Q. My husband has had rosacea and seborrheic dermatitis, with facial redness, flaking and discomfort over the years. Prescription creams did not help and some seemed to make the facial redness worse.
We read in your column that washing the face with selenium sulfide dandruff shampoo (Selsun Blue) might help. After one month his skin is smooth, healthy and normal looking. He looks years younger and the discomfort has vanished.
A. Thank you for the testimonial. Perhaps the anti-fungal properties of selenium sulfide are responsible for this success.
Both rosacea and seborrheic dermatitis are inflammatory skin conditions affecting the face. Rosacea causes a red face and blemishes, while seborrheic dermatitis is associated with flaking, itching, and redness. Seborrheic dermatitis is probably related to infection with a yeast, Malassezia. The cause of rosacea is unknown, but scientists suspect it may be exacerbated by a reaction to tiny mites that live on the skin called Demodex.
The usual treatment for rosacea includes anti-microbial compounds such as metronidazole. Your husband is not the first one to experience relief from a dandruff shampoo, however. Other readers have reported similar benefit.
