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Hello all. I've had SD on my face for about 9 months now.. and something i've been noticing is that when i go to sleep, the SD flakes are bigger and more pronounced on my face when i wake up. Any idea why this might occur? Could it just be from rubbing my face on my pillow when i sleep, which somehow causes these flakes to be bigger? Has anyone else experienced this? Thanks for the info
I notice this as well. And the skin on my face looks really dull and grey looking, when I wake up in the morning. When I shave, I can then see a residue of the shaving cream I use and all the dead skin that's built up; it comes right back the next morning. I have to gently scrub it away each time, and it takes a lot to wash it away. It's like, limescale on my face! Hmmm, hard water, maybe.
Honestly sounds to me like anyone with SD could benefit from caveman regiment, i have SD atleast what my derm told me its really red and oily no flakes until i started the caveman regiment now there is dead skin falling of and redness is going away. SD can be caused by Yeast, and you can get that kinda infection if your skin is damaged.
In the caveman thread there is tons of people that have flakes/dead skin falling of on and around their nose like crazy which is exactly the same like SD, so try no washing for it, its atleast what im doing and its looking great so far.
Going to have coconut oil tomorrow and will test it soon. Keep using the zinc pyrityone spray who is keeping my face clean for almost year, but I want to replace it with someting (afraid that my skin might resist it soon). If anyone was/is using coconut oil plz give some tips.
Hey all, long-time (as in, 15 years or so) acne and SD sufferer here. Since I've stopped birth control the SD has gotten out of control. It looks like someone burned my forehead and each side of my nose. My immediate issue is that I have to attend a wedding tomorrow and I can't cover this up with make/-up, and I can't bail on the wedding like I do on most things. My question is, I have a left-over tube of a cream with some cortisone in it that I try not to use since I know it's bad - can I use it today, or is there anything better I can use that will give me immediate relief? I am so tired of crying over the state of my skin!
@jon66: Yeah I saw the post before you edited it. I felt your initial post to be somewhat derogatory of this whole thread. Okay, it's a big thread and takes ages to trawl through it but we are trying to help each other out that's all, no biggie. I joined here to share my experience in dealing with this scourge of an affliction and I have spent hours on here trying to help people out even after I believe I have cleared my condition. I know what it's like to live with Jon, it ruined my life for close to thirty years and can leave you desperate and trying many miracle cures that work for a few days, giving you false hope, then the condition reappears with a vengeance.
'Clearing' my seb derm took a massive amount of research and trial and error. 99% of the things I tried over the years resulted in massive failure and left me with little hope
so it led me to totally change my lifestyle for a time in order to get on top of it. I firmly believe that Seb Derm is connected to a candida overgrowth/gut flora imbalance. Please read about it online, more than I could type here. It just makes sense that it's being more and more linked to candida now. So after trying countless 'miracle, cures, steroid creams and shampoos, wonder oils and potions I finally decided to change my unhealthy diet. It's common knowledge that nothing will help a bad skin condition like a good diet.
So lets see if we can help you Jon, I sincerely hope so. Okay so here are the main steps I believe I took that helped me shift the SD.
1. Anti Candida diet. Please check up on these online. I stuck to the diet for months upon months, takes some willpower believe me but seeing my skin start to clear gradually whilst on it was more than enough incentive.
2 Whilst on the diet I drank only mineral water, nothing else.
3 I ditched the SD creams and shampoos. Those were only aggravating it. Foaming ages like Sulfates in shampoos are cheap and nasty ingredients and even used in labs as skin irritants. Not good for SD believe me.. I wash hair only with bicarbonate of soda, this stuff clears dandruff like nothing I've ever seen. I started washing face with it too for first few months using only TINY amount on wet face, leaving 2-3 mins before rinsing thoroughly. I no longer use bicarb on face, only thing I wash face with is cold-lukewarm water. Filtered water is best.
4 I took antifungal supplements. You can use any of the well known ones like Coconut oil (pure) Oil of Oregano, Garlic, Caprylic acid (in coconut oil but more concentrated) Pau D'Arco, etc. Lots of antifungal supplements out there but important to rotate them so as candida will not build resistance to them. Rotate every 3-4 days worked for me. IE Monday to Thursday I took Garlic, Friday to Monday took Coconut oil, Tuesday to Friday Pau D'Arco etc etc. I found that working with 4 different antifungals in rotation worked best for me and I did vary them.
5 Supplements that worked for me were Flaxseed oil, Zinc and Antihistamine. I took the brewers yeast and got massive hit of B vitamins which gave my skin a huge boost but was only a stop gap procedure it turns out and was never gonna be a cure. B vitamins are great for skin and a good B complex will benefit one. If not B Complex go for B2, B6 and B12 and Biotin.
