Q: I had been diagnosed with seborrheic dermatitis, and I also had dandruff.  One day I read in a magazine that Greek yogurt could help. I decided to give it a try and shampooed with it, also applying it to my face.  The next day the dermatitis was gone.  I continue to apply yogurt before washing my hair. That was over 8 years ago, and I haven’t had dandruff or dermatitis since.  I use Chobani, but I suppose any band of Greek yogurt would work.

A: There is a community of microbes that normally live on our skin and scalp.  When the balance is disrupted, the result can be dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis.  This skin condition is similar to dandruff on the face, causing itching, redness and flaking. We have not seen any studies of your approach, but research on a probiotic solution applied to the scalp showed that it helped restore microbiome balance (Journal of Microbial & Biochemical Technology, August 2016).  The acetic acid produced by the probiotic in the studied solution was thought to be beneficial.  While yogurt may not have acetic acid, the lactic acid in yogurt might work in a similar fashion. People have found other home remedies to be helpful for dandruff. They include soaking the scalp in old-fashioned amber Listerine or a baking-soda solution. Some people have had success with saltwater, apple-cider vinegar or milk of magnesia.

Article by Joe and Teresa Graedon

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