If you are one of those unfortunate to have seborrheic dermatitis on the face you have likely been searching for a cure to your problem. There are tons of people online claiming to have found a cure for their seborrheic dermatitis. In this article I will look at the most popular reported seborrheic dermatitis face cures and let you know which ones worked for me.
This list is only meant to serve as a reference point and might not be 100% complete. Also my own battle with seborrheic dermatitis was quite long, however, my final fix was a little more complex than the cures outlined here. For me the solution was mainly topical and my approach is outlined here.
As promised here is the list of reported seborrheic dermatitis face cures:
Apple Cider Vinegar
There are a hundreds of reports of people having success with apple cider vinegar to treat their seborrheic dermatitis on the face. Typically the method used is a 1 to 1 dilution of apple cider vinegar and water. This solution is than applied to the facial skin and left on from anywhere from 5-15 minutes. Once rinsed the skin should be bright pink. Most people report a disappearance of seborrheic dermatitis symptoms after 4 to 5 rinses depending on how bad the skin was to begin with.
This method work quite well for me, but did not truly produce the long term results I was after. The seborrheic dermatitis was always there, but the apple cider vinegar made sure the symptoms were gone. To sustain effectiveness repeat applications were required.
Sea Salt Water Soak
Another quite popular solution is to soak the effected skin in a solution of salt water. Typically you only use 1/2 a teaspoon of a sea salt to about a litre of boiled or spring water. Once the solution is read you must then soak the seborrheic dermatitis effected skin in this water for about 5-15 minutes. Similar to the apple cider vinegar you are likely to experience a stinging sensation of the skin. Once washed off the skin will be bright pink and very supple.
This treatment worked quite well for me. The only downside is the skin would often times become quite dry and pale. To combat this it is recommended to use an oil free moisturizer.
Mild Glycerin Soap
There are also some reports online of people completely curing their facial seborrheic dermatitis by switching to sensitive soap with glycerin. For these lucky people the solution was as simple as that. Stop using regular store bought brands and switch to a natural glycerin soap.
Personally this only helped slightly. For this method to work I believe your seborrheic dermatitis must be solely caused by a sensitivity to regular store bough soap ingredients. When switching to the glycerin soap you as a result avoid these irritating substances and the skin clears.
Honey Treatment
If you’ve read any of my other articles you will know that the seborrheic dermatitis honey treatment is my favourite of them all. This treatment involves applying
raw honey (very important that it’s raw) mixed with boiled water in a 5:1 solution and applying this to the face.
This honey mixture should then be left on for at least 3 hours. Once the times up, simply rinse the face off with more clean water and that’s it. Do not use soap or anything else when rinsing off, the honey is easy to rinse and leaves the skin clean.
For my this was the most successful treatment option. It left the skin moisturized and seborrheic dermatitis free. This allowed me to avoid moisturizers which often made the seborrheic dermatitis worse. The honey also gave the skin a much nicer and vibrant appearance.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is used to fight all sorts of fungus. When applied to the skin it cleanses and removes any micro-organisms that might be present. Use about a teaspoon per cup of water and apply to the seborrheic dermatitis effected skin. Let it soak in for about 5 minutes and rinse off. Once you rinse it off it is highly recommended to quickly rinse the skin with the apple cider vinegar solution outlined above. This ensure that the acidity of the skin is quickly restored.
For me baking soda was very effective at combatting seborrheic dermatitis. The only downside was it also left the skin quite dull and dry. My main use of baking soda was for seborrheic dermatitis on the scalp as no one really sees the skin there.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Some people online have had amazing success with hydrogen peroxide applied to the face. The hydrogen peroxide is typically mixed in a 50/50 ratio with water and dabbed onto the facial skin. Do not leave this solution on longer than 5 minutes as it will likely begin to burn the skin. Rinse off and let air dry.
I’ve never used this treatment option as it just seemed to harsh for me. There are much safer ways to disinfect the skin than hydrogen peroxide. If you are thinking or trying to cure your seborrheic dermatitis with hydrogen peroxide, I strongly suggest you take a look at baking soda.
Anti-Fungal Soaps, Shampoos and Creams
The medical community has established a link between seborrheic dermatitis and a fungus called Malassezia Furfur. All of the commercially available dandruff shampoos and seborrheic dermatitis solutions are designed to this specific fungus any many others. Once the skin is fungi free the normal skin cells begging to establish themselves and seborrheic dermatitis disappears.
The biggest problem with this treatment is that it also destroys the skin natural eco system, which normally helps to defend healthy skin. Without this defence system your skin starts to become dependent on external solutions.
For me most popular commercial products in this category worked very well (thing head and shoulders, neutrogena t-gel, nizoral, etc.) during initial use. The results were not very sustainable and after a fews weeks of treatment results faded away and seborrheic dermatitis returned. They also made the skin very pale and unhealthy looking, which always kept me away from long term use.
Green Tea Face Wash
In the past I’ve also come across many people effectively controlling their seborrheic dermatitis by dabbing used green tea bags on the skin. This treatment is very simple and consisted of a daily morning and night regimen of steeping green tea, taking the used tea bags, and dabbing them onto the skin. Once the solution is applied, it is left to soak in and air dry (no washing off required). This method problems uses a combination of the teas cell stimulating properties coupled with the ability to pull toxins from the skin.
For me this method worked quite well. The only problem was that it was not effective if seborrheic dermatitis was very active and the skin was quite damaged. In this scenario the green tea bags did little to alleviate the symptoms. However, once the symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis are controlled by other methods the green tea bags are very effective as an ongoing maintenance.
