Diet Checkup, Seborrheic Dermatitis Update, and Leaky Gut

I continue to eat following the Autoimmune Protocol Diet laid out by Sarah Ballantyne, http://www.thepaleomom.com/ in her book "The Paleo Approach" http://victorybelt.com/the-paleo-approach-reverse-autoimmune-disease-heal-your-body/ (however, I continue to sprout and eat quinoa, buckwheat, and amaranth for my vegetarian diet).  My skin "seems" to be improving on this diet, and perhaps I am addressing any leaky gut issues I may have.


Diet
I have not changed my diet from month 1, except that when I added nuts back in, I also added in cashews (which I was not supposed to do ... oops ... did not pay enough attention to that printout).  Sarah has linked her reintroduction process at her website http://www.thepaleomom.com/2015/02/reintroduction-quick-start-guide-new-free-download.html.


And how is the skin?

This is my two month photo.  I believe my skin is looking better.  I notice little of the tingling or pain following yawning that characterized my facial skin life from November 2014 through some of January.  I still have a fairly active patch along my left jaw line, and experience minor flare-ups at the nasolabial folds and right jaw line. 


Treatment Regime
I lightly scrub my dermatitis with salt each night, followed by a light application of coal tar, Alva-Amco's Psoriasin http://www.alva-amco.com/products/psoriasin. 

I use heavy duty moisturizer around and beneath my nose as that skin tends to get very dry.  I have two tins in constant use: Badger Balm's "Sensitive Skin Moisturizer Unscented" http://www.badgerbalm.com/p-369-badger-balm-unscented.aspx or Out of Africa's "100% Pure Unrefined Shea Butter Unscented" http://www.outofafricashea.com/products/organic/tin3.html.

Following a bath and before bed, I apply a light moisturizer to my face.  I'm currently using Logona Naturcosmetik "Moisture Cream Logona Free" http://www.logocos.us/logona/shop/product/1153-moisture-cream-logona-free.  It is expensive to me at $28 per 1.7 oz tube, 2.5x what almond oil costs.  However, my first tube has lasted over 3 months.  I do not need much per application.


Autoimmune Disease and Seborrheic Dermatitis

Seborrheic Dermatitis is often listed as an inflammatory condition, but few health care providers refer to it as an autoimmune disease.  But it is often linked to an improperly functioning autoimmune system.   Therefore, what is it? 

Eh, doctor's cannot say.  They do not know what causes it, how it develops, or what stops it.  There's not a lot of medical research into Seborrheic Dermatitis.  Which is kind of interesting, considering that several sites mention it affects 3% of the population (to compare, Healthline.com reports that 1% of the population is hospitalized yearly for heart disease). 


Diet Changes and Rx
Doctors hesitate to recommend/prescribe diet changes.  1st, they do not have much basis in nutrition.  2nd, patients generally don't listen anyway and doctors feel it is a waste of their time.

And 3rd, doctors do not make much money recommending dietary changes.  It is not a pill they can prescribe or blood numbers one can monitor.

In short, I've never had much to discuss with any medical professional when disease and diet are combined in a discussion.  


How "Leaky Gut"causes problems, Autoimmune Disease, and Treatment
What is the basic understanding of leaky gut?

Background -
Your immune system responds to proteins.  Exposure to foreign/unrecognized proteins kicks off the immune response - whether this be allergies, bacterial infection, or viral invasion.  

Your immune system congregates in areas where the outside environment meets the inside - head, neck, groin ... and digestive system.


Foods kick off immune response - 
The endothelial layer (digestive lining) is damaged (assumed to be due to modern life - stress and processed food stuffs) and allows partially undigested particles of food to cross into the bloodstream when it normally would not. 

Some of those partially undigested food particles are protein, which is recognized by the immune system as "foreign."

That protein exposure causes the immune system to kick into overdrive, which begins a vicious cycle - autoimmune disease.


How the AutoImmune Protocol addresses Autoimmune Diseases -
Reverse the leaky gut by eating soothing foods that allow the endothelial layer to heal, which arrests the autoimmune response by halting its exposure to partially digested protein particles.

Once the gut has healed, previously troublesome food can be reintroduced.



My Journey Continues
Am I seeing improvement?  Yes.

Am I healed?  Not yet.

I do not consider myself in remission, so I hesitate to add foods into my diet that might prolong my diseased state.

