Hey there. I just wanted to do a little update on the nystatin. Last week I had my first flare-up since December. I think it was sparked by stress and probably also my bad habit of forgetting my daily appliance of the drug. Now, a week later, after paying more attention and never skipping a daily appliance it’s completely gone again. For a moment I was worried that the effect was wearing off, like others have experienced with other products. But I am still convinced that nystatin is very worth a shot, if you a still looking for a cure.
I’m still looking forward to responses from those of you, who posted that you bought it. How are you doing? Are you seeing some results?
Anyway, I wish you all the best in the search for your solution 
Hey Joakim,
Thanks for the update. Hopefully some of the others manage to get good results as well. That should help in finding out if its applicable to everyone.
All the best.
Hi Joakim
Re: feedback on Nystatin. Thanks, Joakim, for the tip and for the photo of the product: Nystatin Lederle. Having ordered it (see earlier posting) I tried it for a week on the SD spots - chin, jawline, etc twice a day, morning and evening, and liked it very much.
It did not irritate the skin and I could use other products (moisturizer, blemish treatment) over it. The SD went after about 2-3 days, I continued using the cream for a week. The last evening, I just put moisturizer on without Nystatin and the SD returned in the morning so then I went cold turkey and did not put anything on these SD spots, except for using a mild soap. No moisturizer, no blemish treatment, no Nystatin. After that the SD went away completely after 2 days so I am keeping the Nystatin in case it returns. It has been over a week now without SD so that is great.
It worked well for me and there is a certain amount of relief that I have it on hand in case of an outbreak.
But it was the non-irritating qualities that I liked. Anyway, that was my experience. I had ordered a 50mg tube - so that could last me even with some light re-use for over a year.
It was a great tip so thanks very much.
Hi Joakim,
Thanks for the detail. I used Ketaconozole for a while but I guess my skin got used to it becuase I had to use it daily.
Seems like the same thing happened with your Nystatin. I stopped using Ketaconozole because I didn’t want to use creams and wanted to use homeopathic / natural treatments like sea salt or apple cider vinegar that wouldn’t cause long term damage.
My question: is Nystatin bad to use long term like hydrocortisone or Ketaconozole? Will it thin out skin like these other products?
Read a lot here, nice to find you all. I think the answer is out there but the dermatologists won’t tell us. I bet we find it though. I tried the listerene protocol last year and killed my scalp sd for months…but fall came and so did sd…and I can’ t get a handle on it again. ( I put listerene on scalp, put shower cap on and left it several hours). As a female I have lots of hair these protocols screw up trying to get at my scalp. Do NOT trust presc. Strength Nizoral…it fried my hair texture (actual side effect). Any Nystatin for scalp treatment…oral?
Hi Vero,
sorry, I didn’t notice your reply until now! I am so happy to hear that it worked for you. It’s very nice to get some positive feedback, so we know it works for more people than me 
I’ve also been reaching out to people on Reddit, and just like you they have had positive results as well. So I’m more confident recommending it now!
I am happy to help. Hopefully you can keep it under control. My dermatologist said that I could use it indefinitely - unlike hydrocortisone, which you should only use for 2 weeks at a time - so if you do have outbreaks then I think it would be okay to apply it daily. That’s what I do at least. But I understand if you want to keep it at a minimum
All the best to you and your new, pretty face!
Hello Mr. President
I don’t think the effect wore off in my case. I guess it was simply because I became too confident, thinking that maybe I was cured and that the SD wouldn’t come back if i stopped using nystatin. It did though But, like I said, after a week of using it properly again the SD disappeared and I have had zero problems since then. So so far I’ve only experiences that one outbreak since December when I started using it.
I’m still using it almost daily, so I really, really hope that it doesn’t cause long-term damage! But my dermatologist told me that I could use it daily and that I basically couldn’t use ‘too much’, so I don’t believe that the continued use is an issue. It even says so on the box from the pharmacy: “Can be used for a prolonged period of time against chronic rash in face”. Roughly translated In the note that comes with the nystatin it says that you can apply it two to three times daily. It also says that the effect should be visible in 6 days, and that you should use it for 8-10 days afterwards to be sure to be rid of the infection. It doesn’t really say if there is a maximum of recommended use. Only that you should do, as your doctor has told you. And in my case he said ‘go ahead’.
So I think it’s fine. In any case it is nothing like hydrocortisone. And it doesn’t feel rough on the skin like my ketoconazole-shampoo did. Like Vero said in the post above it feels non-irritating. That and the fact that my doctor and pharmacy both know that they are treating a chronic disease makes me say that you can use it long term.
Do you know where to get it if you decide to try it?
Hi Valerie,
Thanks for checking in. Strange enough I’ve never actually tried the listerine myself. However, I have heard of others using it.
Definetly agree with you on the Nizoral. That stuff is intense. After just one single use I knew that it was overkill. It felt like I just nuked my skin and killed every single living organism on the surface. Hair felt like dry hay.
