulb went off. My son has been taking 2 capsules of Borage oil twice per day for only one week, but the results are the best I have ever seen. He may have to stay on it for the rest of his life. No more acne, exzema, seborrheic dermatitis, scalp infection, scalp dermatitis, all cleared up about 80% in about 10 days. He is very happy. If you have a really scaly, bad infection, you can apply it topically, also.

Baking Soda and Water

Posted by Johnny (Los Angeles, Ca) on 02/16/2015
★★★★★

I had Seborrheic Dermatitis for 4 straight years, and all I needed was 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda in water... I dealt with the burning, stinging, and intense itching all over my scalp and face, and tried everything (literally). However, nothing worked, not even switching to a no grain, all organic diet, and taking probiotics for a year.

But this alkaline method did it in 3 days. I put a 1/4 teaspoon in half a glass of water first thing in the morning and last thing at night, and in three days, no more flare ups. Thank God.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Jennifer (Los Angeles, Ca) on 10/06/2014
★★★★★

Very excited to make this post! I've had Seborrheic Dermatitis of the scalp for over 7 years now. Used the typical T-sal shampoos which didn't cure but felt like "maintained" the SD to a manageable degree (i.e. it wasn't really itchy just more of a cosmetic nuisance). Recent flare ups and itchiness led me to finally use the prescription strength corticosteroid which didn't help. I could feel it literally burning, but it would not reduce the size/redness of the patches. Fed up I finally hit google and this message board seemed to have the most "real" responses so I figured why not!

My first night I used pure ACV, no dilution. I didn't have Braggs with "the mother" on hand, but thought it was worth a shot. I applied with a spray bottle and let sit for 30 minutes. I washed it out and my hair/scalp looked great! I'd say 90% was gone.

I then purchased the Braggs ACV and tried a 1:1 dilution. This time I put my hair up (it is long) prior to the ACV treatment so the rest of my hair wouldn't soak up the ACV/make a mess. This was much better! I also applied with an eye-dropper which was more precise than the spray. I let it sit for 30-45 minutes then rinse/shampoo after.

After this second round SD was 95% gone. Within 2 more treatments I haven't seen any major flakes or had any flare ups! A few tiny flakes here and there but nothing like before (where my whole scalp basically came off). With the ACV I used an all natural coconut shampoo, but I have also used Pantene afterward and it was fine.

I was so excited by my results I had my dad try the ACV on his facial SD. He has been using a variety of washes/topicals for years and within 3 days of applying ACV with a cotton swab his SD is gone as well!

Bottom line- give it a try! This experience has really turned me off from traditional medications, not that I was a big fan before. Regular ACV and Braggs both worked, but I am sticking with Braggs because more people seem to recommend it.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Nick (Long Island) on 01/01/2016

Was wondering what kind of shampoo you use afterwards?

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Tenzin (Australia) on 07/13/2014
★★★★★

Hi everyone, Those who got a problem with seborhoic dermatitis and severe dandruff in your scalp. I recommend you to apply apple cider vinegar diluted with water 50/50. For the scalp; apply it on the scalp 30 minutes before washing. It will help wonders. I asked my friend to try it, and she is relieved from that. She used all other medical product; but no results. Finally, she is satisfied with apple cider vinegar.

Friends try it but use organic apple cider vinegar. I wants everyone to be free from stress and wants to see smile on their face.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Kelly (Seattle) on 07/22/2023

This is simply not true, and can be proven by doing a google search for seb dermatitis or wound healing and vinegar. It's the ACETIC ACID in the vinegar that kills the organisms or infections that cause the skin problems, not anything in unprocessed vinegar. Personally, I would think that the 'mother' might possibly be unsterile, and could create problems. Nevertheless, there are NO studies using Bragg's ACV with the mother, while there are at least six using regular vinegar (diluted! ) and/or acetic acid -- the active ingredient in vinegar.

Apple Cider Vinegar, Tea Tree Oil

Posted by Mariposa (San Juan, Puerto Rico) on 07/02/2009
★★★★★

YEA- Seborrheic Dermatitis

Apple Cider Vinegar & Tea Tree Oil cured my Seborrheic Dermatitis

I had Seborrheic Dermatitis for approximately 2 years on different parts of my scalp. I went to a dermatologist and of course he couldn't explain why I have it because they really don't know. Some doctors say it's caused by stress. I've tried dandruff shampoos (all brands) and shampoos prescribed by my dermatologist. The shampoos helped at the beginning but after the first bottle they would become ineffective. And the flakes and itching would just come back even worse. I got tired of wasting money on doctor's visits and ineffective shampoos and thank God I stumbled upon this website. The ACV and Tea Tree Oil worked a miracle on me.