And yet, I miss many foods: lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas (I found an awesome chickpea cookie recipe just before this diet kicked off), corn (mostly tortilla chips, a processed food), tomatoes, and peppers.  I do not miss potato chips much, good thing I love sweet potatoes.  Taro chips are also an awesome potato chip substitute!

Seborrheic Dermatitis, Skin, and updates

As Senya requested, here is an updated routine. 

As an aside - Several readers over the years have written in claiming that SD is caused by only one thing and all you have to do is _____ (whatever they are shilling) to stop your problem.  I disagree.  I think it is pretty obvious from most of my reader responses, that SD can have several different root causes and you have to work it on your own end to find fixes.  My own fix came about from cutting dairy out of my diet.  I encourage you to read back through comments of others struggling (without thoughtful medical help BTW) to find the answer to their own disease state.  Best of luck to us all!


It has now been 3 and one half years since my last Seborrheic Dermatitis outbreak came to a close.  I do not use any Seborrheic Dermatitis medication, neither OTC or prescribed.  I haven't needed them since 2008.

My current care routine closely follows what I originally developed in 2008, with minor tweaks here and there.

Above is a January 2012 skin photograph.   If dryness shows up, it will start at the nasolabial folds, and that is my notice that whatever product combination I am using at the moment is NOT working.

I am still dairy free (I still miss nachos, but I'll smell some of hubbies cheese to get my fix), and have started eating eggs (really only in fried rice, because the smell of just eggs is a bit revolting).  Eggs do not seem to have an impact on my skin issues.

I fell off my workout wagon in 2009/2010 due to "Cubital Tunnel Syndrome", and have only returned to regularly scheduled exercise for the last six or so months.  While I did not see a large skin change with my workout losses, my energy levels were very different, as was my personal outlook.  I am a much happier, and easier going person when I get a regular workout.  :)

Products currently in the lineup:
Soap - All Terrain All Natural Wonder Wash Fragrance Free
(this is also my shampoo, my dog wash, and my occasional clothes wash on vacation)
This is the rare soap that does not dry out my skin, and yet can be used several times a day.  I'm ready to start putting it in pump bottles for handwashing.


Facial Lotions/Creams - this category is always under revision because I've rarely found anything with which I am truly happy.  The La Roche Posay Toleriane and Toleriane Riche works very well for me, but I find their prices ridiculous (about $20/ounce).  And no, I don't think it is R&D I am paying for, but rather "the European mystique" and L'Oreal's advertising budget, since L'Oreal is the parent company of La Roche Posay.

- Almond Oil - this was an amazing discovery last year.  This is pretty much my go to night oil/lotion.  It absorbs fairly quickly.  I use it on my face, neck, chest, hands (especially nails), basically anywhere.  However, it does not absorb immediately, so it is not something for a morning routine unless you like the slicked up skin look.  Totally unscented and rarely, if ever, causing any kind of breakout.

- Giovanni D:tox System Replenishing Facial Moisturizer - this is the morning moisturizer I reach for if I am staying inside all day (or in the evening if I am going out).  My only issue is that it has a fragrance that I dislike, it reads as a light greened floral.  It does dissipate fairly quickly, but I'd still prefer something unscented and unfragranced.  (I don't abhor the fragrance as I do with other products such as The Healing Seed "Facial Cream" or Alaffia "Baobab & Shea Butter Skin Renewal Face Cream".)  This is my replacement for La Roche Posay Toleriane, but I am looking for a replacement for my replacement - unscented please.

- DeVita Protective Moisturizer SPF 30+ - is my morning moisturizer when I'm planning to be outside for any extended length of time (over 15 minutes).  This may be just perfect.  However, it is a recent acquisition and I want a full summer with it before I jump on the bandwagon (it is better than Kimberly Sayer Ultra Light Facial Moisturizer - SPF30, which is simply too drying for winter).  I plan to order more DeVita lotions and creams with my next iHerb order.

Body Lotion - I have a bottle of body lotion in just about every major room of the house.

Beauty without Cruelty Fragrance Free body lotion is in my kitchen.  Not amazing, but not bad.  No scent to interfere with food enjoyment.  Absorbs quickly.

Mode De Vite Shea Butter Body Lotion "unscented" - does smell of the neem in the product.  The scent throws me off, but this is the only lotion I reach for when the skin is really damaged and needs serious relief.  Strangely enough, also the only lotion of which I have a backup.  So while I don't like the scent, its benefits outweigh the negatives.  The scent does dissipate over an hour or so.