Summary
There are lots of reported seborrheic dermatitis face cures available online. If you take the time to read some of them on the forums and blogs elsewhere then you will notice that results vary greatly from person to person. What works for one person does not always work for others. Please feel free to try the solutions above, hopefully you will find something that works for you. Please also keep in mind that the above treatments are listed in order of popularity (excel for the commercial solution – i.e. anti-fungals), so it might make sense to try them in that order.
As always if any of the above reported seborrheic dermatitis face cures work for you, please leave a comment below. Other readers will likely benefit from your experience.
Anybody try Gentian Violet?
Your condition is down to diet, need to focus on that people. Plant based whole foods diet.
I use baking soda daily and an acidic moisturizer directly after. I’ve dealt with this my entire life and this is the only thing that has worked. I’m super happy with it.
Generic for Selseb (Selenium Sulfide) is a topical suspension (for the skin) used to treat dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis (scalp infection), and tinea versicolor (discoloration of the skin). This antifungal suspension belongs to a class of medications called anti-infectives. Read more http://www.internationaldrugmart.com/selseb.shtml
I would add ICE to the list.
I’ve had seborrheic dermatitis for several years now. It’s been coming and going on my face.
About a month ago, I started melting ICE CUBES on my face as an anti-aging treatment. I didn’t expect it to make my seborrheic dermatitis literally GO AWAY.
I use one cube of ice every morning or night. Roll it over my face until it completely melts. And I haven’t had any signs of SD on my face since I started doing that. Plus my skin has never been better looking. You should try it for yourself 🙂
One not mentioned is garlic. You can use it with baking soda, as it reduces the hotness of the garlic and oil in garlic are adding to the softness of the skin. If you add a flat teaspoon of baking soda add quarter of the powder garlic, shake it well, strain, and apply with cotton for couple of minutes. Leave to dry and then use apple vinegar to rinse it off.
Hi Chris and everyone,
ACV works on the face for quite sometime but it has to be replaced with something else(coconut oil) for a short while before coming back to ACV . It has been working fine for 2 years now but my scalp doesn’t get suited to any of the methods. I tried different ratios of ACV: water on scalp but in vain. could you suggest anything else for the scalp?
Castor oil is great for the scalp. Massage scalp first, then put oil on it, cover with shower Cap and leave on for 30+ minutes or even over night. Wash out. And there you go. I did it once and i already see improvement
for the honey treatment you say 5 – 1 ratio, that means 5 parts honey to one part water?
Hi my name is cynthia i really dont know what i have can anybody help me my email is [email protected] i will send pics of my face
at first oreganol oil 3 x daily for 2 months cleared up rash: went to HMO dermatologist for shampoo
that would help itchy scalp. He said your face has a little redness on chin. but is already healed. I
told him the oreganol oil was keeping it back he didn’t believe me . Darn him he prescribe cortisone
cream for face and a liquid cortisone for my scalp. this stuff made a mess of my face. Now instead
of using the oreganol oil once a day I needed to use it more often. Found out on a web site that any oils anti-fungal or not make it worst. I found curad silver solution at drug store very quickly the gel took away redness (inflammation) and I only need to apply twice a day and is not greasy I
can finally show my face in public. GREAT STUFF ! washing my hair every day even with dawn dish
soap after scratching off scales ( which return quite quickly) ( the anti fungal oils I had left overnight many time with shower cap didn’t work by this time it spread to my lips and behind ears
NO MORE OILS it may kill some but feed more and they look for other areas to invade.yikes. I
almost forgot to say at least my scaly scalp doesn’t itch anymore and haven’t loss any hair
Like most people not a happy camper, knowing it will return . PLEASE LET OTHERS KNOW ABOUT
THE CURAD SILVER SOLUTION.
hi again,seen a lot of stuff that antibiotics can trigger SD,it caused me to research anti-depressants and there affect on the immune system,turns out they do affect several areas of your immune system,praying this as been the cause of mine,timeline seems to match up pretty well.and also due to come off anti-d at end of month
Hi Dean,
Interesting that you mentioned this. Another community member had actually wrote me earlier on a similar topic. Basically, he reported the opposite. Going on anti-depressant medication actually cleared his SD. This seemed to suggest that the mental aspect of SD can potentially be more powerful then the physical (diet, exercise, etc.). However, another aspect that came to mind was the potentially interaction between these types of medications and fatty acid metabolism. This is just a idea though. More research would need to be done to see the connection. Will try to include a section on this in the second edition of the eBook.
Best of luck mate! Hope things have improved since your last message.
Would be interested in hearing about your progress.
Michael:
For the Honey solution, I’m a bit confused when you say a “5:1” ratio, based on what? 5 tablespoons or teaspoons to 1 cup of what? What’s the actual metric of the “5:1”?
Thanks
Which anti-depressant did they take?
hi,ive pretty much self diagnosed myself with SD.started around 3 year ago,one side of my nose was like it had been burnt,flare up happened in winter,so put it down to cold weather,however over time the condition as worsened,especially in winter.this year as been worst yet,now have it above tash,both sides of nose and in both eyebrows,started with the sea salt treatment,things looking positive already
Hi Dean,
Sorry to hear that you’ve had the misfortune of having to deal with SD. Glad to hear the sea salt is having a positive impact!
