How to(ACTUALLY)Cure Seborrheic Dermatitis

 Hello again everyone! It's been a while. I just got back on Tuesday night from my anniversary trip to Universal Studios Orlando. We had a wonderful time there at the resort and visiting both parks. I even got a little bit of a tan and the rides at the parks were amazing! Islands of Adventure was my favorite. But, on to the topic at hand!

 Seborrheic dermatitis is a condition more commonly known as dandruff. Most often it will effect the scalp and hairline but it can also occur anywhere that you have oil glands(face, chest, arms, etc). This is because the true culprit behind Seb. D. is a tiny fungus called malassezia globosa. Now don't freak out and try to scrub your scalp with dish soap. This fungus is present on all humans and is part of our natural flora. It only becomes a problem when there is an overabundance of it. It disrupts our cells normal renewal cycle and causes it to accelerate rapidly leading to little white flakes of dead skin appearing(aka dandruff). So how do we stop the fungus from growing?

 It's important to recognize that even this microscopic bad boy needs to eat. What does he eat? Oil. More particularly your oil. Our oil glands produce what is called sebum and is a normal part of our skins acid mantel which protects our skin from bacteria and other foreign substances. Sebum is Latin for 'fat' and is made up of wax, triglycerides, and fatty acids. This poses a problem. Because, the more oil our skin(scalp in this case)produces the more food the fungus has to eat and therefore the more it grows(disrupting the cell cycle and causing flaking/dandruff).

 The natural reaction to hearing this is to wash your hair every single day to rinse out the oils so the fungus can't feed and grow. And, this is what many shampoo companies will tell you. Unfortunately, if you do that you will never be rid of Seb. D. and you will be fighting it for the rest of your life. Here's why...

 By now you are at the end of your rope, am I right? You've tried Head & Shoulders, Selsun Blue, T-Gel, Denorex, and several others and nothing has worked permanently for you. I completely understand and believe me when I say that I have been there. A few months ago I had a really bad flare up that spread onto my forehead, around my eyes, and on my chin. It was redder than a fire truck and itched like crazy even forming rough little bumps and, of course, flaking profusely. There is a huge problem in each one of these shampoos mentioned. They all contain harsh chemicals similar to or the same as you would find in dish detergent. I know you have heard a million times in various magazines/online not to over-wash your oily skin or it will have the opposite effect and kick your oil glands into overdrive. This is because your skin is smart. It knows when it has been stripped clean of it's natural acid mantel and needs to produce more sebum to compensate. The only trouble with this is that when this happens your skin has a strong tendency to OVERcompensate. Thus feeding the ever present fungus.

 To get rid of Seb. D it is vital to note that your scalp is a part of your skin and needs to be treated with the same delicate care as your face. For example, after we cleanse our face we don't just leave it dry. We apply a moisturizer in place of our natural oils so that the skin can repair itself and be protected. Our scalp is the same way. It needs to maintain a certain balance of oil levels and have that constant fatty acid mantel to protect itself. If we strip all of that away frequently with harsh shampoos then our skin on our scalp is just going to react by over-producing sebum and feeding the fungus until again we have flakes forming and red, irritated skin. So, how can we avoid this then?

 Since the oil stripping chemicals are the main problem we need to avoid using any shampoo that contains them. These include but are not limited to: Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, Sodium Laureth Sulphate, Ammonia(Laureth)Sulfate, and Sodium Myreth Sulphate. The fungus is always going to be there in some amount because it is a natural part of human flora so our focus should not be killing the fungus but to treat what is feeding the fungus so that it's levels will naturally taper off on their own. Reducing the fungus population by normalizing oil levels and repairing the acid mantel will let your cell renewal cycle return to normal and stop the flaking.

 Another, thing you should avoid is using piping hot water. This can also strip oils from the hair. Try to use at most luke warm water but it's better to use cold. If you can't resist a hot shower try to avoid getting your head under the hot water. Point your shower head lower or get one of the ones that detach into a handheld sprayer.

 Try not to wash your hair as often since washing too often even with a sulfate free shampoo can disturb your scalps balance. At most wash it every other day. It should take 2 weeks to repair the irritation and restore balance to the skin. If you have any bad flare ups try using apple cider vinegar as a rinse in the shower. Allow it to sit for at least 5 minutes(the acid creates an inhospitable environment for the fungus >:-] )before rinsing. If this does not work try using a normal shampoo that contains selenium sulfide. It must be selenium sulfide since pyrithione zinc or coal tar will not kill the fungus. At first you will find that it will be a little worse. Your hair will be quite oily and flaky. But you have to give it time so that your skin can have time to see that it doesn't have to over-produce oil anymore.

 Back in the early to mid 1900s people only washed their hair every ten days and didn't put nearly the amount of products in it. This is because leaving the appropriate amount of natural sebum in your hair makes your locks shiny and healthy. It protects against an irritated scalp and prevents split ends by giving the oils your skin produces a chance to make it all the way there. Shampoos and frequent washing were only made popular in the 1970s by the propaganda and marketing of the companies who produced them. Nowadays about 2/3 of Earth's population suffer from Seb. D. because of this. So shampoo less often, with less chemicals, and cooler water. It's what your body expects and it will thank you for it.

 This same principle works for your skin anywhere else on your body. Try to avoid harsh cleansers and taking too hot of a shower if you have this condition elsewhere on your body. Also make sure to get your probiotics in, as these fight fungus. I like the Silk Dairy-free Soy Yogurts myself since I am lactose intolerant. And, if you will be adding in some probiotics make sure that you get plenty of fiber since that's what probiotics eat. Eating foods with fresh garlic and vinegar is also very good to fight fungus from the inside out. One last tip is that when you shampoo massage gently with your fingertips(no nails!)and leave the shampoo in for 5 minutes.

 I sincerely hope that this helps at least one person out there who is having to deal with this condition. I know from experience what a strong effect it can have on your self-esteem. Let me know if you would like a post with some product recommendations. I have a BB cream review coming up next so don't miss out! Subscribe by e-mail. It's free and you'll make my whole week = ). Have a great day everyone!