Hi EG,

Definitely try ACV. It will help with reducing flaking by destroying the fungus/yeast that is usually present in scalp flaking cases. Here is a tetimonial from http://members.surfeu.fi/wpk/dandruff/digest.htm :

"the oily conditions create a yeast rich environment on the scalp. Bacteria that like survive off the skin shedding process thrive on yeast. This leads to the intense skin shedding. This is also why it is not limited to the scalp and appears on eyebrows and around the nose and even chest hair. Its not on my nose but anywhere there is hair and heat. Chest eyebrows head ankles. . I had to use the juice of lemons and lime. I'm allergic to vinegar. The acid (ascorbic or ethanoic) stops the production of too much bacteria and knocks the skin shedding back into balance.

The hilarious thing is pharmaceutical companies don't sell this . . . because It would cure 90% of people overnight!!!! no money there.

The vinegar worked. I think it's because it changes the pH and the fungus that causes my dandruff is pH sensitive. All fungi live within a fairly narrow range of acidity and vinegar is far on the acid scale. I'm fairly certain it's fine for your skin. Skin is pretty tough and it can take a surprising amount. Still I think I'm going to experiment with half strength, i.e. half water half vinegar. Oddly I get this condition on my chest also and the vinegar cures that also. I've been rather sensitive to fungus my entire life and I'm prone to yeast infections. Lactus Acidophilous works for that and I think it's just because the Acidophilous slightly changes my bodies pH. The fungus is contagious. My wife never had dandruff and she only developed it after we were married about 6 years. My brother also has it. Not everyone that gets exposed will become colonized. Some people have stronger immune systems or maybe their body chemistry is different enough that the fungi don't find it as pleasing. Once I found the scientific name of the fungi on the web, there are five different but closely related types. They're distantly related to yeast. I'm sure some people get dandruff from other causes, but the majority of the cases of massive dandruff that I've seen have been caused by this fungus. I'm surprised that doctors don't mention or know about the vinegar cure. Makes me wonder about the legitimacy of medical science in general. The straightforwardness of skin flakes, fungus, change pH is basic and supported by theory, anecdotal evidence, and testimony. The idea that fungi are responsive to pH is taught in grade school science projects. That medical science would ignore this causes me some considerable concern."


I'm not sure if by "the same problem" you mean scalp psoriasis or "just" scalp flaking, which is usually seborrheic dermatitis (SD). If you are sure you don't have psoriasis (and many people don't know they have it, I certainly didn't for 6 years, until the flaking got worse), then ACV will probably cure the flaking. Go to this website http://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/seborrheic_dermatitis.html to read about how people have cured their SD with ACV, and sometimes additional natural products (such as tea tree oil).

In the case of psoriasis, ACV alone will not solve the flaking, because in addition to the yeast/fungus on the skin, the psoriasis is causing the skin cells to multiply at a much faster rate than normal, and ACV cannot affect that. Coal tar, however, can, and that is why it is one of the few things that really help reduce psoriasis flaking.

Yes, coal tar is toxic in high doses (such as for asphalt workers) and has been deemed as carcinogenic by the state of California. However, the issue of its toxicity in the low percentages used in psoriasis gels/shampoos (under 5%) is highly disputed. When the Califorina trial about this was going on, it was actually opposed by the National Psoriasis Foundation, because "a warning label would either unnecessarily discourage psoriatics from buying coal tar products, or would result in companies making coal tar products dropping the coal tar or reducing its strength." See http://psorsite.com/coaltar.html for more info.

So, the compromise is to use coal tar shampoos as little as possible, but for many patients the emotional benefits of controlling their flaking is far higher than the *possible* toxic effect of a low-percentage shampoo. There are many people who have used it safely for 20-30 years every day. It's up to each of us to decide...muscle testing would be interesting in this case!