Star flower, lemon balm, St Johns Wort, Valerium and Rosemary are all useful

home made beauty remedies

This is not dangerous or life threatening in any way. This is why no cure has been found yet. Doctors focus on life threatening diseases and there is no more than 2 paragraphs spent on this topic throughout the whole medical education. So for us.. its nothing more than just embaressing and annoying.

I have been diagnosed with Seborrheic Dermatitis 15years ago and still struggling. It is mainly on my scalp moving out of the hairline now. And mild patches on other parts of the body such as arms, hips and groin area.
What makes it so difficult is that our bodies dont respond the same way to certain “cures”. Therefore, it is a process finding what works for you and illuminating what doesnt.

I have recently also done some research on Psoriasis. This condition is VERY similar to Sebborrheic Dermatitis and often misdiagnosed by dermatologists unless a proper biopsy is done and tested. Although these two conditions are different diseases, they seem to have pretty much the same treatments. The only difference I could find, is that Psoriasis could also be treated with UV light treatment.

Apparently Psoriasis is also the one that is found on other parts of the body, besides the scalp, and is also more difficult to get rid of than SD.
Well, whichever disease I might have (mine wasnt properly diagnosed), I have tried EVERYTHING. These cures (as mentioned) might work for another person, but I havent found mine yet. But here is a couple of tips on what you might want to try (maybe it works for you, as it has apparently worked for others in the past – the essential oils had the best result for me personally thusfar).

1) Cut out all sugar and yeast from your diet. (incl. beer, wine, ect)

2) Chickweed. This is NOT chickpees. Its dried leaves, almost looks like dried parsley. Boil it in water for 20mins, and use the “tea” to drink and rinse your hair/body. You dont have to rinse it out.

3) For the scalp, you can rinse your hair with apple cider vinegar. This is because the acid is strong enough to kill the bad flora, but weak enough for the good flora to survive. It restores the balance between the two.

4) Coconut oil. Coconuts have natural anti-bacterial properties. Bathing in coconut milk is another option.

5) I have tried several prescribed shampoos, ointments and creams containing coal tar, cortizone ect. These are pretty harsh on the skin and I personally try to stay away from it as they dont seem to work (for me) anyway.

6) Milk of Magnesia seemed to have worked for many people. Especially if the problem area is on the face. This is a laxative / antacid. Its name comes from its white milky appearance (similar to gavascon). But this has offered almost immediate relief to many. (unfortunately not me ) You use it like you use a normal cream soap and leave it on for a couple of minutes and then rinse. Or if its on the scalp: use it like a shampoo and while you wash, leave it on. then shampoo and condition as normal.

7) Miracle whip. There are some ingredients in this product that has proven to work for some. I havent tried it yet, but its definitely on my list for this weekend! you leave it on for several hours and then rinse. Ill let you know how it goes.

Then the oils that has been the best option for me sofar: I make a mixture of wheatgerm oil, coconut oil, bergamot and teatree oil. I put it in a little spraybottle (which just makes application easier) and every night apply it thoroughly to the whole scalp, massaging it in. Then rinse it out the next morning. This seem to remove the scales quite nicely.

9) Exposure to sunlight. This is a bit harder if its on the scalp, since the hair is obviously in the way. But apparently the UVA, UVB and UVC helps. Not too much though.. you dont want to get burnt and develop other diseases later on!! So moderate exposure.

10) The bananapeel exfoliation. You use the inside of a banapeel and rub it against the effected area. Havent tried that yet either. But apparently its effective for some.

11) RELAX! Emotional stress definitely has an effect on this condition! My condition flared up really badly since my mother passed away from a really bad cancer she suffered from for 2 years. Try yoga.. try an excersizing program.. meditation.. whatever makes you relax

12) Fish oils. Whether its a tin of pilchards everyday or taken as a supplement.

Good luck! I will keep you posted if I make any other miracle discoveries!

My Hair Care Routine, Tips & Home Remedies

i have had cold sores my whole life. as soon as i feel one coming on i take two L-Lysine pills. It is an amino acid that your body doesn’t produce, or doesn’t produce enough of. 99% of the time the cold sore never comes, and when it does come it is not as swollen or noticeable. good luck

Herbal Plant Remedies : Herbs: St. John’s Wort for Depression

Although you should always consult your physician for medical conditions before using any treatment, natural or synthetic, the purpose of this article is to inform you of the various botanically-derived remedies that may be considered for treating some of the most common skin problems. There are many advantages to using herbs rather than the drugs derived from them. A standard medication consists of one, or occasionally two, medically active chemical compounds, plus carrier compounds and a buffer. Herbs and herbal formulas usually contain at least dozens, and in many cases, hundreds, of active ingredients. The many active ingredients act on the body, and on one another, simultaneously. This serves to make the primary active ingredients of the herb more effective. It also serves to prevent the toxic reactions that can lead to side effects. Herbal remedies are more likely to correct conditions without creating additional problems.

