Yeah it does sound like you have seborrheic dermatitis and I'm not super familiar with it but ask your dermatologist for a different option?

What kind of moisturizer are you using right now?

I have seborrhoeic dermatitis on my scalp, I use a tar shampoo with mediocre results, but I also use coconut/almond/walnut oil, which probably work more than the tar. I recommend you start with coconut oil as that seem to work the best for people with SD. Just massage some of it into the affected area, almost like as if you were massaging your face. Make sure there's no residue left, if there is, wipe it off. Coconut oil used for cooking can be used for this, if you can afford it, buy unrefined/virgin coconut oil from a health shop. The goal is to reduce the number of flakes and redness, so be very gentle with your skin. You can use it as many times you feel like it in the day. My advice is that you do not scratch the flakes off, it will make it worse.

Yeah it does sound like you have seborrheic dermatitis and I'm not super familiar with it but ask your dermatologist for a different option?

What kind of moisturizer are you using right now?

 

I am not using any kind of moisturizer right now. I just feel moisturizers make everything worse :-/

I have seborrhoeic dermatitis on my scalp, I use a tar shampoo with mediocre results, but I also use coconut/almond/walnut oil, which probably work more than the tar. I recommend you start with coconut oil as that seem to work the best for people with SD. Just massage some of it into the affected area, almost like as if you were massaging your face. Make sure there's no residue left, if there is, wipe it off. Coconut oil used for cooking can be used for this, if you can afford it, buy unrefined/virgin coconut oil from a health shop. The goal is to reduce the number of flakes and redness, so be very gentle with your skin. You can use it as many times you feel like it in the day. My advice is that you do not scratch the flakes off, it will make it worse.

 

I had it on my scalp as well. But somehow it disappeared? I have no idea how tho. I have tried to use extra virgin olive oil and it did actually work out pretty well. Gonna give it some more tries later on.

I don't really scratch. I just peel it off with my fingers tips by putting them on my skin and rub it away. I look a lot cleaner before shower than after (which is ironic, right?). If I don't peel them away I get this white stuff around my mouth. But I also wondered if this is the cause of my oily skin combined with dryness? So the flaky skin is actually just dead skin cells? But I am not sure ;-/

Yeah it does sound like you have seborrheic dermatitis and I'm not super familiar with it but ask your dermatologist for a different option?

What kind of moisturizer are you using right now?

 

I am not using any kind of moisturizer right now. I just feel moisturizers make everything worse /

I have seborrhoeic dermatitis on my scalp, I use a tar shampoo with mediocre results, but I also use coconut/almond/walnut oil, which probably work more than the tar. I recommend you start with coconut oil as that seem to work the best for people with SD. Just massage some of it into the affected area, almost like as if you were massaging your face. Make sure there's no residue left, if there is, wipe it off. Coconut oil used for cooking can be used for this, if you can afford it, buy unrefined/virgin coconut oil from a health shop. The goal is to reduce the number of flakes and redness, so be very gentle with your skin. You can use it as many times you feel like it in the day. My advice is that you do not scratch the flakes off, it will make it worse.

 

I had it on my scalp as well. But somehow it disappeared? I have no idea how tho. I have tried to use extra virgin olive oil and it did actually work out pretty well. Gonna give it some more tries later on.

I don't really scratch. I just peel it off with my fingers tips by putting them on my skin and rub it away. I look a lot cleaner before shower than after (which is ironic, right?). If I don't peel them away I get this white stuff around my mouth. But I also wondered if this is the cause of my oily skin combined with dryness? So the flaky skin is actually just dead skin cells? But I am not sure ;-/

 

I find that the oil kind of 'dissolves' the flakes on my scalp...usually I massage walnut oil into my scalp for 5 minutes before I shampoo with tar. By the time I'm finished massaging, the flakes are mostly gone and what remain get washed away with the shampoo. However, the skin on your face and your scalp are different, I can't say this will happen the same way if you rub oils onto your facial skin.

My understanding of seborrhoeic dermatitis is that your skin can't 'exfoliate' properly, and the sebaceous gland-rich areas of your skin get irritated by this, thus the peeling and oiliness. It's like your skin is dry but oily at the same time, because all the dead skin is still there and your body is trying to 'moisturise' all that peeling skin. So, what you need is not oil control, but moisturising - the oil production will reduce as you get rid of the flakiness. Gentle manual exfoliation will also help.

I think moisturizer might be key with this kinda thing. Just be careful and I hope it all clears up.

I think moisturizer might be key with this kinda thing. Just be careful and I hope it all clears up.

 

Yeah it does sound like you have seborrheic dermatitis and I'm not super familiar with it but ask your dermatologist for a different option?