Nature's Gate Fragrance Free Moisturizing Lotion for Sensitive Skin - this is the lotion in my bathroom that I use before bed just about every night (after my almond oil application).  Like the BWC lotion it is neither amazing nor bad.  It works, the scent does not distract me while I'm trying to fall asleep.  Absorbs quickly.


Makeup

Lipstick - Reds, Oranges, Plums, and Browns
A small selection of my lip products.  I keep buying, because I can rarely find a great color.  Good, yes, great no.  I have coloring between neutral and super warm, and lipsticks are usually made for the cool and the super warm.  I do not react to any of these lipsticks, which is a major and common concern of mine.  I've reacted to Cover Girl, Almay, and Josie Maran lipsticks and lipglosses.

Revlon Super Lustrous "Ravish Me Red", Revlon Colorburst "Candy Apple", Fyrrinae Lip Lustre "Hair Dye", Silk Naturals Butter Cream "Mango", Korres Cherry Lip Gloss "Natural Purple 25", Korres Mango Butter Lipstick "Natural Purple 25", Revlon Super Lustrous "Plum Baby", Korres Cherry Oil Lip Gloss "Golden Brown 37", Korres Mango Butter Lipstick "Cinnamon", and Revlon Super Lustrous "Highbeam Tan"

Revlon Colorburst lipsticks, Silk Naturals Butter Cream Lip Glazes, and Korres Cherry Oil Lip Gloss all have scents.  They are faint scents (so faint, apparently that some people cannot smell them, see Scrangie's post on Revlon Colorburst - I don't have that problem) but they dissipate rapidly enough that I still wear them.  Not as often as I would if they were completely unscented (as they should be, in my opinion).

The Silk Naturals Butter Cream in "Mango" is a replacement for the Fyrinnae "Hair Dye" which is apparently discontinued.  However, I will keep searching for a more widely distributed replacement, since smaller companies have a much higher product line turnover than larger companies (some kind of supply and demand nonsense).

Eyeshadow Primer - Too Faced Shadow Insurance
The only primer I have found that works for my skin (and does not cause a reaction).  It keeps my eyeshadow from creasing, which happens within two hours without a primer.

Eyeshadow - In addition to a small collection of Stila and Mac, I have two and a half tubs of loose and mineral eyeshadows.  95% of those shadows come from these six companies:

Aromaleigh "Nocciola",  Fyrinnae "Griffonrider", Korres "Golden Bronze 27S", Meow Cosmetics "Trophy Cat", Morgana Minerals "Emily", and Silk Naturals "Caliber"

Eyeliners - These only get use if I am in a hurry.  Most often, I would prefer to use one of my eyeshadows for liner, but time constraints may push me to use real "eyeliner" instead.  I do not react to any of these products, and they last and do not migrate through a day of work (none of them last without migrating overnight, but during the day I am good).

Too Faced Perfect Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner in Perfect Peacock and Perfect Storm.  They are expensive, but I like the ingredients list better than the Covergirl Liquilineblast Eyeliners.  I do wish they had a much wider range of colors.

Kat von D liquid Tattoo Liner in Maya.  Easy to apply, lasts all day, and has not dried up yet.  A celebrity's personal life does impact my choices and I'm not sure I'll be able to buy anymore KVD stuff.

Cover Girl Liquidlineblast Eyeliner in Brown Blaze and Violet Voltage.  Made in Germany, just like the Too Faced, and sharing a remarkable similarity, the ingredients lists do differ but they both work quite well.  I prefer Cover Girls price and Too Faced inci.

Urban Decay's 24/7 Eyeliner Pencil's are holy grail products for many enthusiasts.  However, they migrate on my lower lid, staying in place only for an hour or two.  So while I do have several UD 24/7 liners, I'll reach for my Too Faced, KVD, or CoverGirl first.

 

Face Primer - Korres Vitamin E Silicon Free Primer
Especially useful in summer, when I know plain moisturizer is not going to keep my makeup on all day.  The sweat defeats primerless application every time.  Korres other primer, Quercetin & Oak, causes a moderate allergic reaction (so glad I never purchased a full size).  So I will stick with the less expensive primer as long as they make it. 

Foundation - Meow Pampered Puss in Frisky Mau color, depth of 2.
One of the few powdered foundations that does not irritate my skin.  Other powders can make me feel as though I am buffing with sand.  Not so this foundation.  Not to mention, it is one of two foundations I've used in my entire life that actually match my skin.  Most foundations are not warm enough.

  

Balms - I have balms spread throughout the house much like (and very close to) the body lotions.  These have to work for two people in the house (unlike most of my other products ... for instance, the hubbie never has asked to use my makeup, so it does not have to agree with him but he does need a lip balm from time to time). 