The 2 posts I would start with are:
My Seborrheic Dermatitis Skin Regimen 2.0
Nystatin A Potential Seborrheic Dermatitis Treatment
One is an outline of my own regimen and another was submitted by another community member. Perhaps either of these may be beneficial for you.
Hope to hear of any future updates. All the best!
Excellent website! Appreciate your research.
I have started using Dead Sea Salt on my face to combat a dermatitis on my forehead. I actually wash my face with warm water to open up my pores, then pour some salt into my hands and rub it all over my forehead, I then wash my face with cold water afterwards and pat dry with a clean towel. I did this twice a day for about a month. The improvement was so incredible that I actually hardly saw the dermatitis. Be warned that the salt stings a lot, so it is not comfortable. Also, the affected area gets dry and red as the dermatitis heals, but eventually my skin became moist again and was hardly dry at all, with little redness.
I went down to washing with salt once a day and that seemed fine for a while but then I had a breakout recently that had my dermatitis come back again. Not nearly as bad as before though. I have now gone back to twice a day and the dermatitis is healing once again.
I also had some food intolerance testing done and am cleaning out my diet to hopefully cure the issue and not just hide the symptoms. So far so good on controlling the symptoms though, as I can actually go out and be social once again! I think alcohol may have had something to do with the breakout but I can’t be certain just yet…
I did buy some Biom8 as well to try but I have not used it just yet. I will follow up again with some additional updates.
Hi Christopher,
Thanks for the update. Interesting to hear how it got worse before it got better with the dead sea salt. Potentially this may have happened for me as well if I continued this treatment, but the drying phase was unbearable for me, so I stopped treatment once things got to that point.
In terms of food, the connection has been extremely confusing and frustrating for me. Mostly stopped paying attention once I started using the Biom8 though. However, the whole battle with SD did change my perspective on many items regarding nutrition though. And I do eat fairly healthy as is anyways. But not really following any strict restrictions.
Hope you get the same results from the Biom8 as I did.
All the best and look forward to any updates.
Hi Michael,
Just wanted to let you know that I have been using the Biom8 and seem to be getting some really good results from my specific treatment.
Morning:
1. Wash face with warm water to open pores
2. Rub dead sea salt directly onto face
3. Rinse salt off with cold water
Night:
1. Wash face with warm water to open pores
2. Rub dead sea salt directly onto face
3. Rinse salt off with cold water
4. Apply Biom8
My dermatitis is completely cleared up, and my acne hasn’t looked this good in years (scaring seems to be going away too – I don’t have a ton of scars but I am seeing them fade pretty rapidly, I had read that oils like this could be helpful for acne anyway). I have also cleaned up my diet so it’s tough to say if there is a silver bullet but this regime has been working for me. Basically I am avoiding anything on my sensitivity list after having some blood work done.
I want to thank you again for your website and research, you’ve been a huge help to me. You should market the hell out of this thing and make a million bucks. You deserve it.
Best,
Christopher
Hi Christoper,
Thank you for the detailed update. Interesting to see how you’ve integrated the dead sea salt as well. Does rubbing the salt in directly not irritate the skin?
And thank you for the positive comments. Currently, working on a second edition of the eBook, but perhaps I should truly be focusing more on Biom8. It’s crazy how well it has worked for some people (even some personal friends with eczema and a variety of other skin conditions).
Hope things continue on indefinitely. All the best mate!
Hi Michael,
Sorry for the delay.
The sea salt definitely stings and irritates the skin but the redness only lasts for a little while. Once you wash the salt off and apply the Biom8 you get a soothing sensation.
One thing that is interesting is that my symptoms tend to flare up just slightly every 6 weeks. I have been dealing with dermatitis for over a year now and no matter how I control with either steroids (which I used originally) or Biom8 / Sea Salt the symptoms tend to come back.
I will say that the flare ups are not that bad, and probably undetectable to most people around me, but I sure notice them. Either way though, this mixture I described above seems to keep things under control at least, and using something natural is way better than a steroid. I’ll keep working to try and make it go away completely, but controlling the symptoms is half the battle!
Thanks again,
Christopher
Hi Michael,
I just want to say thank you, thank you and thank you!!! I have been suffering Seborrheic Dermatitis
for 2 years now. I have tried so many different shampoos recommended by the doctor but to no avail.My hair always felt great after shampooing my hair then by late afternoon the flakes would start forming at the back of my head near the neckline. I was beside myself..in tears! Then I read your blog. I thought I have nothing to lose but to try the Baking Soda method. I used 1 teaspoon in half a cup of water. I have been applying to the affected area twice a day. Morning and night. Leaving it on for 20 minutes then sponging it off with clean water. I am just so shocked that it has actually stopped the flakes forming. My scalp feels like it is normal and not red and sore and inflammed like before. I am just so grateful to you Michael for posting this blog. I was so sick of going to doctors and spending all this money on antifungal creams, and shampoos that were not giving me the results this cheap Baking Soda remedy is providing me. I have been using this method for the last week and I dont have to continue watching the top of my shouders for unsightly flakes that people think is dandruff!! Thank you. Regards Victoria
Hi Victoria,
Thanks for coming back to share your experience. 🙂
Happy to hear about the results!
Let me know if you have any updates.
Hope your enjoying the holidays and best of luck in 2016!
