Have just ordered your BIOM8 as well as I figured it’s worth a shot!
My case of Seb Derm is mostly a cosmetic concern about the constant redness on the sides of my nose and (albeit to a much lesser extent) the crease midway between my mouth and chin. I’m fortunate that flakiness and itchiness have only been minor problems that I don’t experience often in these areas, but the lingering redness has by and large been the most frustrating aspect that I can’t seem to resolve. For the past couple years I haven’t remembered a single moment where there hasn’t been a fair amount of nasolabial redness (and I made the common mistake of initially attributing it to dryness and over-moisturising those areas, which either didn’t work or exacerbated it).
I also suffer from dandruff in the scalp, sideburns, moustache, and beard but I’ve had a lot of success controlling that with rotating through a couple medicated anti-dandruff shampoos. That said, I’d much prefer to use something to treat my facial hair dandruff that is kinder to my face’s skin than a shampoo (which obviously is designed for use on the scalp, not the face). One of the things that appeals to me about BIOM8 oil is that since it’d have an oily consistency it ought to be a good candidate for that, compared to anti-fungal creams whose texture makes it impractical to treat the beard and moustache.
I have a couple questions:
1.) Have you been using BIOM8 oil after cleansing both morning and night, or just once a day?
2.) As I mentioned, redness is my primary concern, far more than any flakiness or itchiness. Has this oil had a lot of success treating that in particular?
Sorry for the delay. Just looked at the Vitamin C serum. Personally would apply the Biom8 after the serum, this should be fine. The sunscreen, however may be a little trickier, but I would use it after the Biom8 has had time to absorb. Are you using the sunscreen daily for any specific reason?
In terms of night time routine, it’s very interesting that you don’t use any moisturizers at this time. For me it’s been the most optimal time for anything I’ve used as by the morning the skin has had time to absorb everything and return to a more neutral matte look.
Clay was horrible for me. Tried a bunch of different ones and they always sucked the moisture right out and left my skin extra flaky/dry.
In terms of make-up/sunscreen removal I can’t really provide much info, as I all I use is Biom8 and water. Absolutely nothing else for more then 3 months now. Even for shaving I use the Andalou shampoo in place of shaving cream and Biom8 instead of after shave.
Donna seems to have had good success with using the Biom8 to remove makeup though. So you may want to check her previous comments or perhaps ask her directly.
Hope that helps and I’ve answered everything.
Look forward to any updates and will let you know as soon as the Probiotic version is ready (hopefully tomorrow or Saturday).
Sorry for the delay in response.
Thanks for the update and hope you have similar results to mine.
As your describe your SD, it sounds pretty much the same as mine was. But I had lots of issues with flakes on the eyebrows, nose, ears and at times the forehead.
The Biom8 has definitely been much kinder to my skin then anything I’ve used (even the Restoraderm) as it doesn’t seem to strip anything. Instead it just seems to absorb right into the skin and stabilize everything.
Many of my friends (without) SD have even started using Biom8 and the thing I hear repeatedly is how well is absorbs. Plus it’s not a thick oil so it should be great for the beard.
Regarding your questions:
Use the Biom8 on a regular basis before bed, but not 100% consistency. Sometimes I can use it twice a day or even 3 times. It really depends on what I’m doing that day. But basically any time I sweat heavy or feel like rinsing my face, I apply Biom8 after (gym, pool, getting dirty, etc).
For me redness hasn’t been a problem since I’ve started using Biom8. Others have reported good results for Rosacea and other similar conditions as well. So I think it should be beneficial.
Let me know if I’ve missed anything and look forward to any updates.
Hope it works out for you and best of luck!
Hi Michael, thank you for your amazing effort. I am truly appreciative of all the research you’ve done.
In terms of application of the BIOM8, how much do you have to massage it in as I’ve found it hard in the past to massage anything into my eyebrows, especially as they are delicate & fall out easily. It always seems so hard to get rid of flakes by the follicles.