Aubry Organics Organic Lip Balm "Tangerine" - works, but too much citrus oil

Mode de Vite Karite Lips "Vanilla" - works, but too much vanilla

Dr. Bronner's Magic Organic Lip Balm "Naked" - a favorite, works well all night long

The Merry Hempsters Vegan Hemp Balm "Natural" - a favorite, and I have a backup.  The slightest of scents, perhaps from the rosemary extract, but it does not bother me.

Now Completely Kissable "Vanilla" - it works, but I don't like the scent.

Terra Firma Cosmetics Chai Tea Lip Moisture - a favorite, it is what I reach for when my lips are damaged.  Unfortunately, they no longer sell this ... and it was the only Terra Firma product I could wear, so not impressed with anything else I bought.  Their "lip balm" has a similar ingredients list, but it is not the same item.

Weleda Everon Lip Balm - another favorite of which I have a backup.  However, it always takes me a couple days to get used to the rose scent again.  It really works well, but I'd prefer one that did not have such a strong scent.

As an aside, I have a young pup to whom I have lost several tubes of lip balm.  They seem to call to him from across the room.  I have found their chewed remains in the strangest places.  So now all my tubes are placed relatively high, because waist height is far too low for my circus pup.

Seborrheic Dermatitis update

As Matt, a reader, requested ...
here is an untouched closeup of my formerly Seborrheic Dermatitised face. As a reminder, it was the nasolabial folds and the area around my chin where the dermatitis was localized.

This picture was taken last month, and is two months short of the two year mark from when I began "curing" my last Seborrheic Dermatitis outbreak.

For the most part, my uneven texture and blotchiness have completely disappeared. Though I question whether I will ever really consider myself "cured."

Every time I get a zit or some dry skin in these areas, I think another outbreak is starting. And I cringe and cry inside. So far, these stress responses have come to naught.



As to current product use, I am still using my Wonder Wash liquid soap and Neutrogena and Purple Prairie Botanicals sunscreens.

Soap Review http://sewmanythings.blogspot.com/2009/05/soap-wonderful-wonder.html

Sunscreen Review http://sewmanythings.blogspot.com/2009/10/as-if-milk-allergies-werent-enough.html


While I don't have many other skin problems, my spouse does. He was prescribed, what else?!?, steroid cream for his hand. He has a quarter size area of his hand that breaks out when exposed to some chemicals.

For him, I've purchased "Gloves in a Bottle" which is similar to "Skin MD" from what I can figure out.

http://www.glovesinabottle.com/

http://www.skinmdnatural.com/


These products create a siliconized barrier layer between your skin and whatever you are working on. For those individual that have dermatitis on the hands and forearms, I'd strongly suggest checking out the types of products and testing their protective features on your own skin. (Obviously if you have silicon reactions, DON'T try this product.)


Gloves in a Bottle Ingredients (copied from bottle); moderate hazard of 3 out of 10 on the cosmeticsdatabase.
Purified Water
Dimethicone
Stearic Acid
Glycerin
Cetyl Alcohol
Isopropyl Myristate
Stearyl Alcohol
Tiethanolamine
Xantham Gum
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
VP/Eicosene Copolymer
Steareth-21
Phenoxythanol



Skin MD Ingredients (copied from their website); also a moderate hazard of 3 on the database.
Deionized water (Aqua)
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract (Aloe Vera)
Cyclopentasiloxane
Dimethicone
Methyl Gluceth-20
Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E)
Arnica Montana Flower Extract (Arnica)
Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract (Comfrey)
Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Extract (Chamomile)
Achillea Millefolium Extract (Yarrow)
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
1,2 Hexanediol
Caprylyl Glycol
Butylene Glycol
Aminomethyl Propanol
Phenoxyethanol

As if Milk Allergies weren't enough!!!

Yes, I have a sun allergy.




I developed a funky rash on my lower legs after spending a couple minutes reading while my dogs romped around outside this summer.


It went away, but the next time we did the same routine, the rash came back.


My culprit was the sun. Only the lower legs were exposed and the rash stayed around for several days to weeks, and then disappeared as if never there. It wasn't itchy on my legs.


I have a sun sensitivity. Ye gods, what's next?

