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On 10/14/2012 at 8:35 PM, wicky said:
Do you have a gut issue like GERD? You are taking quite a handful of supplements, have you seen any remarkable improvement with those? I took supplements just like that and ended up breaking out even worse. When you take supplements, your body is like œWTF do I do with this? It helps some, but not a whole lot compared to regular whole foods that the body can recognize and easily digest. It™s difficult to self-diagnose GI problems.
I forgot to mention that I am taking ACV and Aloe Vera to calm my GERD and it is helping in combination of Saw Palmetto which is reducing my sebum production on my face. Fixing GI problem + reducing sebum production = success. If seb derm is an indicator of GI problems, then this may very well be my GERD. Aloe vera helps coat the LES while ACV helps to better digest foods. For the past 3-5 years I have been chewing food fast and eating carelessly. That™s a no bueno.
I think you have a hormonal imbalance if you broke out taking Saw Palmetto. Do you have oily skin? Sebum overproduction = hormonal imbalance. I know because I abstained from masturbation in conjunction with Saw palmetto and saw good skin again although flakes/sebum plugs persist on chin but only a smaller amount now. If you can find something else to reduce sebum production, then it may very well help you. It doesn™t have to be Accutane but something else. For that, I would not know what works for you but keep on trying to find one that works.
What you said about the mites are true. When they are abundant and die, the bacterial toxin B. oleronius causes inflammatory response from our skin. There™s a connection between this and Rosacea. But how else can you kill mites/bacteria? If you take Antibiotics its only targeting the bacterial problem, not the mites. For that, you need anti parasitic drugs like Permethrin 5%, oral Ivermectin, Benzyl Benzoate, or Crotamiton 10%. If you break out initially, it may be a good thing because it™s killing the mites. However, because the mites lay eggs inside our sebaceous glands and it takes a week before they hatch, it may take some time before the breakouts stop. This is my theory though. I believe some drugs target mites and eggs which would be beneficial. The goal ultimately is to reduce their numbers.
So far,
To sum it up:
1. Reducing sebum production “ Reduces seborrheic dermatitis and mite infestation (cutting off food source)
2. Fixing GI problem “ Seb derm is a sign of a GI problem like Esophagitis and GERD. Fix that, and the seb derm goes away with time.
3. Covering up “ I only recommend plucking flakes/sebum plugs with tweezer when going out. You could substitute with greasy occlusions to smother the mites and let them die but in turn, it causes breakouts. It™s only good short term. If it™s a long term problem like mites or GI issue, then it™s no good doing this. I have experimented with this in Vaseline and Shea Butter. If anyone else have ideas to œcover up let me know.
Update Day 4 (Day 2 on these products):
Crotamiton 10% on one side got rid of several plugs but maybe they got removed while I'm tossing and turning in bed. Not sure. I felt a burning sensation whenever I applied this on. It has to be the SLS in it. The brand name is Eurax from the UK.
The Salcura DermaSpray with the Seabuckthorn oil as the main ingredient ....I can't say for certain it's working since alot of the ingredients in it are oils and oils feed mites. This can be contraindication.
I'll give it a week of experiment before I decide if topicals are working or not. If they do not work, then I do not have a mite problem after all..or rather, I'm cutting off their food source by reducing sebum. 
. But other than that, my improvements are due to Saw Palmetto, abstinence of masturbation (anything that can cause hormonal imbalance in your body), and eating the right way (fermented foods, aloe vera, ACV, etc).
On 10/14/2012 at 10:22 PM, loladiamonds said:Anyone on here ever experience the crusting from SD?
I need answers... [Edited image out]
Hard to say. I don't have any crusting right now but I did a year ago. I don't know what could attribute to the crusting though. Perhaps humidity?
On 10/15/2012 at 6:31 AM, okiedokie123 said:On 10/14/2012 at 8:35 PM, wicky said:Do you have a gut issue like GERD? You are taking quite a handful of supplements, have you seen any remarkable improvement with those? I took supplements just like that and ended up breaking out even worse. When you take supplements, your body is like WTF do I do with this? It helps some, but not a whole lot compared to regular whole foods that the body can recognize and easily digest. Its difficult to self-diagnose GI problems.
