Michael (Red Oak, Iowa) on 02/23/2009:
This is my third posting about using apple cider vinegar since September, 08. Pretty right off the bat my dermatitis got 95% better. Then I went through around 3 months where patches cylced in and out on my face and scalp, but continuing to diminish. Now, I would have to say that my improvement has reached 98%. It's not perfect, but very, very good. I am so grateful for the people who run this site as well as for the fine people who contribute. This is an extremely well vetted site, with intelligent and respectful input. None of the hysterical, profane, tell-you-a-miracle-for-a-fee shysterism. Thank you again. This is internet as it is supposed to be.FYI, I use ZNP Bar (zinc pyrithione soap bar) from Steiffel Laboratories as shampoo and face cleanser. It does a really good job of loosening and removing patches of dry skin. I then apply apple cider vinegar generously to my scalp and then blow-dry my hair. I follow this with facial application of vinegar. I quit using organic vinegar because it was just hard to get and have been using regular good quality Del Monte Apple Cider Vinegar. It seems to work at least as good as the raw organic vinegar, if not better, plus it doesn't have the raw ingredients which seem to smell more and coat my hair with gunk. My hair is silky and shiny, looks healthy, which is all to the better. A lot of gain for little cost and effort.
I think I would avoid using store brands of cider vinegar because they say that they are made of "distilled vinegar with cider flavoring"--which seems to indicate to me that it is not actually Apple Cider Vinegar per se. There is not much of a difference in price for name brand which state "contains apple cider vinegar." The raw organic vinegar costs considerably more, although nothing compared to the various and sundry bogus salves, unguents, lotions, and cortisone, steroids which I used in the past. I would not be surprised to find out that it is the acetic acid in the vinegar which is the helpful element, and not the apple cider, but I haven't been brave enough to switch to white vinegar yet. If anyone has, I would be pleased to hear about it. Thank you.
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Amy (Tekonsha, Michigan) on 02/10/2009:
I suffer from Seborrheic Dermatitis and it drives me nuts! I've always had a flaky scalp, but it got worse in college. To manage it, I use Neutragena T-Gel everyday, which kind of works. It usually causes the itching to subside for a day ... until I wash my hair the next morning.I also suffer from rosacea on my cheeks. It recently started getting worse in the evenings. I'm getting married in August and definitely don't want to be dealing with it on the big day. Like I said, it really only flares up in the evening before I go to bed.
I came across EarthClinic for a cure for rosacea and decided to start drinking ACV everyday to see what happened. As of today (10 February 2009) I have been drinking 1 tablespoon ACV mixed with a cup of orange juice every morning for 17 days. I've only missed one day. Here's what I've noticed:
* The itching in my scalp has subsided, only a tiny itch every once in a while
* My scalp is flaking significantly less than before
* The rosacea on my face has gotten better ... but isn't completely cured
* My skin has an overall healthier look
I haven't noticed any adverse side effects from the ACV. I still use the T-Gel about two times a week for the seborrheic dermatitis just because.
Savannah Tucker (Dublin, GA) on 01/03/2009:
I am African American I have dealt with dry scalp my entire life. My mother has the same condition. When I was younger my mother would deep condition my scalp and hair and moisturize my scalp daily. When I was a teenager I did the same but have tried countless treatments and prescriptions and products since then. It has been frustrating trying to find a solution to my scalp condition while taking care of my hair. I am twenty 26 and tried using ACV 5% acidity in my hair 4 days ago and my scalp has made a 100% improvement!!!!! I put the ACV on my scalp and let it sit for 20 minutes and washed and styled as normal. Amazingly, my scalp is not white and itchy and my hair is not full of flakes. I haven't put anything on my scalp since the day I washed it.
Tehiya (New York, New York) on 01/02/2009:
I tried Apple Cider Vinegar for Sebhorreic Dermatitis every day for about 10 days, and my scalp is no better than before. It didn't work at all.
Christine (clearwater, florida) on 10/13/2008:
Please help! If you want to skip the entire story, please just scroll to the bottom 5 or so paragraphs. However, if you can help, please do read the whole story.
I think I have had something fungal going on with my body for some time. All throughout my pregnancy (5 years ago), I had a few yeast infections all handled with acidopholis. My son was born with "cradle cap". He is 4 and still has it (I think it's fungal = sebboreac dermatitis)
I currently have very bad dermatitis on my hands and face. It started about 3 years ago in between my fingers - lightly red and inflamed on a few fingers. Never having taken a drug in my life (including natural births), I saw a nutritionist.
He is one of the new who knows how to PROPERLY muscle test, and can test the supplement for your body and the correct dosage. He handled many problems for me (including major back spasms preventing me from operating at all). He handled liver cancer on my father, I've witnessed him handling autistic kids - I can sum it up to say for the most part he knows what he's doing!
On the hands, he found that it was a parasite. Throughout the last few years, he's also found a fungus as well. Most recently he found a virus in the liver (which makes sense as liver dysfunction can cause skin problems) I have drastically changed my diet and eliminated ALL sugar over the past 3 months. I went strictly organic 3 years ago.
Despite doing his protocol, it would ebb and flow - each outbreak steadily getting worse and spreading onto my knuckles and front of hands.
After a year the redness then changed to red and small little pustules. (little clear "puss pockets" on my fingers and eventually moving into the palms of my hands). I am super hygienic - wash my hands about 8 times a day with mild natural hand soap - doesn't make sense.
Frustrated, I went and got topical fungal cream. It vanished after a few days - only to come back when I went off the cream.
Last year I had it licked for several months when I went onto NO sugar (no bread, legumes, honey, juice, etc.)... Then it came back after about 3 months.