I’ve recently been to a doctor after having a food intolerance test and other than avoiding the foods I’m intolerant to I’ve been told to go on a “low-fodmap” diet as well as been given nystatin for oral consumption, L-glutamine, digestive enzymes and probiotics. It turns out I’m intolerant to dairy and eggs which I never noticed in the slightest before. This would explain why I always seem to be fighting the SD because I ate alot of eggs. I would advise anyone to get a food intolerance test and consultation with a doctor because you won’t really know what you’re intolerant to. Most of what was discussed with the doctor I already knew and partly thanks to Michael and this website however this “low-fodmap” diet is new to me and I’ve been on it for a few days. I haven’t used anything topically and haven’t felt any tingling or slight itches when the SD is in its development stages which is good. The doctor told me that this worked beautifully with a couple other patients and explained to me their situations too as I’m slightly doubtful having heard so many different things and been prescribed steroids etc… Get a test if you can afford it and if not maybe just try the diet. Good luck people
For those who suffer from seborrheic dermatitis with concomitant acne (as I am), the BIOM8 oil contains Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil which is a lightweight oil with a high amount of linoleic acid. Studies have shown that oils with greater percentages of linoleic acid are beneficial for acne-prone skin. Sebum composition in acne-prone skin has been found to have a higher percentage of oleic acid and is deficient in linoleic acid compared to the sebum composition in healthy skin.
References:
So it should help both conditions, which is important because some treatments of seborrheic dermatitis and acne can conflict.
Will let you know if I see improvements over the coming weeks.
Thanks for the feedback. For the Biom8 you just have to massage it light into the skin. For the delicate areas, you can go a little easier while the skin heals and recovers.
One user reported using tweezers to really get the Biom8 into the skin in the eyebrows. Here is the method he provided by email:
I came up with an interesting way to make sure everything gets covered. I found one of those small nail scissors in the house where each side has a flat, wide surface - I clean it, put some of the oil on one side, gently place behind it the hairs (using the flat part) to get to the roots & it spread it underneath. Then I can use my finger.
Thanks for the update. Definitely a good idea to get proper testing done.
What type of medical professional was this and do you know what the test was called?
Perhaps will write a more detailed post discussing this diet and how to best get tested.
Personally tried this diet before, thought it helped a little, but wasn’t really a long term thing for me. Currently very flexible/open with my diet and skin remains clear.
Thanks for the update and the studies. Yeah, from the research that went into the formulation I also felt the Biom8 would actually be beneficial for acne.
However, I never wanted to give a direct answer to people as I don’t have too much personal experience with acne.
The closest thing I had was small papules which would arise from using some creams/lotions. Haven’t had anything like this from the Biom8.
The low-fodmap is definitely different and difficult and I haven’t stuck to it 100% yet so I’m not entirely sure of the effects but the elimination of other foods I’m intolerant to seem to have made so much of a difference I’m only left with scarring to heal without using anything topically for the first time since I got this ailment. I’d just like to say that even though i was applying things topically, the SD always seemed to be underlying or resurfacing and I told myself it was ok and that I could keep going on using whatever product but the fact is that SD builds tolerances to whatever you’re applying to it and subconciously I knew all this but I didn’t want to accept it because that would mean I was stuck with SD forever but I’ve recently found out that that is not true!
The blood test is call an IgG blood test testing the antibodies in the blood (by FoodPrint® testing 200+ foods). The clinic was JTS medical clinic in Dubai specializing in a wide range of medical fields, I carefully picked this certain clinic after asking them and a few others about the relationship between dermatitis and food intolerances and apparently there’s a recognized connection (even mentioned in the FoodPrint® brochure) that I guess a lot of Dermatologist aren’t aware of.
I seriously would suggest to anyone who is suffering with moderate to severe cases of SD and it’s affecting them daily to go and get a food intolerance test and follow the instruction before and after… I’ve done elimination diets in the past and never found out about the many of foods I was intolerant to…
So to be brutally honest you can either get a food intolerance test done or keep applying products or do nothing… You’re in control of your SD and your S. Destiny
(PS I too have spent a couple years doing research + this site is the best)
I am using CE Ferulic serum for protection against photoaging, whilst sunscreen is for prevention of pigmentation. Perhaps I was bought into the concept of sun protection as an essential part of skin care and both antioxidant and sunscreen go hand in hand.
I am grateful for Donna’s comments. I found the comments by the users and the community so helpful. It helps SDers fight this “disease” together.
I am waiting for the oil free formula (probiotic repair spray). I wanted to order the 200ml skin conditioning oil but is currently only available on backorder. 200ml comes with refill top, I prefer pump. Just a feedback. I am sure the pump for 100ml and refill top for 200ml are made for a purpose. If you could let me know when the oil free formula (probiotic repair spray) is coming, I could plan when to order. Otherwise I will just order the skin conditioning oil in 100ml.