I forgot to mention that I am taking ACV and Aloe Vera to calm my GERD and it is helping in combination of Saw Palmetto which is reducing my sebum production on my face. Fixing GI problem + reducing sebum production = success. If seb derm is an indicator of GI problems, then this may very well be my GERD. Aloe vera helps coat the LES while ACV helps to better digest foods. For the past 3-5 years I have been chewing food fast and eating carelessly. Thats a no bueno.
I think you have a hormonal imbalance if you broke out taking Saw Palmetto. Do you have oily skin? Sebum overproduction = hormonal imbalance. I know because I abstained from masturbation in conjunction with Saw palmetto and saw good skin again although flakes/sebum plugs persist on chin but only a smaller amount now. If you can find something else to reduce sebum production, then it may very well help you. It doesnt have to be Accutane but something else. For that, I would not know what works for you but keep on trying to find one that works.
What you said about the mites are true. When they are abundant and die, the bacterial toxin B. oleronius causes inflammatory response from our skin. Theres a connection between this and Rosacea. But how else can you kill mites/bacteria? If you take Antibiotics its only targeting the bacterial problem, not the mites. For that, you need anti parasitic drugs like Permethrin 5%, oral Ivermectin, Benzyl Benzoate, or Crotamiton 10%. If you break out initially, it may be a good thing because its killing the mites. However, because the mites lay eggs inside our sebaceous glands and it takes a week before they hatch, it may take some time before the breakouts stop. This is my theory though. I believe some drugs target mites and eggs which would be beneficial. The goal ultimately is to reduce their numbers.
So far,
To sum it up:
1. Reducing sebum production Reduces seborrheic dermatitis and mite infestation (cutting off food source)
2. Fixing GI problem Seb derm is a sign of a GI problem like Esophagitis and GERD. Fix that, and the seb derm goes away with time.
3. Covering up I only recommend plucking flakes/sebum plugs with tweezer when going out. You could substitute with greasy occlusions to smother the mites and let them die but in turn, it causes breakouts. Its only good short term. If its a long term problem like mites or GI issue, then its no good doing this. I have experimented with this in Vaseline and Shea Butter. If anyone else have ideas to cover up let me know.
Update Day 4 (Day 2 on these products):
Crotamiton 10% on one side got rid of several plugs but maybe they got removed while I'm tossing and turning in bed. Not sure. I felt a burning sensation whenever I applied this on. It has to be the SLS in it. The brand name is Eurax from the UK.
The Salcura DermaSpray with the Seabuckthorn oil as the main ingredient ....I can't say for certain it's working since alot of the ingredients in it are oils and oils feed mites. This can be contraindication.
I'll give it a week of experiment before I decide if topicals are working or not. If they do not work, then I do not have a mite problem after all..or rather, I'm cutting off their food source by reducing sebum. [Edited image out]. But other than that, my improvements are due to Saw Palmetto, abstinence of masturbation (anything that can cause hormonal imbalance in your body), and eating the right way (fermented foods, aloe vera, ACV, etc).
On 10/14/2012 at 10:22 PM, loladiamonds said:Anyone on here ever experience the crusting from SD?
I need answers... [Edited image out]
Hard to say. I don't have any crusting right now but I did a year ago. I don't know what could attribute to the crusting though. Perhaps humidity?
Crusting as in literally a yellow crust that is painful when removed and just recrusts again. My GP said its SD but i've found little sites that mention this as a side effect, He said i could have a mild case. i don't know.
so hows it going? Im so chicken to start the oral invermectin but nothing will stop my skin from forming these plugs. Its such a continual cycle of picking them out and they are hard and really stuck in there. most just pop right out and i can actually see the little seed. I swear i wish i knew how to stop them from forming once i get them out. the picking is out of hand and they are woven so tight around the follicle. what do i have and why can any derm figure it out. as i sit here typing my stomach is making gurggling and churnning noises as well. So maybe its GERD. Ive done thea aloe vera thing and it did help. maybe its time to revisit that and ACV orally cause topically its too rough on my skin. makes me flake even more and then the plugs harden more
Forgot this thread.
Crotamiton 10% was a step in the right direction as it seemed to have gotten rid of the flakes (or it could've been the saw palmetto) but it actually irritated my skin very much due to the SLS. I have pimples because of it near my chin. So I discontinued use.
The Salcura DermaSpray did not seem to do anything. It made my skin oilier, which actually is good for mites/dandruff. So I also discontinued that. There was no indication that this would treat Democidosis or Seborrheic Dermatitis anyway, just a product I wanted to try out.
