Alum: My partner for life against seborrhaic dermatitis

Alum or tawas has been known to help whiten skin and reduce underarm perspiration. Few people know that it can also be used to clear the skin if you have what is called seborrhaic dermatitis. This is a recurring skin problem that produces itchy red spots on the oily and hairy areas of the skin like that under the eyebrows, the hairline, the side of the base of the nose. These spots become rough and scaly as days go by. They can be very unsightly if left untreated.

I have had this problem ever since I was in second year high school. I have been to different dermatologists and all of them said that there was no permanent solution to the problem and that I would just have to live with it, avoid stress and avoid the foods that I was allergic to. Of all the treatments I have gone thru and of all the remedies I have been asked to do, one thing stands out. This is the alum compress. Here’s what it does: it dries the spots faster, healing the skin in three days or less (it usually takes around five days for the skin to clear when using ointments). Since it is natural it is safe and has no side effects unlike if you have to use one particular ointment every day for the rest of your life. Aside from that, because the alum has a whitening effect, your skin would be lighter after regular use.

What you need:

alum crystals or alum powder (you can buy from Mercury Drugstore)
fresh clean water
face towel

1. Boil one and a half cup of water.
2. Pour the boiling water into a bowl.
3. Put 1 tablespoon of alum crystals in the water.
4. When the water gets warm dip the face towel into the water.
5. Lie down and cover the affected body part with the face towel for 15 minutes.

Do this twice a day every day until the itchy spots are gone. It works for me. I hope it works for you too.