Seborrheic Dermatitis Remedies

I have used 30% (thirty) H2O2 on my face and scalp regularly for three months now and have gotten very good, if painful results. The yeast, malessazia, carries the protein catalase which catalyzes with hydrogen peroxide to decompose it in to water and oxygen. It also creates some heat which can be very painful but I like so many others here have tried so many remedies with limited succes and was desperate.

I have gotten rid of the seb. completely in my face and still working on the scalp. The H2O2 does not burn skin unaffected by the yeast although I have found that some areas infected by the yeast can be unaffected by it. I can not recommend this aggressive treatment for others because it is painful and can burn badly (like a bad sunburn) on spots where the yeast is dense. But I offer it as an example that H2O2 is good against seborrheic dermatitis caused by malessazia yeast.

First it attacks the yeast only, not surrounding skin and secondly, the byproducts are H2O, O2 and heat...sometimes very hot indeed! So maybe in smaller doses preventatively and apparently not in combination with vinegar either (see post above in the acv and h202 section)! Furthermore, I do not use anything else on my skin to moisturize it, no oils or creams. I wash with sea salt water and Resdan shampoo occasionally. I expect to move to a maintenance program involving diminished H2O2 combined with the same cleansing regime.

I had a very flakey, red rash on my face, and I pretty much tried all the remedies on this site. Finally bought some Ivermectin, the paste they give to horses, you can buy it on the internet or in a farm supply store. I applied it topically for over 10 days and the dermatitis went away. This was a permanent solution.

I'm 39 years old and have been struggling with severe seborreheic dermatitis since the age of 14. apple cider vinegar was a BIG NO for me. I recently started using pure simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) oil.Leave in for an hour or so,than lightly rinse. My scalp, forehead, and eyebrows have been my problem areas. This seems to be working great for me.

I have been plagued with seborrheic dermatitis for awhile but it is much worse right now. This regime has been helping tremendously.

I juice carrots, celery, garlic, and dark green lettuce daily (12 oz)

2 TBSP of Apple Cider Vinegar before each meal

I take acidophilus

1 juice an onion and add it to my shampoo then apply to hair for 3-5 mins. then follow up with another wash

1 take homeopathic sulphur 30 c according to the directions.

This has helped me so much that I wanted to share. SD is very painful, irritating, and embarrassing.

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!

Sebhorreic dermatitis is often caused by an overgrowth of a type of yeast called Malassezia. Malassezia is different from candida and many other common yeasts in that it feeds on lipids (fats) rather than sugar/starch. Also it is a slow-growing, melanin-seeking yeast (melanin is the pigment in our skins which protects us from UV radiation).

In addition to causing scalp issues, it can infect the melanocytes of the skin (sometimes causing white hypopigmentation spots, burning, or itching), the ears (hearing issues), and the eyes (blurry vision).

Overgrowth occurs when conditions favor Malassezia growth over its microbial competitors. Such conditions include prolonged use of antibiotics, use of antifungals to which it is not susceptible, steroids or other immunosuppressants, medications which increase blood lipids; diets high in vegetable oils & animal fats, alcohol (with the possible exceptions of dry red wine and beer).

The best way to get it under control is to take both topics and internal measures that inhibit its growth and add "good flora" that keeps it in check. And to avoid the things that help it grow, when you can.

Some ideas include:

- Kimchi: kimchi is a fermented vegetable product full of "good bacteria" like lactobacilli. Buy the medium spicy kind (available at Whole Foods or elsewhere). Strain it and spray the juice on your scalp. Leave on for several hours or overnight. Repeat for several days or as needed. Eat the remaining part of the kimchi, some each day. This helps build competing flora.

- Increase your intake of veggies that are high in sulfur (so long as you tolerate them ok). These include: onions, garlic, asparagus, hoarseradish (esp. potent), broccoli & other brassica veggies. Also include ginger (antifungal properties).

- Minimize vegetable oils in your diet, including olive oil. Choose lean meats and low-fat dairy to minimize animal fats.

- Sourdough is possibly the best choice in the bread category, because it contains lactobacilli in add'n to some bread yeast. The lactobacilli ("good bacteria") are what give it the sour taste. Get it fresh from a bakery that doesn't use additives and keep it in the freezer.

