Coconut oil & seborrheic dermatitis

[ellen4621]

Okay....I truly believe it's official now 'cuz my scalp has been completely free and clear of ANY signs of seborrhea for 7 months now!

Here's my story: At 13 (puberty for most of us females), I suddenly developed thick white patches on my scalp that would not go away no matter what I did or used (i.e. dandruff shampoos, etc.) It has been a great source of misery and embarrassment for me my entire life since then! (When DH & I were first dating, the wind blew my hair, he saw it and said, "What's that? The MANGE!!" - ok, so I still married him cuz he apologized PROFUSELY & sweetly) I did finally see a dermatologist (for a different reason) and he diagnosed me with "seborriasis" cuz it looked like seborrhea but migrated to different parts of my head like psoriasis would do, gave me some medicated gel but I didn't use it cuz it made my hair look greasy & oily (I'm not a vain person but in an office......)

Last October (and 30+ yrs after the seborriasis first started), after 6 months on Atkins and a few months on this forum, I started researching coconut oil. My hair had been doing the falling out thing for a few months and I was getting desperate - didn't want to be bald w/ white patches all over the place! :eek:

So, I took some coconut oil, warmed it a bit in the microwave, and slathered it all over my scalp & hair, put on a shower cap, then a towel, sat around for about an hour, then hopped in the shower and washed my hair. I did that twice a week for 3 weeks - after the first 3 times, my scalp was COMPLETELY CLEAR - but I did it 3 more times just to make sure! ;) That was 7 months ago...I haven't used the coconut oil on my scalp since...and it's STILL completely clear! I have been able to wear dark colored tops all winter long without worrying once about flaking onto my shirts! (Just breathing before would send a cascade of flakes before!) My scalp is pink & healthy looking, my hair has been coming back in (of course, that could be just the normal cycle of things now that my body has adjusted to LCing), and I'm no longer frantic on windy days!

This is just my experience but wanted to share in case anyone else was having the same problem - I even had my son use it on my granddaughter's scalp for her cradle cap!

Just one more thing that coconut oil has done for me!

Ellen :)

[HoserLC]

I put up with it for 15 years too. Until recently, then I tried new Head and Boulders selenium sulfide flavour in the dark blue bottle. That seemed to clear it up, whereas shampoos using zinc pyrithione, coal tar, salicylic acid and ketoconazole had failed. Which is odd because I don't remember having any luck with Selsun Blue. I also have it around the folds of my nose. For that I find el-cheapo hydrocortisone lotion twice a week does the trick. There are cortisone shampoos I guess but they still require a prescription here, and I could never get one out of my MD, Dr. No.

[ellen4621]

Hey Hoser...I'm glad you found something that (finally) worked for you! A lot of people just don't understand what people (like us) go through w/ this! Sometimes, the plaques on my scalp would be soooo thick, one could actually SEE them through my hair (even WITHOUT the wind a'blowin'! :eek: ) I have honestly tried every (stinky) "dandruff/seborrhea" shampoo on the market over the past 30+ yrs....so, you can imagine my absolute excitement over finding out that something as simple as coconut oil was MY cure! Seriously, I STILL have an absolutely clear scalp!

I sincerely hope that you continue to have great results w/ the Head & Shoulders! If not, you can always give the 'ol coconut oil a try!

Ellen :)

[Ginga]

Would coconut oil work on snd around the nose? Anyone try this?

[ellen4621]

Would coconut oil work on snd around the nose? Anyone try this?

Hey Ginga! From one "original" (now transplanted) Minnesotan to another, I'm not exactly sure what "snd" is? seborrheic "nasal" dermatitis???!! My guess is that it can't hurt to TRY it.....possibly at night so you're not running around w/ a shiny nose. I've tried putting it on my eczema by my ears (NOT a good thing since I wear a headset all day!) but so far, nada w/ that! I'm going to try using my Oregano Oil drops next -- good thing DH works nights! Now I just have to worry about the dog trying to lick my ears....:lol:

Good luck and let me know what happens!

Ellen :)

[Ginga]

Sorry Ellen, that was supposed to be "and". I get dermatitis around my nose every once in a while. My doctor always gives me doxycycline but I hate taking it. So if there's something else that would be great! I'll try it next time it happens.

[BKM]

I've had sebhoreic dermatitis for about 42 years now -- it used to get so bad (when I was in my 20's) that my scalp and face would be a bloody mess -- I now go regularly to a dermatologist who prescribes various lotions and creams for the condition (I think they're all cortisone-based). The one that works best (a liquid to apply to my scalp) always comes with the warning to NOT apply it to the face or ears, it "thins" the skin. Doesn't sound all that healthy...

I am going to try the coconut oil, that would sure beat the strong medications! My scalp is so darned oily, I wouldn't have thought to do that (I'm almost 60 years old and I STILL have to wear oil-reducing foundations and mosturizers).

Thanks for the information, everyone.

Bonnie

[ellen4621]

Hi Bonnie! Plz let me know your results, if you would....and good luck to you!