Although there are many techniques for making herbal remedies, for the purpose of skin and hair treatments and to simplify the process for home remedy use, I recommend purchasing the herb in the form of its essential oil. Essential Oils are highly concentrated extracts of the herb and can be purchased in small dropper bottles at your local nutrition store or online. Just one drop of essential oil is often equal to 1 full ounce of the plant.

Before applying essential oil to skin or hair, you must ALWAYS dilute the oil first. A carrier (or base) is used for this purpose. The carrier can be a natural oil like olive, jojoba, apricot kernel or similar oil. You could also use your favorite unscented lotion or shampoo or conditioner as a carrier base. I often use organic aloe vera gel as a base for treating skin conditions because of the extraordinary healing benefits of the aloe vera plant. I also prefer the use of aloe vera gel because it is not oily or greasy on the skin.

A good rule of thumb for diluting the essential oil into the carrier base for the purpose of treating a skin ailment is to use about 8 to10 drops of essential oil to 1 full ounce of the carrier base. If you are using more than one type of essential oil, then divide the drops evenly to equal 8 to10 drops total of the various essential oils to 1 full ounce of the carrier base.

Below is a list of 40 herbs, each with its summary of healing benefits. Simply choose between 1 to 3 herbs to use for the particular ailment you are treating and add the appropriate number of drops to your carrier base as explained above. Stir it or shake it to blend the ingredients well and store in a tightly sealed container. Apply it to the affected area 2 to 3 times per day.

Aloe Vera:Greatest natural source of alpha hydroxy acid. Hydrating, soothing, moisturizing and healing for all skin types. Aloe Vera has extraordinary healing properties, is anti-inflammatory and can soothe the skin and help heal cuts, grazes, burns, radiation burns and insect bites.

Angelica: Good for dull, irritated, inflamed skin, psoriasis, and fungal infections.

Basil: Conditions the hair and stimulates hair growth, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, anti-infectious, antibiotic, very good insect repellent and also good for acne.

Bergamot: Good for eczema, herpes, acne, psoriasis, skin infections, cold sores, blisters, shingles, and chicken pox. Antiseptic, antibiotic, anti-spasmodic, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory.

Burdock:Excellent for boils, eczema and chronic skin and hair problems. Prevents body’s own immune system from attacking the skin, kills streptococcus bacteria and many disease-causing fungi that infect cracked skin. Add to shampoo or conditioner as a scalp treatment to improve hair strength, shine, body, and to combat hair loss, itching and/or dandruff.

Calendula: Excellent skin healing herb, natural anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, fungicidal. Excellent for burns, cuts, eczema, oily greasy skin, bruises, soothes skin, inflammations, insect bites, rashes, wounds, cracked dry skin, stretch marks and diaper rash.

Cedarwood: Cleansing properties, antiseptic, anti-fungal, good for oily or blemished skin, natural astringent used in acne treatments. Relieves eczema, psoriasis, skin inflammation, dandruff, insect bites, hair loss, dry or oily hair, softens the skin.

Chamomile: Chamomile is excellent for many types of skin conditions as well as severely infected skin. It has an anti-inflammatory effect, good for hypersensitive skin, eczema, skin rashes, acne, rosacea and allergic skin reactions. Brings out natural brightness and highlights in hair when used in a shampoo.

Chickweed:Chickweed is excellent for sores, abscesses, skin irritations and rashes. Chickweed has an anti-inflammatory action similar to cortisone.

Cinnamon: Good for infections, antiseptic, antibiotic, anti-fungal, warts, anti-viral

Citronella: Insect repellent, keeps away mosquitoes, ticks, fleas and other insects.

Clary Sage: Regenerates skin cells. Good for oily skin and hair, blemishes, mature, wrinkled or inflamed skin, acne, boils and puffy skin.

Cypress: Natural astringent and antibiotic. Good for mature skin, oily skin and acne. Stimulates cell regeneration.

Comfrey Root:One of the most valuable plants in both cosmetics and medicine. Regenerates aging tissues.

