Summer skin protection and cleansing for sensitive dry skin?
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free skin care · Wed Apr 04, 2012 8:02 am

Hi everyone, this is my first post on the boards, i'm from england! I have been in a bit of a tizz with seborrheic dermatitis on my t zone and scalp but i have found a good shampoo and a frankincense night cream for face and body by akamuti which seem to work well. I am still however concerned about protecting my sensitive and dry skin in the summer. i would like to find a good moisturising cream and lip balm for sensitive dry skin with physical SPF 30 or above which i can wear during the day through the summer. I would also love to find a good cleanser which is natural and okay for sensitive skin that will be alright for cleansing away night cream/sunscreen etc. thanks so much guys, i really appreciate your help!

free skin care · Wed Apr 04, 2012 11:09 am

Welcome, I am also from the UK and also have dermatitis. Confused

Are you using any prescription or other anti-fungal medication at present? You might check out Devita sunscreens, they are based on aloe vera and zinc oxide and don't contain irritants like parabens and chemical sunscreens. I have imported mine, not having found anything with such an impressive ingredients list for sale here. The Solar protective contains
"Active: Micronized Zinc oxide 19%. Aloe barbadensis (organic aloe vera gel), Purified Water (aqua), Capric/caprylic triglycerides (derived from coconut oil), Glycerin (vegetable), Hyaluronic acid (vegan source), Glyceryl stearate SE (derived from vegetable oil), Stearic acid, Lecithin phospholipid, Tocopherol (vitamin E), Allantoin, Vitis vinifera (grape) seed extract."

You may not like this but be very careful with any product that contains sulphate surfactants - foaming face washes, shampoos, shower gels, hand wash, exfoliators - even the bubbles. Whilst sulphates can provide temporary relief by stripping the skin of sebum and reducing the population of the yeast culprit, they are known irritants as low as 1% and are proven to damage even healthy skin. Long term this leaves our skin more vulnerable to irritation much of which is totally invisible. Whist there is plenty of research to this effect for some reason GPs and pharmacists do not seem to be communicating this to NHS patients. Speaking for myself I am virtually clear (atopic and contact) since quitting sulphates and my mother has had at least a 50% reduction (SD and atopic). Some people find their condition worsens on quitting, so it is important to substitute the sulphates with a gentle anti-fungal whilst the skin barrier repairs.

Cleanser ... do you want foaming, cream or an oil? Natural foaming is difficult, these tend to be based on traditional alkaline soaps which also damage the skin's barrier function. The Oil Cleansing Method can work well for many forms of dermatitis but you would need to choose oils that are non-irritant (limit oleic acid), perhaps some that are naturally 'medicated' (eg. castor oil) and include an emulsifier so the residues rinse clean with water. Another option is NaturallyThinking extra mild sulphate-free shower gel base (gentle enough for face) which is not completely natural but is not packed with nasties and very gentle.
"Aqua, Caprylyl capryl glucoside, Cocomidopropyl betaine, Aloe barbadensis, Xanthan gum, Glyceryl oleate, Quillaja saponaria, Potassium sorbate, Sodium benzoate, Citric acid."

Lip balm .... nothing comes close to Lanolips LemonAid (Boots, Victoria Health) which is all natural. Lanolin supplies cholesterol and saturated fatty acids found naturally in healthy skin but often deficient in dermatitis. They also have tinted glosses with sunscreens but these are chemical agents, you might be best using your facial sunscreen on your lips. Do check your toothpaste and mouthwash for sulphate surfactants and drying alcohol and eliminate these. I love Aloe Pura toothpaste which is based on aloe vera (healing and hydrating).

Lastly are you consistently eating an anti-inflammatory, low glycaemic index diet? This is key to controlling all forms of dermatitis. Of particular importance is your intake of oily fish, sugar and white/ refined carbs. Again the NHS has been very slow to communicate this to patients, preferring to focus on prescriptions.

HTH! Very Happy

Edit: Is this your moisturiser?
"Sweet Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis), Apricot Kernel Oil (Prunus armenica), Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Olea europa), Organic Beeswax (Cera alba), Frankincense Essential Oil (Boswellia carterii)."
This contains several oils rich in oleic acid which can be irritant and contribute to abnormal keratinisation. I am guessing that is very heavy and so it is likely to have been effective for you by acting as a barrier, might be best to work out what it is protecting you from: make up, hair product residues in the shower, dehydration etc.

free skin care · Thu Apr 05, 2012 3:42 am

Hi firefox, thanks for your reply! I haven't had any prescription medication since a stint on roaccutane some years ago (which caused my current problems). I have been using Salcura face wash which is foaming but I am pretty sure it's all natural and the ingredients are on the salcura website.