Saw Palmetto seemed to have the greatest effect, by reducing sebum production. That and Green Tea. I have the problem mostly around my chin and upper neck area, which tells me this is a hormonal problem, I think.
Now I'm testing Zinc Pyrithione. I tried the soap but it broke me out so now I'm trying out the spray to see if it has any effect. It burns but goes away in 30 minutes. Can't say for certain if it's working or not.
what zinc pyrithione spray? and what soap did you try? I ve tried Dermadoctors Born to be Mild cleanser which is ok and Cynthia Bailey MD calming zinc bar and the Dermadoctors is actually gentlier which is weird because the other only has three ingredients: zinc pyrithione, olive oil and shea butter. I want to like it but it doesnt remove my flakes and make my face feel smooth like the dermadoctors cleasner does. It doesnt lather which I like but for some reason is leaves me dryer and my sebum plugs look so dry that I want to go crazy and dig each of them out...what cleanser are we suppose to use? If you got pimples from the croatamiton than mabye it WAS working. I know how hard it is to stick with something so Im not the best judge. I would have quit too. Im running out of options and I dont know what to do. And all the while ,my stomach is gurgling and churning making weird sounds as I type this. There has to be a connection between the stomach and all of this. I take probiotics, digestive enzymes and drink ACV in water after a meal plus I take Betaine HCL to help with stomach acid.. Im even trying to repair my stomach and make it not so sensitive to foods by taking glutamime. None of its working!
what zinc pyrithione spray? and what soap did you try? I ve tried Dermadoctors Born to be Mild cleanser which is ok and Cynthia Bailey MD calming zinc bar and the Dermadoctors is actually gentlier which is weird because the other only has three ingredients: zinc pyrithione, olive oil and shea butter. I want to like it but it doesnt remove my flakes and make my face feel smooth like the dermadoctors cleasner does. It doesnt lather which I like but for some reason is leaves me dryer and my sebum plugs look so dry that I want to go crazy and dig each of them out...what cleanser are we suppose to use? If you got pimples from the croatamiton than mabye it WAS working. I know how hard it is to stick with something so Im not the best judge. I would have quit too. Im running out of options and I dont know what to do. And all the while ,my stomach is gurgling and churning making weird sounds as I type this. There has to be a connection between the stomach and all of this. I take probiotics, digestive enzymes and drink ACV in water after a meal plus I take Betaine HCL to help with stomach acid.. Im even trying to repair my stomach and make it not so sensitive to foods by taking glutamime. None of its working!
SkinZinc spray. I stopped that too because I couldn't bear the burning and I tested it for about a week. No luck. Neither with the Salicyclic acid creams. I'm allergic to SLS so there's no point to using Crotamiton. To my surprise, the remaining flakes/plugs or whatever disappeared after using Selsun Blue on my chin despite the irritating ALS. Still some here and there but no where near as bad as before. I think weather seems to help some too, because where I live, the low humidity inhibits growth whereas during the summer, it was hot and humid which caused a huge outbreak of seb derm on my chin...or so it seems. At that time, my hormones were raging too and I had extremely oily skin.
Environmental: Look @ weather, stress, dust, dirty hygiene
Internal: GI problems like EE, lack of good flora, sleep deprived, malnourishment, hormone fluctuation, vitamin deficiency, etc.
External: Look at fungal or possible mite infestation
Overall: Dry, non-oily skin = seborrhea will likely stop...Externally, nothing can feed on skin because little to no sebum. Internally, you're supporting your body's largest organ by eating correctly, getting all your normal vitamins, balancing your hormones, etc. Environmentally, you're checking your surroundings for potential causes.
Try using Selsun Blue or find a Selenium Sulfide alternative.
