Hi,

Can you use retinol if you have Seb Derm?

Never say never. It’s possible to use retinol formulations when you have seborrheic dermatitis. Retinol has been shown to help with skin redness.

However, it doesn’t contain any active ingredients that directly reduce Malassezia load on your skin. Nor does it have any anti-inflammatory properties to help soothe your skin and regulate your inflammatory response.

In other words, retinol does not treat seborrheic dermatitis.

If you are using retinol for other reasons, like rosacea or acne, be extremely careful. Retinol, tretinoin and other Vitamin A derivatives can be harsh on the skin, aggravating seb derm.

I don’t recommend using retinol during an active Seb Derm flare. However, if you would like to use retinol products in between flares, that’s perfectly fine. I do the same. Just choose a gentle formulation, or even better, bakuchiol – the natural and gentler version of retinol that has been shown to be just as effective.

Take a deep dive in this article: Is retinol good for seborrheic dermatitis?

Check out this bakuchiol and hyaluronic acid serum by Volition:

Q: Can I mix rosemary oil and jojoba oil for my skin?

Yes, add 2-3 drops of rosemary oil to 10 drops of jojoba oil and apply twice a day. However, I find during a Seb Derm flare, antifungal cream or tea tree oil works better than rosemary oil.

* Every week I answer one reader question. If you have any questions for me, just hit reply and ask away. Don’t worry, I never use your name or any other identifier.

I talk about the best face oil for Seb Derm in this video. I tried an AI voice as I felt that my Malaysian-Australian accent was difficult to understand but it looks like many prefer my original voice. Check it out and let me know what you think:

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Stay healthy, happy, safe and rash-free!

Until next week,

Sharon G.