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!
Replied By Valentine (Portland Or) on 03/21/2016
Coconut oil made my seborrheic dermatitis worse. It actually spread it from around my nose and chin up to the corners of my eyes. After a little research, I am convinced that adding oil is the wrong move for SD. The area needs to be dried out. See my cure under sea salt.
Replied By Susie (New York) on 07/07/2016
I had the same experience with coconut oil, and actually all oils because they feed the yeast, but I recently had a breakthrough. I've been using straight caprylic acid, isolated from coconut oil. The yeast can't eat it because it's too acidic. It restores the skin's acid mantle. I use it instead of soap. Soap of any kind will make things worse because it strips your skin's natural defenses and the yeast prefer the alkaline environment. Caprylic acid is much more cleansing and less irritating. I use it to remove makeup, shave, and even wash my hair instead of shampoo and conditioner, rubbing it directly into my scalp. It will leave your hair soft, frizz-free, and strangely not oily. Any other oils I've put in my hair have bogged it down and made it impossible to dry, causing humidity that only made the problem worse. I've tried everything else and it wasn't until I ditched the soap and adopted nothing but caprylic acid that I was able to sleep without itching. Seriously. I tried apple cider vinegar, baking soda, witch hazel, calendula, dead sea salt, various clays, manuka honey, tea tree oil, oregano oil, olive leaf, various herbal tinctures (NEVER put an alcohol tincture on it. The yeast will start furiously feeding on the alcohol and you will have the worst flare up of your life! ), a paleo diet, a candida diet, an autoimmune diet, various top shelf probiotics, etc. You name it; I tried it. I was desperate to avoid corticosteroids, but I was forced to resort to them when I was losing sleep to itching. I would get really strung out. Nothing has worked like caprylic acid.
Replied By Toni (Uk) on 12/08/2017
Where do you get isolated caprylic acid from? have looked everywhere, unable to find. I also found putting any oils on the scalp area made it worse. and have tried nearly everything.Replied 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
Replied By Debra (California) on 01/11/2022
Brain Octane (from Bulletproof) is C8 Caprylic Acid