Out of curiosity, while I don’t doubt that the high linoleic acid content of the Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil is probably helpful for my acne, I’m beginning to wonder what your reason is for
including it in a formulation designed to tackle SD. I understand that you’ve included capric/caprylic acids because they’re medium-chain trigylcerides that the malassezia yeast can’t metabolise, but wouldn’t they be able to feed on the Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil? According to the research it seems that all plant oils actually run the risk of feeding the yeast we’re trying to keep in check, so wouldn’t including a plant oil here defeat the purpose?
I’ve been using a small amount of the BIOM8 oil once a day for the past 3 weeks. I can’t really tell if it’s helping my SD at all, though at the very least it doesn’t appear to be aggravating it. I’m hoping that it’s simply that I need to give it more time, but it’d be comforting to know that it’s not actually helping to feed the yeast in the process!
The Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil was included because I believe it has good potential to improve rate of skin healing.
An ingredient of the oil, palmitoleic acid, is a component of skin. It is considered a valuable topical agent in treating burns and healing wounds. This fatty acid can also nourish the skin when taken orally if adequate quantities of sea buckthorn or its oil are consumed; this is a useful method for treating systemic skin diseases, such as atopic dermatitis (14). The only other major plant source of palmitoleic acid is macadamia nuts; the oil is used to nourish the skin. Sea buckthorn oil is already widely used alone or in various preparations topically applied for burns, scalds, ulcerations, and infections.
In Russia it use commonly used in skin care and is one of the more famous oils for this purpose.
When combined in a specific ratio with the medium chain triglycerides it allows the skin to obtain the benefits of the Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil, while also protecting the oil from the malassezia.
A good analogy would be the preservation of food with salt. Without an adequate concentration of salt the food would susceptible to microbial colonization. But when the amount of sodium is adequate microbial colonization is prevented and the food remains safe for consumption.
Base on this I strongly believe that as long as malassezia is controlled, the skin is able to benefit from the Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil. This should then improve skin barrier function and help secure long term progress.
If you not seeing any results with over 3 weeks of usage, my theory would be that either:
You are experiencing SD due to specific strain of malassezia which is immune to the anti-fungal fatty acids
Your seborrheic dermatitis may not be caused by malassezia at all (would be interesting to hear your results with the Demodex treatment)
Another user reported no results from the Skin Condition Oil in her fight against Folliculitis (also believed to be caused by malassezia), but has had much better success with the Probiotic Repair Spray
Additionally, one thing to really consider is the amount of stress you may be introducing into your daily life by following such an extensive skin care regimen. I believe that sometimes just letting go and reducing things to a bare minimal can have a drastic results. This is obviously not the case for everyone, but one user has reported complete clearance of seborrheic dermatitis after being put on anti-depressants. Starting anti-depressants isn't really the best solution, but it's an example of how powerful the mental factor may be in the progression of skin conditions. A large section of the SkinDrone book is dedicated to discussing this.
Here is a snippet from a fairly large study:
Depression was two to three times more prevalent in acne patients than in the general population, with a reported 8.8% of acne patients having clinical depression. The majority of cases of depression and antidepressant therapy utilization were observed in acne patients aged 18 and over with the highest percentage in the 36–64 age group. Approximately 65.2% of the acne patient population was female, with twice as many reported to have depression as males (10.6% females vs. 5.3% males).
Thanks for the explanation – it was the only ingredient on there whose purpose eluded me, but now it definitely makes sense!
I’ll definitely check back in here once I’ve been using that crotamiton cream to either confirm or rule out a possible demodex involvement.
With regards to my routine, honestly the only frustrating part of it was doing that raw honey mask every other night for 4 weeks, so as you can imagine it’s quite a relief to be done with that at this point, despite the lacklustre results. Without that, my routine just follows the “Cleanse, Treat, Moisturise” mantra that many chronic acne sufferers like myself end up needing to do. It was a nuisance at first but after many years of doing it I hardly even think about it when I do it – to me it’s like brushing my teeth and flossing. I try to ensure that the steps are kept to a minimum, and indeed that’s what compelled me to look for any “overlap” treatments like azelaic acid that would supposedly help my acne and SD simultaneously. If I ever add anything extra in, like the honey mask that I’m finished with and later this crotamiton cream, it’s with the knowledge that they’re just a temporary addition rather than something long-term. This way I’m not just compounding all these steps into something unwieldy that takes up too much time, causes stress, and thereby ultimately does more harm than good.