I filled an 8 ounce spray bottle with 4 oz. ACV and 4 oz. water. I sprayed my scalp with the mixture and left it on for about one hour. It does smell but trust me it's worth it. After, I just washed my hair like I always do. I immediately checked and most of the flakes had been washed away. I just thought, tomorrow they will be back. But, the flakes were gone. I was so excited that I also started drinking the ACV with orange juice twice a day (4 tbsp. of ACV in a glass of orange juice). Two days later I sprayed my scalp with the mixture and left it overnight and just washed my hair in the morning.

I am also using the Tea Tree Oil for prevention. I put 10 drops of Tea Tree Oil for every 8 oz. of shampoo. I tried just putting drops of it on my scalp but it smells very very strong.

For those who are worried because they dye their hair; it is totally safe. I have color treated hair and I had no problems with fading.

It's been about 2 months now and I have NO flakes, NO scabs and NO itching. I haven't had to spray the ACV mixture in my scalp again, but I currently shampoo with regular shampoo which I just add the Tea Tree Oil and I drink the ACV with orange juice about 4 times a week.

Coconut Oil

Posted by Ed (London, Hornsey) on 03/04/2009
★★★★★

At 24 I had my first experience of seborrheic dermatitis, and had it for about 2 years. I can honestly remember one girl commenting 'it looks like his nose is turning green', to be honest I couldn't care less what she said, but there were times when i felt so low I didn't want to leave the house. I might have been exaggerating, but my nose was going from small red marks, to be inflamed burn marks, to a yellow gewy substance which would eventually harden.

I tried so many things. At first the steroid cream I used did the job in the short term. But it was no long term cure I was comfortable with. If I stopped using it it was back in a week. Maybe less. So I stopped using that pretty early. I also used aveeno yeast cream, aloe vera (from a bottle and from a plant), going on a yeast free and sugar free diet (to be honest this lasted about a month and a half, and don't think I went completely all out. But tried to cut the main stuff out), and garlic- none of these things worked.

Funnily enough, when I went to the states, it practically seemed to go on its own.

Then I decided to use coconut oil. externally (100% coconut oil- the brand is pukka). I applied it about once every day, not very much was needed as it is a very oily product. Actually I started by using this and taking it internally, eating crushed coconut from a jar with a spoon. but now I just apply it externally. I've been doing this for about 4 to 5 months now, and it is already feeling like a miracle cure, so I hope it carries on like this! I only had one major flare up since, whereas before I was getting one every other week. I hope I'm not speaking to soon, but it's really helped my confidence, and probably changed my life for the better. And something so simple! Just gotta thank the people on this website (and this website for this).

Of course a downside could be seen as it coming back if I stop using it. But who knows, it might even go for good!

Coconut Oil

Posted by Andrea C (Wales Uk) on 08/10/2021

It's actually MCT oil you need on it, specifically a C8 rated MCT Oil.

Andrea C xxx

Borax, Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted by Julie (New York, NY) on 10/12/2007
★★★☆☆

WORKED TEMPORARILY

I have been struggling with seborrheic dermatitis on my face for 5 years. I have tried everything - drastic diet changes, candida elimination, probiotics, apple cider vinegar, topical steroids, msm sulfur, betaine hydrochloride, pancreatic enzymes, vitamin C, oil of oregano, flax oil, etc etc etc. A year and a half ago, I also developed perioral dermatitis and ocular rosacea. I read about borax and I decided to give it a try, taking 1/8 a tablespoon of borax in a liter of water for 3 days straight. After the third day, things were definitely changing but not noticeably better. I then decided to try to use borax topically. I combined a 1/2 tablespoon of borax with some hydrogen peroxide mixed with 50% water and I put it on my face then rinsed it off after about 30 seconds. It worked! My face feels as smooth as it did when I was a child, and my ocular rosacea is gone too. I didn't even remember what it was like to have normal feeling skin on my face with no rough patches, flaking, or redness. And I can't believe my eyes are back to their normal shape! I am so relieved. I feel and look like myself again for the first time in years. It seems miraculous. I am so so so grateful. What an excellent site. I suppose my problem was demodex skin mites, and the borax/hydrogen peroxide combo has eliminated them. I hope my experience will help someone else.

