Seborrheic Dermatitis - best treatments?

Michael Gaskins wrote:
>
> I have what I would consider a severe case of Seborrheic Dermatitis
> and was wondering if anyone else here has this and had some
> recommendations for treatments. My dermatologist prescribed Locoid
> which I apply usually once per week. It seems to help some, but not
> as well as I'd like. I also use dandruff shampoo (I usually use the
> Head and Shoulders intensive treatment. I've also got Denorex that I
> use occasionally). I wash my face 2-3 times per day with Cetaphil
> (recommended by the dermatologist) and occasionally use a product that
> I found called Scalpicin. Despite all this, I still have rather
> severe flare ups on the corners of my nose, my upper lip, my chin, and
> in my ear lobes. The worst area affected is my scalp right along the
> hairline, which just looks and feels terrible (though it's not as
> visually noticeable as the facial areas). Does anybody have any
> suggestions for products to try? This condition has had me really
> embarrassed for several years now, and given that it's supposed to
> peak at middle age (and it's bad enough with me at 21 now) I'm afraid
> it's going to get worse.

Keep in mind that seborrheic dermatitis is more a description of
symptoms than it is a cause. There may be several completely
different causes that produce similar symptoms. If the cause involves
some kind of allergic reaction, than a steroid may be useful. But if
the symptoms are the result of some microbial over growth, then
steroids (which cripple your immune reactions) may well give the
microbes a boost, even if the treatment produces a temporary
improvement in symptoms.

I had pretty bad dermatitis on my face (beard, eyebrows, scalp) and
got it under control with pyrithione zinc dandruff shampoo. But only
after I punched the effectiveness up by coating the affected areas
with shampoo a few minutes (5 to 30) before bathing. Unfortunately,
this active ingredient is pretty irritating, and stunts hair growth
with long enough exposure.

Lately, I am using a mixture of about equal perts of eucalyptus oil,
tea tree oil, and spirits of turpentine, with as much gum camphor as
will dissolve in the oil mixture. I spray a bit of this on my hair
and beard, and rub a little on my eyebrows a half hour before bathing,
and sometimes use Selsun Blue shampoo. This combination has kept me
flake free for a few months with only an occasional shampoo with the
pyrithione zinc shampoo. So my hair stopped falling out.

Hope this information is some use to you.

--
John Popelish
 >> Stay informed about: Seborrheic Dermatitis - best treatments? 

I had massive dandruff and flaky skin at your age and got out from under
it by changing my diet. Got off milk, white flour/sugar, eventually gave
up dairy altogether, and moved to fruits, vegetables, and whole grains,
also get most of my protein from soy (especially tempeh). If you're doing
a lot of dairy and junk, get off of it and see what happens (see
www.notmilk.com for some evidence as to why it might be a problem).

Michael Gaskins wrote:

> I have what I would consider a severe case of Seborrheic Dermatitis
> and was wondering if anyone else here has this and had some
> recommendations for treatments. My dermatologist prescribed Locoid
> which I apply usually once per week. It seems to help some, but not
> as well as I'd like. I also use dandruff shampoo (I usually use the
> Head and Shoulders intensive treatment. I've also got Denorex that I
> use occasionally). I wash my face 2-3 times per day with Cetaphil
> (recommended by the dermatologist) and occasionally use a product that
> I found called Scalpicin. Despite all this, I still have rather
> severe flare ups on the corners of my nose, my upper lip, my chin, and
> in my ear lobes. The worst area affected is my scalp right along the
> hairline, which just looks and feels terrible (though it's not as
> visually noticeable as the facial areas). Does anybody have any
> suggestions for products to try? This condition has had me really
> embarrassed for several years now, and given that it's supposed to
> peak at middle age (and it's bad enough with me at 21 now) I'm afraid
> it's going to get worse.
 >> Stay informed about: Seborrheic Dermatitis - best treatments?