Hi Michael,
The Apple cider vinegar is working fine on my chronic facial seborrheic dermatitis in concentrated form itself. Probably I can’t ask for more. But the same cant be said for my itchy scalp which get afflicted with very boils and eruption which turn quite troublesome especially when sweating or too dry. I applied ACv on scalp in concentrated and diluted form but dont seem to haqve any respite. What could be the correct combination? or should I try baking soda as mentioned in your blog? Because of this, I am forced to used Mometasone Fuorate steroid on my scalp at least once a month. But on the face I havent used a steroid for now more than 6 motnhs.. 🙂
Please advise.
SAJIT
Hi Sajit,
For some reason I couldn’t really get apple cider vinegar to work for my scalp as well.
Currently I’ve been using this shampoo for about a year and haven’t had any significant issues on the scalp. Sometimes I see a few flakes around the hairline, but these go away quick. Additionally, applying Biom8 is super easy to the hairline area.
The baking soda did work fairly well, but the scalp seemed to get dry rather quick.
Hope that helps.
Hi Michael,
I saw the shampoo- Andalou Naturals-right? How often should one apply?How long can it last?? Please advise. Looks like a bit expensive. Please advise !!
Hi Sajit,
Yeah this is the shampoo brand. The specific one is the “Moisture Rich” one. Here is the Amazon page: http://amzn.to/1J4FNCE.
Personally, I just use it whenever I shower. Never really had a schedule or regimen with it.
Not sure how long it will last and if your results would even be the same. There has been some positive feedback from others though. So I believe it is something worth considering.
In terms of cost, I typically buy it on sale at a local store here in Canada for about $8-9. It lasts me for about 6 months. So this hasn’t been an issue. Perhaps if you are outside of North America, it may be more expensive.
Hope that helps. Happy holidays!
I should add that I’ve been using a much stronger mix of salt water – one teaspoon for a small cup of water. I then leave it to dry and leave it on my face for a couple of hours.
Hi Pat,
Thanks for sharing you experience. Happy that it worked out so well for you.
Crazy how such simple things can be so effective.
Hope results and continue and best of luck!
Take care.
Amazing. I’ve suffered from SD for years and have had a few false dawns with various creams and remedies. Your advice seems to have eradicated it – all traces gone within 48 hours and not returned within a week.
On day one I tried the baking soda, apple cider vinegar and salted water.
On day two I continued with the salt water and applied the honey for 3 hours.
I now wash my face with salt water morning and night.
Brilliant that the cure is natural – no more hydrocortisone.
Thank you.
I’ve had this issue for about 8 years now, it seems to be flaring up more frequently now days, mostly on my scalp. I’ve tried all kinds shampoos such as the Tgel, head and shoulders, etc. I’ve tried antibacterial/antifungal creams, different types of vinegar, I’m currently trying the Braggs ACV, I’m on day 4 I believe and I’m not noticing any improvement, if anything my scalp is more dandruffy and itchy, it’s become embarrassing, at least before it wasn’t noticeable to other people. I think I’m going to stop the ACV and try the honey, but I’m wondering how I should use that in my scalp, do you have any suggestions?
check your hormones. low thyroid causes all sorts of fungal infections. vets know this better than docs. check your adrenals, low cortisol or too high cortisol impacts thyroid. all who need thyroid need t4 and t3 , too much t4 and not enough t3 and you block the receptors. Each person must balance their own dose, adding t3 until the symptoms go.
Hi Gary,
It seems like a plausible cause. However, it doesn’t seem there is currently an established connection.
My blood work came back fine and many others who I’ve talked to didn’t have any irregularities either.
The only clinically documented connection to hormones is a connection to androgens.
Interesting point, nonetheless. Did you have issues with SD and is this what fixed things for you?
HI Micheal/Gary,
My facial seborrhea is under control due to the use of ACV (in concentrated form without dilution) but the scalp is very itchy and full of boils (though I do the same for scalp as well ). Any sure shot recommendation for itchy scalp from the above listed. ??
Apparently Surya Namaskar in Yoga helps to cure the disease after long durations of practise and is slow . There are many such reported cures and I m practising the same but yet to reach a breakthrough. Surya Namaskar reportedly balances the Adrenalin levels in the body.
regards,
Sajit
Hi Sajit,
Thanks for the update. Yeah, I’ve heard that Yoga can be good for many aspects of health. However, I haven’t seen any direct relations to this. Nonetheless, improved immune and organ function will definitely help the skin heal.
I’ve been currently trying to formulate my own cream with some outside help. As a result I’ve learned a lot of technical aspects of the skin. This is where most of the medical research in the area is headed: http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/v38/n4/abs/ng1767.html. It’s basically a simple genetic mutation which causes some sort of nutritional delivery failures to the skin. Thus, the skin becomes more prone to infection and yeast is able to penetrate below the top layer.
Based on this I think a two pronged approach holds the most benefit. Deliver nutrients to directly to the skin, plus improve overall immune function to lock-in any progress.
Thanks again for the update. All the best.
Hi Michael,
Yes I understand that One particular thing doesnt work for all. I ve tried all of them which you mentioned above, and its sad that we spend so much time thinking about it. I know its internal and many people tried Nystatin and achieved success. Here(In India) it is not available and there is no means to get it. I understand that SD is the result of Candida/ (fungal growth) on the gut walls due to auto-immune issues or hormonal factors. So if we get to eliminate them from our gut walls, we may be able to permanently cure the condition . I ve heard Nystatin clears off the condition after a strong Herxheimer reaction (Die off of the Candida) . Anyway to get Nystatin in India???
best,
Sajit
Hi K S Sajit,
Thanks for checking in.
Honestly, I strongly believe that people are making a big mistake saying that SD is the result of Candida.
