Seborrheic Dermatitis/ Regimens

[daviine]

I am hoping to get you ladies who have seborrheic dermatitis to post your regimens here. I'm hoping this can be a one-stop place for us to compare treatments and overall hair regimens. I have spent a lot of time trying to search who has seborrheic dermatitis and what they are doing to control their seborrheic dermatitis.

I would love for us to come together and support each other (in one thread). Please share your regimens, successes, struggles, frustrations, feelings, and anything else you feel would benefit those of us who have SD.

 

[daviine]

I've had seborrheic dermatitis for years but never knew that it could cause hair loss. My hair is currently thinning (or has thinned) at the crown and I'm not sure where else. I don't know how long it has been going on because I only found out when I tried to take a picture of my new growth a few months ago.

I don't really have a regimen because I'm struggling with transitioning and SD but I'll share what products I use.

Shampoo: Head & Shoulders Intensive Treatment-- I'd like to try Theraneem.
Sometimes I use Shea Moisture Purification Masque instead of my weekly shampoo.
I'd like to incorporate ACV rinses to make sure my scalp/folllicles are clean so I can grow my hair back.
I was cowashing but someone brought up the point that perhaps all the conditioner on my scalp is causing me to itch. I haven't decided if I will give up cowashing or modify it somehow.

This is really all I have as far as products go. I've been taking biotin and will start retaking my B-Complex soon. I am hoping to get some self-control and watch my diet since I read that SD is caused by a yeast/fungus.

I was prescribed Taclonex Scalp, which my insurance wouldn't cover and costs $650, so I'm looking to find alternatives to controlling this.

I'm hoping I won't be alone in this thread....

 

[ronnie78]

I was diagnosed with Seborrheic Dermatitis about twelve years, and I've learned the simplier the regimen the better.

I wash my hair 1-2x a week with Keracare Hydrating Detangling Shampoo.I usually lather up my scalp twice, and I let the shampoo sit on my scalp for about 5-10 minutes. I stopped using medicated shampoos because most of them contains sulphates, which imo actually make your scalp problems worst in the long run. The only time I use medicated shampoo(nizoral) is if I'm having a really bad flare up, which I haven't had in about two years.

After shampooing I deep condition my hair with Silk Dreams Vanilla Silk for a half an hour. When I'm done conditioning my hair I apply grapeseed oil, which is actually good for Seborrheic Dermatitis and lightly blowdry. From there I either do a twist/braid out with flaxseed gel, or flatiron.

For me sulphate free shampoo, grapeseed oil, and not using a lot of products has made a tremendous difference. I also take Hairfinity vitamins, drink alot of water, and exercise regularly to manage my stress which is a known SD trigger. HTH

 

[Marino]

Herbal Henna cured mine

 

[Anne26]

I wash my hair more often than most and use olive oil with rosemary oil once or twice a week. I only have symptoms if I stop doing this. I condition every wash and use a protein leave-in conditioner, seal with that same oil, bun.

 

[HanaKuroi]

Herbal Henna cured mine

I also read that henna cure SD.

 

[MrsJaiDiva]

Neem Oil cured mine! I also added tea tree oil, and it's been great. Ever since I started using neem, my scalp has cleared up tremendously, and I no longer have scalp itchies all the time. And no gunk under my fingernails.

I co-cleanse 2x's a week...3x's in the summer. I add tea tree oil & rosemary oil to my cleansers. I then oil rinse, taking care to get no oil on my scalp, and condition with Tresseme Naturals. I leave my conditioner in.

My spray bottle has rosemary EO in as well.

I DC weekly with Mega Tek, and I've put 2tbsp of Neem oil in. Stinks like the devil, but works Amazingly. I cut the smell with perfume oil, and tea tree oil.

 

[TopShelf]

Final rinse with acv and tea tree oil. Castor oil and apricot oil on the scalp.

 

[loveafterwar]

This thread is right on time considering that mines has just recently moved from affecting just my face to a small part of my scalp as well. I'll be trying some of these suggestions.

