Herbal Remedies For Seborrheic Dermatitis

Seborrheic dermatitis is also known as seborrhoea that is caused by the overproduction of sebum by the sebaceous glands. The skin and coat will appear greasy and flaky, overtime getting stuck into the hair coat. The animal will experience inflamed and irritated skin with itching.

As previously mentioned many times, it is beneficial to use herbal remedies internally to help the condition. Refer to Animal Herbal Remedies For Skin Issues to learn more about this important step.

Nutritional imbalances and food allergies can be a culprit for seborrhoea, therefore, nutritional herbs can be helpful in conjunction with skin supporting herbs. Speaking of allergies, an animal’s diet is of great importance, food can be the number one cause in an animal with skin conditions. Assess their diet, support the gut microbiome with prebiotic herbs like burdock and dandelion root. For more information on the subject, refer to Your Animal And Inflammatory Bowel Disease Using Herbal Medicine, What Is Your Animal’s Gut Microbiome? and Your Animal’s Digestion Problems & Dysbiosis. This is not a something you want to skip, it is a crucial part correcting the imbalances that are showing up on your animal’s skin. Gut problems cause toxic blood, and toxic blood cause skin conditions. This is the body’s way of eliminating toxins that have accumulated in the system.

As we are working on the internal state, we can help our animals in the meantime with some external support. Herbs that help with itching, scratching, inflammation and astringents. Teas and tinctures, using aloe vera gels as a base is the best way to go with seborrhoea dermatitis. It is better to stay away from oil-based topicals until the over production of sebum is under control. Instead of using the astringent herbal teas or tinctures as a wash, gently dab a soaked cotton ball/pad on areas. Yarrow and plantain are great options for this particular condition.

Herbal powders can be used for helping the skin and absorbing excess sebum. Soothing herbs are great for this like marshmallow or slippery elm. Adding a clay powder like bentonite or kaolin to the herb (dried/powdered) is another option, since clay is great for soaking up excess sebum. The one thing you need to make sure is that the clay isn’t too drying as this can cause irritation. You also want to watch your dog from licking the clay off, if they ingest enough of it, this can cause digestive upset.

If your animal is scratching, this is a concern for infection. An antimicrobial herb such as chickweed or English marigold is not a bad idea to add to this protocol, herbal teas or powders topically are useful. In cases of extensive skin damage, use herbs that stimulate the immune system internally, such as echinacea to prevent infection.

These are some wonderful herbal aids and tips for your animal that is struggling with seborrheic dermatitis. Herbs are wonderful at sooting and healing skin conditions from the inside and out. Give these tips a try and hopefully it will benefit your animal.

Consult with a holistic veterinarian or holistic practitioner to lead you in the right direction. If you feel uncertain, holistic practitioners have the expertise and wisdom to direct you to top quality herbal products for your animal. Do not use any remedies if you are not certain which and how to use them, it is best to work with a practitioner. This blog is for educational purposes only.

If you are interested in a consultation with Maria for your animal, feel free to learn more here.