I've got my 14-YO son now using it....just can't get him to don the shower cap for an hour b4 shampooing (even tho he sits in his room the whole time so no one can see him - lol) He's only been using it for a week now (i.e. twice), so I'll check in w/ him after the next time and see what he has to say!

My DH works in a foundry and used to get a prickly heat rash type of thing on his chest from sweating.....he started using the coconut oil after his showers and his rash has completely cleared up! (He jokingly tells the kids that it's "Mom's Cure for Everything" :lol:)

Ellen :)

[2brickie]

okay my little girl who is ten has this stuff severe. She has been to her dermatologist for awhile and prescribes some stuff thats 120 a bottle and looks like mousse. It seems to help a little but then she says it itches and she scratches till her head is just bleeding. So I started the coconut oil, have done it twice, is there anything you all know of to help the itching? She shampoos every day with some prescribed shampoo, but says her head still just itches. Please help she has extremely long dark dark brown hair and she is very worried about her schoolmates seeing this stuff.

[ellen4621]

okay my little girl who is ten has this stuff severe. She has been to her dermatologist for awhile and prescribes some stuff thats 120 a bottle and looks like mousse. It seems to help a little but then she says it itches and she scratches till her head is just bleeding. So I started the coconut oil, have done it twice, is there anything you all know of to help the itching? She shampoos every day with some prescribed shampoo, but says her head still just itches. Please help she has extremely long dark dark brown hair and she is very worried about her schoolmates seeing this stuff.

Oh my...I can SOOOO relate! When I first developed this at age 13, I would literally put baby oil on a Q-Tip and dab it on my part so that the white patches wouldn't show. Did it help w/ the itching? No - just made my hair look greasy! (okay...I was young and didn't understand what was going on at that time - and yes, I had/have long dark brown hair, too!)

Seriously, the first thing I would do is to NOT have her wash her hair every day - I know, sounds terrible, but she's essentially washing away all the natural oils off her scalp, therefore drying her scalp out TOO much and causing the itching. The itching COULD also be a sign that her scalp is starting to heal - it's not going to be easy, but she really does have to try to NOT SCRATCH. It took three treatments before my scalp was clear and all itching was gone.

I battled w/ this stuff for over 30 years before I tried the coconut oil - and my scalp is STILL clear! I'm really anxious to hear if it works for your daughter as well - please keep me posted, 'k?

[sarah36]

wow thanks for this thread :thup: my poor 17yr old daughter has had terrrible scalp for just over a yr tryin all the stuff from the docs, yesterday she fi nally gets to see a dermatoligist who dosnt know what it is :help: her hair is balding at the front,thining and her head bleeds and becomes infected!!! n really stinks!! poor kid !! i had heard something about coconut oil, and have just bout leave in conditioner!! i WILL show her this thread and buy some coconut OIL funny i used to sunbath in that in the 80s :lol: , ill let you know how it goes, many many thanks take care lv sa xx

[2brickie]

Ellen4621 should I just have her wash it every other day or something after using the coconut oil? Her head is just red and inflamed, is that something that will also go away with the healing? I used to have some dry scalp but since changing to lowcarb I have nothing of the sort. Actually now I have enough hair for like 5 people and it grows so fast Im having to have it color weaved every 5 to 6 weeks to keep the roots colored. Do you think if I can get her to watch her carbs, of course not as low as we go on induction that would help also?

[ellen4621]

2brickie - I really honestly don't know about having your dgtr watch her carbs..and I know you would never bring them down to induction level for her...she's a growing girl and still needs her balanced nutrition. Sorry, I can't help you there. However, as for only washing her hair every other day....now that may help. Like I said, every time we wash our hair, we are shampooing out not only the daily dirt and oil from hair itself, but also removing the oils from the scalp.....which do form a natural "protection barrier" on the scalp....and if she's scratching, well, that may just make things worse.

Lord knows, I used to actually pick the plaques off my head, then those areas would ooze and crust over, and then the cycle would begin again - not pretty, I know, but I'm being honest here. I'd give it a try for a week or two - have her wash her hair every other day - do the coconut oil treatments a couple times a week and then wait a full day before she washes her hair again. Also, I don't know how strong the medicated shampoo is that was prescribed for her....and I most certainly am no medical expert - I'm just going with my guts here.....

My heart goes out to your dgtr - this may seem like such a minor thing to a lot of people but believe me, it's NOT - please keep me posted, 'k?

[ellen4621]

sara36 - let me know how it goes w/ your dgtr, too, 'k? Even though - believe it or not - I have worked in the medical field for going on 25 yrs now (definitely NOT a physician or medical expert in any way shape or form!), I have always looked into finding as many all-natural remedies for things - I like to keep things SIMPLE!

Oh, and how I KNOW about the stinky scalp! As for her hair thinning, that I can't answer - sorry - I, too, have several patches of extremely thin hair BUT (and this is a HUGE BUT) I also used to pick at the plaques for years and have most likely damaged my scalp...but that's just me....remember I had this for over 30 yrs before I finally found something that worked for me....but if your dgtr can be spared all of that....then I say go for it - try the coconut oil... I'd be really interested to know if it helps - even a little....