6 Probiotics are needed to restore healthy gut balance. Work well when used with prebiotics which you can get from eating plenty of veg. Acidophilus Lactobacilius very beneficial.
It is worth bearing in mind that people who go on detox/candida diets etc can experience die off symptoms (Herxheimer reaction). This may lead to temporary worsening of condition but is temporary and an indication that things are working.
I had pretty aggressive SD on sebum rich areas of face, sides of nose, cheeks and chin as well as scalp. I couldn't go outdoors for weeks on end. Very agressive rash and no mistaking it, was easily diagnosed by several GP's. Rash was always present but worsened considerably on high sugar, coffee, junk food, white bread intake. Coincidentally all the foods you are supposed to avoid when on anti-candida diet exacerbated my SD like you wouldn't believe. As soon as I changed my diet and avoided those foods my skin started clearing up. Trust me it was no overnight miracle cure, took trial and error but my skin is clear now and has been for ages. GP who I have seen twice over last few months on unrelated matter (migraines) has said he can see no signs of it at all. I had terrible flaking on face in my teenage years but was able to beat that a long time ago. Flaking on scalp/dandruff did remain but cleared that with the steps I have outlined. I have NO redness and NO flaking of scalp. My skin was in a terrible state but IS clear now and has been clear for a long time. Am I cured??? I believe so. I have reintroduced some of the things I thought I would have to avoid for ever and no adverse reaction. I have no desire to go back to unhealhty lifestyle and the other healh benefits aside from SD are well worth it.
I hope this has answered some of your questions Jon. I had no miracle cure for anyone on here but a strict regime/lifestyle change that has benefitted me wonderfully.
You may or may not want to try the steps out but I hope you do, it's possible to clear your skin up but it takes willpower. Keep a positive mental approach to it as well, that helped me. Try to remain as stress free as you can, get a proper nights sleep, sunlight and exercise.
This is some of the best stuff i have read on controlling sd. But it is not enuf by itself, it will not work for me by itself. I follow most of this stuff but I use the following tools
1. A mirror to push my face against and test the oilyness of various parts of my face. This gives me an idea if I need to moisturise or ACV
2. Apple cider vinegar (organic, 4.5% acid). Mix it with about 10% pure water and use a spray bottle to apply to the face. Over time work up to 60% ACV if you can handle it. If you overdo it with ACV you will get the same symptoms as sd and you wont know what is going on. discontinue ACV for a week or so
3. Bio Oil - This will stop the skin peeling from the ACV, it will also encourage sd so be careful how you use it.
sd cant be purely internal as ACV works, I think it must be a combo. Maybe candida makes the body sensitive to yeasts, so yeast on the skin causes a reaction. Kind of a reflection of what is happening inside.
Change your lifestyle, like the guy said, I have done that years ago, no problem, I would eat cow shit if I thought it would help
Has anyone cleared up their SD around their nose? I've had redness in the creese and above my mustache line right next to my nose for now 4 months. I see a derm in 2 weeks. I've tried everything. Hydrocortisone first for 2 weeks, then aquanil lotion, then ketoconazole lotion and nizoral shampoo, coconut oil, emu oil. Coconut oil cleared it up a bit, but it's sill ver red. I watched a video on YouTube and a guy recommended betamethasone valerate. Gonna ask my derm about that. Any other suggestions?
Going to have coconut oil tomorrow and will test it soon. Keep using the zinc pyrityone spray who is keeping my face clean for almost year, but I want to replace it with someting (afraid that my skin might resist it soon). If anyone was/is using coconut oil plz give some tips.
3 Days ago seborrehic dermatitis came back after long time. Areas on both corners on my scalp /hair line/. I skipped ZP spray and used coconut oil after shower. Felt little ichy but.. I kept using it the next day and the next.. and today it was gone. Thats so nice. I am using it on my face after I shave, for almost a month now, the problem is that my face look so shiny, and I am sweating all day so much on face only.. /this might be detoxication, from what I read from other forums, not sure/. And ofcourse it's summer (37 C), but my face is sweating triple times my body... Looks like CO will be great for winter tho and hopefully outumn..
Moisturiser - It is good because it keeps your skin from flaking when your skin is being dried out from ACV or hydrogen peroxide, however it is bad as i believe it encourages activity from the yeast on the skin and this makes sd flare up.
I try to just use it before going to bed as this seems to be the least active time for sd to be working with the oil in moisutisers.
Hydrogen peroxide - seems to have a good effect on kicking sd's ass, but leads to a lot of peeling and flakyness.
Aloe vera spray - Why does this work so well? spray it on every hour or so and apply bio oil before going to bed to keep the dry flaking under control. does it work cause of the aloe? the low ph? or the small amount of hydrogen peroxide added to it?