- If possible, buy your food at farmer's markets rather than supermarkets. Food at the supermarket is almost by definition lacking in good flora. They use additives and irradiation to extend the shelf life. Fresh food from the farmer's market is more nutritious, and it contains live enzymes and more flora. Be sure to choose meat/dairy that were not given antibiotics or homones, as these promote the growth of fungi.

- Include some seafood and seaweed in your diet.

- Eat more fresh herbs and spices ... packed full of good stuff for you, delicious and flavorful, AND they help inhibit the growth of microorganisms.

Topical measures like shampoos can provide temporary relief of symptoms but since they don't affect Malassezia organisms that can be underneath the surface of the skin or scalp, they aren't getting at the root of the problem.

Regarding Ted's ACV and H202 remedy for Seborrheic dermatitis --

A kind suggestion:

DO NOT DRINK VINEGAR! Daily consumption of a fair amount of a highly acidic substance is anything but safe!

THE ORAL CONSUMPTION OF VINEGAR DOES NOT HELP TREAT SEBORRHEIC DERMATITIS, ITS THE DIRECT APPLICATION TO THE SKIN THAT DOES ALL THE WORK!!!

A recent article suggested that the daily consumption of slightly acidic water can prove HIGHLY TOXIC in the long run. Imagine what would be the case with vinegar which is highly acidic! Plus, on a daily basis, it would probably HARM YOUR TEETH as well. Highly acidic food softens the outer layer of enamel in your teeth, so doing that on a daily basis certainly doesn't help retain strong and healthy teeth.

I would also suggest to use freshly squeezed LEMON JUICE instead of vinegar for the removal of the sebum, since it DOESN'T SMELL, plus it DOES JUST AS GOOD in preventing flare-ups and keeping seborrheic dermatitis under control!!! Again, i am NOT talking about drinking lemon juice, but rather applying a few drops of lemon juice mixed with equally few drops of water on your face, leave it for a few seconds and rinsing it with water, and try to avoid contact with your eyes. It is most effective during bathing. Try to do that on a daily basis. If you have high amounts of accumulated sebum on your skin, you might need to repeat this "apply and rinse" process 2 or 3 times. Remember not to exaggerate on doing that. YOUR SKIN NEEDS A THIN LAYER OF SEBUM to remain moisturized, healthy and protected.

Lemon juice (or vinegar) do NOT help heal inflammation, they simply help prevent it, and they usually do that really well. If you already have inflammation on your face, be patient. It will take a few days for the inflammation to go away. Lemon juice and vinegar really sting in inflammated areas and in this case you should consider dissolving it with just enough water so as not to sting bad. Just experiment...

You might be wondering what do lemon juice and vinegar have in common that makes them effective against seborrheic dermatitis. It is quit simple, they have approximately equal pH factor (actually lemon juice is slightly better). They dissolve the sebum making it easy to remove through rinsing, and provide a hostile environment for the fungi to populate. The remaining sebum on your face is homogeneous (not flaky) and oily.

If by any chance you find the odor of lemons annoying, just peel their skin before squeezing them. The juice of a lemon is odorless, its the skin that has all the odors. Most people like it though. Note that just one lemon would normally take you for weeks, when stored in a fridge. You only need a few drops at a time for your face, so a thin slice would do the work.

Lime + Himalayan Salt for Seborrheic Dermatitis

Drink a glass of water with a whole (or half) lime + teaspoon of Himalayan salt every morning on an empty stomach.

Background:

I had severe SD on my face and chest. I was very discouraged when ACV didn't work for me as it has worked for so many others. I was able to combat my SD originally through an incredibly strict diet (no wheat, sugar, dairy etc.). Over time I relaxed my diet and started to notice the symptoms returning. At the recommendation of a friend I started doing lime + Himalayan salt mixed in the mornings and it's been a game changer. I'm no longer on a restrictive diet but am symptom free with the addition of lime+salt.

Hope this can help someone out there - good luck!

I keep reading how everyone is looking for a cure to their ailment, Seborec Dermatitis, Dandruff etc .. Your never going to find the cure using creams , lotions or even vinigar ! All your doing is covering a symptom of some other problem within the body. The reason these symptoms mainfest is due to some sort of imbalance. Your body is designed to heal and protect itself. Stress is one problem that manifests in our skin, food are another. Try diet restriction and meditation. Bring peace into your life and watch out for certain foods. Dairy , Milk and Cream specifically, Beer Caffeine.. these all can cause severe skin reactions.. Meditate for 20 minutes asking the question.. " what will fix this ?" listen cloase and you will get an answer.. Good luck .. and Trust Me.