I really believe this may not be the case. Yes, perhaps in a few people it could be Candida, but I wouldn’t say it’s the case for everyone.
If you believe that you have a candida infection, medical tests should be able to confirm this.
The current medical community still doesn’t have clear answers though. Most research is aimed at trying to find a specific fungus or yeast that resides on the skin and causes the SD. However, research is largely un-conclusive.
The area which I believe needs more attention is auto-immune issues. There is very limited research in this area. Likely because there is not much financial gain to be had in this area. Lot’s of the anti-fungal studies are typically sponsored by companies producing anti-fungal agents (not always though). Food, consumption patterns, our thoughts, and our ancestry all play a role here. Hopefully, I can have some more concrete information in this area in the next few weeks (currently writing a post).
Most of the people on this site are using Nystatin topically in the form of a simple cream. However, I have seen studies which show strong potential of internal anti-fungals as treatment. Here are some source: (1) (2) (3)
Additionally the herxheimer reaction is commonly used by individuals online (particularly those selling cleanses and detoxes). However, when I went deep into medical research papers there was hardly any data or literature on this. My belief is that many of these detoxes, cleanses and supplements contain powerful herbs which actually cause what some describe as a “herxheimer reaction”. For example if you consume a unripe fruit, you can experience many painful reactions. This doesn’t necessarily mean that your body is getting rid of built up toxins.
Currently, I’ve been able to go SD free for almost a year following my own regimen. You can check that out here.
Hope that helps. Feel free to join the community to discuss things further.
I ve been suffering from Facial and scalp Seborrheic dermatitis for more than 20 years and managed some 10 years with topical steroids till the time it started giving me steroid allergy. Life turned from bad to worse and that was when I read your blog in Jan 2015. Though I read it, I was scared to try any of these treatments especially with Apple cider Vinegar in my fridge for internal consumption. I was scared to dab anything on my face after countless failed attempts with probable cures. And it was when I would want to try ACV on my face(may 2015). My condition was very bad but I wanted to take a chance of even burning my face with ACV without diluting it. I took cotton and soaked it with ACV and pronto it started burning and turned red. within 4-8 minutes, the burning reached a peak and therefter it felt alright. The whole night my facial skin was red and scaly but the burn had stopped. I repeated the act the next day and noticed my skin getting dry and peeling off. Each day the scales and the redness reduced and I ve completed 10 days of application. My dark skin is giving way to smooth and moist skin which looks supple and healthy and I have completed 10 applications. It looks the healthiest naturally in the last 20 years and I continue to use it in my scalp too undiluted. itchiness on the face is almost gone but the scalp itchiness is remaining at 5%. I plan to have ACV(with the mother) with me always henceforth. I get quality sleep and am getting confident once again.Let me tell you all that I ve tried many things under the sun(mentioned in your blog), but this is the best I ve seen and I pray that this” effect” stays. I dont know what will work out for you but for me its undoubtedly- ACV. Oh i forgot I take ACV internally too – one tablespoon twice a day with boiled cool water.
Try it out!! I hit “it” after countless of trials with various natural products over the last 4 years……
ACV is the best!!!!!
Hi Sajit,
Thanks for checking in and sharing your story. Always interesting to hear about other peoples experiences.
For me it was a little different. Even when I went all out with full strength applications, I was never able to achieve any lasting and easily maintainable results. I really stocked up on it as well, I’ve got like 4-5 1 litre bottles left.
If you find the time, perhaps you could check in a few weeks from now and update on how things progress.
All the best and thanks again.
Hi Michael,
Thank you, I actually had the same thought about a two pronged approach! I found two Cetaphil Restoraderm products, a wash and a moisturizer that have been sitting in my bathroom. They both indicate they are for “body” use which was I have hesitated to try them (I’m sure formulations vary from country to country). However, I think I will introduce the wash and see how my skin reacts. After all the prescription creams I tried, what’s the harm?
Thank you for all of the information about the l-glutamine. While I do think it is helping me heal from the inside, I also do not like having to take/rely on a supplement long term. That being said, what are our alternatives??
I also appreciate your link to the website that sells nystatin. That is good to know. I have to admit that I have not been to a dermatologist in about 8 months because of my frustrations with them. However, the success that some have had with the nystatin are enough of a motivation for me to consider calling and making an appointment. I am continually astounded at how many of us suffer from SD and how much time we all probably spend thinking about, treating and researching this awful condition. I wish everyone all the best and hope that we can find a “cure” one day!
Yeah, I wasn’t comfortable with supplementing long term either. My goal was to use it until I got better and wean off of it. Had about a 4 month break, but now just supplementing again for the sports benefits and as kind of a precautionary measure.
For the Nystatin, I believe that a dermatologist meeting might not even be necessary. I’ve got a feeling that any regular clinic would prescribe it (at-least this is how things work in Canada).
Interesting to hear how the Cetaphil works out.