Now three years later I've had all of my body products tested on me - I use 100% natural soap, shampoos, toothpaste, makeup, etc. I clean my house only with vinegar and peroxide. I eat like a hippie - it doesn't make sense!
3 months ago I went to a "natural spring" in Florida, The next day my entire tummy was broken out in hives. It spread up my chest, onto the neck and on the hands.
I decided to skip the nutritionist as I'd been struggling for three years. I went to a dermatologist who told me it was an allergy to whole food supplements! I didn't buy this, but decided to take the steroid and antihistamine.
I took both twice. I felt terrible and the condition got worse! I went back and the Doctor the next day who then told me to keep it up for two weeks as it could take that long !!!!!
Regretting taking the drugs I went to my nutritionist who handled it within a day - EXCEPT the hands (my struggle).
I then started soaking my hands in salt water. I'd do this about an hour a day. This would clear them up and instantly take away the itch (didn't hurt surprisingly) and chilled them out.
At the end of September it was my son's 4th birthday. I cheated on my no sugar and had a piece of cake (not all natural, organic and sugar free).
The next morning I wooke up and it broke out on my face!!!!!! Within a day of the breakout my chin was orange from the oozing. YUK. I can't go to work looking like this... I work in the financial industry!
I went to my nutritionist who couldn't handle it.
My hands were also worse than before - I could NOT stop from itching. I bought cortisone cream, tar, psoriasis cream, etc. and loaded it all on my hands. NOTHING stopped this terrible itch. The knuckles looked like I got into a fist fight and were bleeding and swollen. My fingers almost twice their size. The salt water was also not helping.
By the way, each breakout has been worse than previous - especially since these terrible drugs! I researched the drugs (prednisone, xyzol and another topical steroid) Turns out a side effect of these medical drugs is breaking out WORSE than before once you're off the drug!!!
The nutrition was ALSO not working and now I had an orange chin and bloody knuckles.
I finally broke down and went back to the MD again (I saw a different one). He said it was a staph infection (hands) and impetigo (face). I could think with this. I took the anti-biotic which totally cleared the skin. This made sense to me - nutrition not working with such a massive infection misdiagnosed for months.
I thought an anti-biotic is OK - I've never had a side effect from the 3-4 times I've taken them (no condition I've had ever came back).
Now I've been off a week. Within a day I could feel the skin heating up under the lips. The itch started the next day, along with chin getting red and the lips also have little bumps around the base. I also have white heads around my nose, which is slightly red.
I spoke to the MD, who wants to put me on more drugs. I truly don't think this is a solution - seeing the "side effects"!!!!
I took a BUNCH of oregano oil (3 days ago). The condition has continued to worsen.
Remember, I drink more than 1/2 my body weight in spring water a day and I ONLY eat organic veggies and chicken (I even clean and steam veggies in bottled spring water). No sugar of any kind (bread, fruit, refined, dairy, etc.) I don't even put dressing on my salad. The ONLY stray from this is one cup of coffee per day. This is definitely not some allergy from a crap diet or chemicals in my environment.
I found this site - T H A N K Y O U!!! I've been taking apple cider vinegar internally and externally since yesterday. The chin is definitely drying up but still quite red. It started bleeding today (I think it was so dry, that when I moved my mouth, it cracked a scab)
HOWEVER, the hands don't seem to be changing. The knuckles are redder today (with white flaky skin on top - I assume this is eczema) and continuing to get chubbier and spreading.
I've also been drinking water with 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda with lemon juice and two teaspoons of ACV. I've put the ACV on my face and hands three times a day.
The redness is not yet going away on the face, but it's crusting up (yuk - sorry if this is gross).
Last night I put yogurt on my face and hands (the thick Greek yogurt) and taken a bunch of acidopholis. The yogurt seems to draw some of the gunk out as a "white head" formed after I rinsed it off.
I considered the oil gargle - but am worried I'll detox too fast and the skin will get worse than it is now.
I am going to start with coconut oil tonight and see if that helps on the hands.
I need to know from other people out there - does it sound like I'm improving?? Anyone else go through these symptoms before (or as part of) healing??? My main concern is whether or not I am healing.
Any suggestions? Please help! I am 29 and refuse to let this spread on my body! I plan on it being gone :)
Thank you so much,
Christine
Nancy (Orlando, FL) on 10/11/2008:
I use Organic Apple Cider Vinegar for my seborrheic dermatitis and sensitive scalp. I typically take about 1/4 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar and 1/4 cup of water and mix it in a spray bottle (1 part to 1 part). I spray it directly on my scalp, by combing through the different sections. Then leave it on for at least 10-15 minutes. Then I rinse it out and use a mild shampoo & conditioner. The longer the better. Its best to do it on the weekends or at night because it does smell. (2-3 times a week) The worse you have it the longer it will take to see results. I started using the ACV because the Nizoral shampoo started making my hair really dry and brittle and it started to break and fall out. I have pretty oily skin and I needed to wash my hair every day. For the face, take a cotton ball and dab the mixture on the spots. And make sure you dry your hair good, the moisture breeds bacteria.
Diana (Brockton, MA) on 07/23/2008:
apple cider vinegar with the following has improved 99.99% my scalp condition of sebhorreic dermatitis: spray or just add to scalp prior to washing hair, leave 5 minutes on scalp, then shampoo with lavender shampoo and 2 drops of tea tree oil, again leave 5 more minutes, then shampoo again with DHS dandruf shampoo (you will find this one over the counter, contains Zinc)and end with a tea tree conditioner. After 2 weeks, my scalf looks almost natural and the itch has almost completely gone away. Once condition starts clearing, use DHS shampoo only a couple or times a week, same as vinegar.
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