I recently developed rough scaly patches on my skin. Mostly between my eyebrows, in my eyebrows, in my ears, and behind my ears. I tried lotions and apple cider vinegar to no avail.

In researching the condition on the internet, I believed I had sebhorrheic dermatitis. I read that this can be caused by a yeast called Pityrosporum ovale. I had a old tube of clotrimazole left over from a treatment of a vaginal yeast infection. I began to use it immediately, rubbing it into my skin, particularly between the eyebrows.

To my surprise, the rough skin and scaly patches were gone by morning. I picked up a generic version of Lotrimin the next day because the tube was nearly empty. I intend to continue this treatment for at least 2 or 3 weeks. I want to make sure that this yeast is dead.

Even if this cure is not permanent (although I hope that it is), at least I have something to fight this with!

When I was a teenager I use to get this rash on my face the doctor would give me a cream and after a while it went away. Now at 44 yrs old it came back! Its really stubborn this time. I went to the dermatologist and he said it was Seborrheic Dermatitis. Yes, he prescribe a shampoo and some antibiotics. I ended up in the ER with hives. I was allergic to the antibiotics . The shampoo made my scalp worse. I have tried just about everything, I had some relief with neem oil but the smell! Wow it made me sick! The apple cider helped my scalp but burned my face. I read up on iodine and decided to try it both orally and topically what do you know its drying up the rash on my face. I didn't try the iodine on my scalp but my scalp seems better.

I hope this helps someone. I know how frustrating and embarrassing this condition is.

I had seb derm on my face for years and it finally was cured after I started lugol's iodine applied topically. Another poster on Earth Clinic wrote about it curing his eczema and so I tried it after I read his post. After 2 days, it started to clear!

At first I diluted 3% lugol's iodine 50/50 with water and applied it with a q-tip. I held the q-tip on the spot for 60 seconds. It burned like the dickens, but it was worth it! After the second day, I held undiluted lugol's to the spots with a q-tip. After 7 days it was gone and I applied it every few days, thinking it would come back if I didn't. It never did and I stopped the lugol's application altogether.

Dairy and especially cheese is a huge trigger for my seb derm.

Please try lugol's if you have sebhorreic dermatitis. It has been a miracle cure for this impossible condition!

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.

We have tried so many things to deal with seborrheic dermatitis on my nephew's head, from shampoos to lotions or natural treatments, nothing worked well. Then it seemed to have spread to his face. It was hot, felt like it was burning, red, flaky and he had yellow crusts. Certain food/drinks made it worse (caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, etc.) It was horrible. We tried plain milk of magnesia, and it cleared totally. I took a few days. The redness went away immediately. We applied the milk of magnesia to his face and a few spots on his head. We let it dry for an hour and washed it off with warm water. He did this every day for three days and it was totally gone. A week later, one or two spots came back, and he applied it again. It has been over a month and his face and head are normal. We are thrilled. He uses glycerin soap once a day to wash his face. We are grateful for Ted's insight.

I have suffered for too many years with SB / Dandruff that I care to mention, and the history of which is too laboured to bore you with here. However, I read recently of one of Ted's ideas of trying Milk of Magnesia (this has a ph of about 10-10.5). I put this on my scalp whilst in the bath (for about 10 mins), and then rinsed it off with freshwater. I then rinsed my scalp with a 50/50 mix of ACV and a very strong 25% vinegar made by Speyer & Grund GmbH, 08393 Meerane/Sachsen, Germany (this is powerful stuff, and so great care must be taken in testing how sensitive you are to it). Anyway, once out of the bath I ran a brush through my hair and HUGE flakes of dead skin just fell away leaving my scalp sparklingly clean.

As to whether I have a fungus or a candida issue I really do not know, but I feel I may just be allergic to cheese and white bread - or both in combo with candida. Anyway, for those suffering give this a go you will be stunned at the results. It may also just work with ACV (5%) and not the 25% vinegar / ACV mix.