 

[demlew]

daviine - I was diagnosed a few years ago and was initially prescribed various shampoos, oils, and foams that didn't work. I eventually switched to a different doctor who gave me an arm injection of triamcinolone (a long-acting synthetic steroid) and an ointment of the same to use on my scalp/face. I had no side effects and noticed results within 2-3 weeks. Since then, I've only gone back once in 2010 and 2011.

I realize some may object to using a steroid, but it worked for me! My scalp used to be so inflammed and I suffered hair loss. Strands of hair would be in the scales that fell (I know, yuck). Now I can say I no longer have to use prescribed hair products and my hair is the healthiest it's ever been.

GL and HHG!

 

[daviine]

I was diagnosed with Seborrheic Dermatitis about twelve years, and I've learned the simplier the regimen the better.

I wash my hair 1-2x a week with Keracare Hydrating Detangling Shampoo.I usually lather up my scalp twice, and I let the shampoo sit on my scalp for about 5-10 minutes. I stopped using medicated shampoos because most of them contains sulphates, which imo actually make your scalp problems worst in the long run. The only time I use medicated shampoo(nizoral) is if I'm having a really bad flare up, which I haven't had in about two years.

After shampooing I deep condition my hair with Silk Dreams Vanilla Silk for a half an hour. When I'm done conditioning my hair I apply grapeseed oil, which is actually good for Seborrheic Dermatitis and lightly blowdry. From there I either do a twist/braid out with flaxseed gel, or flatiron.

For me sulphate free shampoo, grapeseed oil, and not using a lot of products has made a tremendous difference. I also take Hairfinity vitamins, drink alot of water, and exercise regularly to manage my stress which is a known SD trigger. HTH

ronnie78
I have Keracare Hydrating Detangling Shampoo. I used to use it after the medicated shampoo to bring back the moisture. I stopped doing that when I started transitioning because I was trying to cut back on the manipulation. I would have never thought to let the Keracare shampoo sit on my scalp because of all the "conditioning" ingredients in it. I've let medicated shampoos (diluted) sit on my scalp. I will try this and see if it doesn't irritate my scalp. I used to use Nizoral but I'm not sure why I stopped.

Thanks for sharing.

Herbal Henna cured mine

Marino Is this a brand or is that just henna?

I wash my hair more often than most and use olive oil with rosemary oil once or twice a week. I only have symptoms if I stop doing this. I condition every wash and use a protein leave-in conditioner, seal with that same oil, bun.

Anne26
How often do you wash your hair and with what? I find it interesting that you use olive oil because earlier this week, I read that the yeast from SD thrive in oilive oil. I tried looking for the site I read that on but was unable to find it. I found these two pages though:

"For Malassezia yeasts to grow, olive oil must be added to the culture media. This is not a routine study for the mycology laboratory." Source

"-Cradle cap in infants is a form of seborrhoeic dermatitis. Treatment is often unnecessary but suggested management options include the use of baby oil, baby shampoo, or vegetable oils, such as olive oil.
-The cause of seborrhoeic dermatitis is unknown but Malassezia yeasts, in particular Malassezia furfur have been implicated.
-Malassezia yeasts thrive in oily environments, especially vegetable oils. It has been suggested that olive oil can encourage the proliferation of Malassezia furfur and worsen the condition.
-No evidence has been found that the use of olive oil for cradle cap leads to a worsening of the condition in clinical practice, and there seems no reason to change current recommendations. If the condition is not improving however, it may be preferable to use an alternative baby oil based on mineral oils."
Source

I guess scientists and doctors still haven't figured it out completely. I'm guessing that's why my derm told me to stop using oils on my hair but she didn't really explain that to me. I've just been seeing info like this online and assuming that was her reasoning. Glad to see you have it under control.

Neem Oil cured mine! I also added tea tree oil, and it's been great. Ever since I started using neem, my scalp has cleared up tremendously, and I no longer have scalp itchies all the time. And no gunk under my fingernails.

