Seborrheic Dermatitis (SD) cured by Topical Caprylic Acid (C8:0)Triglycerides
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Since about the age of 20, I've suffered from seborrheic dermatitis on the nasolabial folds, chin, eyebrows, neck, and scalp. After doing much research, I found a couple of treatments that seemed plausible to try.
Protocol
The one that worked was topical application of C8:0 triglycerides to the affected area. Within days, symptoms began to abate. After about a week of consistent daily application to the skin, I no longer needed to apply it at all and my skin remains clear.Mechanism of Action
While the exact MOA is difficult to know for sure, based on the research that I've done, I have a theory.According to this study,
"Malassezia utilizes human sebum triglycerides as food, and the metabolites such as oleic acid and arachidonic acid cause aberrant epidermal differentiation, barrier defects, and inflammatory response"
So, the yeast Malassezia consumes triglycerides found in the sebum and leaves behind the inflammatory unsaturated fatty acids which then destroy the epidermis.
The C8:0, I think, when applied topically is absorbed by the skin and is used by the skin cells to rebuild and combat the effects of the unsaturated fatty acids. In addition, C8:0 has anti-fungal effects, which may simply be due to the fact that the saturated fat is absorbed by the host and is used to mount an effective immune response and restore barrier integrity.
For an in-depth explanation as to the benefits of saturated fats for decreasing inflammation, read Haidut's post on methylated SFA
Conclusion
I think that you can take this as very strong evidence of just how harmful the unsaturated fatty acids are for us and how healthy the saturated fats are, as replacing one with the other is able to restore even fairly seriously compromised skin barriers.In time there is life but no knowledge; outside time there is knowledge but no life
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Good job doing the research and applying it.
How often were you applying the oil and how many days were you on it before you started to see tangible results?
Were you actually using caprylic acid, instead of MCT oil or VCO?
And how did you know the culprit was malasezzia furfur, or were you targeting a broad fungal class and you were thinking if caprylic acid works against mal furfur, it may work against other fungi, which is often suspected in cases of seborrheic dermatitis?
Temporal thinking is the faculty that’s
engaged by an enriched environment, but it’s
wrong to call it “thinking,” because it’s simply
the way organisms exist... - Ray Peat Nov 2017 Newsletter -
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I used it every day for about 10 days after which I did not need to use it any more to maintain the benefits. I saw visual benefits within the first day and benefits as regards itchiness/irritation of the skin within hours.
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I was using a pure C8:0 triglyceride product
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I do not know which/if any yeast were present or were causing the condition. If you go on PubMed, and search for Seborrheic Dermatitis, you will find some studies claiming that there is a spectrum between Seb Derm and other inflammatory skin conditions such as psoriasis meaning that there is no clear distinction. My present thinking is that the saturated fatty acids themselves improve epidermal function or outcompete the unsaturated fatty acids and thereby decrease inflammation for reasons described by Haidut in the thread I linked.
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Thanks. I may look then to buy a caprylic acid product if my current use of vco carrier with an antifungal blend of thymol, cinnamon bark, and oregano oil doesn't work. It is a much more diluted blend that I have uses successfully on nail fungus.
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@jamezb46
Do you think MCT oil would work? And what about this, https://www.amazon.com/Now-Foods-Caprylic-600mg-Softgels/dp/B00KQ2L024 -
@Hearthfire I do think mct oil would work
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@Hearthfire but it needs to be applied to the skin as I wrote. The oral capsules will not work.
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@jamezb46 Got it. Thanks. So it would make more sense to buy some not in capsule form.
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@Hearthfire Correct. Here is the link to the one I bought.
In time there is life but no knowledge; outside time there is knowledge but no life
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@jamezb46 I've been trying to solve this recently, and I discovered that 1 tbsp of coconut oil a day ingested stopped the growth and cleared my scalp (along with a weekly wash with a coconut oil based shampoo and conditioner).
Also, I have applied T3 via Tyronene to spots on my scalp lacking hair and have seen a burst of new growth.
I have thought about topical application as well because I haven't really seen a reduction in the folds yet, so I will try your method soon to see if it gets even better.
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@secondkelping sounds good. I probably should have wrote that when I applied the C8:0, I didn’t wipe it off, just left it on.
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The next oil worked. I rubbed it on my scalp but I did it daily for a month. Hooray! The fungal film slowly disappeared.
Thanks.
I'm doing follow-up treatment though.
And I now have a nest applicator I bought from Temu.!
I could not figure out a way to post pictures here though. Otherwise I'd post a pic of that applicator, which I think is very cool to have.
Temporal thinking is the faculty that’s
engaged by an enriched environment, but it’s
wrong to call it “thinking,” because it’s simply
the way organisms exist... - Ray Peat Nov 2017 Newsletter -
This is the product link st Temu Philippines:
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So the caprylic acid worked for you?
In time there is life but no knowledge; outside time there is knowledge but no life
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I have two people who had their flaky head resolve using the c8 product. It has been like a miracle.
Used the Amazon product link provided above.
LevelUp
LevelUp Clean MCT Oil - 100% Caprylic C8 -
That’s awesome to hear. Did you recommend it based on this post?
In time there is life but no knowledge; outside time there is knowledge but no life
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@jamezb46 said in Seborrheic Dermatitis (SD) cured by Topical Caprylic Acid (C8:0)Triglycerides:
So the caprylic acid worked for you?
Yup! Took awhile though, but I stuck with it. Thanks a million!
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@jamezb46 said in Seborrheic Dermatitis (SD) cured by Topical Caprylic Acid (C8:0)Triglycerides:
That’s awesome to hear. Did you recommend it based on this post?
Yes. They had both been using regular coconut oil. Switching to c8 made a world of difference.
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Wonderful. Glad to see my solution seems to be of general utility.
Of additional interest is the androgenicity of caprylic acid. Perhaps that is another mechanism by which it opposes the inflammatory response that is SD. Namely, by opposing estrogen.
I’m currently researching p5p, the active form of vitamin b6 for this skin disorder as well. I’ll report back in a few months. It may be that SD is really a micronutrient deficiency, of some combination of zinc, b6, selenium, etc.
Since people in the RP community don’t eat a lot of PUFA, their metabolic rate is higher and thus the need for these micronutrients, as demonstrated in the PUFA-deficient mice who developed scaly skin on their paws.
The fact that one study gave them b6 and saw no improvement doesn’t really show much, since they didn’t control for other micronutrients such as those above mentioned.
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09.21.20 The True Natrue of a Virus, September 21, 2020 [897179593]
“…Interesting. Wow. Wow, wow, wow. Let me do this first. Does Dr. Peat have any advice for an ongoing seborrheic dermatitis? I'm worried that it's kind of an autoimmune response from old vaccines. I would be interested to know what Dr. Peat thinks about homeopathic medicine as well in general.I haven't had any experience with homeopathics for that, but vitamin D and the calcium phosphate ratio in the diet are, I think, the first things that should be explored. Vitamin D has many effects on the skin.”