so my nose and cheeks where my pores are huge constantly feel grainy to the touch. When i rub my ringers over them, little hard plugs or grains release out of the pore with very little effort. Some times they stuck in a little deeper and need a little prying to get them to lift out. Overall the area is dry as a bone with flaking but what do these hardend white pieces represent? Seb derm, oily skin, or dry skin? Ive tried mimiking my sebum with a combo of jojoba oil and an hylaronic acid moistuirzer for better delivery and that didnt help. Ive alternated with hemp oil as it has less of an oleic content but no go either. Ive washed with Dermadoctors Born to be mild cleanser with pyrthione zinc and it helps smooth but plugs resurface as the day goes on. I just dont know what im treating and if this grainy-ness is a component of seb derm. I already eat no yeast, processed foods or sugar. I take a 50billion probiotic every day and cut my supplements down to vitamin b complex, e, d3 and a yeast defense supplement. I have elidel cream but its too thick to apply to my nose and cheeks because they're so clogged and dry already and that stuff doesnt moisturize at all. I might try the saw palmetto again or b5 again because i cant stand plucking these things out constantly
so my nose and cheeks where my pores are huge constantly feel grainy to the touch. When i rub my ringers over them, little hard plugs or grains release out of the pore with very little effort. Some times they stuck in a little deeper and need a little prying to get them to lift out. Overall the area is dry as a bone with flaking but what do these hardend white pieces represent? Seb derm, oily skin, or dry skin? Ive tried mimiking my sebum with a combo of jojoba oil and an hylaronic acid moistuirzer for better delivery and that didnt help. Ive alternated with hemp oil as it has less of an oleic content but no go either. Ive washed with Dermadoctors Born to be mild cleanser with pyrthione zinc and it helps smooth but plugs resurface as the day goes on. I just dont know what im treating and if this grainy-ness is a component of seb derm. I already eat no yeast, processed foods or sugar. I take a 50billion probiotic every day and cut my supplements down to vitamin b complex, e, d3 and a yeast defense supplement. I have elidel cream but its too thick to apply to my nose and cheeks because they're so clogged and dry already and that stuff doesnt moisturize at all. I might try the saw palmetto again or b5 again because i cant stand plucking these things out constantly
When you remove these plugs, what's under it? The pore I mean. Any blood? If they resurface, it's probably an internal issue meaning gut, hormonal, or dehydration. What has the derm say?
It sounds to me your skin may simply be dehydrated or something's bothering the skin barrier. Unfortunately, This can go both ways - external like mites or internal like hormone imbalance. FYI, if your skin is dehydrated, oils do not work. You should hydrate your skin internally by drinking lots of water or using hydraluronic acid capsules. You should try minimizing pores to see if it helps. Maybe try PDT. It's better than Accutane with less side effects. Let me know how SP works for you.
okiedokie thanks for the input. When I remove a plug or if one falls out on its own whats underneath is a hole. Its my pore. I can see the clog sitting inside the pore and once its out is like a cork. Its like a little white round grain of rice. These are the ones that are dry and hard and mostly in the center of my cheeks where my pores look like an orange peel. the ones in my chin are embedded and squisher and need to be extracted or pried out with my tweezer. I have often thought that my skin was better when it had more moisture but I cannot find a moisturizer my skin likes. Ive been using CeraVe PM right now and its okay. Everything irritates me and nothing soothes my rosacea or seb derm. Its a crazy cycle and I cant find anything to work. The pyrthione zinc in the born to be mild cleanser is the only thing that smoothes the skin and makes it feel less grainy. Funny thing is im not sure if this is a component of seb derm or rosacea. Where the derm said I have seb derm is on the sides of my face but its not dry and only slightly pink. Its never scaly and grainy like my pores. I cant wear makeup at all because of the scaling and its always worse by the end of the day. When I wake in the morning its smooth but as the day goes on and i produce more oil it sort of gets stuck in the pores.
your right about internal because i jusst got some blood work back and my rheumatoid factor was elevated which indicates theres some inflammation somewhere. My thyroid was off as well, specifically my T3. I am in menopause so my hormones are also out of balance but the hormone cream should be taking care of that.
I do drink lots of water in fact its the only thing I do drink. I've also thought of PDT but have you seen the pictures? Crazy bad and I dont think I have the strength to go thru something like that. Im considering Alumera its similar and has great success with pore shrinkage. I just wish I knew what the grains meant? Oily or dry????