I co-cleanse 2x's a week...3x's in the summer. I add tea tree oil & rosemary oil to my cleansers. I then oil rinse, taking care to get no oil on my scalp, and condition with Tresseme Naturals. I leave my conditioner in.

My spray bottle has rosemary EO in as well.

I DC weekly with Mega Tek, and I've put 2tbsp of Neem oil in. Stinks like the devil, but works Amazingly. I cut the smell with perfume oil, and tea tree oil.

MrsJaiDiva
I've heard great things about neem oil and was hoping you would post here. Have you ever tried using neem powder? If so, how does it compare to neem oil?

I don't know what "flare ups" are. My scalp itches often but I don't see any flakes or anything. However, when I wash my hair I check to see if my SD is active my scraping my scalp and checking for the gunk.

Final rinse with acv and tea tree oil. Castor oil and apricot oil on the scalp.

TopShelf What are your ratios for your final rinse?

This thread is right on time considering that mines has just recently moved from affecting just my face to a small part of my scalp as well. I'll be trying some of these suggestions.

loveafterwar I hope you find something that works for you. Keep us updated!

 

[Marino]

@Marino Is this a brand or is that just henna?


I use Herbal Henna wich is henna mixed with other plants like amla... You'll find it in indian groceries

 

[MrsJaiDiva]

daviine I've tried both neem oil, and the powder. They both work well, but the oil is just easier for me to use. Whenever I do an Ayurvedic hair mask, neem is always one of the powders I use....and it also doesn't smell, which is a huge bonus over the oil. The oil, however, is easier to use. In the begining, I put neem oil in my clarifying shampoo to give it an extra boost. You can't smell the neem after you rinse out your conditioner. Now I use it in my MT Mix, which I use as an overnight weekly DC. Tea Tree oil is an amazing parter to neem...it cuts the smell way down, and also does an amazing job at keeping my scalp healthy.

My SD is Bad...like hair loss causing. By flare ups, I mean I get bad scalp acne. The bumps are painful, and when they go down I end up losing hair in that area. I tried Denorex, and a topical from my Derm...nothing stopped it. Except for neem! My face is the same way...I can't use bar soap, or any moisturizer with oil, or just plain water...it has to be a mild cleanser, and I have to exfoliate often. I also don't put oil on my scalp at all...that's asking for trouble.

 

[ronnie78]

@daviine, Keracare Detangling Hydrating Shampoo seems to keep my scalp "calm" if that makes sense . Also I wish I had added in my original post that I occasionally use Keracare Natural Textures Cleansing Cream. The cleansing cream is sulphate free, and it contains neem leaf extract that helps eliminate scalp bacteria. Whenever my scalp seems too oily or slightly irritated I use the cleansing cream.

 

[daviine]

daviine I've tried both neem oil, and the powder. They both work well, but the oil is just easier for me to use. Whenever I do an Ayurvedic hair mask, neem is always one of the powders I use....and it also doesn't smell, which is a huge bonus over the oil. The oil, however, is easier to use. In the begining, I put neem oil in my clarifying shampoo to give it an extra boost. You can't smell the neem after you rinse out your conditioner. Now I use it in my MT Mix, which I use as an overnight weekly DC. Tea Tree oil is an amazing parter to neem...it cuts the smell way down, and also does an amazing job at keeping my scalp healthy.

My SD is Bad...like hair loss causing. By flare ups, I mean I get bad scalp acne. The bumps are painful, and when they go down I end up losing hair in that area. I tried Denorex, and a topical from my Derm...nothing stopped it. Except for neem! My face is the same way...I can't use bar soap, or any moisturizer with oil, or just plain water...it has to be a mild cleanser, and I have to exfoliate often. I also don't put oil on my scalp at all...that's asking for trouble.

MrsJaiDiva
Thanks so much for the clarification. That really helped. Where do you get your neem oil from and how much do you pay? I think I saw some at The Vitamin Shoppe. Is it okay to purchase from there?

I'm trying to imagine what that neem oil smells like if tea tree oil cuts the smell down. I think tea tree smells so strong and not so pleasant.