Dear Michael,
Although you and I have corresponded via email, at your suggestion, I am posting some of my experience here in the hopes that it will help others. I have been suffering from SD for a year and a half now and it has really taken a toll on me. It started during a very stressful time in my life and is still with me. I was prescribed Desonide, Ketoconazole, Elidel, Salicylic Acid, Cortisone and none seemed to help. Sometimes I thought they were aggravating the redness and flaking. At the same time, patches of psoriasis started to appear on different parts of my body. I was at my wits end and it certainly didn’t help the stress. In the last two months, the psoriasis has subsided. The SD which used to be on my face, ears and chest has now taken up full residence on my face only. A friend that I haven’t seen in a while asked me the other day if I got a sunburn because my face was bright red. If it were anywhere else on my body, I don’t think it would be as traumatic. Your website and your sharing your experience and the different treatments you have tried have been of such comfort. Recently,
I have tried the raw honey masks and my face did not like them. I kept at it for about 2 weeks but after no improvement, (and somehow more dryness), I stopped. On a brighter note, what I have been using is the l-glutamine supplement. I think this has been the best “course of treatment” as 80% of the redness is gone and the flakes, scales and general dryness are all subsiding. I have spent a great deal of time on the leaky gut syndrome and I believe this is something that I have been suffering from. I will continue to take the l-glutamine and will report back after a few weeks. I just want to thank you for taking the tremendous amount of time you have spent to share your story and continue to update and monitor the comments left on your site. If only there were dermatologists out there that are as vigilant as you.
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for checking in. Look forward to any updates on how things progress, really hope it keeps improving.
I previously stopped supplementing l-glutamine for a bit, but now I am back taking it for a bit. I guess just as pre-cautionary measure and since I still have 3/4ths of a 1kg tub left 🙂
All the best.
HI Michael,
The first few days of taking the l-glutamine, there was a significant reduction in the redness and flaking (I think it’s because of how bad my symptoms had gotten). The redness continues to subside but I have found that I have more skin tightness in certain places and the flakes have gotten thicker that I have to use tweezers to remove them. They don’t fall off like usual flakes do. Not sure what is going on there. I’ve been meaning to ask you, how much l-glutamine do you take a day? I haven’t been able to find any solid literature on dosing. Also, I have been searching the comments section with no luck – has anyone found nystatin for sale in the US? All of the anti-fungal creams I have found over the counter at the drugstores here indicate not to use on facial skin. I’m going to keep taking the l-glutamine for a few more weeks and continue to monitor the symptoms. Hope all is well with you.
Hi Sarah,
Sounds like some interesting behaviour. Yeah, maybe a two pronged approach is necessary. For me, I noticed l-glutamine changed and strengthened my skin from inside and once I controlled it topically as well the results kind of locked in.
As for dosing, I don’t remember finding anything concrete. However, based on what was dosed in clinic settings and what reviews on Amazon said they were using I chose a dose of 1tsp per about 300ml of water. This is what I drank in the morning for about 6 months straight (practically every morning). That a look at this book though, page 465 and 466 specfically. Similar to the chart most studies I saw also looked at doses in that area (like here and here, but an academic account is need for full article access) of 0.5g-1g gltuamine per kg body weight. I thought that was quite high as I would need to take like 40-65g of the stuff. So I kind of just went with 1tsp (5g), but over a longer period of time. Body builders take somewhere between 1tsp to 1tbsp. Additionally I found the best way to mix it, is by putting it into a bottle of water and shaking (this somehow even beats throwing in a nutribullet). This really mixes it in well with the water.
If I’m not mistaken the easiest way to get Nystatin in the states is through a prescription. Here is a USA company that sells it online, but they also indicate a prescription is needed. I’m sure a simple clinic visit explaining your situtation can easily get you a prescription and a cream will be made for you. However, I’m guessing they will try to convince you on one of the more modern and currently marketed anti-fungals. So you might need to do some convincing yourself. 🙂
Have you tried the Cetaphil product I’m using by any chance?
All the best.
Honestly, I think this method of “breaking out of a depressive routing” should be one of the “treatments” listed on this site.
Call it “breaking the psychosomatic cycle” or something?
Bottom line: Get out of yourself!
Go on vacation. Change your routine. If you never watch TV start. If you always watch TV stop. It’s working for me.
My story:
After about 4 months of analysis what’s causing my relatively mild flare ups around my nostrils I’ve come to this conclusion:
The problem is in my “way of being”. It’s not just a skin problem, not just a gut problem, not some immune system problem, it’s everything acting together – starting with THE WAY I’M FEELING.
There’s was/is a certain hopeless depression, combined with self inflicted powerlessness and indecisiveness in my life, I know it well and it’s been with me increasingly often over the last year. Then I got some SD, which of course, made me feel much worse. But after a few months of that I began to see that SD is just a trouble sign like a check engine light on your car.
Here’s how I found that out for absolute sure that it’s my way of being and how to change it.
I happened to get food poisoning which caused me to purge, put down my normal life of indecision and half work, and then watch about 8 hours of a great television program straight. I really enjoyed this, I felt like I was in a different world, and then I noticed that my SD was gone. The SD came back the next day or two though so maybe it was just that my immune system was busy right? So, I tried it again, watch a few hours straight of some program that’ll get you into a different world. Boom – worked again! Now I’m onto something, if I just feel okay even for just a handful of hours I’m fine!
So I went on my first little weekend vacation in years, guess what? SD cleared 90% right up, even while eating and DRINKING things that I was sure would flared it up.
I’m not through the woods yet, but I know what direction to go. I’m just going to increasingly get out of my depressed/indecisive self, and move toward being a happy and powerful person. I’d hesitate to call SD a blessing in disguise, but maybe, someday.
(oh and putting this thing or that thing on my face…. I’m 95% sure that’a waste of my time now)
Hi Zach,
Definitely agree with you. I think a huge aspect of seborrheic dermatitis is the overall thought process.
It seems as if many people who have seborrheic dermatitis go online and bump into the huge mess of available information.
Much of this information is scary/incorrect and pure depressive speculation. Additionally, there seems to be many supplement players who use scare tactics to push a wide variety of magical fixes.
