Q I have seborrhoeic scalp dermatitis — should I wash my hair every day or less often? What kind of shampoo should I use?
A Daily shampooing helps remove excess sebum and suppress Malassezia overgrowth, but products with too strong a cleansing effect damage the skin barrier. The standard recommendation is to use a medicated shampoo containing ketoconazole or zinc pyrithione 2–3 times a week, and on other days use a gentle, low-irritation shampoo.
Detailed Answer
For seborrhoeic scalps, the balance between sebum removal and skin barrier protection is crucial. The key daily-life guidelines are: ①medicated shampoo (ketoconazole 2%, zinc pyrithione, selenium sulphide) 2–3 times a week ②gentle low-irritation shampoo on remaining days ③rinse with lukewarm rather than hot water ④minimise hot air when blow-drying.
Korean Medicine Perspective
At Dongjedang, we recommend an external treatment of washing the scalp with a decoction of Ku Shen (苦蔘) and Huang Bai (黃栢) to enhance antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Combining Spleen-Stomach restoration to eliminate Damp-Heat with this external treatment, sebum regulation on the scalp improves rapidly.
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