Is your seborrheic dermatitis strictly limited to the scalp?
Thanks again for checking in.
Hey Joakim,
Thanks for checking in and keeping up to date on the comments. Glad to hear the Nystatin got things back under control so quick.
Similar to you, I almost had a strange rebound a few weeks ago. The spots that had issues before became inflamed for a few days. Personally I got a little scared. For me, it seemed to be trigged just by being overwhelmed from school/work/life. Fortunately I was able to quickly bounce back and everything is back to normal now.
Still working on a more integrated discussion part to the site. Haven’t had time with work, but hopefully I can add it soon. Will let you know as soon as it’s up.
Also I’m slowly starting to write a post discussing the potential psychological part of seborrheic dermatitis. Do you think it’s possible that our strong belief in our current methods can play a role in how effective they are for us. Also on like how when things were bad, we were always second guessing ourselves, thus bringing stress and inflammation into our daily lives.
Or do you think it’s a just a simple bacterial infection that we have managed to control?
All the best and thanks again.
Hi Michael,
it’s an interesting discussion, and the easy answer is that there is probably not a simple explanation
I read a comment on one of the other discussion boards that basically said that all the stuff we try and apply to our faces doesn’t work, and that you should only worry about being happy and try new stuff. In that particular post watching good TV shows could make your seborrheic dermatitis go away. That’s not entirely untrue, but in my opinion there is so much more to it than just a state of mind.
It is true that it helps: I experienced it in the Philippines on vacation, but aside from my mental well-being I think it was the sun and saltwater that did the trick. And I’ve also often seen a correlation between stress and aggressive flare-ups. So, it does make a difference. I think I’ve also heard stories that cancer patients who believe they will win the fight have a better chance of actually surviving cancer, rather than just giving up and giving in. This is also the reason why I looked into meditation when I was still unable to treat the seborrheic dermatitis. So I definitely think that the body and mind are connected on a level we don’t fully understand, but to say that it is the only factor is also naïve in my opinion. Modern medicine may have it’s short-comings, but to completely deny everything they have shown is a ballsy move.
The body is a complex structure where many, many, many parts of the machine can malfunction and a lot of parts are connected in a chain, so that if one cog isn’t spinning like it’s supposed to, then it will impact something further down the line. I’m thinking genetic predisposition in one way or another to the yeast Malassezia, proper development and functioning of the immune system, healthy gut flora, proper hygiene of the skin, and probably also a calm, optimistic state of mind.
I was very skeptical when my dermatologist handed my this ‘miracle drug’ and told me the SD would be gone in one, maybe two weeks time. I had already tried this approach and it didn’t work. So at the time I was actually looking for a cure to the root of the problem, not just treat it when it appeared. My point is, it wasn’t my optimistic, strong believe that made nystatin work in the first place. I’m a strong believer now, and the knowledge that I now have a reliable tool to treat the SD probably gives me a more relaxed mindset that, at the end of the day, is a more healthy one that will contribute to keeping the SD down.
I’m not convinced that it’s only a matter of psychological well-being, but I guess it comes a long way. There is some microbiological stuff going on right under our noses, so to speak, and nystatin is known to bind ergosterol, which Malassezia apparently needs in its cell membrane. I believe in the scientific facts, but I am also very open-minded and fascinated by the alternative treatments, be it natural remedies or meditation and psychological well-being.
Fun story: When I was little I hypnotized or meditated a foot wart away. I have heard that they are usually really difficult to get rid of and the treatment is quite rough (it was back then anyway), so my doctor suggested that I try to meditate and focus my mind and imagine all sorts of unpleasantries on the wart. Every night I would sit for 10-15 minutes and wish it away. Within a couple of weeks it disappeared and I haven’t had any rebounds. So I do believe in the power of the mind, but in this case with the SD I tried just about anything and nothing worked except nystatin. (except lots and lots of sun and saltwater )
That’s my two-cents!
Thank you for running the site, Michael. It looks like a lot of people are finding helpful information here. It’s a good community.
Hi Valerie,
I’m not sure that the is a nystatin treatment specifically for the scalp. One guy on reddit, however, told me he had used the creme in his ears and on his scalp, where he could apply it. I think he had good results. So I guess you can just apply it where-ever is accessible.
I don’t know about the oral treatment. I think it is different at least. I wouldn’t be allowed to donate blood if I used the oral treatment at least. But it’s outside my knowledge, so I can only guess. I recommend talking to a professional
For me, I never had to use it on my scalp. I applied it to my face, and somehow that made the stuff on my scalp and on my chest disappear as well. I only use a shampoo containing zinc pyrithione and climbazole and a conditioner also for sensitive hair and scalp.
All the best.
Możesz mi powiedzieć czy dostałeś ten krem? Podlinkuj proszę, tak się składa, że też jestem Maciej z SD. Czekam z niecierpliwością, w ostateczności będę musiał wyskoczyć do Berlina.
