Seborrheic Dermatitis: An Over-the-Counter Remedy
Don't you just hate depending on prescription medicine to control your Seborrheic Dermatitis?
I did! When I was first diagnosed with Seborrheic Dermatitis five years ago I was relieved to finally find out what I had.
Then the doctor prescribed me with a cream that I needed to use to control it. I found out the size of the tube the cream came in and how much it cost.
Needless to say, I was no longer relieved.
I could handle treating this condition on a recurring basis. But relying on a doctor's prescription was something else altogether.
If I was going to have the condition, I wanted as much freedom that I could get with it.
After concluding how I felt about it I decided to research the subject a little further to find out what Seborrheic Dermatitis was. And to see if there was a way to live with the condition using over-the-counter medicine.
My first question was...
What is Seborrheic Dermatitis exactly?
And this is what I found out:
Seborrheic Dermatitis, also known as "facial dandruff", is said to be a common inherited skin disorder. Found more often in men than in women. It is a chronic occurrence of inflamed skin believed to be caused by the build-up of a yeast-like organism in the sebaceous glands. The yeast-like organism is known as Pityrosporum Ovale.
Common symptoms of Seborrheic Dermatitis are redness, itchiness, flaking, greasiness and/or scaliness.
The areas that are most commonly affected by Seborrheic Dermatitis are the scalp, eyebrows, eyelids, sides of the nose, the flesh behind the ears, mouth region, mid-chest area.
Other less commonly infected areas are the armpits, breasts, naval, buttocks, and groin.
I was only experiencing it on my face.
The areas that were affected on my face were: my eyelids, eyebrow region, the sides of my nose, and the sides of my mouth.
Once I understood the cause of Seborrheic Dermatitis I then dedicated my time to finding an over-the-counter remedy.
It took me hours before I ran across a very valuable website. One that would give me the exact information that I needed.
The name of the site was American Family Physician:
Treatment of Seborrheic Dermatitis http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000501/2703.html
Had it not been for this very site I would have never thought to control the inflammation on my face by simply washing my face with dandruff shampoo everyday. It was the missing ingredient that I was looking for.
I knew I needed one product to take care of the inflammation and another product to take care of the itchiness and flaking.
What I had already been aware of was that hydrocortisone and aloe vera could take care of the itching and flaking.
So when I finally ran across that information I knew I had found...
My Over-The-Counter Remedy!
And now I'm going to share it with you. Here are the products that I use everyday:
o "Equate" Dandruff Shampoo (Dry Scalp)
This is a generic version in comparison to "Head and Shoulders."
Wash your face with shampoo once everyday. Most useful when done in the mornings. Easiest done in the shower.
o "Equate" Hydrocortisone 1% cream
Rub a little on the infected areas of your skin once a day after you've washed your face with "Equate" Dandruff Shampoo.
A better alternative to hydrocortisone is aloe vera gel. Try...
"Fruit of the Earth" Aloe Vera 100% Gel. Do not use hydrocortisone if aloe vera gel works on your face in combination with the "Equate" Dandruff Shampoo. The reason is because hydrocortisone is a steroid and your face could become dependent on it. If you do not have to use it then don't.
o "Woltra Stik" 100% cocoa butter (optional)
Great for the skin, good for scars, and it gives your face an extra glow. Soothes irritation.
I use all four products on my face each day. Three out of four are only necessary if you do not need hydrocortisone to control your flaking and itching.
Other Seborrheic Dermatitis controlling shampoos can be found here. http://www.dermatology.about.com/cs/seborrhea/tp/sebshampoo.htm
When I first used this treatment a week later I looked in the mirror and saw a huge improvement. Several weeks later my face looked like everyone else's.
To me this remedy is just one remedy out of many. And I will continue to seek out even better answers and better solutions.
I'm reminded when I look back that I have already made one giant step.
No doctor is necessary to prescribe me treatment. Nor do I have to pay high costs for a tube of cream. It costs me about $7.00 for all four products. And they last forever.
I take great care of my face because I rely on my own expertise. Should I ever go on a vacation then I have no real concerns about how long I'm gone. I'll have all of the supplies that I need to take good care of my skin.
And most importantly... I will most likely be able to find the same type of products in another country if I need them.
This is just the beginning. Throughout my years of dealing with this recurring condition I always remember that one solution IS NOT the ONLY solution.
Tameka Norris helps others simplify life's little complications by revealing the small things that is often overlooked: http://www.simple-living-tips.com/simplify
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