Your SD sounds more severe than mine but it seems like you know your triggers and have it under control. Thanks for sharing.

I'll hit you up in a few months for information on how to do Ayurvedic masks.

@daviine, Keracare Detangling Hydrating Shampoo seems to keep my scalp "calm" if that makes sense . Also I wish I had added in my original post that I occasionally use Keracare Natural Textures Cleansing Cream. The cleansing cream is sulphate free, and it contains neem leak extract that helps eliminate scalp bacteria. Whenever my scalp seems too oily or slightly irritated I use the cleansing cream.

ronnie78 I'm actually excited about your post. I've been wanting to look into cleansing creams/cleansing conditioners so this post is helpful. Do you feel that the cleansing cream does a good job of cleaning your hair? I'm going to put this on my list of things to try after I finish the shampoo, or if they have it in Ulta on my next trip.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[MrsJaiDiva]

daviine This is the neem I purchased, and use. It's pure, and organic...just marketed for outdoor use.

http://www.amazon.com/Dyna-Gro-Neem...?ie=UTF8&qid=1349283814&sr=8-15&keywords=Neem

 

[daviine]

daviine This is the neem I purchased, and use. It's pure, and organic...just marketed for outdoor use.

http://www.amazon.com/Dyna-Gro-Neem...?ie=UTF8&qid=1349283814&sr=8-15&keywords=Neem

Thanks...you're serious about your neem oil.

 

[Mleah]

I'm wondering if there is more truth than we realize about vegetable oils aggravating the SD. I always felt that shea and other plant based oils were causing scalp distress. I can, when the SD gets bad, PEEL off large flakes of scalp!
I got my doctor to give me a topical steroid and the pharmacy said to be cautious using it for more than a few weeks. I discontinued that out of fear. I use Nizoral 2 % with some relief and coal tar shampoo with minimal relief (that scares me too). I shampoo every third day.
I am now trying tea tree oil ( for about 1 week) and have noticed a lessening of flaking and itching. I think I'll put the neem oil on the regimen list. I hope it works.

 

[silenttullip]

I've had it about 12 years. Ketaconozole and selsun blue gave me bad thinning and made things worse. This condition is what caused me to go natural in 2004

here's what helped
prepoo with coconut oil
giovanni tea tree shampoo and conditioner (SULFATE AND CONE FREE) every 4-7 days
taking msm

what's helping now
coconut oil
blue bottles keracare dry & itchy scalp shampoo (applicator bottle) and matching conditioner (NOT SULFATE or CONE FREE)
Not eating lactose or dairy
not being stressed
not using butters, gels, or creams containing thick or sticky ingredients like shea butter
drinking water

 

[TopShelf]

daviine 2-3 tbs of acv and 2tsp of teatree oil. I use a half gallon of distilled water

 

[glamazon386]

Derm just told me I have this. Bumping because I want to know too.

He recommended Head and Shoulders but when I read the ingredients it contains sulfates which I can't use. Anybody come across any natural remedies?

 

[Charla]

Evco cured mine on the scalp after YEARS of prescribed medications failed. I'd apply in 1x weekly as part of my prepoo, and before I knew it, it was GONE and never returned. I still apply evco regularly there. Sulfur helps as well.

Now if I can only get the same success on my face. I'm in an awful flare right now. Evco is waaaay too strong for my face. It exacerbates it and makes it feel like it's on fire. Maybe that was the evco initially healing it, but idk. I tried it several times and just couldn't bear it.

My face, though, had been really beautiful for several months now-no flare ups, not even acne....then I decide to change my facial soap from Wal-Mart brand Cetaphil to something more "natural", Neutrogina Naturals. That's when all hell broke lose in my face and I've been suffering for 2 weeks now. I just realized the connection yesterday.

So today I'm returning to my SD-and-acne clear-face reggie with Wal-Mart brand Cetaphil, consumable aloe vera gel left to dry, then moisturize with organic jojoba oil.

