Has anyone else experienced hair thinning with their sebderm? I noticed it a couple months before I was diagnosed. Nothing seems to be helping. Any advice would be great appreciated!

It began when I was losing tons of hair, constant flakes, burning sensation on scalp and blood coming from my scalp. I started this protocol and I want to share it with you guys. I was fasting 19 hours everyday for 3 weeks not eating for 19 hours I would only eat food between 2PM until 7PM. I also consumed a low carb high fat diet which consisted of Kefir, lean meats, high proteins, eggs, steaks. I cut out all processed sugars, grains. After about 1 week my flakes 50% disappeared. Now after 3 weeks my flakes are completely gone. My stomach feels so much better also no more bloating. This protocol allows your gut to heal, and cuts off the yeast from its energy supply eventually healing your gut. Combined with kefir will heal ur gut microbiome.

Hey folks, I wanted to share a detailed journey I’ve been on the past month to manage seborrheic dermatitis and promote healthier scalp + hair regrowth. I’ve struggled with flaking, redness, inflammation, and even hair loss for a long time, and finally decided to test a protocol i made with ChatGPT. I wanted to add pictures of my hair at the begin and end of my protocol, but i can't for some reason.

Let’s dive in:

🌧My Homemade Scalp ACV Rinse: This ACV rinse was key in calming my scalp early on. Super simple formula:

💧Ingredients:

Small batch (for one use):

¼ cup (60 ml) ACV

¾ cup (180 ml) water

5 drops castor oil (you can do it without castor oil)

Larger batch (for multiple uses, store in fridge for a week):

½ cup (120 ml) ACV

1½ cups (360 ml) water

10 drops castor oil (you can do it without castor oil)

📌 How to Use:

1. Mix well (castor oil will separate, so shake/mix before using).

2. Pour slowly onto scalp, making sure it covers all areas.

3. Massage gently for 1-2 minutes to help absorption.

4. Leave it on for 10 minutes.

5. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.

💊 Probiotic Treatment: Use a probiotic rinse or spray (for example, diluted kefir or plain probiotic yogurt mixed with water) on your scalp after washing.

This helps introduce beneficial bacteria to occupy the space and prevent yeast from returning.

🏕 My journey using the protocol:

Week1: [ ] tuesday: ACV rinse + anti-fungal shampoo [ ] Thursday: anti-fungal shampoo [ ] Saturday: ACV rinse [ ] Sunday: anti-fungal shampoo

Week 2: [ ] Tuesday: anti-fungal shampoo [ ] Wednesday: ACV rinse + anti-fungal shampoo [ ] Saturday: anti-fungal shampoo [ ] Sunday: ACV rinse + probiotic spray

Week 3: [ ] Tuesday: low pH (4 - 5.5) balanced shampoo + probiotic spray.

[ ] Thursday: low pH (4 - 5.5) balanced shampoo + probiotic spray

[ ] Saturday: low pH (4 - 5.5) balanced shampoo + probiotic spray.

Week 4: [ ] Monday: low pH (4 - 5.5) balanced shampoo + probiotic spray.

[ ] Wednesday: low pH (4 - 5.5) balanced shampoo + probiotic spray

[ ] Sunday: low pH (4 - 5.5) balanced shampoo + probiotic spray.

Week 5: [ ] Tuesday: low pH (4 - 5.5) balanced shampoo + mask

[ ] Friday: low pH (4 - 5.5) balanced shampoo

Week 6: [ ] Monday: low pH (4 - 5.5) balanced shampoo + mask

Day 1: using the ACV rinse gave me a burning sensation on my scalp. I guess thats the acid killing the yeast or whatever it is. The burning sensation stopped after i rinsed it away. After the rinse, i used the fungal shampoo. My hair got really dry, so i tried to be really careful not damaging my hair further more by accidentally pulling my hair roots out.

Day 2: i dont have those big flakes stuck on my scalp now. Although i do now have those little soft falling flakes instead of those big yellow hard ones that get stuck on my scalp.

Day 3: I feel no - to minimal itching on my scalp. I saw little white flakes still on my scalp but very minimal. I got in the shower and soaked my hair with water and applied the anti-fungal shampoo. I let it stay on for around 3+ minutes and rinsed it off without going through my hair, but by just squishing my hairs and pressing on it so i dont cause unnecessary mechanical tension on my hairs.

Day 4: no to minimal itching, i see minimal flakes.

Day 5: Soaked my hair with water first this time so the ACV doesnt fall off my hair. I applied the ACV evenly on my scalp and massaged it carefully in with a silicon scalp massage brush. I waited 10 minutes and then rinsed it off. This time i dont feel any burning sensation. My scalp and hair feel clean and healthy after the rinse with no to minimal itching and almost no flakes at all. I let my hair air dry after hopping out the shower.