okiedokie thanks for the input. When I remove a plug or if one falls out on its own whats underneath is a hole. Its my pore. I can see the clog sitting inside the pore and once its out is like a cork. Its like a little white round grain of rice. These are the ones that are dry and hard and mostly in the center of my cheeks where my pores look like an orange peel. the ones in my chin are embedded and squisher and need to be extracted or pried out with my tweezer. I have often thought that my skin was better when it had more moisture but I cannot find a moisturizer my skin likes. Ive been using CeraVe PM right now and its okay. Everything irritates me and nothing soothes my rosacea or seb derm. Its a crazy cycle and I cant find anything to work. The pyrthione zinc in the born to be mild cleanser is the only thing that smoothes the skin and makes it feel less grainy. Funny thing is im not sure if this is a component of seb derm or rosacea. Where the derm said I have seb derm is on the sides of my face but its not dry and only slightly pink. Its never scaly and grainy like my pores. I cant wear makeup at all because of the scaling and its always worse by the end of the day. When I wake in the morning its smooth but as the day goes on and i produce more oil it sort of gets stuck in the pores.
your right about internal because i jusst got some blood work back and my rheumatoid factor was elevated which indicates theres some inflammation somewhere. My thyroid was off as well, specifically my T3. I am in menopause so my hormones are also out of balance but the hormone cream should be taking care of that.
I do drink lots of water in fact its the only thing I do drink. I've also thought of PDT but have you seen the pictures? Crazy bad and I dont think I have the strength to go thru something like that. Im considering Alumera its similar and has great success with pore shrinkage. I just wish I knew what the grains meant? Oily or dry????
Sounds more and more like an internal issue. You know, I read about a study saying there's this bacteria that clumps up and gathers in the pore leading to what looks like a keratin/sebum plug. If I find it I will post it. I don't think it was demodex. Demodex Releases a bacteria that triggers an inflammatory response from the skin. Serb derm and rosacea are both related. Even though it appears dry, if your skin is oily then it can cause the seb derm flakes to sprout up. To me, you have combination skin.
But I think you have an internal issue especially with the hormonal imbalance. A hormone cream will not work neither will a moisturizer. Even your cleanser wont work for the long run. it works temporarily but only masks the symptoms. Same with PDT that i mentioned earlier. Skin problems with an impaired barrier are mostly internal issues. You should talk to your doctor about the hormonal issue and thyroid problems. There could be an inflammatory response due to an autoimmune problem where your body's immune system is attacking its own cells. Your impaired skin barrier may be a sign of that. Increase in RF is usually a sign of rheumatoid arthritis, hepatitis, and other related conditions. Last time I checked, autoimmune diseases like RA or the EE that I mentioned earlier are potentially connected with psoriasis or seborrheic dermatitis. Those are just signs on the surface of an underlying problem in your body. Add hormonal imbalance to the mix and you have a recipe for disaster. Hormonal imbalance is usually oily skin.
If you tried so many alternatives, antifungals, anti bacterials, and a boat load of topicals and supplements with no results, you may have stop whatever regimen you're doing to prevent further exacerbation of inflammation on skin (seb derm and rosacea can be prolonged due to cosmetics and topicals) and follow on proper diagnosis and treatment of the underlying cause.
i would love to see the study that you mentioned. It sounds like what I have exactly. My pores in my nose and cheeks and chin are still clumping up with solid and squishy sebum. I can gently press on my nose pores and the squishy plug will shoot up. The ones in my chin are harder so i'm not sure what that means. Overall my face is dry as a bone but these sebum plugs will not reduce despite increased essential fatty acids, an increase in tumeric (to help RA and inflammation). The only way i can get rid of then is by pressing them all out and applying a cleanser with pyrthione zinc in it to smooth things out. In two days, the cycle starts again. I never had skin that clummped up like this before. I am in the process of treating the thyroid but after a week on the meds, nothing yet. I know something is going on internal but no dr can pinpoint it exactly and figure out what will make my skin stop reacting like this. thanks for your input and ideas because i'm all out
Wicky, have you tried a gluten-free diet? And baking soda (leave on for 3 mins) paste?
Gluten is in everything. Perhaps you might have non-celiac gluten allergies or some sort of auto-immune disease where your body is attacking its own skin cells and causes excess shedding/flaking, sort of like psoriasis. I just know it has to be internal.
For seborrheic dermatitis sufferers, I suggest trying Lotrimin Ultra. It helps tremendously. Unlike the azoles which are downright scams, the main ingredient in Lotrimin Ultra is a viable fungicidal. The azole class only surpresses the fungal growth. Fungicidals get right down to the dirt and kill the fungus. It's worked wonders for my skin but the ingredients in it like petroleum I am allergic to, causing me to break out a bit.