The moisturiser is the one that you also came across, I have been combining it with a little avocado oil and it seems to absorb quite well and my face does seem to look less irritable (but the flakes are not shifting!)

My shampoo alternates between salcura and essential care herb and tea tree every day. I also alternate the salcura body wash and essential care aloe vera body wash while moistursing my body with the akamuti frankincense cream and shea butter for hands and feet. i always combine the akamuti cream with avocado oil to make it go further and absorb better.

My current diet is generally an oat breakfast (porridge or muesli) with milk and dried fruit. Lunch tends to be avocado salad with a pitta bread. Snacks are banana, apple, nuts. Dinner tends to be something like a stir fry with fish or chicken or curry with white rice. I drink around 1.5l of spring water each day and i take a 50bil acidophilous, high strength garlic, b vit, fish oils and zinc (amongst a fair few other supps to be fair!). I do yoga 3-4 times a week but my job is very sedentary and I really would like to exercise more!

I have tried so many things to solve my SD; trilogy sensitive which just clogged my spot prone skin and didnt solve the patchy flakiness, honey masks with coconut oil (results the same), salcura zeoderm which clogged my skin. I have spent many years frightened that my skin will be more vulnerable to sunburn/damage and I have avoided the sun obsessively. I am neurotic about photosensitising ingredients and with the key ones being citrus oils i run a mile from anything containing citrus. Grapeseed is also said to be sensitising and I am afraid to say that both of these ingredients are in the products you mentioned. I just want to go back to when life was simple, my skin was clear and I used any old products that were in the bathroom cabinet!

I really appreciate you taking the time to write your message to me, that was a very generous thing to do x

Thu Apr 05, 2012 5:04 am

Woohoo, England party!!

I'm also looking for a sensitive skin friendly sun block...although looking out the window right now I dont know why! Laughing

Everything breaks me out Sad

but I want to protect my skin.

free skin care · Thu Apr 05, 2012 7:17 am

SD is a yeast overgrowth, it is difficult to get that under control without pharmacy medication. You don't need to use this all the time, just a short course then once a week if required, or a short course every so often. The reason is that there is a vicious cycle: your skin produces sebum, yeast feeds on sebum and flourishes, yeast and yeast's waste products irritate the skin, skin tries to protect itself by producing more sebum ..... An anti-fungal cream is about breaking the cycle and giving your skin barrier the chance to calm and heal. That plus clever skincare and nutrition makes your skin surface an inhospitable environment for the yeast to grow.

Nutrition: firstly you must keep your blood sugar stable, this reduces inflammation and reduces sebum production which feeds the yeast, stops sugars messing with your immune system (suppression and rebound). Low glycaemic index carbs are critical - jumbo/ old fashioned oats, barley, sweet potatoes, beans and lentils, brown basmati rice, wholemeal pitta. Lose any white rice, mashed or jacket potato, white flour, porridge oats, fluffy brown bread. Believe it or not some white carbs actually peak the blood sugar FASTER than table sugar!! Combining your low GI carbs with other foods can also slow the digestion and stabilise blood sugar. A small portion of protein and fat at every meal or snack, vinegar/ lemon juice/ grapefruit juice (if any work with the meal!). This is not alternative stuff, it's research originally carried out for diabetics.

Sounds like you are very much heading in the right direction with healthy fats. Look to be taking 3g per day of combined DHA and EPA in your fish oil supplement. If possible switch to walnuts and pumpkin seeds. Consider adding omega-enriched eggs to your diet, perhaps your source of protein at breakfast or lunch. Many people with dermatitis and other skin conditions have a genetic 'fault' that means they can't efficiently convert the pro-inflammatory LA (omega-6) in the diet to anti-inflammatory GLA. Unfortunately research on supplementing borage oil is conflicting but topical application can be of great benefit.