[sarah36]

:wave: off to buy the coconut oil :thup: today ill keep you posted many thanks have a wonderful weekend lv always sa xx

[Demi]

Am sitting slathered in coconut oil, wearing a shower cap, wrapped in a towel as I post :)

Although I'm not sure if I actually suffer from sebhoreic dermatitis, my scalp does have a tendency to be itchy and flaky. Have tried various shampoos etc., but nothing has really worked, so hoping that the coconut oil will do the trick :thup:

Thanks for the tip Ellen :)

[ellen4621]

Demi - Hi! Give it a few tries and then let me know how it goes.

Here's another thought for everyone - totally not related to coconut oil BUT - if I remember correctly, quite a few people on here were adding Oil of Oregano DROPS to their regular shampoo and that, also, seemed to have some benefit w/ flaking, etc. However, I don't remember any of them actually saying they had seborrheic dermatitis - which is a whole different situation.

I don't have the link(s) handy, but do a search on here under Oil of Oregano (2brickie - I DO know that you started a thread about OoO breaking your stall, but I can't remember if THAT's the thread where people were adding it to their shampoo - it's a huge thread.) I've never tried it personally but Lily (AFWife) had some good results with it....maybe you could check w/ her.

[2brickie]

Yes they used the OOO for dandruff but this isnt dandruff the dermatoligist said. We thought thats what it was and tried the OOO in the shampoo and she said it made it itch worse. Now I dont know about that because I take the stuff everyday and havent noticed any itching anywhere but she is 10. I just want to get it taken care of for her before she gets to that teenage thing you know. The doctor did say that its a form of cradle cap. Neither of my kids had cradle cap when they were babies so I dont know. I had her skip the shampoo this morning so we will see how that goes. The shampoo has zinc in it, and Im worried that is drying her head too, maybe making it itch. I was wondering if I should have her only use that shampoo like twice a week and a moisturizing shampoo the other times. Tell me what you think and I will keep you all posted on how she does. She has beautiful hair so I would hate to have to cut it or something as she has dreams of being a rodeo queen.

[ellen4621]

Yes they used the OOO for dandruff but this isnt dandruff the dermatoligist said. We thought thats what it was and tried the OOO in the shampoo and she said it made it itch worse. Now I dont know about that because I take the stuff everyday and havent noticed any itching anywhere but she is 10. I just want to get it taken care of for her before she gets to that teenage thing you know. The doctor did say that its a form of cradle cap. Neither of my kids had cradle cap when they were babies so I dont know. I had her skip the shampoo this morning so we will see how that goes. The shampoo has zinc in it, and Im worried that is drying her head too, maybe making it itch. I was wondering if I should have her only use that shampoo like twice a week and a moisturizing shampoo the other times. Tell me what you think and I will keep you all posted on how she does. She has beautiful hair so I would hate to have to cut it or something as she has dreams of being a rodeo queen.

I agree....this is NOT dandruff. I don't know which prescription shampoo your dermatologist gave your daughter but even the over-the-counter Neutrogena T/Gel Shampoo's directions state "Twice a week or as directed by your doctor", so yeah, maybe that will help to reduce the itching. Oh, and FYI - she doesn't have to "rinse and repeat" cuz that will just dry her scalp even more - just MHO.

I do have access to info on prescription medications, so I looked up a couple of prescription shampoos - "mild skin/scalp irritation, pruritus (itching), and scalp oilness OR dryness may occur." But I think the key here is to help keep her from scratching - not an easy thing to do, I know - OH, HOW I KNOW!

Again, I have to state - so I don't get kicked off here for trying to give medical advice to anyone - I'm no expert....the coconut oil worked for me and if it could help someone else...great! If not...then go back to the dermatologist. But don't give up!

Oh, and gosh no! You shouldn't have to cut her hair because of this....a rodeo queen, huh?! :thup:

[2brickie]

Thanks for the help actually, I know this would get better if she would just quit the scratching. It will start to heal up and then scratch scratch scratch and we are back to full blown again. Im going to really watch her on this spring break and see if we cant get these days in without scratching and that will probably help a ton. Thanks again

[BKM]

Just noticed this thread again -- I've been using coconut oil on my scalp (no outbreaks of sebbhorea since I started using it!) and on my face.

I typically use coconut oil as a night cream (slather it on my face before I go to bed) and under my makeup in the morning (lots less then!) -- and my face has stayed reasonably clear throughout this time. I have some problems right now with my eyebrows (above the nose) -- I started massaging some in there yesterday -- doubt that much coconut oil was htting that particular spot....

My face was also quite red (from the prescription cortisones that I had been using -- thin skin) -- and so I apply an aloe-comfrey gel to the red areas, then rub in the coconut oil -- my skin is looking considerably better and acutally losing a lot of the redness!

[ellen4621]

Hi Bonnie! So glad to hear that the coconut oil is working for you! :yay: I'm sooo hoping that it will help the others on here recently as well. Thanks for coming back and updating!

[sim0ne]

wow i thought i was the only one with this! i had constant thick chunky flakes since college -- it was like cradle cap that babies get. it was in my eyebrows and behind my ears too. no dandruff shampoo worked ever! the prescription mousse and shampoo just burned.

i always assumed it was candida related because it was much worse when i was under stress and eating junk food. so when i read about how great coconut oil is for controlling candida i decided to slop it on my scalp and face -- what a miracle! crust free for over a week now. i feel a tad bit shiny but it is worth it.

