# Dandruff and facial hair **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 30, 2003, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dandruff-and-facial-hair/151751 "2003-01-30T23:49:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![J\_String](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@J\_String](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_String)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dandruff-and-facial-hair/151751/1 "2003-01-30T23:49:31Z")
OK, my mustache, goatee and even eyebrows have dandruff. How do I get rid of this stuff? I’ve tried dandruff shampoo, but it doesn’t seem to work as well on these sites as it does on my scalp. The skin under my mustache especially is irritated and itchy and a deep (almost purplish) red. Is there some sort of moisturizer I can use for this? –Thanks in advance ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dandruff-and-facial-hair/151751/2 "2003-01-31T01:24:53Z")
Sounds like seborrheic dermatitis. I’ve got it too. Until recently I 've used a prescription medication called desonide cream. It works well, but since it’s a steroid cream has shitty side effects like making your skin permanently thinner! A new prescription came out recently called Elidel (a non-steroidal). It works great and there are no permanent side effects. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dandruff-and-facial-hair/151751/3 "2003-01-31T02:27:18Z")
Yeah, that doesn’t sound like simple dandruff. I used to get dandruff in my beard too, but it wasn’t much of a problem, and if I scrubbed it well with shampoo it wasn’t a problem at all. ---
**Author:** ![Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boo_Boo_Foo)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dandruff-and-facial-hair/151751/4 "2003-01-31T03:33:57Z")
And what causes seborrhieic dermatitis? Did our ancestors, prior to modern shampoos and all the nasty stuff they put in 'em, well did they suffer from dermatitis and dandruff too? ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Scene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bob\_Scene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Scene)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dandruff-and-facial-hair/151751/5 "2003-01-31T08:28:00Z")
I’ve had this problem before. In my case it seemed to be caused by a fungal infection, and it went away right away when I started using Lotrimin on it. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dandruff-and-facial-hair/151751/6 "2003-01-31T12:50:35Z")
Nizoral shampoo works. Seborrheic dermatitis is caused by a fungal infection, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Snowcarpet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowcarpet/32/257_2.png) [@Snowcarpet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowcarpet)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dandruff-and-facial-hair/151751/7 "2003-01-31T14:56:51Z")
Just a couple of links for you, if you want some more info : [http://familydoctor.org/handouts/157.html](http://familydoctor.org/handouts/157.html) [http://www.aad.org/pamphlets/seborrhe.html](http://www.aad.org/pamphlets/seborrhe.html) > **[Seborrheic dermatitis: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000963.htm)** > > Seborrheic dermatitis is a common inflammatory skin condition. It causes flaky, white to yellowish scales to form on oily areas such as the scalp, face, or inside the ear. It can occur with or without [http://www.dermatologychannel.net/dermatitis/seborrheic.shtml](http://www.dermatologychannel.net/dermatitis/seborrheic.shtml) -A. ---
**Author:** ![deball](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@deball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deball)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dandruff-and-facial-hair/151751/8 "2003-01-31T15:08:43Z")
Not a doctor but… I have thick eyebrows. Lotrimin worked well for me too. You might want to try a soft bristled toothbrush on your eyebrows and mustache first. It will break up some of sloughing and help the lotion penetrate. It cleared right up on me. Also, Nizorol eradicated my dandruff. Well worth the high price. Thick hair can be a burden!