How many portions of fruit and veg are you managing? Dried fruit is awesome but should not be more than one a day, and salads tend to look huge but don't weigh more than one to two portions. The research supports nine a day for optimum health and inflammation reduction, we have a five minumum in the UK for no other reason than it was felt to be manageable from the average two to three. Not sure why you are supplementing individual micronutrients, but this should not be done unless your doctor or registered dietician has recommended it. Micronutrients work synergistically and in opposition to balance is critical. Please consider switching to a complete multi-vitamin and mineral. The only one that is worth taking individual is vitamin D since you practice sun avoidance ( Very Happy

).

Skincare: The washes and shampoos don't contain any sulphates, although I am concerned you are using these daily because coco-glucoside can still strip lipids from the skin barrier. You are not replacing these with your choice of moisturiser. It would also be worth checking the pH of these products, hopefully there are all ~5.5 The lipids in the skin barrier are mainly cholesterol, ceramides and long chain saturates palmitic and stearic). Good natural sources include West African unrefined shea butter (East is higher in oleic), medical/ cosmetic grade lanolin or lecithin. You might also try borage oil, I note there is a small amount in some of your washes. What makes oils absorb better is actually combining with a humectant, which you are not using at present: shea-aloe butter is an easy DIY. Low levels of urea, one of the skin's natural humectants, has been implicated in dermatitis and psoriasis. Excessive 'wetting' (soaking the skin/ washing) worsens this by leaching humectants from the skin barrier. Unfortunately I don't know a natural product containing urea.

Some essential oils and extracts can indeed be a problem, but honestly being frightened and neurotic is far worse for skin: stress increases inflammation and causes blood sugar to peak and trough. There is no citrus in either of the products I suggested?? Given that you practice sun avoidance, the chances of the grapeseed extract photosensitising are a million to one, it's actually a powerful antioxidant which can reduce inflammatory responses. IMO reduce the dependency on oleic acid, which will do nothing more than form a barrier against dehydration. Avocado oil is rich in oleic acid, as well as the almond, apricot and olive in your moisturiser. Oleic acid in sebum has been implicated in acne BTW so it's interesting you have needed to use Roaccutane. The beesmax in your moisturiser will give it far more staying power, and I wonder if this is protecting your skin somewhat from 'wetting'.

Sorry about the essay, I type too fast! Laughing

free skin care · Thu Apr 05, 2012 7:30 am

Draculina wrote:

Woohoo, England party!!

I'm also looking for a sensitive skin friendly sun block...although looking out the window right now I dont know why! Laughing

Everything breaks me out Sad

but I want to protect my skin.

How about the Devita Rx Ultrasolar 50? Much lighter than the SPF30 Devita.
"This formulation is created specifically for those sensitive to breakouts but is an excellent choice for anyone interested in preventing the damaging effects of the sun.

Actives: Zinc Oxide 19% (Transparent), Titanium Dioxide 8%
Inactives: Purified water, Aloe Vera Gel, Capric/Caprylic Triglycerides (derived from Coconut Oil), Stearic Acid, Vegetable Glycerin, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Hyaluronic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate (from Vegetable Oil), Soy Lecithin, Vitamin E (Acetate), Allantoin, Comfrey Root Extract, Grape Seed Extract."

Do be aware that what appears to cause the irritation is not always the prime culprit, overly harsh cleansing or exfoliating can leave the skin open to irritation from anything applied thereafter, in some cases even the chlorine and fluoride in tap water.

free skin care · Thu Apr 05, 2012 1:20 pm

What a star you are Firefox! It is rare to find someone who really cares! I still have one or two concerns (naturally!) and I wonder if you would humour me a little more (please!).

Which antifungal did you use? Was it topical or oral? When I spoke to the doctor she just prescribed a cream and shampoo which contained steroids and this was not the way I wanted to go after my roaccutane horror! Did the doctor simply give me the wrong advice or do antifungal treatment and steroid go hand in hand? I would hate to get more bum advice and end up with more problems (my trust in doctors is pretty low!).

Thanks for the advice on diet. Should I look to balance my protein/carb/fats into some sort of ratio or keep them to a specific level (e.g. low protein, medium carb) or am i just being neurotic again! I am taking a lot of supplements simply based on what I have read is beneficial for seb derm, am I mistaken? I am also taking green tea caps and hyaluronic acid caps (90% of what I am taking is Lamberts brand).