[ellen4621]

wow i thought i was the only one with this! i had constant thick chunky flakes since college -- it was like cradle cap that babies get. it was in my eyebrows and behind my ears too. no dandruff shampoo worked ever! the prescription mousse and shampoo just burned.

i always assumed it was candida related because it was much worse when i was under stress and eating junk food. so when i read about how great coconut oil is for controlling candida i decided to slop it on my scalp and face -- what a miracle! crust free for over a week now. i feel a tad bit shiny but it is worth it.

SWEET!!! :clap:

[MoseyMan]

I found a home remedy that works for itching and dandruff. Some people build up a sensitivity to all the chemicals they put in dyes, perms, shampoo, hairsprays and face creams; this works for those types of people.

mix: (estimate really - my DW just dumps a bit in a small 4 oz bottle)

baby shampoo - 4 oz
tsp to a tbsp of jojobo oil
tsp to a tbsp of tea tree oil

Shake before each use. Shampoo thoroughly, let on 5 minutes. Keep out of eyes because of the tree oil. No conditioners, hairspray, or other stuff. The jojobo oil is the conditioner, it may take a few days to notice it though. Most flakes disapear in 3 days and if used everyday they are not noticeable and it does help with itching. Use everday.

The tea tree oil should be from the Melaleuca alternifolia tree and should have less than 3% cineole. (There are some bad tea tree oils on the market.) Tree oil shampoos do not have enough tree oil in them to help.

She had the eyebrow scale, ear scale, scale everywhere. She stopped using cleansers and moisterizes on her face and let it be dry - her worst fear. (she just scrubs with a wet washcloth and no cleanser - once a week she uses a little dab of tree oil on the cloth) All the scale went away. It made me wonder if all the creams and lotions are actually causing the problem. Her skin is not dry anymore.

[Demi]

Demi - Hi! Give it a few tries and then let me know how it goes.
Just to let you know that it does seem to be helping - much less itchy and flaky :thup:

[ellen4621]

I found a home remedy that works for itching and dandruff. Some people build up a sensitivity to all the chemicals they put in dyes, perms, shampoo, hairsprays and face creams; this works for those types of people.

mix: (estimate really - my DW just dumps a bit in a small 4 oz bottle)

baby shampoo - 4 oz
tsp to a tbsp of jojobo oil
tsp to a tbsp of tea tree oil

Shake before each use. Shampoo thoroughly, let on 5 minutes. Keep out of eyes because of the tree oil. No conditioners, hairspray, or other stuff. The jojobo oil is the conditioner, it may take a few days to notice it though. Most flakes disapear in 3 days and if used everyday they are not noticeable and it does help with itching. Use everday.

The tea tree oil should be from the Melaleuca alternifolia tree and should have less than 3% cineole. (There are some bad tea tree oils on the market.) Tree oil shampoos do not have enough tree oil in them to help.

She had the eyebrow scale, ear scale, scale everywhere. She stopped using cleansers and moisterizes on her face and let it be dry - her worst fear. (she just scrubs with a wet washcloth and no cleanser - once a week she uses a little dab of tree oil on the cloth) All the scale went away. It made me wonder if all the creams and lotions are actually causing the problem. Her skin is not dry anymore.


Moseyman - Wow! That's great! As for the "creams and lotions", have you ever read the list of ingredients - Yikes! Chemical after chemical after chemical! Sheesh!

I DO have some Tea tree oil - nasty-smellin' stuff! - but I have no clue as to where to get the jojoba oil - any suggestions? We also keep baby shampoo on-hand 'cuz we watch our 19-month-old GD four nights a week and she has this "thing" about rubbing ketchup in her hair! :lol: Anyway, my youngest son (15) has been trying the coconut oil on his scalp off and on for awhile now but, unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be helping much - he's not as itchy but, then again, he doesn't have the thick white patches on his scalp either, just irritated areas. So maybe trying your wife's "recipe" might be helpful for him!

Demi - Glad to hear that it (the coconut oil) IS helping w/ the flaking and itching! Moseyman above also seems to have something worth trying!

2brickie - :wave: How's your dgtr's scalp doing?

[MoseyMan]

Ellen,

I get all those odd oils at local health food store and they are available online too. I hope your son has the same luck as my DW.

I have read the ingredients in most of my products and I threw them all away. "They" used to say products did not penetrate the skin but since the transdermal patch came out - I think that's going to change. I am very careful now what I use on my body. I read the razors with the lotion strips are the worst offenders - because of shaving, that stuff goes right into the blood stream easily. How true any of it really is - is hard to tell. But I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Your GD is cute as a button!