Looking back I truly think reflection was a big part of overcoming this thing. However, even then I still believe the glutamine and Restoraderm cleanser did help me specifically.
Even if it wasn’t them specifically, it was the fact that at that I decided they are going to work for me. Right before everything start to improve I took all of actual medical research I could find on the subject, read over it one last time and made a commitment to stop search for the “magical answer” on forums/blogs. Instead, I just reflected on the knowledge I had accumulated. I thought about how things were before the seborrheic dermatitis and adjusted my thought process to not caring about it any longer.
I’ve tried to outline my whole experience in one big post, but I didn’t really approach the mental aspect of it. Not sure if you saw that post, but here it is. Thanks for the comment though, definitely going to write a comprehensive piece on the mental aspect of seborrheic dermatitis.
The effect you report is a calming of the cortisol levels I believe. Stress has been documented to lead to many inflammatory conditions. I think the mental part is about 75% of breaking out of from the loop. Physical items I still believe help as they act as mental triggers and condition you to have a different approach. For example if I believe I am allergic to a tomato and I eat a tomato, it’s likely I will stress about it. The stress itself can cause similar symptoms as an allergic reaction. However, if I believed I had a tomato allergy, but if I drank a 1 full glass of water I would not experience any symptoms, then once I eat the tomato I can quickly drink that glass of water and my association will be completely different.
Hope that makes sense. Writing rather quickly as I have a bunch of work to finish today still.
All the best and let’s stay in touch. Thanks again for checking in!
All the best.
Hi Michael,
So its been about three weeks since i first posted on your site, I am suffering from postpartum SD. As you mention above, this could be hormonal and related to several other immune/skin issues I have had since the baby was born. I am new to SD and mine is still small, a bit on one nasal fold and a spot on my cheek the size of a quarter.
Well I promised an update and here it is – so far with this new regimen I have had no flair ups. I’m not out of the woods yet but so far things have been good. Since my last post I have had no flaking and no red inflammation and itching. There is still a bit of a shadow there, the areas are ever so slightly discolored compared to the rest of my face but its so slight that no one but myself would ever see it.
I know what you mean about the blue faces! Using too much silver can indeed turn ones skin blue, but those individuals were consuming huge quantities and probably of poor quality. I have used colloidal silver on and off for years and its part of my regular medicine cabinet so I have no fear of using it on my face. For example mine suggests you can use seven sprays 3 times daily – i use two sprays for the whole day. No danger there.
For anyone who may be interested here is my regimen:
MORNINGS & BEDTIMES
ACV face wash with a cotton ball (one part ACV, three parts water), let that air dry then spray one pump colloidal silver 10ppm on Seb Derm areas. After the ACV and silver my face feels dry so I put on organic coconut oil as my moisturizer. That is it, I am going with less is more right now because of the SD. I also drink a glass of ACV mixed in water after each of these face rituals. Actually I am finding that using ACV on my entire face has been wonderful, the rest of my face is looking really good and my skin tone is healthy and clear since doing this.
I take supplements throughout the day : Turmeric, Fish Oil, Flax Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Vitamin E, a Vitamin B Complex, Grape Seed Extract and Probiotics.
When I started with the colloidal silver i sprayed it on three times per day, two or three pumps each time and massaged it in. I am not saying it was the silver but my SD calmed down within 48 hours of my using it and has stayed calm since so now I only use it in the mornings and night and have even skipped a day here and there.
I am still watching my food intake and avoiding fried foods, gluten, dairy and sugar. While I was traveling I had less control over my food options but found I still did not flair up. I am hoping that continuing this way will relieve my problem for good. But I’m trying to keep it real, this is still early in the game and my SD could flair up again at any time. So i just keep a close eye on it and hope for the best. As you said at the end of your response, its good to just reflect. Sometimes the web has just too much information and it can be scary and stressful to read other peoples prolonged horror stories.
I will post another update after some more time passes and hopefully will still be in good shape!!
Thank you!!!
Dear Sue,
Thank you for the detailed update. Information like this is definitely likely to help any other readers who are going down the same path.
It’s great to hear that you have things under control.
For the discolouration, mine took about a month to go away after the flaring stopped.
In terms of the colloidal silver, that makes perfect sense. Too much of anything can have negative results. I’ve had no previous experience with the stuff so the Google Images initially scared me away.
However, one thing I did try that appears similar in nature is “gentian violet”. In my culture it is a staple in the medical cabinet and is used in similar applications as colloidal silver.
This stuff wasn’t really practical though, as it made the skin purple for a bit. 🙂
Do you find the supplements make a big difference? Originally I thought they helped as well, but when I stopped I saw no difference. Except maybe less frequent bowl movements (upon stopping strong pro-biotics).
Also great to hear you mention the reflection. It is definitely much less stressful then searching endlessly on Google. The web is like a dumping ground and some of the information can really get someone’s hopes up.
Thanks again for the update and hope your skin keeps improving!
Really happy to hear you’ve got things under control.
Thank you for this thoughtful website! I am new to SD, I self diagnosed my problem after doing extensive research on what began as flakes near my nose that turned into red, angry looking inflammation etc etc- Seb Derm. This has been just one of several postpartum issues I’ve had with my skin and immune system since the birth of my first child six months ago.