I have been clear for weeks now without applying anything thanks to Lotrimin Ultra, however, it's coming back again. I just wonder for myself - if this is some sort of autoimmune problem in my skin that causes the barrier to weaken, therefore leading to an increased risk of fungal infection. Or it's the environment I'm living in. (83% humidity, winter near the mountains).
okie, yes i have tried a gluten free diet and it never worked. i do believe you are on to something about my imuune system attacking my skin cells but how do i change that? i have just been diagnosed with thyroid cancer and in my last post i explained that my rheumatoid factor was elevated but they dont think they are related. i cant get anywhere with anti fungals topically or internally either. Diet has not helped either. No matter if i eaten gluten or sugar, it doesnt help or hurt my skin. Ive tried applying anti fungals on my face like lotrimin but they dont get to the core of the plugs. They are deep and white and look like pus filled pimples but super tiny. The only way to get then is to dig them out but it makes an awful mess of things..im off to the derm yet again for a red/blue light treatment to help inflammation and possibly slow oil production. I wish i could show you a photo of my chin, especially the crease where there are numerous little white bulges. They never stop producing....thanks for your input i just wish i knew how to change it if its an auto immune thing
which red/blue light treatment are you getting?
okiedokie thanks for the input. When I remove a plug or if one falls out on its own whats underneath is a hole. Its my pore. I can see the clog sitting inside the pore and once its out is like a cork. Its like a little white round grain of rice. These are the ones that are dry and hard and mostly in the center of my cheeks where my pores look like an orange peel. the ones in my chin are embedded and squisher and need to be extracted or pried out with my tweezer. I have often thought that my skin was better when it had more moisture but I cannot find a moisturizer my skin likes. Ive been using CeraVe PM right now and its okay. Everything irritates me and nothing soothes my rosacea or seb derm. Its a crazy cycle and I cant find anything to work. The pyrthione zinc in the born to be mild cleanser is the only thing that smoothes the skin and makes it feel less grainy. Funny thing is im not sure if this is a component of seb derm or rosacea. Where the derm said I have seb derm is on the sides of my face but its not dry and only slightly pink. Its never scaly and grainy like my pores. I cant wear makeup at all because of the scaling and its always worse by the end of the day. When I wake in the morning its smooth but as the day goes on and i produce more oil it sort of gets stuck in the pores.
your right about internal because i jusst got some blood work back and my rheumatoid factor was elevated which indicates theres some inflammation somewhere. My thyroid was off as well, specifically my T3. I am in menopause so my hormones are also out of balance but the hormone cream should be taking care of that.
I do drink lots of water in fact its the only thing I do drink. I've also thought of PDT but have you seen the pictures? Crazy bad and I dont think I have the strength to go thru something like that. Im considering Alumera its similar and has great success with pore shrinkage. I just wish I knew what the grains meant? Oily or dry????
Sounds more and more like an internal issue. You know, I read about a study saying there's this bacteria that clumps up and gathers in the pore leading to what looks like a keratin/sebum plug. If I find it I will post it. I don't think it was demodex. Demodex Releases a bacteria that triggers an inflammatory response from the skin. Serb derm and rosacea are both related. Even though it appears dry, if your skin is oily then it can cause the seb derm flakes to sprout up. To me, you have combination skin.
But I think you have an internal issue especially with the hormonal imbalance. A hormone cream will not work neither will a moisturizer. Even your cleanser wont work for the long run. it works temporarily but only masks the symptoms. Same with PDT that i mentioned earlier. Skin problems with an impaired barrier are mostly internal issues. You should talk to your doctor about the hormonal issue and thyroid problems. There could be an inflammatory response due to an autoimmune problem where your body's immune system is attacking its own cells. Your impaired skin barrier may be a sign of that. Increase in RF is usually a sign of rheumatoid arthritis, hepatitis, and other related conditions. Last time I checked, autoimmune diseases like RA or the EE that I mentioned earlier are potentially connected with psoriasis or seborrheic dermatitis. Those are just signs on the surface of an underlying problem in your body. Add hormonal imbalance to the mix and you have a recipe for disaster. Hormonal imbalance is usually oily skin.
If you tried so many alternatives, antifungals, anti bacterials, and a boat load of topicals and supplements with no results, you may have stop whatever regimen you're doing to prevent further exacerbation of inflammation on skin (seb derm and rosacea can be prolonged due to cosmetics and topicals) and follow on proper diagnosis and treatment of the underlying cause.