With regard to skincare products I am still confused (I have been this way for about 9 years now!). I can see what you mean with the Frankincense moisturiser (oleic overload!). I was using Coconut Oil for a few weeks and before that Salcura Zeoderm (which has Urea) but neither seemed to shift the flakes and Zeoderm gave me spots (im beginning to hate moisturising). Oils are difficult for me to take because of the oleic so I start to wonder whether there is any moisturiser that will work for my face and body (I did try Akamuti shea butter on my face, only a little, but it broke me out). I get flaky areas on my shins which have red marks in them (I used the Akamuti frankincense on this and the flakiness subsided only to come back after I forgot to use it last night - not the sort of healing I'd hoped for!)

Scalp wise should I space out my shampooings? Flake fear makes me shampoo every day! I have been using Akamuti Honey Cocoa Butter Lip Balm for my very dry inner lip area but this didn't really seem to be healing the tissue (more maintaining it). I have been using Green People Minty toothpaste which i think is ok. I would prefer a cream/lotion cleanser but the best one I could find was the Salcura which is a foaming gel. My assumption was that a gel would be less likely to clog and cause spots than a cream or lotion so maybe I am on the right track here?

Wow, Lots of info but I'm gonna get through this with your help and perseverance! Thanks x x x

free skin care · Thu Apr 05, 2012 2:45 pm

I don't use antifungals as don't have SD, I am aware of them through my various healthcare roles. Family doctors do indeed know a limited amount about too many of the drugs they prescribe, but pharmacists are often an excellent resource. Anti-fungal creams and shampoos are the usual treatments for SD cases presenting to retail pharmacies, but most of the shampoos contain sulphates hence I suggested a cream. Nothing is likely to be a cure only a treatment, dermatitis is for life unfortunately.

Given that you are in the UK you will have been prescribed your Roaccutane by an NHS dermatologist, it would have been dispensed with a standard patient information leaflet and you would have had follow up appointments at the hospital. I don't therefore understand why you were not aware of the likelihood that you would suffer dry skin and possibly chronic skin problems. Roaccutane is a horrible drug with a huge number of risks, so has never been prescribable by GPs in the UK. That aside your doctor was correct to prescribe corticosteroids depending on how sever the inflammation was (rather than just flaking) because these can be used to break the cycle just like anti-fungals. The majority are prescription only and can thin the skin with prolonged use only so are used less frequently than anti-fungals.

Coconut oil does not contain the lipids in the skin barrier either, it is rich in short chain lauric acid which is great for healthy hair! As I said the lipids are needed for your defective skin barrier, unless you want to stop washing for a few weeks?! Yes please space your shampooing out, try to let your skin barrier repair. If you get flakes control this with anti-fungals or cortico-steroids. The standard for scalp SD is a two week intensive course of anti-fungals then once a week thereafter. Many oils and butters are considered non-comedogenic, ie. they don't block pores. This depends on the specific fatty acid composition which you can find via Google. Lipids that are close to our own tend to be less likely to cause problems. But it may be you have to prioritise repairing your skin barrier and getting rid of the SD then deal with any comedones.

Sorry if I was not clear, addressing one aspect of dermatitis or other skin conditions at a time does not work, you need to look at and work on the complete picture. Urea alone or in the wrong formulation won't have much effect. Instead combine the right lipids with the right humectants. As already suggested hard West African unrefined shea butter, medical grade lanolin, lecithin or borage, perhaps making shea-aloe butter, The shea I have is almost dry until it melts on the skin, crumbly and beige - branded stuff is more likely to be selected for its luxurious feel which *may* mean a higher oleic acid content. The manufacturer should have information on the average composition of their product. Another option is to purchase lanolin and DIY something from that - IIRC Lasinoh is highly purified with no added rubbish. I wish I could magic up a product that meets all your requirements but that is not possible, you likely need to experiment based on the science. For me the balance of fatty acids and cholesterol in lanolin works better than shea, but YMMV because skin lipids vary from person to person.

Diet .... maximum of 2g of pure protein per kilo of bodyweight per day. ~70g of fats per day, going up to ~100g if you are exercising or underweight/ borderline. Plenty of omega-3s within that and the remainder of your calories from low glycaemic index carbs. Don't drive yourself mad counting, just a ballpark over a couple of 'average' days. More important than amount of protein and carbs is the little and often thing, and trying to get meals as low glycaemic index as possible. Your diet looks like an excellent foundation and I doubt you have any issue with portion sizes, just switching white to brown basmati rice (basmati has a different chemical structure to long or short grain rice) and porridge oats to jumbo oats (unprocessed/ larger chunks slower to digest) etc.