Anyways, nothing has worked so far: I started with Dead Sea salt, then moved to a homeopathic face cream for eczema, then onto oregano oil, then a face product with multiple oils in it for SD (neem, cedar wood, Rosemary, lavender, eucalyptus and more), next was a zinc and emu oil soap, then Apple cider vinegar (I tried the myriad of ways suggested here on this site) Whew!!! My word it’s been a long few months. Quick note- I have also begun to tackle it from the inside, I have started taking omegas and other oils internally plus B vitamins, antioxidants and probiotics. I have cut ALL sugars and 95% gluten and processed foods.
I have just started using colloidal silver 100ppm spray on my face. It’s only been 24 hours so will have to update you in a week or so, but I didn’t see anyone on your website mention trying this particular remedy. If this does not work for me I am planning on trying Tamanu oil which is supposed to be pretty amazing for skin issues of all kinds. (Another remedy I didn’t see mentioned on the site.) If either of these work I will happily share my outcome.
Thank you again for creating this platform for SD sufferers. It’s been a harsh and ugly few months for me. I am praying that it will be over soon, but am being realistic too- not very many people seem to heal easily or quickly with this damned affliction. Fingers crossed!
Hi Sue,
Thank you for posting your experience. It feels like the path of many people with seborrheic dermatitis it quite the similar. However, since yours started directly after child birth, it makes it seem potential hormonal.
Out of the treatments you described I tried all except those specific creams (not sure as you didn’t mention the names) and the colloidal silver. Even though I saw many mentions of the colloidal silver online, it scared me away with images that came up in search (blue faces). Additionally when I checked medical studies for it, couldn’t find any successful results. Honestly it seemed a little bit of snake oil treatment. However, I would love to hear your results on how it turns out.
The clean diet and basic nutritional supplement (vitamin, probiotics and fish oil) approach worked quite well for me. It was about a 85% improvement. But the seborrheic dermatitis would sometimes still kick in. Gluten free had mixed results and wasn’t really sustainable for me. All these focus nutritional approaches seemed to create periodic periods of stress, which actually backfired and flared the SD. How would you say these are working for you?
Additional not sure if have tried any internal anti-fungal approaches (garlic, oil oregano, peppermint oil), but these didn’t give me too much results. Loading up with garlic actually seemed to make it worse. The peppermint oil didn’t seem to do much when I was taking it, but my attempt was based on this study.
Now to the good news. I was finally able to control my seborrheic dermatitis with my current regimen (no real flare ups for over 8 months, small flakes time to time). Another reader is controlling it using Nystatin (no symptoms at all and it was recommended by his dermatologist). A third read has been having good success with the ACF (not sure exactly how well it’s working, but he has switched the schedule a few times).
Planning to add a community feature to the website so you can talk to the others directly. Will update you when that’s ready.
Yeah it’s true that many people seem to suffer for very long with this. My opinion is that it’s due to the currently poor understanding of such a complex condition. Additionally I believe all the varied information online really adds to the problem. I’ve seen tons of forums posts where people claim to have found their cure, then you dig deeper and you find their back trying to find something else. The lack of online responsibility for following up can create many unproven treatments that seem quite appealing to someone who stumbled upon them (especially if they are desperate). Also the stress created due to the availability of so many options (many of which fail) ads another layer to the problem.
My biggest improvements seemed to have come after I stopped searching and instead started reflecting.
Thanks again for connecting. Hope you start seeing some results.
Best of luck and glad stay in touch.
Question about the honey treatment… is the ratio of 5:1 honey:water or water:honey?
Hi Dayna,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you.
The ratio I was using is roughly 5:1. Some raw honey seemed to be thicker as well so had to adjust for that.
Let me know how that treatment goes for you, would be interested how your results are.
All the best.
Hi thanks for your useful info!!
I did get many things here.
But may i ask you sth?
I have mild sd with strong redness(T zone and near nose) and heat on face,
occasionally flakes.
I am now doing dead sea salt treatment morning and night for 5 days.
it seems like it brought some success in that pimples reduced
but my face is flaky after doing this and it doesn’t help redness very much.
When seen on sun light my face looks bad bcuz of flakes.
As i dont apply any thing after soaking sea salt water, it feels drying a little.
I am thinking of purchasing aveeno eczema lotion to solve dryness,
And also thinking of doing both raw honey treatment.
Do you think doing both honey and salt will help?
Hi Jina,
My attempt with combing the two treatments didn’t go so well.
I’ve even tried adding dead sea salt directly into the honey mask, but all without luck.
For me twice a day sea salt was too much. My best results were obtained from a mild solution.
If I used too much sea salt it would really dry the skin (especially in the winter time).
Regarding the Aveeno products, I persoanlly never had any luck with them.
I’ve got a few of the soaps, cleansers, and moisturisers laying around. All of them actually seemed to have the negative effect on my dermatitis.
The honey treatment was much more moisturising. It left the skin quite supple and well hydrated.
When I first started it using it, I actually thought I found the magic bullet. After the first few treatments my skin looked like it was fixed. However, over time the results became much more inconsistent.
Here is a full overview of that the honey treatment and my experience with it.
Currently this is the regimen I’ve been using for the past 5-6 months. This has been the best method for me.
Sometimes I still do feel the tingling sensation (seems to correlate with some foods), but the full effect of seborrheic dermatitis has stopped.
This method doesn’t seem to fully “cure” it. After the shower or in the mornings I might get a few small flakes in the ears and around the nasal folds.
However, this is absolutely nothing like the redness, scaling/flaking, and rashes I experienced before.
Hope that helps and best of luck!
If you find the time, please update with your experience and how treatment progresses.