PS - if you have tree oil and baby shampoo - you could give it a try with just that. If he doesnt have dry hair, he may not need jojobo oil anyway (The Jojobo oil helps rinse out flakes and condition the scalp and hair, but it is more for dry hair)

[ellen4621]

MoseyMan - I think you're right about leaving out the Jojoba oil - at this point, I don't really think my son is THAT concerned about "conditioning" his hair! lol I'll mix up a "batch" this afternoon and have him try it when he showers this evening! (I can see him rolling his eyes already - "What?! You want me to try ANOTHER concoction?! Moooom!") :lol:

Thanks for the comment about our GD! She's entering the "Terrible Two's", so there are times when it's a GOOD thing she's just so darn cute! :lol:

[2brickie]

Hey update, we have went from terrible terrible to almost completely gone. The derm doctor is just amazed. We did quit using the medicated shampoo every day, and she is now using a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, the results are amazing. Thank goodness for this forum and the coconut oil. I have even been using it on her skin as she has these funny little bumps on the backs of her arms and its really helping there too. Thanks again I will keep you all posted

[ellen4621]

Hey update, we have went from terrible terrible to almost completely gone. The derm doctor is just amazed. We did quit using the medicated shampoo every day, and she is now using a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, the results are amazing. Thank goodness for this forum and the coconut oil. I have even been using it on her skin as she has these funny little bumps on the backs of her arms and its really helping there too. Thanks again I will keep you all posted

Oh, I am SOOO happy to hear this! :)

As for the bumps on the backs of her arms, have her gently exfoliate those areas using one of those bath/shower "poofy-things" (lol I don't know what they're really called. lol) and apply the coconut oil afterwards. There's a name for them, too, but I can't recall right now - I started developing them when I was heavier, but no longer! Sorry I'm not more specific, but it's late and I just finished typing, and my brain is tired. :lol:

Again, I'm so glad to hear that things are improving! :thup:

[2brickie]

Super we will give it a try, I think its called some weird name starting with a P or a K something. I havent had them since I went lowcarb so I will give it a shot for her. Thanks again

[tunkany]

I think even baby shampoo is loaded with chemicals.... I use Burt's bees shampoo bar. I started using coconut oil for my baby's cradle cap and my eczema a few days ago. How long does it take to see results?

[ellen4621]

Hi tunkany! How long does it take? Varies from person to person..... and, as in the case w/ 2brickie's daughter, she ended up having something else altogether that required going to a dermatologist.

Try it for a couple weeks at least, and then let us know how it's going....k?

:wave:

[2brickie]

Mine did see the dermatologist and had guttate psoriasis, but I am glad to report that with reducing her carb intake, watching everything she is eating and using the coconut oil and oil of oregano on her scalp we cleared it up.

[MoseyMan]

My son had eczema until I switched soaps. Ivory soap was doing it! He uses Dr Bronners Bar soap (castile soap) now and has had no eczema since.

[tunkany]

Thank you guys! This gives me hope. My 6-month-old has a little cradle cap but it's not bad. She has no eczema, thank God. My two-year-old has eczema on her trunk. She had bad cradle cap as a baby and I think she still has a little crustiness. It's hard to see becasue she has so much hair. Her hair just soaks up all that oil and I'm not sure how much she gets on her scalp. I have eczema on my hands. LC and coconut oil seems to be helping a bit for both of us. I'm just so desperate to see real results. I've been using castile soap for several months for everything (hands, hair, clothes, dishes) plus various moisturizers and it didn't make a difference. I think sugar is the big culprit, because it got so much worse after I ate a bunch of doughnuts or chocolate. So that's why I started LC-ing. I think it's helping our eczema but the progress is so slow. I lost some weight though. It's hard with my 2-year-old because she whynes for food all day long. She has a hard time giving up bread, milk and cereal, so I have drastically reduced her portions but I still end up giving it to her... It's so boring to eat eggs every day for breakfast. How can you transition a toddler into LC-ing? Any help and ideas?

[Zuleikaa]

Thank you guys! This gives me hope. My 6-month-old has a little cradle cap but it's not bad. She has no eczema, thank God. My two-year-old has eczema on her trunk. She had bad cradle cap as a baby and I think she still has a little crustiness. It's hard to see becasue she has so much hair. Her hair just soaks up all that oil and I'm not sure how much she gets on her scalp. I have eczema on my hands. LC and coconut oil seems to be helping a bit for both of us. I'm just so desperate to see real results. I've been using castile soap for several months for everything (hands, hair, clothes, dishes) plus various moisturizers and it didn't make a difference. I think sugar is the big culprit, because it got so much worse after I ate a bunch of doughnuts or chocolate. So that's why I started LC-ing. I think it's helping our eczema but the progress is so slow. I lost some weight though. It's hard with my 2-year-old because she whynes for food all day long. She has a hard time giving up bread, milk and cereal, so I have drastically reduced her portions but I still end up giving it to her... It's so boring to eat eggs every day for breakfast. How can you transition a toddler into LC-ing? Any help and ideas?There's no reason a toddler should be on strict lc. Further, children need a lot of calories and nutritional content for growth. Switch the bread to lc whole grain, the cereal to old fashioned oatmeal, kashi, or other minimally processed grains. Minimize or avoid sugar and fruit juices. Offer plenty of raw or lightly steamed veggies. Concentrate on lower glycemic options for carbs.