Fast forward to our summer vacation - setting, Wauseon, Ohio. I've got SPF 75 sunscreen on (chemical base), I'm wearing a hat, and I have a floor length gown made out of "SPF" fabric draped over my summer clothes. I develop a rash at my collarbone area. And this one IS itchy. Being that I'm wearing the mineral foundation, I don't rash on my face. But this does give me the to idea to run out for sunscreen with a physical sunblock, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Obviously the chemical sunscreen wasn't hacking it.

Welcome me to the micro- and nano-sized particle family. I'm staying for a while.

I apply the physical sunblock and have no more problems the remainder of the trip. My rash fades quickly and stops itching.

Now I just have to worry about white face, and leaving titanium dioxide and zinc oxide residue everywhere. It is on my pockets, on my collars, on the car handle ...




















Purple Prairie Botanicals


I've been wearing two sunscreens since:
Purple Prairie Botanicals SPF 30, a very low 1 on the hazard scale of Cosmetics Safety Database.
Ingredients:
Water
Olive Oil
Hammamelis virginiana Witch Hazel
Kosher Vegetable glycerin
emulsifying wax
Cocos nucifera Coconut
Butyrospermum parkii Shea Butter
Jojoba oil
zinc oxide
titanium dioxide
vitamin E
Salix nigra extract Black Willow
Rosemary extract

This does have a fairly strong smell at application, and I wish they would use "light" olive oil. But the smell does disappear fairly quickly.

I do have a bit of white face on first application, but it seems to fade within 10 minutes.

It has much better slip than the other sunscreen. I wear this on my face and upper body.




















Neutrogena's Purescreen Line, currently a hazard of 3 on the Cosmetics Safety Database:
- Sensitive Skin SPF 60+
- Pure & Free Baby SPF 60+

Ingredients:
Titanium Dioxide 4.9%
Zinc Oxide 4.7%

Alumina
Arachidyl Alcohol
Arachidyl Glucoside
Ascorbic Acid (Avena sativa Oat Kernel Extract - in Pure & Free Baby only)
Beeswax
Behenyl Alcohol
Benzyl Alcohol
BHT
Bisabolol
Butylene Glycol
Butylocytl Salicylate
Cetyl Dimethicone
Dimethicone
Dimethicone PEG-8 Laurate
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Glyceryl Stearate
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Isohexadecane
Methicone
Methylisothiazolinone
Pantothenic Acid
PEG-100 Stearate
PEG-8
Polyaminopropyl Biguanide
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Polysorbate 60
(Potassium Sorbate - Pure & Free Baby only)
Retinyl Palmitate
Silica
Stearic Acid
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Tocopheryl Acetate
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Trisiloxane
Water
Xantham Gum

The two are so close in formula and ingredients as to be the same. I've found that with the oat extract in the baby formula, "Pure & Free Baby" applies slightly more easily. They both drag quite well, unfortunately.

I wear this on my arms and legs.

May I just point put that, man, these have a bunch of alcohol and silicone in them.

43(41) ingredients vs. 13 ... can you guess which one I reach for most often???

Winter Sensitive Skin Care

MOISTURIZER
I've been using La Roche-Posay Toleriane moisturizer for over a year now, a moderate 3 on the Cosmetics Safety Database website. It works great during the summer months, but once the second month of winter hit, I realized that LRPT couldn't handle the dry. My skin was so tight!

I found Toleriane's boosted brother, La Roche-Posay Toleriane Riche, by looking through the propaganda included in the box. Riche is also a moderate 3 on the Cosmetics Database website.

Riche has a thicker texture that works well for the dry months. The two products are incredibly similar as far as ingredients go, with the Riche having an additional ingredient in Shea Butter.

If you find yourself in a similar sensitive skin situation as myself, I'd glance through the website or propaganda of your favorite skin care brand. You may find that they have a lighter lotion for summer and a heavier lotion for winter.

Additionally, you can use straight Shea Butter or another favorite oil. Moisturizers actually work by blocking the loss of moisture from the skin. Not necessarily adding moisture into the skin.





















LA ROCHE-POSAY TOLERIANE
WATER/AQUA
CYCLOPENTASILOXANE
ISOCETYL STEARATE
SQUALANE
GLYCERIN
ISONONYL ISONONANOATE
PENTYLENE GLYCOL
ALUMINUM STARCH OCTENYLSUCCINATE
CETYL ALCOHOL
PEG-100 STEARATE
GLYCERYL STEARATE
ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER
DIMETHICONOL
OCTOXYGLYCERIN
SODIUM HYDROXIDE
























LA ROCHE-POSAY TOLERIANE RICHE
WATER/AQUA
ISOCETYL STEARATE
CYCLOPENTASILOXANE
SQUALANE
SHEA BUTTER
GLYCERIN
CETYL ALCOHOL
ALUMINUM STARCH OCTENYLSUCCINATE
PENTYLENE GLYCOL
PEG-100 STEARATE
GLYCERYL STEARATE
DIMETHICONOL
SODIUM HYDROXIDE
CITRIC ACID
ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN
ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER

Soap, the wonderful wonder ...