[Edited link out]
Spray - always seems a superior way to add stuff to your face than wiping
wicky - i bought a 3% HP solution, made up a mixture of 5% this solution, 10% ACV and 80% mineral water.
The redness and itcyness dissapeared overnight but my skin became flaky for days afterward
I stopped using it and the flakyness disappeared after about a week, followed by one day of perfect skin, and then the redness was back
Also i have those clogs on my nose
got to go now, will check back later
no cure for SD. Once you have it (like me) you are pretty much screwed. I have literally been having severe dead skin on my face everyday. I have to rub really hard otherwise it just doesnt come off. I noticed that shaving gets rid of it pretty well, but i cant shave my forehead or temples....
Anyone else have any suggestions on what is the best way to get rid of the dead skin? Any materials i can use (i also have acne so yeah..)
On 9/10/2012 at 8:25 AM, whoartthou1 said:no cure for SD. Once you have it (like me) you are pretty much screwed. I have literally been having severe dead skin on my face everyday. I have to rub really hard otherwise it just doesnt come off. I noticed that shaving gets rid of it pretty well, but i cant shave my forehead or temples....
Anyone else have any suggestions on what is the best way to get rid of the dead skin? Any materials i can use (i also have acne so yeah..)
I know what you mean. Little pimples sometime and the much worst SD. Now, cuz I red just about all forums on net for last 2 years, and trying some stuff I recently start posting myself hoping I can help someone.
So talking about SD and mild acne I will share my reginme (not saing this is the cure regarding SD, but it's pretty enough for me) which is giving the best results so far..
1. I use pine tar soap cuz I have dry skin. I also tried ACV/water with good results. Some people say ACV help them, other sais its the Sodium Bicarbonate.. This is really interesting because one is acidic and other is alkalizing. Perhaps SD is cause by over acid in ones and over alkalized skin in others. If you are in those groups I think you should try them. (Read about the specific use of them more tho.)
2. Zinc Pyrithione spray is the best thing I ever tried, it just clears me 99%.. Tho I am scared to use it long term I am switching to coconut oil which is doing almost same. For now..
3. No sugar, no smoking, less alchohol, limit trans fats (fried foods, hydrogenated oils)
3. Daily supplements Zinc, omega 3, 6, 9 complex (flaxseed oil or fish oil). Vitamin A, vitamin C (I get those from veggies and fruits)
4. Don't use corticosteroids.
Personally I think that SD is provoked by stress 50%, food 20%, hygiene 20%, other 10% can be internal diseases (which for some play a bigger role)
So pretty much if I control those I am clear..Don't call it cure cuz the moment I stop those - hello seborrhea [Edited link out]
What I' saying is that you need find what works best for you, based on people experience and ofcourse your own.
Best of luck
Hello everyone,
I'm new here, and I also have seb derm. I have spent years trying to get rid of it and/or hide it. It can get really bad, especially with those flare ups..anyhow, I think I found a solution to all of our problems. I have tried these products for a week and my skin has never looked better. The best thing is that you only have to make a quick trip to Walgreens to purchase them. The prices aren't too bad either.
1.)Basis Sensitive Skin Bar http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/basis-sensitive-skin-bar/ID=prod10784-product
2.)Eucerin Redness Relief Soothing Night Creme http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/eucerin-redness-relief-soothing-night-creme/ID=prod1401815-product
3.)Gold Bond Ultimate Healing http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/gold-bond-ultimate-healing-skin-therapy-cream/ID=prod398549-product
4.}Shampoo of your choice, make sure it's not too harsh and try to avoid getting too much on your face.
First of all, only wash your face with this soap. It's very gentle and it cleanses your face. The Eucerin creme is meant to be used overnight. Just apply a fine layer over the red areas and it will practically eliminate it by the time you wake up. The Gold Bond lotion is like a spot treatment for seb derm, it quickly gets rid of flakiness and redness, but try not to use too much. In addition, try eliminating bread and potato from your diet. These two things were the culprits behind my harsh flare ups, maybe it is for you too. Well this is my treatment and hopefully it helps someone out, if you do try please post your results as I would like to know if it worked for anyone else.
For those of you who's Seborrheic Dermatitis is not resolved by conventional means (antibiotics, antifungal creams, supplements, steroids, strict anti-candida diet, changing toothpaste, washing pillows, and so on), you may want to look into Democidosis. Democidosis can mimic seborrhea and rosacea. Basically, it's mites that live on our skin and it's the abundance of these Demodex mites that are causing the sebum plugs, acne, and flakes. It may be common if you live in a dusty household or you don't wash your mattress or pillow, etc. There are two types of mites - one that lives in our hair follicles and one that lives inside our sebaceous glands. They feed off sebum so if you have oily skin, this might be it. Other criteria are - crawling or stinging sensation, especially at night or flushing of skin. Democidosis is closely related to Rosacea and there's alot of research ongoing about it. Alot of derms do not recognize Demodex as the problem since they are not taught in the medical books about it, but the new research should shed some light on it.