Sorry for no reply. Nystatin cream didnt help me. Now I am on diet - no sugar, no milk, no gluten, a lot of meet and vegetables - i want to rebuild my flora and It probably helps. After 5weeks of this diet my seb derm slowly dissapearing.
I will write more after 2-3month when I will be sure that it helps me.
To mathieu - kupiłem w http://www.apons.eu/, ale jeśli chcesz mogę Ci sprzedać mój kream bo mi nie pomógł. Ja mam ŁZS już od 8-9lat i mam zaawansowane stadium i tak jak pisze wyżej musze leczyć się od środka - odbudować florę bakteryjną, zmniejszyć porowatość jelit, wyleczyć zagrzybienie układu pokarmowego. Póki co widzę rezultaty po 5tygodniach.
Stosuję Dietę Prozdrowotną i Miksturę Oczyszczającą z bioslone.pl
Pozdro
Hi Maciej,
Sorry to hear the Nystatin didn’t work for you. However, glad to hear the diet approach is working.
Since your Polish (of of similar descent as me) and the diet approach is working, I think I have further information that might benefit. I’ve sent you an a direct email with details.
Best of luck.
I’m an RN and have used nystatin successfully on myself and my elderly patients for facial SD. It’s not a cure, but the symptoms are quelled with regular use. I have also had good sucess using a dog shampoo called Oxiderm PS for my scalp SD which I have been continually plagued with since childhood. After using it a few times per week for a few weeks I was free of all the itching redness and scaly dander for over 6 months. I had high hopes that I was cured but now it’s back again and I need another bottle. I found it works better than Nizoral for sure. I’m thinking of experimenting with mixing in nystatin into a shampoo and letting it set on my scalp for a bit before rinsing.
Hi Val,
Thanks for checking in. Really interesting to see a person from the medical field on here.
Yeah, my scalp SD has been present since about the early teenage years. This was easy to control though, simply by using H&S regularly. However, when it spread to me face things became much harder to control.
If you have the time, it would be interesting to hear your opinion on the approach that worked for me (outlined here and at the last two sections here). Since I started the approach outlined, I haven’t needed to use any anti-fungal shampoos for me scalp even. Not sure why (either lucky with shampoo choice or the l-glutamine did something…). Hope you have the time to look this over and provide some input.
Additionally, I’ve randomly came upon this wash a while back. Have never tried it for my SD, but I ran across it in some medical literature. You seemed like the perfect person to run this by, as it is supposedly used frequently in medical settings. I would imagine the iodine would be quite effective for controlling the bacteria responsible for SD.
All the best.
I feel like I have had SD for many years but ever since I had my first child it has only gotten worse. I was diagnosed by my doctor and I’ve tried the Nizoral shampoo, t-SAL, T-Gel. I’ve also tried no-poo, baking soda and ACV with limited results. I just hate having this gunk on my scalp. It’s the only location I have SD. I also have thick long hair which makes it difficult getting to the scalp to treat it. I am intrigued by this nystatin and I have also heard by controlling the yeast growth internally helps as well. Thanks for having this site! I know I’m not the only one, but it’s not something that is talked about often.
Hi Kelly,
as I’ve mentioned a few times before, I have never applied nystatin to my scalp. I only use it on my face. However, for some reason, it was only when I started using nystatin on my face that I was able to control the dandruff and scaling on my scalp. I don’t know how it works if you only have symptoms on your scalp, and if you can apply it there. A few people above have tried using it on their scalp, but I’m not sure about the results. Give it a try if you haven’t had any luck with other treatments. I haven’t had any adverse effects, so I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try.
Best of luck,
Joakim
Hi Kelly,
Same as Joakim. Once I controlled the SD on my face it cleared on my scalp. However, I found relief using non anti-fungal methods. Part internal and part simple cleanser/wash. Over the past few weeks I’ve been diving deep into medical research into SD. Hopefully sometime soon I can have a post with deep analysis of what SD really is, or at-least my analysis of what modern day research has to offer.
Here the gist of what I have so far. Most of the dermatologists believe it is due to fungus/yeast. Most modern day has research has been trying to find a clear cause-relation, but so far everything has been inconclusive. However, anti-fungals typically have good results by simply removing all bacterial activity on the skin (healthy individuals have no issues to this activity) and thus, the approach typically taken is anti-fungal medication. However, after looking at a wide variety of related inflammatory skin conditions (eczema, psoriasis, rosacea), it seems that there is a close relation to issues of the immune system here and hormonal dis-balances.
Even though I’ve been free of SD for about a year now, I still have a strong urge to really find what happened to my system. Would hate for this thing to come back later in my life.
Sorry for going off a bit (relative to your comment). Lol. Was just pounding through research papers all day and you’re the first comment on my todo list.
All the best.
Thanks for the information. I guess I’m lucky that it is only seen by me and I have very long, thick hair. I just hate feeling so gunked up. I am trying the Nioxin treatment right now, I shall see how this turns out. I’m keeping the nyastatin at the back of my mind though.