Seborrheic Dermatitis plagued my skin and shattered my self esteem: How I combat this skin condition
- Tamarea
- Oct 11, 2019
- 5 min read
As school aged children, many of us were picked on for various reasons, such as our clothes or hair, some may have had facial acne or other physical plights. The list of horrible things children can think of (and actually say) goes on and on. Aside from being “giant status” in the height department, my skin was one other thing that kids would taunt me about. When I was 12 years old, I was faced with one of the most stressful things I’d ever experienced: the death of my mother. I had reached my pubescent peak, and had the skin to prove it.
The doctors believed that the skin condition was triggered by this tragic life event. I began to see blotches of flaky, itchy skin around my nose and through my eyebrows. At first I thought that it was just dry skin, but nothing seemed to work for it. The more oils and creams I tried to use it just continued to get worse. After failed attempts to calm what I thought was no big deal, I mentioned the itchy patches to my doctor and she referred me to a specialist. I was diagnosed with seborrheic dermatitis: a common skin condition that is defined by having “dandruff and sometimes scaling around the eyebrows, nose, and external ear, behind the ears, in the axilla, and on the sternum.” It is caused by having over productive sebaceous glands which leads to a number of varying symptoms, including oily, greasy skin, yellow crusted lesions on the face or scalp, redness, itching, and sometimes pustules can even form at the site of a lesion due to infection. Over time, I eventually began to experience all of the above.
Initially, I was prescribed ketoconazole 2% (cream) and hydrocortisone 2.5% (ointment); the doctor stressed that I did not use hydrocortisone for an extended time period because it would cause my skin to “thin”; I didn’t really understand what that meant, but, I followed the instructions, using it only as needed to reduce inflammation and itchiness. Fast forward from the age of 13 to 23: it had taken over my scalp, face, chest, ears, I mean EVERYWHERE. I became pregnant with my second child after undergoing a rough first pregnancy categorized by extreme dehydration and endless vomiting. The second time was even further from a cake walk, and my skin was suffering tremendously as a result of becoming a mother. I was using ketoconazole shampoo and even tried changing my diet and eating habits, decreasing sugar yeast and dairy intake, increasing water and healthy foods. The dermatitis expanded as I continued using prescribed creams and ointments, almost as if the yeast and sebum were being fueled, not treated. Although there would be small bouts of clarity, each time the flare ups returned they would be worse and more widespread, attacking areas where lesions hadn’t been previously. I was broken down.
Given that all of my professions involve being in the public eye, one can imagine how my self esteem would be affected by looking in the mirror to see my once “glowy” clear-skinned face covered in dark spots of hyperpigmentation, redness, and inflammation. Makeup couldn’t hide it-- it just showed through. I didn’t want to try any new over the counter products due to fear that it would just get worse. I mean, if the doctors couldn’t heal me then surely there was no hope. Right?
WRONG. I am a person who is big on research, so, naturally, over the years I have read many articles, blog posts, and research studies about atopic seborrheic dermatitis. I have also covered the topic of hyperpigmentation in melanated skin and how to get rid of it. There was always underlying commonalities in everything I read about the condition; medical journals or websites would steer readers to be treated by a physician and to use their prescribed ointments, creams, shampoos, etc. The majority of my info sources failed to mention the major impact that improved eating and sleeping habits, stress management, and natural herbs with healing properties could have on the skin.
I had heard a lot about turmeric being good. I did some more digging and learned that turmeric contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory components. I steered away from the mask because I was afraid it would turn my skin orange, which is what many people said who gave reviews about this method. One day while in TJ Maxx, I came across a tumeric oil product from Advanced Clinicals that was on sale for only $4. It was literally too cheap not to try. I picked up a bottle of rose water (which I had already been introduced to by a few of my friends in the makeup artist community) and headed to check out. That night, I began my newfound skincare routine.
THE DEETS: 10 steps that helped me to clear up my skin
Wash your face or other areas of your skin with mild facial cleanser right before bedtime, preferably something with soft microbeads to exfoliate away any dead skin cells. *Exfoliating is a major key to reduce the appearance dryness and flakiness.
Dry your skin with a cotton pad or a clean soft towel.
Spray (or drip) the rose water on the affected areas and massage it all the way in. Be sure not to leave any wetness on the surface of your skin.
Next, apply a generous amount of turmeric oil to your face or any other affected areas on your skin. Be sure not to get any in your eyes! I made that mistake for you already.
Go to sleep with the tumeric on your face. Allow it to work it’s magic while you get your beauty rest.
Wash your face again when you wake up in the morning repeating steps 1-3.
Follow this nightly routine for about a week or so and you will begin to see results. *Once your skin is more clear and you begin to feel the glow, you can reduce the amount of times per week you use the turmeric oil. I recommend continued daily use of rose water for hydration.
Drink LOTS OF WATER every single day. This is usually a given, it’s the golden rule of skincare/healthy living 101.
Take note of triggers. What things are happening in your life (and within your body) when flare ups occur. Do certain foods trigger you more than others? How does stress play a part in your skin’s appearance? Are flare ups linked to seasonal changes? Assessing your triggers will help you to be able to recognize them, and prevent future flare ups from happening.
Take good care of your skin! No matter how bad things may appear on the surface, continue to practice healthy skincare habits. (Inserts random “water drinking” campaign LOL). Make sure that you are washing your face well, especially if you wear makeup or work out often. Give your skin breaks from makeup and harsh chemicals. Invest in facials from time to time, when you can
Below you will find direct links to the products that I use at home. There may be others on the market, but I cannot personally vouch for them. Also, it's important to remember that every BODY is different. If this skincare routine does not work for you (and I hope it does), please don't give up hope. Continue to research other remedy options, and try to network and share ideas with others who may be experiencing similar problems.
Cheers to beautiful, healthy skin! xoxo
- Tamarea
Product Links: Advanced Clinicals Turmeric Oil - Click Here
One of the problems of medicine is that medical professionals will give someone a prescription based on a checklist instead of actually trying known remedies. Good thing you did your due diligence.