THANK YOU

Kefir

Posted by Jim (St. Louis, MO) on 04/01/2007
★★★★★

I have had a worsening case of suborrheic dermatitis for several years. It started around my upper lip and chin and ended up in my ears. Prescriptions mildly controlled it, but not well, are expensive, and frankly I don't trust them very much. I tried several reccomended natural and "home" remedies, none of which worked very well. And then I started drinking kefir, a cultured milk beverage. I started drinking it because it's really tasty and I can digest it (I'm lactose intolerant), but found that when I drink it regularly my suborrheic dermatitis goes away. When I don't drink kefir for several days it starts to come back. Typically I've found myself drinking a 32 oz. bottle every two to three days. I've tried a couple of brands, but the Helios brand seems far superior to the other brand I tried (which I had trouble digesting). So I really reccomend it. At the very least, you'll be drinking something that tastes great and is good for you (live foods rock). And if it works for your skin ailements too, all the better. Good luck!

Apple Cider Vinegar, Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted by George (Jungle) on 11/01/2015

Hello,

I have something that won't exactly cure seborrheic dermatitis (bc there is no permanent cure), but it will help keep it in check. I have it too but I started taking fish oil supplements and it helped a TON. It takes about 3-4 weeks for full effect but you definitely see improvement after a week or so. It doesn't get rid of the flakes that comes from the dryness but in my case it reduced the rash/inflammation by 80-90%. So to get rid of the dry skin I just use some A&D ointment or I suppose an extremely mild hypoallergenic facial lotion would be ok but my skin is too sensitive for that so I use the a&d ointment... just make sure the grease is gone after you apply it. I've had it for a long time and this is the only thing that has helped me. It's a much healthier and effective way to deal with this problem than anything else I've tried.

Apple Cider Vinegar, Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted by Reader (Columbus, Ohio)
★★★★★

I used apple cider vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. I figured out an easier way than drenching my whole head in the liquid. I put the mix it in a squirt bottle filling about 1/5 hydrogen peroxide and the rest with the apple cider vinegar. You just hold the tip close to your head and squirt your scalp. Massage in and leave on for about 10 minutes. Then shampoo as usual. I have done this three times. The first time I had more flakes than ever before! I thought maybe that means it is working, so I did it again. The second time nearly all of the flakes were gone. After the third time I couldnt find a flake. My scalp looks so great! It is so nice to know that I am not putting some expensive toxic medication on my skin. Thank you everyone for your posts and for those who haven't tried it or didn't think it worked; do it at least 3 times before giving up. It works!

Understanding Seborrheic Dermatitis

Posted by noel (merced) on 11/05/2025
★★★★★

Seborrheic dermatitis is linked to insulin resistance, a condition where the body's cells don't respond properly to insulin, and can be part of a larger group of conditions called Metabolic Syndrome (which is caused by fructose and high blood sugar) How to confirm Seborrheic Dermatitis is an insulin related issue? Things such as alcohol, cinnamon and Goat's Rue lower insulin levels. So one day after I splurged and drank a soda my seb derm flared up. So after getting fed up with scratching & picking I decided to see what happened if I drank a beer. And almost immediately I felt relief. But I DO NOT RECOMMEND alcohol. Its bad for your liver, and there are safer alternatives that work the same way such as Cinnamon or Goats Rue (which you can buy on Amazon and make tea).

So eat organic whole foods. Avoid Fructose & Sugars. Also avoid Palmitate (found in most milk products) as it also causes insulin resistance.

Dead Sea Salt Magnesium

Posted by noel (California) on 05/22/2024
★★★★★

havent tried this but I found this info:

Background: Seborrheic and atopic dermatitis are common and chronic inflammatory skin diseases. Conventional treatments are often ineffective and can have significant side effects. Magnesium dead sea salt has a high concentration of magnesium, and previous research shows its potential to help improve skin conditions. Case presentation: Patients with chronic seborrheic and atopic dermatitis were treated with topical 5% dead sea salt magnesium for 4 days. Patients experienced significant improvement in their symptoms. Conclusion. Dead Sea salt magnesium can be a safe and effective treatment for seborrheic and atopic dermatitis

Antifungal Shampoo +

Posted by noel (california) on 02/13/2024

update 02/13/24

I had a few spots on my scalp that wouldn't go away. Maybe they were something other than Seb. Derm because things like ringworm can appear similar to the untrained eye.

I have been applying Clotrimazole 1% to these areas and it seems to be working well. It's sold at Target as Up & Up brand jock itch cream but you can get 10 times the amount for your money on Amazon.