[2brickie]

I wouldnt put your toddler on strict lc like we as adults do, but you can for sure cut back the actual amount of processed foods and stuff she eats. I have basically just started cooking everything from scratch, I dont like to feed my little girl anything out of a box and it has really helped. She loves fish of all kinds so that has been a plus too. We have her on Primal Defense from the health food store on a suggestion from our holistic vet, who is a very very good friend of ours and that has helped a ton. It just helps your intestines to get rid of the bad build up. I switched my family to the crystal light or even the walmart brand of sugar free drinks and they love it. We eat alot of veggies, mostly fresh or frozen, and I give her apples, oranges, etc. just because I think kids need alot fruits.

Good luck and just keep working at it. My kids love to snack on cheese, so I buy them string cheese, nuts of all kinds, just good healthy foods.

[tunkany]

I didn't mean to say that I want to put my toddler on a strict LC diet. I meant what you guys said, cutting back on sugar (candy, cake, cookies, juices) and white bread, grains, cereal. I do give her tons of fruits and veggies, she also loves to snack on cheese sticks, and soft nuts that she can chew (pine). She is having a hard time because she got spoiled during the holidays and all of a sudden, no more sugary treats! She loves sugary cereal, but now I only give her cheereos or corn flakes. She loves white bread and doesn't like whole grain bread as much. That's why she whynes all day -she is craving sugar.
I believe LC is not just for weight loss. I believe it's the healthy way of eating, even for children. The body doesn't need a lot of carbs. Too much of it, even in the form of whole grains, will cause problems later in life - intestinal problems, diabetes, heart disease, allergies. I've done a lot of research and read a lot of stuff- both quack sites and reliable sources and I've come to the conclusion that we really need to minimize our carb intake (except for fruits and veggies) and go back to eating saturated fat instead of the disease causing vegetable oils (except coconut and olive). I want to best for my children.
It's just hard to make changes when the whole family lives on a high-carb diet and they are fat and sick but don't want to change the way they eat and think I'm crazy.

[MoseyMan]

Tunkany,
I have been where you are. I had eczema on my hands for years. It was so painful and nothing helped it. From what I've read it's lactose/wheat (not having the right bacteria inside to digest either). For me, adding yogurt to my diet cured me (I did SCDiet for a while). I only use coconut oil and olive too. And the castle soap. And vinegar instead of bleach...

You might want to check out SCD diet, they claim its the healthiest diet, even for small children.

I too am trying to get my son to eat healthier. UG! At least he is not loaded with vegetable oils..but it's one day at a time to get him to eat well. Better late than never! (He loves the cookies on SCD plan.)

[tunkany]

Moseyman,
Thanks, it's good to know I'm not only one thinking that eczema is caused by gut problems. I have been reading a whole lot on that SCD diet lately myself. It makes sense and I'd rather trust a lady who was a biochemist and also cured her daughter than the nutritionists who come up with the new super food every year. I've been working on this diet but I can't find the almond flour, dry curd cottage cheese around here not to mention the yoghurt. I don't have a yoghurt maker and was wondering if I can use something else, like a crock pot? I just don't have that kind of money right now to buy the SCD yoghurt maker. I've been just using probiotics for about a month.
How long were you on the SCD diet and would it work without the yoghurt?
How long did it take you to see results, did you have a die-off?
Besides the probiotics and the diet I use virgin coconut oil both internally and on my skin. Not much change yet on my skin....

[MoseyMan]

I noticed results in about two weeks to a month on SCD. I didnt have any die-off or other odd symptoms.

I took probiotics for years and it did not cure my eczema. Some people on the diet can't tolerate milk and don't use the yogurt, and just use probiotics. Elaine does say that it would take hundred of pills to equal the same amount of probiotics that in one cup of that yogurt. As far as probiotics go, it would have to be just the main 3 that are in yogurt, because taking other probiotics may have the reverse effect. (L Bulgaricus, S thermophilus, L acidophilus only) No FOS or any other probiotics.

SCD is a different approach, you dont have die-off and all that jazz. It doesnt kill bacteria that is in the gut, instead gives back a natural ecosystem that is a balance or good/bad bacteria. Even those so called 'bad' bacteria are needed and essential for things like digestion. You cant just wipe them out - thats what got most people in the position of needing probiotics, too much anti-biotics in their past killing everything in its path.

Elaine has a part on the SCD website where she tells how to make yogurt in the oven with a 60 watt light bulb. I never tried it this way, I just bought the machine. For what 2 bottles of the right probiotics cost, I paid for my yogurt machine. (25 bucks at amazon.com) If you decide to make your own, let me know, Ive been at it so long now, I have made it simple (compared to the complex instructions they give.)

I buy raw almonds and grind them in a food processor. (used to use a really small coffee grinder) The almond flour is twice the amount I pay for raw almonds. (12 bucks a lb for flour, 6 for a lb of almonds) You only need the dry curd cottage cheese if you want to make the one kind of 'bread' on SCD. Its the worse bread I ever ate! Or the SCD cheesecake which is just as bad. I don't know why they make such a fuss about the dry curd cottage cheese - ewwww. I guess if you are a big fan of cottage cheese, its a good thing to have a healthy safe brand to eat.