My go to soap is ALL TERRAIN's Wonder Wash ... I have two backup bottles.





















It is:
- fragrance free (of course)
- pH neutral (which makes it a multi-purpose soap)
- biodegradable (it is advertised as a Hiker's soap) ... it probably isn't environmentally friendly/neutral, but biodegradable is a good start
- filled with eight ingredients ONLY

I've used this to: clean my makeup brushes, degrease my body, wash my hair, and wash my face (no eye stings). I have not yet used it to bath dogs, but I'm sure it will happen eventually.


This product receives a low 1/10 on the hazard scale at Cosmetics Database. I thoroughly recommend it to those with sensitive skin.


Ingredients:
Water
Sodium coco sulphate
coco betaine
coco amide
vegetable glycerine
sodium chloride
olive oil
citric acid

Soap ... when it's so drying it hurts

Another JASON Naturals products with a thumbs down ...


UPDATE -
Even the hubby, who describes himself as an oily beast, had drying problems with this soap. He liked it best on days when he had been working outside and really needed a good detergent for a single soap and rinse.

JASON Fragrance Free Body Wash is simply too strong to use as a daily soap.

I won't be purchasing this product again.

Fragrance Free Body Wash

Gentle, fragrance free body wash bubbles into a rich, creamy lather to make your shower as luxurious as a bath. Gently cleanses with botanical surfactants while soothing skin with Aloe Vera and Chamomile. Leaves skin feeling soft and clean. Great for sensitive skin types.

16.0 FL OZ
Item No. 02022






















I used this body wash for close to a month. I like the fragrance free aspect (naturally) and that it degreased my skin. The only early problems I noticed was stinging eyes. For whatever reason, maybe its slip ingredients, this liquid soap can squeeze through my lids and get directly on my eyeballs ... just about every time I washed my face. Now, I've been using liquid shower soaps for a while, and I've never had this consistent problem.

Secondly, after three or so weeks, I finally figured out that this was making my skin so dry! My mucus membranes were so itchy. Once I discontinued with this product and returned to my old soap, no more problems. I don't have a really good hand on soaps, so I don't know where Sodium Myreth Sulfate falls as far as detergent strength. However, either the detergent or another product was making me very uncomfortable, for days at a time.


The hubby is going to finish the bottle off, so I may get an update eventually.

However, with my own experience, I would not recommend this product for someone with sensitive skin ... regardless of what the bottle says.


It gets a low 2/10 hazard on the Cosmetic Database rating.


Ingredients:
Water
Aloe barbadensis leaf gel
Sodium Myreth Sulfate
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cocamide MEA
Glycol Stearate
Begetable Glycerin
Chamomilla recutita extract
Camellia oleifera extract
Echinacea angustifolia extract
Rosa canina extract
Polyquarternium-7
Glycereth-2 Cocoate
Benzoic Acid
Phenoxyethanol
Sodium Benzoate

Seborrheic Dermatitis Comments

I am so thrilled that you have found my SD thoughts useful.


Don't we always feel like a spotlight is trained on our SD breakouts and just know the whole world is thinking strange and disturbing thoughts about our little known disease problems? Now we have a small forum for sufferers with similar experiences.


It feels good knowing that I've brought the information to a wider public. I think most of us feel very alone following the thoroughly useless discussions we get to have with our GPs or Dermatologists. I felt like I was in a Jeff Foxworthy skit, "Here's your [sign] meds! You have Seborrheic Dermatitis, we don't know what causes it, it is not caused by an allergy, and here is a prescription. Go fill it and don't bother me."


Ick! And just another stick for the depression pile, huh?




So, I've decided to collate all the information I've gotten from commenters to this point. You've made many excellent suggestions, thanks.




So many of us seem to find a food allergy underlying our problem. (grumble, grumble) ... Why don't the doctors ask us what's going on? We know!