I'm still a little skeptical of it myself but right now, I am experimenting with a few products. I am taking Saw Palmetto to reduce the sebum production on my chin where the flakes and plugs are and so far, I've seen a good 20% improvement. It's been Day 3 for me. Today, I'm tackling the problem topically with Crotamiton 10% (it has SLS though..) and a spray that uses Seabuckthorn Oil and other star ingredients from a British skincare company. I'll try to update if I see any improvement or not. I've tried so many natural alternatives and prescriptions like Finacea, Loprox, Ketoconazole, Econazole, oral Diflucan, antibiotics like Minocycline, and saw no improvement whatsoever. So I am hoping my solution works and it is the mites that's causing me havoc.
So yeah, just wanted to let others know if the Seborrheic Dermatitis isn't resolved by conventional means, then it is something else like Democidosis. It can even be GI related like the so called Leaky Gut Syndrome. I personally don't believe it, but 2 weeks ago, I had Allergic Esophagitis secondary to GERD and the doctor pointed me out that there is a connection between the seb derm I have on my face and the esophagitis, hence why I am taking antihistamines and trying to fix my GERD. Research, research, research!
Edit: I am also doing the following:
-Anti-mite pillow cover/mattress
-Fermented foods
-No supplements, vitamins by food sources only.
-Antihistamines PRN
If I saw 20% improvement by Day 3 just by the Saw Palmetto alone, then I believe it will work for everyone if you simply use anti-androgen sources or something like Accutane to reduce sebum production. I'm just going the extra mile by assuming it's a mite infestation so I'll keep up to date if my trials work.
Im so on the same page with you okiedokie. I have rosacea and seb derm and all the topicals and meds you mentioned, I have tried and they didnt work. I believe my issue is demodex related but you are right about derms not recognizing its relevance to rosacea and it being the cause. I am only getting worse after severe dietary changes two years ago that have prooved pointless. My skin was actually better when I ate crappy. Each day I wake to a new red welt like bump, either on my jawline (where they itch) and some flat red spots that are concentrated on the insides of my cheeks. I pretty much play connect the dots each day, spot treating and covering them. Its exhausting trying to keep up and has wreaked havoc with my mind and has sent me into a severe depression. I too have tried products with seabuckthorn oil in them and each time I try it, I wake to more red spots. I believe whats happening are the mites are being stirred by the seabuckthorn and therefore dying and leaving their fecal bacteria on my skin. I cant seem to ever make it thru trying it. Has that been happening to you?
As far as my chin goes, I have similiar plugs that you mentioned. They are mostly concentrated in the conrner down toward my chin and across the crease. They are white and look like clogged pores because there seem to be hardened sebum inside the pore. I can sometimes extract them but they refill and eventually harden up again. It seems to be the exact same pore which indicates to me that the demodex likes this spot. If I leave the spot alone, it will never go away. Ive tried all sal acid, and AHA treatments as well as retinoids and a tea tree oil serum I have that has seabuckthorn in it but even that didnt get rid or prevent them.
I have tried Saw Palmetto in the past but felt every time I took it I would get a huge lump or breakup on jawline. I do feel this is a seperate issue from the rest of my face and indicates something hormonal. I am on bioidentical hormone cream too and that has not helped either. Its a mix of estrogen and progesterone but Im thinking that my estrogen needs to be upped because my progesterone might be too high and not in balance with the estrogen. I am 45 and in menopause and all this has made everything worse. I am having bloodwork for the gazillionth time this week so I will get a better idean about the hormone portion. Im wondering if I can try Saw Palmetto again on the hormone cream. I will have to look into that.
I too change my sheets and pillows and just flipped my bed to ensure they are free of mites. I also purchased a zippered plastic covering for my mattress and pillow case so these suckers would be suffocated. I am taking a zyrtec as well and my supplements are betaine HCL to aid digestion and help with food breakdown, creon ( a pancreatic enzyme), Glutamine to help repair gut damage from years of antibiotics and help restore balance to my GI system, Vitiamin E, D3 and a 50 billion probiotic.
BTW, I also tried low dose accutante last year (20mg once a week) and it made my seborrhea sooo much worse. I really had high hopes for that one but it seem to kick up the sebhorrheic derm for some reason. I was so dry everywhere and it was a disgusting mess of congestion of clogged pores with trapped sebum and flakes all over the sides of my face. Horrible!!!!!! Keep posting, I curious as to how this will work for you