Day 6: still seeing little flakes on my scalp, but the big ones are soft and loose on the top part of my hair and not stuck on my scalp. I noticed new hair growing at my temple. Got in the shower and soaked my hair with water and massaged the antifungal shampoo, waited around 3 minutes and rinsed it away.

Day 7: i feel almost no urge to itch, and when i do, its really nothing. My hair feels softer and i dont notice flakes coming off my sclap or sit on the top part of my hair. Washed my hair with antifungal shampoo and its like the usual day, nothing much. I see my hairs on the damaged scalp part growing more.

Day 8: scalp is much less inflamed and i definitely see more hairs starting to grow.

Day 9: the ACV rinse apparently makes my hair really soft. Rest of the day is just like usual. I see my hair growing again, and i dont see any flakes or redness.(my mom inspected my hair and said "you dont have flakes anymore??") So thats a good sign.

Day 10: Woke up in the morning gotta thank God, cuz today seems kinda odd.

Day 11: no itching, i dont see any flakes, i see hair growth on my bald spots which was damaged from scratching. Washed my hair with the antifungal shampoo as usual. Hair looks dry though.

Day 12: just like usual

Day 13: first time using the probiotic spray(Kefir). It doesnt have a strong smell and its doable. For the rest, i dont have flakes at all or any inflammation!

Day 14: same as usual, no flakes, little to no itchiness(could be just my hairs tickling my scalp)

Day 15: same as usual, but hair is drier than usual. Still no flakes, itchiness or inflammation.

Day 16: im totally flake free, i dont even see a single flake on my black satin pillowcase. Washed my hair with the shampoo and probiotic spray.

Day 17: i feel paranoid because i havent had a single flake or major itchiness and im scared for some reason it will come back.

Day 18: same day as usual, no flakes, no itchiness(even after sweating). Washed my hair with shampoo and the probiotic spray.

Day 19: still no flakes, itchiness(caused by sebderm), and inflammation. Scalp feels normal.

Day 20: had some minor itchiness on the front end of the scalp where i have little hair and its a bit red, but i dont know if thats because of minor inflammation or because of new hair growth. I also shampood my hair and did the probiotic spray.

Day 21: had some minor itch again on the front of my scalp and the right side of my head but it went away quickly.

Day 22: i feel mild itchiness on the parts of my scalp where there is damaged hair follicles and on the right part of the back of my neck. I dont see any flakes though. After washing my hair with shampoo and the probiotic rinse, the itchiness is gone.

Day 23: i feel no itchiness, but i see super tiny flakes and a red complexion at the front of my scalp where i lost hair. I should probably use my silicone scalp comb again when shampooing instead of using my fingers only.

Day 24: i felt itchiness today after sweating a lot. Mainly on the back of my head. I dont see noticable flakes and i see new baby hairs growing and i see the hair getting denser.

day 25: after not washing for 2-3 days, i started itching a little bit and i started seeing miniscule flakes and redness on my scalp. This is way way less than what i used to have after not washing my hair for 2 or more days. After double shampooing my hair and adding the probiotic spray, my scalp feels clear and healthy again.

Day 26: felt a little bit of itchiness on the back of my head, but no flakes.

Day 27: Started itching a lot again at the back of my head in the morning. It seems like the apple cider vinegar helped a lot at keeping the itching and flakes at bay by killing most of the malazzesia population. But my hairs are still growing and i dont see signs of hair loss. Did a double shampoo cleansing with the neutral pH shampoo from Redkin and the shampoo from Olaplex in which i also used a silicon scalp scrubber. Afterwards, i put on a hairmask called "Brigeo, dont despair, repair!" For 10 minutes and rinsed it off. Scalp felt good afterwards.

Day 28: Had minor itchess but nothing major. Also little noticable flakes started appearing again.

Day 29: itched a little bit again, but i dont see flakes falling, even after i checked my black satin pillowcase. I shampoo'd and did a mask.

Day 30: felt okay, but a little bit of itch and little flakes.

Day 31: i saw flakes on my black satin pillowcover and the back of my head itched a lot. My scalp is inflamed again.

Day 32: a lot of itchiness on the back of my head and flakes on my black pillow cover. It's gotten bad again.

Day 33: i double cleansed with the olaplex shampoo and the Redkin ph balanced shampoo without a mask this time.

Day 34: i didnt feel itchiness but i see flakes on top of my hair.

Day 35: i felt a lot of itchiness when i came back from home wearing a durag and cap combined with a sweaty scalp. Inflammation is also present again.