I don't have my nutrition clients take a lot of supplements, I want them to eat a balanced wholefood diet but you clearly don't need convincing of that! Very Happy

Fish body oils and acidophilus are fab, green tea and hyaluronic may not do much for the SD but are skin friendly - be sure your HA is low molecular weight. But individual micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) should only be recommended by a medical professional. Consider calcium and magnesium as an example: they work synergistically in building strong bones, but in opposition within a muscle calcium for contraction and and magnesium in relaxation. Both minerals have many other important functions of course, magnesium is key in brain chemistry/ mental wellbeing and calcium in cell signalling. Calcium tends to get focussed upon because of osteoporosis, but actually we get plenty from the standard three portions of dairy per day. Magnesium many women are short on, they don't eat enough wholegrains, pulses, nuts or seeds and our soils are depleted anyway. Just to confuse things further vitamin D (which many less sunny climates are deficient in) has a relationship to both minerals and is important in skin health! Complex stuff hence this being distilled into portions-per-day of different food groups.

free skin care · Fri Apr 06, 2012 3:50 am

Firefox, I want to buy you a present to say thank you! I'm really pleased that you've taken the time to write to me. I have been reading all I can about this and I came across a US site called "the candida diet" which advocates a two week cleanse period on raw or steamed vegetables/salad followed by the introduction of other foods back into the diet and addition of probiotics and natural antifungals. Could this be a good natural route for me because I would prefer to avoid the prescription antifungals and steroid creams?

Thanks for your product advice, I have never come across lanolin before. Lipids and humectants are a new language to me as well! I have the Akamuti shea butter which (I think) is very pure but may not be the purest. I do like the shea butter but it's density makes it a little awkward for a full body moisturiser and as a lip balm it would need to be combined with an emulsifier (maybe lanolin?) Maybe if I combined the shea with something else it might make it less likely to cause spots (could i combine it with lanolin or borage?)

Supplement wise I have Healthaid Immuprobio 50 billion probiotic and High Strength Lamberts Garlic as an antifungal. If my reading on The Candida Diet is correct, however, I am wasting my time until I have done a candida cleanse first and eliminated certain foods from my diet (I have to confess that I have been eating more sat fat and sugar than i should have been over the last few weeks because i live with someone who likes to buy that sort of stuff and guilt trips me if i dont eat it with him!). Other than that I have zinc, b vitamin, glucosamine complete - all Lamberts.

I am getting closer now! I just need to go away and research this candida diet a little more, and to find out more about lipids and humectants so that i can create a face and body moisturiser and a lip healer. A sunscreen with the same sort of ingredients and a good cleanser are next on the list! Thanks Firefox x

Fri Apr 06, 2012 4:20 am

After a day in the sun, most of us will do anything to get winter back. Not least because the hot season brings with it a host of skin ailments that leave us quite irritable. The harsh summer heat and strong sun not only brings about skin irritations and acne but also a host of other problems like sun allergies, acne vulgaris, pigmentation, prickly heat, sun burns and dehydration.

free skin care · Fri Apr 06, 2012 7:24 am

Have you considered not using tap water? The chemicals in the water can be very irritating. Look into Avene and La Roche-Posay more moisterizers and I sun protection.

free skin care · Fri Apr 06, 2012 7:36 am

Skincare wrote:

Have you considered not using tap water? The chemicals in the water can be very irritating. Look into Avene and La Roche-Posay more moisterizers and I sun protection.

You can if in budget buy a filter that removes all the nasty stuff in your water. Even just a shower filter will help somewhat and they aren't that expensive.

free skin care · Fri Apr 06, 2012 7:48 am

DarkMoon wrote:

Skincare wrote:

Have you considered not using tap water? The chemicals in the water can be very irritating. Look into Avene and La Roche-Posay more moisterizers and I sun protection.

You can if in budget buy a filter that removes all the nasty stuff in your water. Even just a shower filter will help somewhat and they aren't that expensive.

I don't know, because I haven't looked into it. I do use Thermal Water to spray my face with my cleansing milk. I noticed a huge improvements on my skin due to not using tap water.

free skin care · Fri Apr 06, 2012 7:58 am

Skincare wrote:

DarkMoon wrote:

Skincare wrote:

Have you considered not using tap water? The chemicals in the water can be very irritating. Look into Avene and La Roche-Posay more moisterizers and I sun protection.

You can if in budget buy a filter that removes all the nasty stuff in your water. Even just a shower filter will help somewhat and they aren't that expensive.