Antifungal Shampoo +

Posted by noel (california) on 11/25/2024

thank you Vera, I will try Biotin if my current experiment fails. I normally take a B complex supplement but it only has 300mcg. I am trying Miconazole cream which seems to be working great after a couple days. (i assume Ketoconazole or clotrimazole would be effective too, however I am uncertain of how safe they are). Through elimination diet I realized I get breakouts if I drink soda pop, which leads me to believe the fructose feeds it. Much of my confusion came from me having 2 different problems - 1. The Seborrheic Dermatitis, and 2. An acquired allergy to butter or some other food which gives me pustules on my scalp similar to Seborrheic Dermatitis outbreaks. Another thing I would like to note to people with pets (especially if they are outdoor pets that come indoors) that pets could possibly be infected with the fungus and infecting/spreading Dermatitis to their owners.

Antifungal Shampoo +

Posted by noel (merced, CA) on 11/23/2025

Thanks Art & Vera. I would also like to add that getting your copper levels correct is also very important in correcting insulin issues. Correcting insulin should correct sebb. dermatitis problems. I definitely recommend trashing teflon cookware for copper cookware as well as taking copper and selenium supplements. Be careful not to overdo it however; its a fine balance and too much copper can cause adverse effects. Long story short- Our diets have become deficient due to Glyphosate/Roundup usage blocking important minerals from plants. I also recommend Dr. Morley Robbins on youtube - he's a wealth of information on this subject.

From Google:

"High copper levels can lead to insulin resistance by promoting oxidative stress and disrupting insulin signaling, while copper deficiency is linked to impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance. The relationship is complex: copper is essential for normal glucose metabolism and mitochondrial function, but excess amounts can act as a pro-oxidant and contribute to the development of insulin resistance. "

This really makes sense to me as I had become very glucose and fructose intolerant. I was a heavy soda drinker, and the fructose in drinks can also block copper absorption.

DMSO, Colloidal Silver +

Posted by Nikola (Croatia) on 03/17/2023
★★★★★

Napravio sam DMSO sa 30% srebrne vode od 25 ppm. 10 ml tinktura od Gaveza I nešto malo Aloa Vere. Pomoglo, odnosno izliječilo mi je dugogodišnju seboreju I masnu kožu glave.

I made DMSO with 30% silver water at 25 ppm plus 10 ml of comfrey tincture and some Aloe Vera. It helped, that is, it cured my long-standing seborrhea and oily scalp.

Magnesium Oil

Posted by Nicole (Los Angeles) on 06/15/2021
★★★★★

seborrheic dermatitis

Magnesium oil has cured it. I leave it on for about 5 min before rinsing it. I leave it on until it stings and it stings less the more you put it on until eventually it doesn't. But I do it once a week to make sure it doesn't come back just in case.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Mj (Tx) on 03/13/2017

This may help shed some light on why ACV needs to be organic (seems people have experimented with both organic and non on this site) to properly heal Seb Derm. I actually just learned this the other day... it really made sense to me. I thought eating organic was just about avoiding all the chemicals/pesticides sprayed on foods - and that is part of it, of course - but it's also that fruits/vegetables grown organically, in an environment without pesticides, must produce their own defense system against fungus, bacteria, "pests". You then ingest this immune boosting, parasite fighting mechanism when you eat organic. Or in this case, place it on a skin infection. WOW. Maybe this is common knowledge to some on this site but I don't think that point is communicated enough. Organic ACV probably has better properties to fight whatever is the root cause of SD.

I've had SD for decades btw and very excited to try something new. But while understanding the organic part, I don't get why ACV would work to treat Seb Derm in the first place. I totally agree with the poster who questioned why vinegar would work on what is considered a yeast infection??? I also went on the anti candida diet to try and help my skin and it definitely recommended avoiding vinegar because it "feeds yeast".

Just a thought... why not throw it out there given traditional medicine can't seem to figure any of this out: maybe it's not actually a yeast based infection? Or are there different "strains" of yeast, just like there are different strains of bacteria? And just like probiotics replace "bad" bacteria in the gut with "good" bacteria... could ACV be replacing or fighting off "bad" or inflammatory yeast strain with a "good" strain? Just thinking outloud...

Egg Whites

Posted by Gracee (Ca) on 12/18/2016
★★★★★

I had itchy, flaky, scaly eyebrows. I also had this condition above my eyebrows too. I found a natural cure. I tried several things, nothing worked. I read in Chinese Medicine they use egg oil. I could not find a source for it. So, I decided to cracked open an organic egg and rubbed the egg whites on my eyebrows area and let it dry and just put a towel on my pillow and just go to sleep dried on my eyebrows then I would wash it off in the shower in the morning I did this every day for week I was cured. But to be on the safe side I decided to do it for little over two weeks.