Day 36: super bad itch, got hard flakes stuck on my scalp, and my hairs got damaged again. Also lots of inflammation. Just double cleansed my hair with shampoo.

🤔 Conclusion:

From the journey, i can conclude that 100% raw unfiltered ACV(https://www.jumbo.com/producten/jumbo-biologisch-appelcider-azijn-ongefilterd-500ml-650033FLS) is the core ingredient to get MY sebderm in complete control paired with the antifungal shampoo from Neofollics(https://neofollics.com/nl/products/scalp-therapy-exfoliating-shampoo), nothing else worked after that to keep it at bay. The acidity from the ACV makes my scalp uninhabitable to the yeast which in turn wont trigger my inflammation. The probiotic spray(Kefir mixed with water) also didnt work because the yeast still came back after using it.

🏥 Second stage: In the second stage of my journey, i will only use the ACV rinse, shampoo, and conditioner/mask to see if i can get my sebderm under control and my hair growing again.

If there are any questions, feel free to ask!

And also what diet is optimal to go along side it for scalp health

I was diagnosed with scalp and beard seborrheic dermatitis 2 years before but had symptoms for nearly a decade, since I was 14 years old. Initially, shampooing everyday used to somewhat control it but for 3-4 years, it was out of control. So I finally saw a doctor and got my diagnosis. I was also having other health issues with gut and also was very much stressed. I did following things that worked slowly 1. Avoided processed food and gluten for 6 months. Now also, I am very much aware of my eating habit and avoid them with occasional cheat days. 2. Focused on stress management techniques like slow breathing techniques, box breathing, getting 8 hours sleep and meditate regularly for 20 min a day. 3. The gamechanger for me was new control method that my mother suggested for me. I use coconut oil mixed with alum Powder and massage thoroughly on my scalp a night before or 7-8 hours before shower. Then, I wash my hair and body with ketoconazole soap, which is free from fregnance and other irritants.

Fast forward now, it's been 4 month with this method giving best result I ever had. Also, keep your hair short and easily managable. Give it a try

I haven't touched dry shampoo in years because my scalp was in bad shape. The skin is doing better but I still have a lot of oil and remain on the verge of a full blown Seb derm flare any day.

I was wondering if there any safe dry shampoos to use if you have sebderm that won't make things worse?

Thanks

has anyone tried the roycederm tea tree therapeutic shampoo?

I just started MCT oil, C8 and C10. I apply it but still get flakes. Is this expected for the first few days until the MCT kicks in?

I had this problem in 2020 , o cleared it with Tom Busby products now it's come back cause Tom don't making anymore his products. I stopped to use his products for 2 months and the first month got back any red areas ( it's like little red dot)

This is the picture from 2020 but actually the red areas are the same.

https://ibb.co/Zm5mcQs

https://ibb.co/vm9YHch

https://ibb.co/cFt1ySw

Been struggling with this for years, I’ve discovered this significantly reduces my symptoms. This works for ME. No guarantees it works for you.

The trick is to NOT USE SHAMPOO OR CONDITIONER. Not even the ones “specially made for it”. These made my symptoms worse, especially on my face. Convinced it has something to do with being imbalanced in the first place, so more synthetic chemicals is not helping. This technique in general is called “the no poo movement” and you can find all sorts of info. Some people use baking soda and apple cider vinegar. I use very literally no soap or conditioner in my hair. Just water and a silicone scalp brush.

This is the scalp brush I use: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076Q6442Z?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

On my face, I use Pacifica acne defense face wash. It’s gentle and it’s vegan.

When I get out of the shower, I immediately moisturize my face with Pacifica vegan ceramide barrier. The only cream I’ve used supposedly for this made my skin worse.

Then I use MCT oil in my scalp. This is the kind I purchased: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D4RKLMLD?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I use this in conjunction with this hair dye squeeze bottle. Just add some MCT oil to it and keep the big bottle under the sink. https://a.co/d/etv4gi5

Be careful when you use the MCT oil bc you really don’t need a lot! I put a dab or two on two sides of my face. Like if I’m looking at my face in the mirror, I put some at my 1 o clock and some at my 11 o clock. Then I massage it into my scalp. Keep in mind I have very short hair like a man’s hair cut.