What kind of moisturizer are you using right now?

 

I am not using any kind of moisturizer right now. I just feel moisturizers make everything worse /

I have seborrhoeic dermatitis on my scalp, I use a tar shampoo with mediocre results, but I also use coconut/almond/walnut oil, which probably work more than the tar. I recommend you start with coconut oil as that seem to work the best for people with SD. Just massage some of it into the affected area, almost like as if you were massaging your face. Make sure there's no residue left, if there is, wipe it off. Coconut oil used for cooking can be used for this, if you can afford it, buy unrefined/virgin coconut oil from a health shop. The goal is to reduce the number of flakes and redness, so be very gentle with your skin. You can use it as many times you feel like it in the day. My advice is that you do not scratch the flakes off, it will make it worse.

 

I had it on my scalp as well. But somehow it disappeared? I have no idea how tho. I have tried to use extra virgin olive oil and it did actually work out pretty well. Gonna give it some more tries later on.

I don't really scratch. I just peel it off with my fingers tips by putting them on my skin and rub it away. I look a lot cleaner before shower than after (which is ironic, right?). If I don't peel them away I get this white stuff around my mouth. But I also wondered if this is the cause of my oily skin combined with dryness? So the flaky skin is actually just dead skin cells? But I am not sure ;-/

 

I find that the oil kind of 'dissolves' the flakes on my scalp...usually I massage walnut oil into my scalp for 5 minutes before I shampoo with tar. By the time I'm finished massaging, the flakes are mostly gone and what remain get washed away with the shampoo. However, the skin on your face and your scalp are different, I can't say this will happen the same way if you rub oils onto your facial skin.

My understanding of seborrhoeic dermatitis is that your skin can't 'exfoliate' properly, and the sebaceous gland-rich areas of your skin get irritated by this, thus the peeling and oiliness. It's like your skin is dry but oily at the same time, because all the dead skin is still there and your body is trying to 'moisturise' all that peeling skin. So, what you need is not oil control, but moisturising - the oil production will reduce as you get rid of the flakiness. Gentle manual exfoliation will also help.

 

Yeah, exactly. It's like dry and oily and the same time. The problem is that it makes me break out around the mouth as well. I can't control this no matter how I do. It's not like real acne, but I wake up with these yellow capsules (if you know what I mean?). It's really annoying and I feel that everytime I put moisturizer I make it worse. But I have never given it a real shot to be honest. So I will try to moisturize better in the future and hope for the best.

Do you think I have to clean my face with water everyday? I only try to splash water onto my face when I hit the shower (I shower 3-6 times a week) and then I get into this process with peeling off the flaky skin. I just don't want to cause irritation and make it worse.

Thank you for your kind answer. I appreciate you helping me!

I think moisturizer might be key with this kinda thing. Just be careful and I hope it all clears up.

 

Yeah. Hopefully I will sort it out soon. I had this for like almost a year now. I thought it would vanish just like the flaky skin I head on my scalp. It just disappeared from nowhere. I will try to moisturize more often!

Well that's probably why your skin is flaking even more. You should use a mild cleanser and wash your face at least every night. You probably need exfoliation just like they said before. Your dead skin cells will just pile up and eventually.. yep, flake off.

Well that's probably why your skin is flaking even more. You should use a mild cleanser and wash your face at least every night. You probably need exfoliation just like they said before. Your dead skin cells will just pile up and eventually.. yep, flake off.

 

Are you sure it won't make it worse? I just feel like I make the problem 10 times worse by adding a cleanser everyday. But I don't know |

Which products would you recommend? I live in Sweden but I'm curious if you got something good to come up with?

I really recommend you use a pure oil such as coconut oil instead of a moisturiser. Pretty much anything can irritate SD...with a moisturizer you're playing russian roulette, unless it's a very natural one with only a few ingredients. But when you use something with only one ingredient, i.e an oil, you will know straight away if that's irritating your skin, but with a moisturiser you have 20 different ingredients, how will you know which one your skin doesn't like?

For exfoliation I recommend you use a soft muslin cloth with some distilled warm water, and just gently massage your face. What is tap water like in your area? That might be making it worse, that's why I think distilling water before you put it on your face might help.

I would avoid any harsh cleansers or scrubbing.

I think you should look at the Wikipedia page on SD, it has a list of things you can try to ease the symptoms:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seborrhoeic_dermatitis

I know this page mentions B vitamins, before you take any supplements, etc. it is important to have bloodwork done to determine whether you are vitamin deficient...taking supplements when your body doesn't need them can do more harm than good.

Coconut oil can be quite comedogenic for some people. Grapeseed oil has worked for me because it is specifically meant for sensitive skin, but yes I agree pure oils are better for moisturizing.