I do understand the role of the “psychosomatic” factor to many skin conditions. That said, from my experience with acne, not caring about it at all (which is how I was during the first few years of suffering it) didn’t do any good either. It’s finding that balance of treating it but not letting the treatment consume your life. I might admittedly be guilty of going a bit overboard with regards to treating SD at the moment, but that could in part be because the condition is still quite new to me, the sudden influx of information that comes with a new condition can be overwhelming, and I’m still rather clueless on what path to take. By contrast, with acne I’m quite the seasoned veteran at this point where everything is old news, and have settled into a basic routine that keeps it mostly under control. It’s just a matter of finding a similar approach to SD. fingers crossed
My seb derm on my forehead is finally improving by only washing my face with water. And without putting anything on afterwards.
I followed the advice in an article written by a doctor on how to treat babies with seb derm. I gently pull away the flakes on my face with my hands when showering. Luke warm water or colder. I do this in the evening.
Flakes are gone on at least 25% of my face after two showers. And the redness is reducing.
I have seen others quit both loations and shampoos on forums with great results.
It’ important to remove the flakes but don’t use nails.
I’m still using a natural shampo for my scalp since this has worked very well for years. Pulling away flakes is also important here.
Yeah, food definitely has a role to play, but for me personally it’s role has been rather illusive. And in terms of the low-fodmap, I personally believe the connection may not be as direct. The low-fodmap diet likely impacts (lowers) sebum production and this in turn improve seborrheic dermatitis (by starving the malassezia of it’s food source).
Overall, though anything that impacts the immune system appears to directly impact seborrheic dermatitis progress. For some it an be stress, food, or a variety of other factors.
How have things progressed since our last communication?
Perhaps, if results locked-in you can submit a more detailed report of your story and how things ended. This may be of benefit to other going down this unfortunate journey.
Sorry for the delay in response. Things have been getting out of control lately and responding to emails has been taking up pretty much all of my free time. Will be getting much more active here once again in this following weeks.
Antioxidants are definitely good for the skin. I’ve personally just wanted to reduce my topical regimen to as basic as possible (perhaps it makes me fell more manly).
Yeah, Donna deserves a huge thank you as she has been quite active in terms of providing details about her experience. Wish I had more input in terms of using it with make-up, but I truly lack experience in this area.
The user base of Biom8 has been growing and it’s likely individuals have found their own unique methods of integrating it into their skin care routines (particularly female users). Hopefully, this information can somehow be collected as it would likely benefit others going down this path.
The Probiotic Repay Spray has finally been released and can be found on the Biom8 website. Overall the feedback I’ve been getting for this has been much more mixed then the Skin Conditioning Oil. Some have reported that it doesn’t offer much help, while others said it has worked better for them then the oil. This was somewhat expected, as it was developed to compliment the original formula and targets slightly different species of the malassezia.
In terms of the large volumes of the Skin Conditioning Oil, the original plan was to have the 250ml units simply available for refilling the 100ml and 30ml units. Have had this request several times though, so looking for a solution.
How have things been going since we last talked?
Happy holidays and wish you all the best for 2016!
Thanks for the update. Personally, tried this approach on many occasions. It never really seemed to work out. At first, it would seem that things are improving, but in the end progress would either get stuck or reverse.
One thing that I think is really important is improving circulation to the skin in these areas. Perhaps a light massage of the scalp or something similar may be beneficial.
When shampooing, my scalp gets a nice massage and when using the Biom8, my facial skin gets a gentle massage as well. Important to note disrupt the skin barrier though by being to forceful/rough.
I started with biom8 in November.
It didn’t treat the redness as much as I would have liked, but the “dry” spots on the folds of my nose went away and stayed away (which with other products is the first thing that came back). I used it once a day, usually after a shower.
My concern is that I developed a stye in my left eye about two weeks after starting, then a chazalion in my right eye a week later. I have never had any of these before. I stopped using biom8 after the chazalion. (My eyelid swelled up to 4 times its normal size, so other parts of my face became more of an immediate concern).
The only change to my routine was biom8. (However, I did have a nasty cough, so could have been bacteria from there or something.) My thought is if it is related to biom8, perhaps the oil clogged the glands there (even though I didn’t put it in my eyelashes directly).
I’m curious if others have had this reaction. It seemed as though the propensity for styes/chazalions can be linked to other skin disorders.