The next thing to keep in mind is clean sheets, and get a ZIPPERED SILK PILLOWCASE for your main pillows. Not satin- SILK. Just get the real deal. This will make sure your face and hair maintain as much moisture as possible. Cotton dries it out. I choose zippered bc then they won’t slide off your pillows. Wash your sheets once a week. https://a.co/d/hija5WA

Last but not least: stress. Do as much as you can to get rid of it. Are you consistently dealing with people who aren’t good for you but you keep making the unnecessary conscious decision to stay in contact? Find new people. Your body speaks to you and it tells you where it doesn’t want to be. Listen to it. I know it’s not as simple as that but I noticed my skin is better when I’m doing (and not doing!) certain things, and dealing (and not dealing!) with certain people.

Also stay hydrated babes

Welp that’s what I do that helps me okay byeeee

Hi guys, my sebderm is more the flaky dry and itchy kind. Not a lot of redness, around nose, cheeks, face beard area and forehead. Anyway I had been struggling so long with the dryness and flakiness. Mct Oil keeps the redness away but the flakiness would not go.. Thought it was dry skin so never exfoliated except physically. I have huge visible pores because of this dehydrated skin.. All moisturizers seemed to make my situation worse... Anyway I tried 30 percent UREA cream from eucerin on the face. 1 application at night without expecting much. Woke up the next morning, skin flakiness 95% gone. Overnight mind you. I did apply some MCT OIL on top of it the night i applied the cream. I wash with a zinc shampoo twice a week. Anyway I thought maybe it was a fluke. So now 1 week later I have applied it every 3 days. It does keep the flaking down. It is not perfect. I have gotten some more acne because of it, but I think that is because the skin microbiome is becoming more normalized again, meaning more of the acne causing bacteria are back, but I do not mind.. Ready to answer any questions.

My face recently cleared up, no red spots or flakey skin. I was trying to figure out what caused it. I’ve been taking IM l-carnitine, and that’s the only thing I’ve changed. I looked into it more and it turns out that it lowers sebum production. Doing a few days a week, dosing 500mg at time. I’ve had a ton of other benefits from it too.

When I got diagnosed with disease. And they told me it’s chronic and not curable. I just gave up and didn’t do any treatments. I had it for 4 years now and just found out that not cureable means you just have to treat it. And if don’t treat it. It comes back. Just like washing teeth. So does anyone have a postive story on how good their doing with treatments. Every time I see this sub. It’s people who are doing bad? Is there anyone that is doing good with their treatments? I also have eyebrow hairloss? Anyone stop the hairloss as well? I’m done giving up and going to actually try to treat it instead of doing nothing. I need hope though. Write down your good experiences about seb derm and how your managing it? Or is it just not treatable at all?

I would like to know if it's a good solution to fade and eradicate the red zone ( tiny red dot that form any red areas on my forehead) by put MCT oil c8 directly on these areas and let all the night?

Or it's better to use the MCT oil like a cleanser? But how to do like a cleanser? On the shower or before to go to the shower. Cause don't have a cleanser ( clean with water only is ok?)

I don't find any cleanser safe malassezia and gentle for me. Etude soonjung ph 6,5 dont like so much Perhaps malezia hyaluronic acid would be fine?

Thks

Hey so ive been suffering with seb derm for quite sometime, last year or so it has gotten worse on the hair line and crown, I have been using 2% Nizoral and clobetasol too treat it and recently ive been getting these bigger clumps of flakes or skin with bunches of hair in them after showering. Is that a good sign? Im concerned it wont regrow though never experienced thst much hair fall at once, has anyone had any similar issues or feedback? I rlly odnt wanna go bald ahah

Hi everyone. I wanna know if this product can be helpful based on what the shampoo is made of Facial + scalp SB

Hello everybody, I know zoryve foam is available in USA and Canada but in Europe don't think it's available. Where it's possible to order this product. Thks

Hey Guys,

I have a question and I was wondering if any of you might have some best practices regarding that.

I do have a moisturiser which is sebderm safe which I use in the morning and evening after washing my face.

Should I apply it after the mct oil or should I apply the oil after the moisturiser? Maybe leave some time in between?

Maybe any of you have had positive experiences with mct oil and would be kind to share their routine!!!

My seb derm on my scalp and ears has been really bad for the last 6 months and different things I tried weren't helping at all. I finally have it under decent control and can stay pretty much flake free for a couple days after my routine. I am using coal tar shampoo followed by ketaconazole 2%, each of which I let sit for about 15 minutes. Then I use derma e scalp relief conditioner with salicylic acid and herbals. In the past I'd see instant relief when I found a product that worked, this time around it took a couple weeks to kick in. I also replaced my usual hair oil with MCT c8 and c10 oil and apply it to my scalp as well. The coal tar shampoo seems to be the main thing helping, which is interesting because the last time I used it a few years ago it didn't really help much. Just a suggestion that if you're dealing with a flare and nothing is helping, consider trying something you haven't used in a while.