I don't know, because I haven't looked into it. I do use Thermal Water to spray my face with my cleansing milk. I noticed a huge improvements on my skin due to not using tap water.

I know because we in Florida have the most disgusting water, and when my son who has UC still lived here I bought them, aside from all the other garbage in the water chlorine is terrible for his condition! Smile

free skin care · Fri Apr 06, 2012 8:19 am

Hey guys! I have a showerhead filter by aquatiere (just in the uk i think) but i can smell odors in the water i wash in so the filtering is not ideal. the problem is that to effectively shampoo, use cleanser etc. you need running water to wash it away so filtering is the only real option and the filter technology isnt always as good as it could be!

free skin care · Fri Apr 06, 2012 9:28 am

craven20 wrote:

Hey guys! I have a showerhead filter by aquatiere (just in the uk i think) but i can smell odors in the water i wash in so the filtering is not ideal. the problem is that to effectively shampoo, use cleanser etc. you need running water to wash it away so filtering is the only real option and the filter technology isnt always as good as it could be!

There are good and bad options, and yes the good will be more costly, for me and my son's health it made a huge impact.

free skin care · Fri Apr 06, 2012 10:30 am

Ha ha, I am a born geek so enjoy it all and type almost as fast as I think! Razz

Lipids are fats/ oils/ waxes
Fatty acids are the components of an oil or butter
Occlusives act as a barrier
Emollients are skin softeners
Humectants attract water to them like a magnet.

Aloe vera is a humectant: used alone is tends to make the skin feel drier because it sucks water from the skin. Used with a lipid both seem to spread and absorb better. Lanolin (from sheep wool) should be medical grade/ purified/ refined for anyone with sensitive skin so that potential allergens are removed. BUT not just lanolin oil or chemically modified lanolin, you want pure lanolin for the balance of lipids it supplies.

Shea butter is IMO better unrefined, then you keep the 'healing fraction' a significant portion of the nut meat that contains nutrients and healing chemicals. Depending on the origin and processing the butter can be soft and luxurious (+oleic acid), or harder and more granular (+stearic acid). This will affect perceived quality, but does not dictate the grade of the butter. It is possible to be allergic to this healing fraction, but you are already using this. As I suggested, maybe make shea-aloe butter, a simple whipped mix of shea butter and aloe vera gel. Shea is not considered comedogenic, BUT oleic acid definitely is and stearic acid definitely not! Stick with a lanolin mix on your face and try shea for your body?

I do not advocate diets that eliminate multiple food groups or are very low calorie - and I don't think you will find a medical professional that does - except in cases of severe allergy etc. and under hospital supervision. The human body is unable to tell the difference between famine and a fad diet so the reduction in nutrients can put it under great stress. Without protein the body cannot repair any cell, including those of the immune system and the skin, without robbing from the muscles (heart!). Without EFAs and sufficient carbs the body cannot hold water (1g glycogen alongside 3g water). Such diets also affect electrolyte balance which can mess with muscle contraction (heart!). The only fuel the brain can use is carbs not fat, the fuel muscles use at moderate to high intensities is carbs, the bowel is partially stimulated to eliminate by being full. It is often claimed that the energy peaks and troughs, flu like symptoms, faintness etc. are proof that these diets are 'cleansing' the body of toxins and not that the body cannot function optimally without sufficient calories and nutrients generally. And the reason they work incredibly well for a small percentage of people is simply that the junk food they were eating was actually more harmful than starving for a couple of weeks!

I would suggest researching anti-inflammatory diets and low glycaemic index foods from a medical research not an alternative perspective. Also the body's method of cleansing and organs involved in excretion, the liver, skin, intestines, kidneys. I absolutely do advocate cleaning up your diet, and you can be particularly strict for a couple of weeks if you wish. Nine-a-day vegetables berries and some tree fruits, oily fish for protein and EFAs (canned with bones if you limit dairy), only live plain yoghurt for dairy, nuts and seeds (protein/ fibre/ minerals/ EFAs), beans lentils and certain root veg (low GI carbs/ minerals/ fibre). Although wholegrains are in the official guidelines I have no problem with people avoiding them even long term - providing they replace the lost nutrients with plenty of pulses.