So how do you suggest treating it?
which red/blue light treatment are you getting?
okiedokie thanks for the input. When I remove a plug or if one falls out on its own whats underneath is a hole. Its my pore. I can see the clog sitting inside the pore and once its out is like a cork. Its like a little white round grain of rice. These are the ones that are dry and hard and mostly in the center of my cheeks where my pores look like an orange peel. the ones in my chin are embedded and squisher and need to be extracted or pried out with my tweezer. I have often thought that my skin was better when it had more moisture but I cannot find a moisturizer my skin likes. Ive been using CeraVe PM right now and its okay. Everything irritates me and nothing soothes my rosacea or seb derm. Its a crazy cycle and I cant find anything to work. The pyrthione zinc in the born to be mild cleanser is the only thing that smoothes the skin and makes it feel less grainy. Funny thing is im not sure if this is a component of seb derm or rosacea. Where the derm said I have seb derm is on the sides of my face but its not dry and only slightly pink. Its never scaly and grainy like my pores. I cant wear makeup at all because of the scaling and its always worse by the end of the day. When I wake in the morning its smooth but as the day goes on and i produce more oil it sort of gets stuck in the pores.
your right about internal because i jusst got some blood work back and my rheumatoid factor was elevated which indicates theres some inflammation somewhere. My thyroid was off as well, specifically my T3. I am in menopause so my hormones are also out of balance but the hormone cream should be taking care of that.
I do drink lots of water in fact its the only thing I do drink. I've also thought of PDT but have you seen the pictures? Crazy bad and I dont think I have the strength to go thru something like that. Im considering Alumera its similar and has great success with pore shrinkage. I just wish I knew what the grains meant? Oily or dry????
Sounds more and more like an internal issue. You know, I read about a study saying there's this bacteria that clumps up and gathers in the pore leading to what looks like a keratin/sebum plug. If I find it I will post it. I don't think it was demodex. Demodex Releases a bacteria that triggers an inflammatory response from the skin. Serb derm and rosacea are both related. Even though it appears dry, if your skin is oily then it can cause the seb derm flakes to sprout up. To me, you have combination skin.
But I think you have an internal issue especially with the hormonal imbalance. A hormone cream will not work neither will a moisturizer. Even your cleanser wont work for the long run. it works temporarily but only masks the symptoms. Same with PDT that i mentioned earlier. Skin problems with an impaired barrier are mostly internal issues. You should talk to your doctor about the hormonal issue and thyroid problems. There could be an inflammatory response due to an autoimmune problem where your body's immune system is attacking its own cells. Your impaired skin barrier may be a sign of that. Increase in RF is usually a sign of rheumatoid arthritis, hepatitis, and other related conditions. Last time I checked, autoimmune diseases like RA or the EE that I mentioned earlier are potentially connected with psoriasis or seborrheic dermatitis. Those are just signs on the surface of an underlying problem in your body. Add hormonal imbalance to the mix and you have a recipe for disaster. Hormonal imbalance is usually oily skin.
If you tried so many alternatives, antifungals, anti bacterials, and a boat load of topicals and supplements with no results, you may have stop whatever regimen you're doing to prevent further exacerbation of inflammation on skin (seb derm and rosacea can be prolonged due to cosmetics and topicals) and follow on proper diagnosis and treatment of the underlying cause.
So how do you suggest treating it?
I'm no doctor so I can't say how to treat it. But if seborrheic dermatitis or dermatitis in general is secondary to another cause then of course you want to treat the primary cause. Maybe my seb derm went away for awhile not because of the Lotrimin Ultra but maybe because my esophagus got better and my GERD didn't come back for weeks. I really can't tell you and that is why each of us needs to know our bodies very well in order to solve our health problems.
okie, yes i have tried a gluten free diet and it never worked. i do believe you are on to something about my imuune system attacking my skin cells but how do i change that? i have just been diagnosed with thyroid cancer and in my last post i explained that my rheumatoid factor was elevated but they dont think they are related. i cant get anywhere with anti fungals topically or internally either. Diet has not helped either. No matter if i eaten gluten or sugar, it doesnt help or hurt my skin. Ive tried applying anti fungals on my face like lotrimin but they dont get to the core of the plugs. They are deep and white and look like pus filled pimples but super tiny. The only way to get then is to dig them out but it makes an awful mess of things..im off to the derm yet again for a red/blue light treatment to help inflammation and possibly slow oil production. I wish i could show you a photo of my chin, especially the crease where there are numerous little white bulges. They never stop producing....thanks for your input i just wish i knew how to change it if its an auto immune thing
I'm sorry to hear about your thyroid cancer. Wow, so this is definitely a puzzle but I think it's coming together.