Note, Wal-Mart brand Cetaphil is marketed as generic Cetaphil, but the ingredients are not the same.

 

[glamazon386]

Evco cured mine on the scalp after YEARS of prescribed medications failed. I'd apply in 1x weekly as part of my prepoo, and before I knew it, it was GONE and never returned. I still apply evco regularly there. Sulfur helps as well.

Now if I can only get the same success on my face. I'm in an awful flare right now. Evco is waaaay too strong for my face. It exacerbates it and makes it feel like it's on fire. Maybe that was the evco initially healing it, but idk. I tried it several times and just couldn't bear it.

My face, though, had been really beautiful for several months now-no flare ups, not even acne....then I decide to change my facial soap from Wal-Mart brand Cetaphil to something more "natural", Neutrogina Naturals. That's when all hell broke lose in my face and I've been suffering for 2 weeks now. I just realized the connection yesterday.

So today I'm returning to my SD-and-acne clear-face reggie with Wal-Mart brand Cetaphil, consumable aloe vera gel left to dry, then moisturize with organic jojoba oil.

Note, Wal-Mart brand Cetaphil is marketed as generic Cetaphil, but the ingredients are not the same.

I'm allergic to sulphur. I have some EVCO though. Going to try it tonight.

 

[Charla]

I'm allergic to sulphur. I have some EVCO though. Going to try it tonight.

glamazon386 I notice upthread you said you can't use sulphate. Sulfur (MSM, which is consumable AND flowers of sulfur, which is the NJoy growth kind and not to be ingested) and sulfates are 2 different things. The sulfur I'm referring to is the same one use for hair growth like the NJoy concoction.

Do you mean you're allergic to sulfa?

A few links with details.
http://www.ehow.com/facts_5611991_sulfate-allergy-vs_-sulfa-allergy.html

http://tianlong-acupuncture.com/Differentiating Sulfur Compounds-Allergies.htm

 

[HanaKuroi]

Granpa's pine tar shampoo.

 

[felic1]

I used Oilatum or purpose soap for my face.

 

[nicki6]

ladies, please try taking a tbsp of flaxseed oil daily. I've been told my the derm that this is incurable and I've only liked the Luxiq foam which is no longer available.

I read about the flaxseed oil somewhere online and within a week my scalp and face (I present around my nose) were clear.

I don't take it daily but whenever I have a flare and go back to my flaxseed oil, it only takes a day or two for it to subside.

A $13 bottle lasts me 2-3 months and it much more economical than those ointments and steroids:wink2:

ETA: Only the oil gave me the quick results. The pills were not effective for me. Be sure to get the kind with lignans.

 

[LilMissRed]

diagnosed about 5 4 yrs ago... tea tree oil, bonner castile soap and co washes have worked wonders for my scalp. ANYTHING that has tea tree oil.. I'm down for BUT I tend to keep things pretty simple with my hair/scalp... I add tea tree oil to all of my home made concoctions

 

[glamazon386]

glamazon386 I notice upthread you said you can't use sulphate. Sulfur (MSM, which is consumable AND flowers of sulfur, which is the NJoy growth kind and not to be ingested) and sulfates are 2 different things. The sulfur I'm referring to is the same one use for hair growth like the NJoy concoction.

Do you mean you're allergic to sulfa?

A few links with details.
http://www.ehow.com/facts_5611991_sulfate-allergy-vs_-sulfa-allergy.html

http://tianlong-acupuncture.com/Differentiating%20Sulfur%20Compounds-Allergies.htm

Yes all sulfa products. Had a bad reaction to an antibiotic once and thats how I found out. My mom is also allergic.

 

[glamazon386]

Yes all sulfa products. Had a bad reaction to an antibiotic once and thats how I found out. My mom is also allergic.

I'm also allergic to sulphur and sulphates. I tried Glovers Mane back when it was all the rage here on the board. Broke me out in hives. Had a stylist use doogro on my hair once when I was relaxed. Also broke out in hives. Sulphates make my skin itch. I can't use shampoos or body washes that contain them.