And, perhaps not so surprising, milk and its hidden by-products are the culprit for several of us. As readers pointed out casein (milk protein) is a BIG problem. And yes, when you cut out dairy you realize exactly how much you don't get to eat. (My pantry is so pitifully narrowed in product range these days.) Milk and its by-products are in just about everything! I really cannot figure out why manufacturers, in adjusting their recipes, think, "hm, lets add a bit of milk to this and all our problems will be solved!"


In scientific parlay, casein is a calcium salt phosphoprotein. Its stability makes it an excellent binder and one would assume the price is fairly cheap ... hence the large amount of it found in our foods.


Unfortunately, casein allergies are widespread and most of us aren't aware of the problem. On a purely scientific basis, most animals (us included) lose the ability to digest milk as we leave infancy.


Regardless, one of the great things I've discovered on ingredients lists: allergy info! If you scroll to the bottom of an ingredients list, there is usually an allergens in product list. And milk is included 99.95% of the time. :) This is one of the great and worrisome things about science, we can split a product up in a 1000 different components and you don't know what the original product was if we use one of those components. Hence casein and not milk being in the ingredients list itself, but milk being listed in the allergens list. Whew, clear as mud?






On to the comments -


Brandon in Honolulu shared his SD story, and his problems seem gluten related. He cut out wheat and citrus (some people have trouble with the acidity and/or plant protein allergies). After suffering for 25 years, his symptoms have disappeared.


Since he suffered digestive difficulties along with SD, Celiac's Disease seems a likely culprit. So while he's cut out breads and some fruits, he's much happier with his skin.


There are several recipe books for gluten free/celiac disease diets. I always check out Amazon and the reviews. I'd also strongly recommend checking any of these books out of the local library before buying.








One Anonymous poster has gone through two years of SD flare-ups. This SD sufferer began using direct pure Tea Tree oil application as a temporary fix. (I caution you to take care in Tea Tree Oil usage, it is usually highly concentrated and far too strong for direct skin application, especially with us sensitive skinners. I'd recommend diluting the product. It did not work for my own SD problems.)


"A" eliminated eggs first ... they were not the culprit. But a wheat elimination showed a great deal of skin promise. An unexpected relapse led to the discovery of "hidden" gluten. Much like milk is hidden in many products, so is wheat. Gluten proteins are a stabilizer, so many companies dump it into products. (I also found out that current labelling laws do not require all present gluten be labelled in foods ... if the FDA recognizes a food additive as GRAS, generally recognized as safe, it may not have to be listed on the label if this food does not normally contain the GRAS food additive ... Huh?!?)


And just like "A" found out, when I went gluten free, I found gluten in everything. "A" discovered wheat diluted soy sauce, in practically every sushi restaurant in town. I finally started bringing my own soy sauce to the sushi restaurant. I use the San-J Organic Wheat Free Tamari Soy Sauce. It is available at my local grocery store, but I bet you can order it online if you can't find it locally.


"A" has had problems with cross contamination by gluten products, and is VERY careful of all dietary choices.








Ludawg noticed a huge improvement in SD symptoms when taking the antifungal Diflucan for yeast infections.


Ludawg is also a casein allergic individual. And when searching for casein free foods, realized that few foods were actually casein free. Such unexpected products as soy cheese had casein. Yes, I completely agree that milk products have no business in soy cheese, and yet, there they are!


Once the casein was gone, not even the dry, cold months of winter brought the SD back! Yeah! Another success story.




Steve Carper's webpage has a great list of milk free cheese alternatives. I also found awesome cheese and Faux Mac N Cheese recipes on the blogs. I haven't completely given up on cookbooks, but the bloggers definitely have something going.








Another Anonymous poster uses Ketoconazole shampoo to treat the yeast overgrowth. I'm glad it works for some of you. It did not work for me.








Tiffany has been dealing with SD for several years. She began wearing mineral makeup, which is a really good idea. Mineral makeups don't sink/absorb into the skin, they rest on top. And since so many of us with skin diseases/conditions seem to have sensitive skin, the less you challenge/test your skin with difficult ingredients the better. Which is why we need to be careful when we test new products attempting to control our skin problems.








I really feel for poster "M," talk about the docs from H-E-double hockeysticks! What a run around to get an allergy test completed, and then to find out the test didn't cover casein allergies! I am so sorry "M".


Once we fall into the allergy circuit, it really feels like a downward spiral doesn't it? Once that immune system is sensitized, the strangest things can happen. "M" was dealing with recurring sinus infections, major skin sensitivities, pink eye, etc. I've been through the antibiotic cycle, where you come out of each round worse than you went in.


"M's" problems are mostly casein based (which, of course, the doctors couldn't figure out). However, "M" also has other food allergies, which have worsened over time.


