From: writerjill@_.com
Date: Sun Apr 23, 2000 3:02 am
Seborrheic Dermatitis nizoral selinium sulfide
Hi, group,
This is a suggestion for people struggling with seb derm. I've gotten good
results from Nizoral shampoo, but I've been off antibiotics for months, so
maybe that's been a factor. At any rate, several months ago a member posted the
message below about managing seb derm with anti-dandruff shampoos. He feels
that the active ingredient in Selsun Blue (selinium sulfide) and Head and
Shoulders (zinc) work well, but that you need to switch off every 30 days or so
to stay ahead of the seb derm. For those of you who didn't find Nizoral
cream/shampoo (ketoconazole) effective--or found that it was only effective for
a short time--perhaps it would help to try alternating it with one or both of
these shampoos? FYI, I've pasted the original posting below so our newer
members can have look.
Thirty years ago I was diagnosed as having one of the most wide spread,
generalized cases of SD that my derm had ever seen. I will tell you what works
for me and I hope it works for you. First off, selinium sulfide works great.
It's the primary ingredient in Selsun Shampoo. If you have a bad case flaring
you should have your derm give you script for the 2.5% stuff. If you live near
Mexico you can go there and walk in the drug store and buy 'Selsun Oro' which
is 2%. Selsun Blue is 1%. Every day take it in the shower and starting with
your scalp.. give yourself a good shampoo and cover your entire body, stay
soaped up for 3 or 4 minutes, then rinse. After 4 or 5 days you should see a
big improvement... then you can switch to the 1% over the counter Selsun Blue.
Use that with each daily shower for the next 15 days. Now this is important..
you must remember that your body developes an immunity to these topical
treatments and before that happens you must switch chemicals. So after 30 days
on Selsun, switch over to the zinc product such as Head and Shoulders, or the
house brand equivilant, making sure that your using the zinc based product. You
should be able to use that for 30 days or so and then switch back to the Selsun
for the next few weeks. Sometimes I'll switch every week or so. The important
thing is do it each day and where treatment is necessary stay soaped up for 3-4
minutes and don't stay on one product longer than 30 days before switching.
Selenium sulfide and zinc are the only chemicals that I have found effective.
If you are persistent and maintain this regimine you should have results. The
condition is never cured.. you have to resign yourself to treating this for the
rest of your life.. but it is easy if you don't let it get out of hand. I
always have a stash of the 2.5% selsun ready in case I get some flare up... but
if I am diligent in this regimine that happens rarely. I have been very
successful in controlling my SD situation this way.