Rheumatoid factor usually pops up because of inflammation and it's basically your body's own immune system attacking itself and making these antibodies to attack your own cells. I think in your case, somehow, it's attacking your skin cells and perhaps other cells as well. Now for the thyroid cancer ,I can't see the connection between RF and thyroid cancer but I do know the thyroid regulates hormones and can affect the skin dramatically. You know, hypothyroidism can cause seborrhea and psoriasis too, in which case you need thyroid hormone like Synthroid. I would advise you not to take anything that affects hormonal issues like saw palmetto. It just messes with the system. What exactly has your doctor said? Do you have hypothyroidism? Hyperthyroid? Are they going to do a thyroidectomy to remove the tumor? Have they started you on medication? Let me know, I'm curious.
I started on Armour thyroid medication several weeks ago to start boosting my thyroid levels and also not produce any more nodules. I have 3 nodules. One is large and two are small but I do need a thyroidectomy. I am in the process of scheduling it now and it will prob be done by the end of the year. I am hyperthyroid but have symptoms of hyper and hypo so its a bit confusing. The RA is a mystery to me and will have to see a rheumatologist after this thyroid issue is taken care of. I think you are right when you say my immune system is attacking my skin cells. I have tried all the right things...supplmenets, diet and lifestyle changes and nothing has worked in 3 years so there is a bigger picture here. I do have rosacea which my be exasserbated by the RA but who knows anymore. Right now Im nursing two huge under the skin type pimples on my chin. I almost never get anything like this. They both have a hard center and have not budged in a week. I want to tear into it to get whats in there out but I wont and then I will be upset because i will have to wait for it to heal. ugh is all can say...
I started on Armour thyroid medication several weeks ago to start boosting my thyroid levels and also not produce any more nodules. I have 3 nodules. One is large and two are small but I do need a thyroidectomy. I am in the process of scheduling it now and it will prob be done by the end of the year. I am hyperthyroid but have symptoms of hyper and hypo so its a bit confusing. The RA is a mystery to me and will have to see a rheumatologist after this thyroid issue is taken care of. I think you are right when you say my immune system is attacking my skin cells. I have tried all the right things...supplmenets, diet and lifestyle changes and nothing has worked in 3 years so there is a bigger picture here. I do have rosacea which my be exasserbated by the RA but who knows anymore. Right now Im nursing two huge under the skin type pimples on my chin. I almost never get anything like this. They both have a hard center and have not budged in a week. I want to tear into it to get whats in there out but I wont and then I will be upset because i will have to wait for it to heal. ugh is all can say...
It's tough and I feel for ya. It's definitely a bigger picture and your skin represents what's going on inside the body. At least you know what potentially and most likely is causing your problem. I recently tested for any potential thyroid problem but mine came back normal so I'm up in the air onto why this it's suddenly coming back for me. I think Lotrimin Ultra was a placebo. I would not touch or alter anything with your skin. Just wait for it to heal. Hopefully you have more news on any new discoveries.
okiedokie just wondering how things were going for you? My flaking and scaling is something awful right now. Im taking oil of oregano as an anti fungal and also diflucan. Its one pill every week and I'm on my second pill right now. Im wondering if its making things worse before it gets better. I just wish I knew how do deal with de-scaling my face each night. Ive been washing with a pyrithione zinc cleanser and its a bit drying so i'm not sure if its helping or hurting. When I wash with my gentle cleanser (Avene Anti Redness cleanser) it doesnt seem to remove all the gunk even though I dont wear makeup. I've re-read this thread so many times looking for answers and I feel like I've tried every one of them. My thyroid surgery is this week so i'm praying that this is the answer to my skin problems. I cant imagine a life like this...
One more thing...
People with SD should be absolutely positive that they don't have dandruff in scalp. If they do, remove it with a medicated shampoo. Some patients have reported how their SD went away after they got rid of scalp dandruff.
Wow, old post, but is there any proof of your words on this actual site? I'd be interested to read if so.