Eucalyptus: Antiseptic, antibiotic, anti-fungal, anti-infectious and anti-parasitic. Regenerates skin cells. Good for insect bites and rashes.

Everlasting: Excellent for acne, scar tissue, mature skin, stretch marks, spots, warts, old scars, dermatitis, broken veins and burns. Antibacterial properties.

Frankincense: Good for dry, mature, aging skin, acne, scars, reduces wrinkles, balances out oily skin, healing for all skin types. Anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, natural astringent.

Goldenseal:Excellent anti-fungal with antibiotic properties that fights secondary bacterial infections.

Gotu Kola:Good for wounds, scarring and psoriasis. Stimulates the regeneration of skin cells and underling connective tissue, beneficial effect on collagen and inhibits its excessive production in scar formation, accelerates the healing of burns and skin grafts and minimizes scarring.

Grapefruit: Used for acne, athletes foot, tones and tightens skin, antiseptic, disinfectant, detoxifier and anti-infectious. Good astringent for oily skin and hair, aids in hair growth.

Green Tea: Natural anti-oxidant used in cosmetics expecially to reduce the puffiness around the eyes. Also has astringent properties.

Hibiscus: Natural source of Vitamin C and malic acid. Used by the to treat wounds, dandruff and stimulate hair growth. Has antibacterial properties.

Hyssop: Good for acne, bruises, cuts, wounds, dermatitis, eczema, inflammations, scars, and cell regeneration.

Jasmine: Used for sensitive, mature, aging skin and stretch marks. Beneficial for dry, greasy, irritated skin.

Lavender: One of the most popular herbs, lavender is excellent for many skin conditions such as dermatitis, eczema, sunburn, insect bites, infections, rashes, infected hair follicles, pimples, black heads and light forms of acne. Antiseptic, analgesic, antispasmodic, tonic, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, anti-infectious, antitoxin and anti-parasitic

Lemon Balm: Good for infections, acne, boils, warts; increases shine and growth of hair and nails, antibiotic, astringen
t, and antiseptic. Beneficial for oily complexions, hair and skin blemishes.

Lemongrass: Good for infections and acne. Natural astringent, antiseptic, anti-infectious, anti-parasitic and anti-fungal. Also good for enlarged pores.

Myrrh: Beneficial for inflamed skin, boils, athlete’s foot, chapped skin, mature skin, wrinkles and ringworm.

Neroli: Scar tissue, improves elasticity and reduces stretch marks. Good facial softener, great for overall skin care, regenerates skin cells and tones mature, dry, sensitive skin.

St. John’s Wort:Excellent antibacterial and antiviral properties for the treatment of burns, cuts, scrapes, and minor skin irritations. Also may be helpful herpes breakouts.

Palmarosa: Good for acne, scarring, blackheads, athlete’s foot, eczema and other fungal infections. Antibiotic, anti-viral, anti-infectious, antiseptic, moisturizing, regenerates skin cells, aids in regulating oil production of the skin.

Patchouli: Natural antiseptic, anti-fungal and antibacterial. Used for dermatitis, athlete’s foot, ringworm, parasites, rejuvenates skin cells, mature and dry skin, scars, eczema, inflamed, cracked skin, acne, eliminates dandruff, repels bugs, and relieves insect bites.

Ravensara: Natural antiseptic, antiviral, antitoxin, antibiotic and anti-infectious. Beneficial for cold sores, herpes, and shingles.

Rose: Natural astringent, anti-infectious, antiseptic, astringent, antiviral and emollient. Regenerates cells, heals radiation burns more quickly, good for scarring and for use on all skin types especially mature, dry and sensitive skin.

Rosemary: Good for infections, acne, skin care and hair care, Natural anti-toxic and antiseptic.

Rosewood: Anti-infectious, antibacterial, antiseptic and anti-fungal. Good for candida, acne, dry, sensitive, inflamed dermatitis, scars, wrinkles, regenerates cells.

Sandalwood: Used for scarring, acne, dry, aged, chapped skin, soothing as an aftershave treatment, good for dry and oily hair, and increases water retention of collagen. Natural antiseptic,astringent and emollient. Encourages new cell growth.

Tea Tree: Tea Tree is an important herb extremely beneficial to various skin conditions such as cuts, wounds, abrasions, rashes, insect bites, nail fungus, dermatitis, ringworm, thrush, head lice, boils, cold sores, acne and infections. Can protect skin during radiation treatment, reduces swelling, heals scar tissue, controls oil on the skin, and dries up pus.

