I have suffered from seborrheic dermatitis since I was 30 years old, when my life and career became more stressful. For me, this comes in the form of scabs and, more disturbingly, irritated patches of red, scaly skin on my face. not good. It can affect my self-confidence and has led to frequent visits to the bathroom mirror to combat hidden breakouts.
I have tried many things over the years to get rid of the redness and flaking, most of which have not fixed the problem and often leave my skin feeling oily. Until I found a drugstore seborrheic dermatitis regimen that combined a few lifestyle habits with surprisingly affordable skin products.
cleaner
My immune system tends to overreact, making me more sensitive to triggers that can cause breakouts. This means that I have to follow a skin care routine every day to control and prevent symptoms. My routine always starts with the CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser, which is an exfoliator I use to remove dead skin cells and keep my face fresh.
CeraVe Renewing SA Cleaner - $12.00
Discovering the Renewing SA Cleanser was a revelation, and now this humble bottle sits next to my shampoo in the shower. What I love about the cleanser is that it does double duty, removing all the dirt that doesn't belong on my face, while softening my skin and helping to lock in moisture.
This is guaranteed by the ingredients salicylic acid, gentle exfoliant and ceramides that protect the skin barrier. In fact, the formula is so precise that it seems impossible to use it often. On busy days, I sometimes do a second cleanse, but it never dries out or is "crunchy." And while I can be a little picky about this product, it doesn't take much to get the job done. One bottle often lasts 2 months or more.
moisturizing
When my face gets fresh, I found a hack to keep it looking all day without having to stand 15 feet from a mirror. I use about 1 serving of the oil daily to add nutrition and lock in more moisture. I usually put a little in the palm of my hand and then rub it in with water before gently massaging it into my face. This allows the oil to spread more easily and penetrate my skin better.
The tricky part of this step is adding some tea tree oil to the bottle. About 15-20 drops seems to work fine for me. You can put tea tree oil on its own, of course, but since I use it daily (wink), it's easier to add directly to the bottle.
Daily Oil - $28.00
Pure Body Naturals Tea Tree Oil - $10.00
The Everyday Oil is great because it has a blend of some amazing oils, like jojoba and coconut, which leave my skin feeling nourished and delicious. Some of these oils even mimic the ones your skin naturally produces, leaving me feeling well hydrated instead of oily. However, what makes tea tree oil the magic ingredient is its antifungal properties.
According to board-certified dermatologist Hadley King, MD, a yeast known as Malasezia can contribute to seborrheic dermatitis. That's why, he says, incorporating an ingredient with antifungal properties like tea tree oil into your routine can help. I have also started adding tea tree oil to my favorite shampoos to help prevent dandruff, and there are many shampoos that actually contain this ingredient for just that reason.
lifestyle change
Finding this line of products to treat dermatitis symptoms completely changed my confidence. But what makes it so much easier is adopting some lifestyle habits that support my healthy skin. A good night's sleep is one of the best things I can do for my face. I also try to stick to an anti-inflammatory diet that keeps my immune system from randomly crashing down.
These are the two strategies I use to reduce stress, which are what make my experience of breakouts more likely, adds dr. rey will likely confirm this. "Seborrheic dermatitis is an inflammatory condition, and we know that stress can make it worse," he says. "So I think it makes sense that an anti-inflammatory lifestyle might help, even though we don't have a lot of substantial scientific data to prove it."
Thanks to these methods, my face has never looked or felt better. No matter what life throws my way, I now know that I have the tools to take care of my skin and present myself with confidence. By exfoliating with a gentle cleanser, moisturizing to protect my skin barrier, and managing stress, I keep my skin free of inflammation every day.