"M" reminds us of how quickly problems show up on our skin. It has the largest surface area of any organ of our entire body, and has an incredibly close relationship with our immune system. Pay close attention to your skin, and you'll have a good idea of your health status.

• "M" wrote ... I am starting to wonder if doctors who make their living treating skin conditions are negligent or if there's actual malice in never exploring the cause of these problems.

(Sigh), I've had similar thoughts. I try to place myself in my doctors' shoes, and I haven't yet figured out why they can toss off our concerns so easily.








Doug developed an SD sensitivity following sunscreen exposure, and subsequent cleaning and removal via scrub mitts.

• Please join me in welcoming Doug to the sensitive skin family. 
• Doug supplements with probiotics to improve digestion and nutrient uptake.

For his sensitive skin, he now follows this routine:

Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser - let face air dry For daytime, Neutrogena Combination Skin Moisturizer  

For nighttime, Cetaphil Sensitive skin moisturizer cream  

Once a month application of 1% hydrocortizone cream with aloe in the corners of nose and ear canals (irritation arises from ipod earbuds at the gym - I wonder if this could be a chemical sensitivity to something in the earbuds???)  

Using the extra suds from shampooing with Head and Shoulders as a face wash, finishing with Cetaphil cleanser   

Doug's better than I am and NEVER uses hot water! He's also given up his chemically laden sunscreen and uses sunblock from Keys Soap. Being zinc oxide based, it normally "wouldn't" absorb into the skin ... however, Keys Soap sunblock uses nano sized particles of zinc oxide. And, well, science (and regulating government) hasn't figured out how to deal with nano sized particles in absorbable/ingestible material yet. Keys Soap isn't hiding their ingredients, but they aren't drawing attention to them either.   

Doug made the excellent suggestion to bring your own face towel to gym. Depending on how sensitive your skin is, you might want to bring another towel to minimize direct contact with the equipment. Also remember to regularly wash your pillow cases and sheets.

Being that several of us have pinpointed casein or gluten as a major factor in our SD, I'm really interested in Doug's report of his diet adjustments.


Doug tried psoriasis face wash and face cream from the Home Health line of products and reports positive results. In the words of a friend, "They didn't do squat for me." But this only highlights how many difficulties and complications this condition presents.








I hope the additional information helps.
Kira

Product Review - JASON Fragrance Free Nightly Facial Moisturizer

From the website, http://www.jason-natural.com/products/fragrance_free.php:
"Fragrance Free Nightly Facial Moisturizer

Cucumber Extract, Shea Butter and Organic Jojoba Oil alleviate feelings of dryness and tension associated with sensitive, extremely dry skin. This nightly treatment seals in moisture for hydrated, balanced and even skin tone

NET WT 4 OZ
Item No. 02097"




















I was hoping to use this as an alternative to my La-Roche Posay Toleriane Skin Cream. No go.

Within 10 minutes of putting this on my face, my skin started to burn and ache. So off it came.

One month later I tried it again with the same results.

I've got too bad a reaction to recommend it for anyone with sensitive skin.

The only plus ... fragrance free. So what am I reacting to? Or what combination am I reacting to? Maybe it is the Ceteareth-20 or the phenoxyethanol or one of the plant extracts (though I've been exposed to most of the plant extracts in other incarnations)? Whatever the cause, it gets a thumbs down. I've got to say, more Jason products get a thumbs down than up in my own studies.

It does get a moderate 3/10 hazard rating from the Cosmetics Database (I use this site all the time).


Ingredients
Water
Cetearyl Alcohol
Glyceryl Stearate SE
Aloe barbadensis Leaf Gel
Prunus amygdalus Dulcis Oil (Sweet Almond)
Helianthus annuus Seed oil (Sunflower)
Vegetable Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Stearic Acid
Dimethicone
Butyrospermum parkii (Shea Butter)
Myristyl Myristate
Vegetable Glycerin
Vegetable Squalane
Simmondsia chinensis Seed Oil (Jojoba)
Natural Tocopheryl Acetate (Vit E)
Cucumis sativus Fruit Extract (Cucumber)
Calendula officinalis Flower Extract (Marigold)
Epilobium angustifolium Flower, Leaf, Stem Extract (Willowherb)
Panthenol (Vit B5)
Ceteareth-20
Allantoin
Cellulose Gum
Carbomer
Phenoxyethanol
Potassium Hydroxide
Potassium Sorbate
Sodium Benzoate