If your seborrheic dermatitis has stopped responding to Nizoral, here are solutions.
Or, to put it another way, has the Nizoral lost steam in treatment of your seborrheic dermatitis?
“It is actually very common for medicated shampoos to lose their effectiveness over time,” says Kally Papantoniou, MD, FAAD, with Simply Dermatology in NY.
“The best way to prevent this and maintain an itch-free clear scalp is to alternate between several medicated shampoos containing ingredients such as zinc pyrithione, sulfur, ketoconazole, and possibly even a salicylic acid or tar based shampoo.”
For example, Selsun Blue contains salicylic acid and can effectively rid patches of seborrheic dermatitis on the face as well as scalp.
Just dab it on (no need to rub it in) the affected area, leave on for a few seconds, then pat it off with a wet rag or sponge. Do not rub.
Use a Q-tip swab to clean up any remaining Selsun Blue (or whatever treatment you’re using) that’s around your nose.
Dr. Kally continues, “The idea is to wash your hair daily, allow the shampoo to sit on your scalp about five minutes, and to use different shampoos on alternate days.
“Seborrheic dermatitis occurs when the balance of skin’s pH and oil production creates an environment where yeast overgrow which leads to itching and flaking of skin cells.”
These patches can sometimes look like actinic keratosis (sun damage consisting of precancerous cells), but one of the tell-tale signs of seborrheic keratosis is that it usually has a salmon-colored or orange-dark-pink tinge to it.
Flaking is also a dead giveaway, though many times, a patch on the face won’t flake much.
Seborrheic keratoses often itch to the point where the patient aggressively scratches, making it worse. No matter what you do — do not scratch these patches.
Dr. Papantoniou
is a board certified dermatologist specializing in cosmetic, laser and surgical dermatology.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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