I did SCD and I cheated like hell, and my eczema still got better. So I do believe there is hope. But if I stop eating yogurt for a few weeks, I start getting itchy again. It doesnt take much yogurt to keep me healthy, 2-3 servings a week now. For the eczema on my hands I had to stop using detergents completely and switched to castile soaps for everything except laundry. I never could get the hang of wearing rubber gloves and any moisterizer I used just made me itch more. Now I use nothing on my skin at all. It was hard to stop! I went thru a week of intense dryness and then my skin started to heal. I wondered if the moisterizers were adding to the problem. For years, my face was so dry I put curel on it a few times a day and it still was dry. After I stopped, I looked really bad for a week (dry and flaky) then it became normal.

[tunkany]

Moseyman,
Thank you so much for all this info! I think I'll get the yoghurt maker, you say about 25 bucks at amazon? I'll check e-bay too. What brand should I be looking for? As for probiotics, I use Culturelle with Lactobacillus GG (rhamnosus) as it survives stomach acid better, but it's not found on the SCD website, so it might be illegal? Maybe it's not the right species. Well I'll use it up and then try to get the yoghurt maker. I love yoghurt. I just had to cheat and get some this weekend, and the rash is coming back... or maybe it's the eggs. Last week I stopped eating eggs and my rash cleared up on my body except hands, I ate eggs this weekend and yoghurt plus I HAD to eat pizza and cake (we were over at the in-laws for birthdays and they literally didn't have anything else). Now I don't know if the eggs cause the rash, or the candida got a load of sugar or it's the yoghurt. I hope the SCD yoghurt will do the trick. I also love cottage cheese so DCCC would be awesome, I guess I have to order it thorugh peapod.com. Thank you again.
And thank you for all the people who gave avice concerning cradle cap and eczema on children.

[arc]

Something that is frequently misdiagnosed as eczema is Dermatitis Herpetiformis and is a result of celiac disease (gluten intolerance). Here (http://www.celiac.com/st_main.html?p_catid=10) are some links to descriptions and studies about DH.

[MoseyMan]

Diagnoses of Celiac disease requires:

"A series of intestinal biopsies would be done: one tissue sample would be taken from the small intestine before gluten was removed from the diet; a second sample would be taken after the patient had been on a "gluten-free" diet. The biopsy samples would have to reflect the changes in the diet."

From what I've read, finding a true 'celiac' is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Lots of people self diagnose, but that doesnt mean they are correct. Few have gone thru the above test and can be labeled a true celiac.

SCD cures celiac!
"During the next few years, Dr Haas treated over 600 cases of coeliac disease with his Specific Carbohydrate Diet™, maintaining his patients on it for at least 12 months, and found that the prognosis of coeliac disease was excellent. There is complete recovery with no relapses, no deaths, no crisis, no pulmonary involvement and no stunting of growth."

taken from >>> Whatever happened to the cure for coeliac disease? http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/news/cure_for_coeliac_disease.htm

Personally, I'll take the cure!

[Nancy LC]

I like the SCD diet. It really does seem to be helping getting things back under control after going gluten/casein free and getting worse! I'm not sure I buy the claims that it cures celiac disease. Or lets just say, I'm highly skeptical. Still, it is a great diet and I am hoping it helps me in many ways.

Celiac disease just means that your gluten sensitivity has severely damaged your intestinal villi. Some people never have any GI symptoms from it, some have neurological symptoms or autoimmune diseases or skin conditions. Dr. Fine is using a new test (http://www.enterolab.com/Essay/) which picks up on gluten sensitivity before it ever gets to the stage where it destroys the villi or leaks antibodies into the blood stream, far earlier than the so called "gold standard" biopsy test. But whether or not you had villi damage, if you're unable to properly digest wheat the treatment is the same as it is for celiacs, lifelong avoidance of the protein that causes the damage.

I'd like to see graduates of the SCD diet who were diagnosed celiacs pass Dr. Fine's test. That would cure my skepticism.

Turkany, I'm on SCD right now. I am also casein intolerant so the milk based yogurt is out for me. However, I'm making yogurt (like) stuff from other things, like coconut milk. You can buy a yogurt maker from Amazon, I think I got mine there. I like the sort that do a quart at a time. You could also improvise using a heating pad or your oven light. The key is to make sure the milk stays at at least 90' and not hotter than... not sure... 115? You don't want to kill the microbes. I'm sure if you look around on the Internet you'll get a lot of ideas for making yogurt.

I am hanging out with the paleo's because they tend to eat SCD-ishly. Their recipe thread had lots of ideas.

The only issue you might find with SCD is that you'll have to do a lot of cooking. People aren't used to that. :)

[arc]

Considering that celiac disease is genetic, there is no cure. There is simply relief from the symptoms by following a gluten-free diet, assuming that not too much damage has been done.

[MoseyMan]

No cure? Wow!!!

Dr Haas treated over 600 cases of coeliac disease with his Specific Carbohydrate Diet™...There is complete recovery

You don't have to be cured, you do have a choice! :lol:

[MoseyMan]

Tunkany,

Any type of yogurt maker will do the trick. I got the cheapest- mine is a salton.