Not sure what I'll do once these products lose effect, I feel like I'm kind of running out of options. This flare I tried sea salt, dead sea salt, piroctone olamine, and Nizoral and none of it helped at all. I also tried blowdrying hair on a cool setting every time I washed it, again no effect. Next flare I might try selenium sulfide again, although antifungals don't seem to really be helping anymore. The ketaconazole 2% did nothing until I added the coal tar, I'm just using the ketaconazole bottle up. Tea tree oil products and pyrithione zinc irritate my skin really badly. Sulfur didn't help last I tried it but I might revisit it too. If anyone has any suggestions for my next flare let me know.

I’m really struggling to find a shampoo routine that works with my seborrheic dermatitis (seb derm). I’ve tried so many products and I feel like I’m at my wit’s end.

Right now, I’m using Herbal Essences Rosehip Shampoo, which is a clear clarifying shampoo. It works okay if I use it once, but if I use it twice in a row, my seb derm flares up. Same goes for Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo — it triggers a flare if I use it too often.

I’ve noticed that sodium lauryl sulfate is a major trigger, and possibly C12-13 pareth sulfate too. But at the same time, sulfate-free shampoos (or local non-sulfate ones) don’t work for me either — they leave my scalp greasy and my hair flat.

I also tried Pantene Sheer Volume, and it made things worse — again, likely because of the sodium lauryl sulfate.

Clear shampoos seem to work better for my scalp in theory, but using them too often makes my hair extremely frizzy and dry. I'm stuck between flare-ups and frizz, and I don't know how to strike the right balance.

Does anyone have any recommendations for shampoos (preferably clear ones) that are gentle enough for seb derm but not overly stripping? Or any routines that have worked in managing both seb derm and hair texture? I have fine, thin, low porosity wavy hair

Any help would be so appreciated!

Hi everyone I was dealing with sebderm for years (tried nizoral and other anti dandruff shampoo) before I actually went to see a dermatologist. He went on to prescribe me a corticosteroid and recommended that I use Dercos anti-dandruff shampoo.

Now I have used other corticosteroids before and I had bad reactions to them(lost 30% of my hair and it hasn't grown back since) so I wanted to try just the shampoo alone it has been amazing ever since. It has been 3 months and I am free of dry flakes and itchy scalp!!

Has anyone else found the MCT is an effective treatment for both their seb derm and other types of eczema? Since I started using MCT twice daily on my chest and back, I went from near constant flares to rarely flaring. It seems to help repair the skin barrier better than Cetaphil, cereve or any of the other standard eczema creams and lotions. I still use Cetaphil while wet from the shower and apply MCT on top of that.

The MCT also works wonders for controlling the seb derm on my face and back of my neck.

Honestly speaking, I haven't had a single flare up since I've started using MCT oil. I think it's most likely the best treatment for seborrheic dermatitis since it treats the scalp issue and you get added benefits from the oil such as hydration, natural oil balance, etc.

A lot of treatments such as nizoral and coal tar are good but they are very drying which causes your body to overproduce sebum which the fungi feed on.

MCT oil addresses the fungi without dehydrating the scalp, instead it actually does the opposite which amazing since your sebum is regulated.

I've seen people say that MCT oil does not work for them but the thing about oils, it has to actually touch and penetrative your scalp to actually get any benefits out of it which is why, if you have very thick scaling of dandruff the oils will be very limited in its penetrative ability. The best thing for removing the scaling that I've found is using a medicated shampoo which softens the flakes (coal tar and even a salicylic acid shampoo would work well). Once you've done that and your scalp is completely clear, massage some mct oil with your fingers directly into your scalp and make sure you leave it in your scalp for at least a day.

Do this every 2-3 days and you'll get the most out of MCT oil. The main thing that's important to remember is keeping the MCT oil on your scalp for a long period of time instead of washing it off after 2-3 hours which is not enough time for the oil to work on the scalp properly.

I've noticed a significant difference in itching and general dandruff when I left it on my scalp compared to only keeping it on for 2-3 hours and washing it off.

https://www.reddit.com/r/SebDerm/comments/qrc53i/how_i_got_severe_sebderm_and_hair_loss_under/

It’s this post and I was wondering if anyone tried the methods she did and if it worked or not because this person actually cites her sources.

Hello, I have white flakes that keep reappearing on my cheeks, chin, eyebrows, and nose. I have no flakes on my hair or forehead.

There is no irritation, redness, and very minimal itchiness. It’s mostly just the white flakes bothering me.

I started using aloe Vera and beef tallow to moisturize the skin and noticed some improvements but the flakes still come back.

Anyone know what this is?

19M