You can also be clever how you choose your veggies and salad: it is important to take in a balance of green, yellow/ orange, red, black/ purple. You might also look at the glycaemic index taking into consideration whether you intend to eat raw or cooked (cooking makes it easier to digest and releases the carbs quicker), and even the ORAC (measure of antioxidant content).
http://www.orac-info-portal.de/download/ORAC_R2.pdf

PubMed is an index of research papers published in all the respected scientific journals; you are obviously intelligent so should be able to pick out key information. Some is on pharmaceuticals and mainstream remedies of course, but there is plenty on nutrition and natural products - 1841 on aloe vera for example!
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/

I have no idea whether it is possible to heal without breaking the cycle using corticosteroids or antifungals, but a zinc oxide sunscreen may be an adequate substitute. You could probably add micronised zinc oxide OR powdered zinc salt (pyrithione) that is traditionally used for SD to your existing shampoo or conditioner. I also don't know how the totally natural approach would work with modern habits such as showering with surfactants daily. Ideally you would allow the skin to cleanse itself some of the time, but this might work best after a period of diet modification when your sebum composition is optimal and the underlying epidermal cells are healthy.
http://www.skincaretalk.com/a/shea-aloe-healing-cream

It is possible to be clean without standing under running water; I spent all my childhood holidays wild camping in a motorhome and later lived in rented places with expensive key meters or tiny boilers. If you pre-dilute the shampoo/ shower gel a lot less touches your body so little rinsing is required. Then use gentle massage or wiping with damp organic/ unbleached muslin cloths to gently dislodge dead skin and sebum. It is then possible to rinse large areas thoroughly in a couple of sinks full of water, which you could jug filter or leave to stand and boil to remove more of the chlorine and fluoride. You can do this an area at a time which means your body is not being soaked or 'wetted' and thus the natural humectants are not leached. I imagine you wouldn't want to do this daily, it does take some adjusting to and can be time consuming. Another option is to segment your washing, so hair over the bath or over a sink with a jug, then body separately with a shower switching the water on only for the final rinse.

free skin care · Fri Apr 06, 2012 10:30 am

Dear craven20,

There are two cleansers that I recently discovered, which might suit your sensitive skin. They are organic and don't seem to have many potential skin irritants, such as menthol, fragrance, or dyes. I want to try them on my own skin. See the link below:

http://www.essentialdayspa.com/russell-organics-rejuvena-p_11531.htm

http://www.essentialdayspa.com/eminence-coconut-milk-cle-p_9314.htm

free skin care · Fri Apr 06, 2012 10:49 am

I have sensitive skin too! In summer, I use Eminence Vanila SPF32 cream in the morning.

At night I use Eminence stonecrop cleansing gel and stonecrop.
Sometimes, I put Cetaphil cream.

free skin care · Fri Apr 06, 2012 1:16 pm

Thanks so much for everyone's suggestions, i don't feel alone any more! Thank you Firefox for being so kind and taking the time to help me.

free skin care · Sat Apr 07, 2012 8:07 am

QV SPF lotion also remmonded for sensitive skin. However I don't like it because it is too thick for me.

free skin care · Mon Apr 09, 2012 6:07 am

Just a little update. Early days but I have been using Akamuti (UK) West african unrefined shea butter on my face and body overnight and no breakouts! I use Salcura shower gel and cleanser which is natural and my skin looks nice and feels soft after shea and salcura! I hope that the shea will, in time, help my skin to heal itself and get the dermatitis flakes under control. Having had this good experience I would like to find a day cream with shea and zinc oxide, this would potentially help my SD (zinc fights against SD?) plus protecting me in the sun. Anyone have any ideas on this? Thanks guys

free skin care · Mon Apr 30, 2012 1:48 am

craven20 wrote:

Just a little update. Early days but I have been using Akamuti (UK) West african unrefined shea butter on my face and body overnight and no breakouts! I use Salcura shower gel and cleanser which is natural and my skin looks nice and feels soft after shea and salcura! I hope that the shea will, in time, help my skin to heal itself and get the dermatitis flakes under control. Having had this good experience I would like to find a day cream with shea and zinc oxide, this would potentially help my SD (zinc fights against SD?) plus protecting me in the sun. Anyone have any ideas on this? Thanks guys

Yes, I think you would break out from shea butter. It may be too much for your skin.

Try something like Cellcosmet cleansing cream. I love that cleanser and it never broke me out. Ever. Now, I don't use tap water and use Avene Thermal water with La Prairie cleansing milk. Both Cellcosmet & La Prairie are safe.

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