I've read those ads for "survive the gut better" probitocs and I bought them myself. All probiotics should survive the acid of the gut; I think thats just an advertising scheme.

You should get a journal!

[tunkany]

Thanks everyone! we got off the subject a little bit here... turned this thread into SCD diet. If there's interest, we could start a new thread...
Going back to the original topic, coconut oil. I have hight hopes for my children. It really seems to help my 7-month-old. And my scalp is not as flaky as it was a few weeks before. I just have to limit the use of CO on my face as it made me break out like I was a teenager again...

[arc]

No cure? Wow!!!

Dr Haas treated over 600 cases of coeliac disease with his Specific Carbohydrate Diet™...There is complete recovery

You don't have to be cured, you do have a choice! :lol:

Really. So after treatment, these people were able to eat gluten at will and never have symptoms again? That would be pretty impressive. :rolleyes:

[OyVey]

thanks for this! I have seborrheic dermatitis on my face, in my ears, behind my ears on my eyebrows and in some private locations as well ;) I'm trying the coconut oil - started last night.
I'm also taking lecethin & evening primrose oil.

[Nancy LC]

Really. So after treatment, these people were able to eat gluten at will and never have symptoms again? That would be pretty impressive. :rolleyes:

Its a great diet for healing up the gut from damage caused by intolerances, but I don't believe the claims it can cure food intolerances.

[nedgoudy]

I was hoping you were going to
say that you ate it and the problem
went away. Seriously. I have suffered
since the age of 11 with crusty white stuff
in my scalp and no meds or shampoos no
matter how exotic or expensive have solved
the problem. That is 44 yrs of suffering. :cry:
I am not too fond of smearing coconut oil
all over my head either, but I might just try it.

And don't tell me I can't scratch! I been
doin that since I was 11. Unfortunately,
that leaves permanent scars and scabs
on top of my head.

I found semi-permanent relief about 2
years ago by smearing fresh Aloe Vera
juice (direct from the plant) on my head.
It made the scars and the itchy stuff go
away and my (bald) scalp was clean and
clear. :agree:

I got rid of the myriad of plants in front
of my house tho and I don't have access
to the real stuff anymore. Good thread tho.
I just wish it wasn't relevant to ME! :bash:

[KarlaJorge]

Hey Ellen, just wondering if you are still around. I am pulling up this old thread as I was looking for information on scalp problems. I have a serious condition as I see it. The Dr. diagnosed Seborrheic Dermatitis, but it's been a couple of years and it's getting worse lately. I have done a lot of research and decided to drop all the shampoos he prescribed me and stop coloring my hair (he told me it was ok to continue doing so). I think I may have saturated myself with those and the ingredients of shampoos, I may be allergic to them after all. I am just giving this a try to see how it goes, I have nothing to loose, as I am already losing a lot of hair. So I went I got myself some essential oils and natural shampoos to start with, although there are so many articles to go with and so many different opinions on this, I just needed to start somehow. I was looking at your coconut oil suggestion, but was unable to find this here. What kind do I need to look for? And what type of shampoo do you use or recommend using at this point?

I notice that I just have a problem basically on my front top of my head, that is where it is very red and itches and burns. The rest of my scalp seems to be fine although I do have oily scalp all over. I am thinking maybe haircolor did this to me and everything else thereafter has only made it worse including the prescription shampoos that are so harsh.

[DerBlumers]

Yep...seborrheic dermatitis was the diagnosis when I was a small child in the early 60's.......and the treatment prescribed for me was drastic. My first day of summer break after first grade I was taken up a l_o_n_g staircase to a small room, where I had to sit still while my hair was cut and shaved off... ALL of it. Then...every day for weeks...I had to have this stinky ointment on my head, followed by covering my entire head with a stocking cap. I had to go EVERYWHERE looking and smelling like this. It must have been a solid two months later before I was allowed to keep the cap off and start letting my hair grow again. I was too young to understand that I had a real scalp condition...I took it as punishment for scratching my itchy scalp til it bled...I had such an oily scalp..and such itchy flaky bumps......My second grade school picture shows me in what looks like a crewcut (not a bad thing for a male...but I'm FEMALE...). In the long run it never really cured the problem......and it didn't help that whenever my mom caught me scratching my scalp she'd "threaten" me with either applying that stinky stuff...or, once in anger, with having the entire procedure done "all over again".

Fast forward to today......I don't think the treatment is THAT drastic any more. We have so many other procedures...both natural and prescription, I'm sure. I'm 53 yrs old...and I still have scalp outbreaks...quite often exaccerbated by the oil in my scalp and times of stress....BUT....I've discovered over the years that if I keep my hair and scalp clean...using a natural tea tree oil based shampoo and rinsing thoroughly....AND keeping my fingernails trimmed down to a bare minimum (because scratching breaks open sores and aggravates the problem) I can keep this problem under control. The itch often comes and goes...but this way I can't scratch it until it bleeds....I can only rub lightly....which I do a lot when I'm washing my hair...and it gets a chance to heal until the next outbreak. Coconut oil seems too risky...

I thought I would pass on my experience....FWIW