Vetiver: Beneficial for acne, cuts, mature skin, oily skin, dry skin, infections, inflammations, regenerates cells, good for sagging skin, softens and moisturizes

Witch Hazel:Natural astringent that also tones the skin. For all skin types.

If you are interested in a 100% natural, ready-made herbal skin remedy which incorporates many of the herbs discussed in this article, you may want to consider this handmade product by Viterba Naturals called “Herbal Skin Salve”.

Author reference: http://www.viterbanaturals.com

Although anti-aging skin treatments from Cleopatra’s and Ninon’s eras, and even the most highly advertised “wrinkle creams” on the market today, cannot stop the natural aging process of the skin, studies have shown several natural and herbal ingredients can certainly slow the process down significantly. I will be covering a few of the most effective of these ingredients a little later.

Firstly, let’s do some “Wrinkles 101″. Wrinkles are visible creases in the skin. Wrinkles form as the skin loses collagen, a protein that allows the skin to retain fluids that support a smooth, supple contour. As the collagen-filled elastic tissues underlying the skin are increasingly damaged, wrinkles deepen and become more prominent. Exposure to ultraviolet light and free radicals accelerate the process. Frequent exposure to sunshine results in premature skin wrinkling and increased pigmentation, called liver spots. Exposure to cigarette smoke means exposure to toxic free radicals that also contribute to wrinkling. In women, smoking exacerbates skin wrinkling that occurs after menopause, canceling out the anti-wrinkling effects of estrogen treatment. Other factors that can lead to premature wrinkling include poor diet and nutrition, poor muscle tone, habitual facial expressions, stress, lack of proper skin care, excel sun exposure and heredity.

The use of some herbal antioxidants in skin creams can stop the free radical process that destroys collagen. Herbal sources of alpha-hydroxy acids stimulate the production of hyaluronic acid, the body’s natural agent for moisturizing and restoring suppleness to the skin. These therapies can soften existing wrinkles and prevent new wrinkles from forming.

What Cleopatra and Ninon both knew even long ago is that they needed to use ingredients that were agents for moisturizing, retaining and restoring suppleness to their skin. The use of milk, honey and lard (or oil), for example, were excellent choices for keeping their skin moisturized, and are common ingredients still used today in many natural skin care products.

There are several herbal extracts and essential oils, which when added to an effective natural skin softening agent, can heed excellent anti-wrinkling results without the use of synthetics. Here are my top 10 favorite botanically-inspired ingredients, which we in the natural skin care world affectionately refer to as “miracle herbs” for the skin.

1.  Aloe Vera: Most potent natural source of alpha-hydroxy acids2. Calendula: Stimulates growth of skin cells, soothes sun-damaged skin and protects it from infection3. Carrot Seed Oil: Rich in Beta-Carotene and is valued for its soothing, relaxing properties                                                                                                       4. Frankincense: Rejuvenates the skin and has excellent cytophylactic properties (encourages the growth of skin cells) while being a good all-over skin tonic. It is   also effective in healing sores, carbuncles and wounds, while reducing ugly scaring and reducing skin inflammation5. Grape Seed Extract: Anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory6. Green Tea Extract: Prevents free radical damage to the skin7. Helichrysium (Everlasting): Extremely expensive but excellent for scar tissue, burns, cuts, wounds, stretch marks, preventing infection, bruises, warts, eczema, also anti-inflammatory 8.  Pine-Park Extract: Anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, improves skin elasticity9. Wild Sea Buckthorn Berry: Excellent source of carotinoids, including a high level of beta-carotine, vitamins A, C and E, absorbs UV rays, regenerates and heals skin tissue10.  Witch Hazel: Natural astringent that tones the skin

Here are a few of the natural softening agents (oils) with unique properties that not only moisturize and nourish the skin, but also aid in the skin’s ability to retain the moisture:

• olive oil • apricot kernel oil • sweet almond oil • shea butter • meadow foam oil • evening primrose oil • borage oil • pumpkin seed oil

If you are interested in using an entirely natural product which incorporates many of the above mentioned ingredients without the use of synthetics, parabens, sulfates or other toxic ingredients, you may want to consider this handmade product called Evening Blossom Anti-Aging Balm. While it boasts being an old-fashioned, completely natural/herbal anti-wrinkle balm, the ingredients chosen for this product reveal that some extraordinary herbal research went into its “secret” recipe.

A few more suggestions for achieving naturally healthy skin are to drink eight ounces of water daily, use natural oils rather than harsh soaps, avoid alcohol-based toners which can dry and chap the skin, get regular exercise and do not smoke.