Selsun unavailable everywhere I try, what else for Pityriasis versicolour?

[KenAdamsRealWife]

Apparently selsun is having a manufacturing problem. Any other ideas?

[lyrebird1]

When I had it, I was told by the dermatologist to use Nizoral shampoo as a body wash, and leave it on for 5-10 mins. It cleared mine up and I haven't had a problem since.It is available without a prescription.

[reenchantmentofeverydaylife]

With respect, a chamomile and calendula soap won't treat eczema or any other serious skin condition effectively. I wish.

There are still options to buy Selsun online, OP. Check out the usual big retailing sites.

[naturalmum]

That was what worked for me and my family. I think is not what it has is what it does not have sulphates and other nasties. It worked for me. I noticed as well that went we go on holiday outside Europe we do not seem to be affected as much. I think is the hard water and the water softner. So now we have shower filters, all these little changes made a hugh difference to us.

[KenAdamsRealWife]

Thanks all, I’ve tried all the online retailers I can think of and all saying out of stock?
Selsun has worked effectively before so I know it does work without side effect.

[reenchantmentofeverydaylife]

I saw it on amazon OP, but maybe when you add it to your basket it says out of stock or something, I don't know. Saw someone on ebay selling a bottle of it for 200 quid, cf!!

[Mangofandangoo]

Nizoral shampoo for me. My dr told me to use it like a body wash and it cleared up overnight! I'd been struggling with it for weeks before and nothing was helping

[KenAdamsRealWife]

I saw that reenchantment on eBay...
I hope I get one and I might actually sell it 😂

[reenchantmentofeverydaylife]

Careful - Selsun might pull their bloody fingers out while you're still trying to make your money back!

I've got a bit left in my last bottle so it's going to be rationed until it runs out! The thought of not having any is doing my head in. I use it for seborrheic dermatitis on my face, and I get breakouts every few days so it's essential for me. Only thing after YEARS of misery that actually helps. There's a small pharmacy near me that might still have some in stock, I'm going there tomorrow to see so will keep you posted.

[reenchantmentofeverydaylife]

Sadly the pharmacy I bought my last bottle from didn't have any left. They think it won't be available in the UK anymore. So I've bitten the bullet and ordered a 120ml bottle from a seller in Thailand on eBay, about £12. The packaging looks very different but I read through their feedback and someone actually wrote that it's basically the same as the out of stock UK version. All the other buyers who left feedback weren't as specific but gave very positive feedback, and there are a lot of them, so I took a chance and will keep you posted as to the quality. Won't arrive for a couple of weeks by the looks of things, but fingers crossed when it does get here I'll be pleasantly surprised! Bottles that look like the one we're used to are still going for silly money, and every other so-called Selsun on eBay and amazon looks and sounds dodgy. I have a feeling there's quite a lot of cashing in on the name Selsun and Selsun Blue, mostly produced by chancers and nothing like the original Selsun formula. Lots of disappointed buyers leaving feedback. But it's very likely that the original formula is still being produced somewhere but for some reason isn't granted a license to sell in the UK anymore. Packaging often differs across continents anyway, because of different cultural aesthetics, so I'm hopeful for the one I've ordered. It's 2.5% selenium sulfide

[KenAdamsRealWife]

Yes I’ve seen selson but totally different make up, people say Nizoral is as good, have you tried that?
Do let me know how your item from Thailand is, I have a relative abroad so might ask them to check in their local pharmacies and I will too let you know

[reenchantmentofeverydaylife]

Great, yes let me know if they track anything promising down! I'm off to Croatia sometime in the next few weeks and will see what I can find there.

Try nizoral, the small size isn't too pricey and it'd be worth seeing if it helps you. I had limited success with it but for a while it helped, and for some people with seb derm like me it has been 'the answer'.

Whatever happens, I'm rooting for you

[BiscuitDrama]

DH was told that this has the same active ingredient. Seems to be working for him.

[KenAdamsRealWife]

Where did you get that frombiscuit ?

[BiscuitDrama]

Sainsbury’s. It’s £3.50.

[KenAdamsRealWife]

I got some, Will try and see, thanks

[reenchantmentofeverydaylife]

Thanks for posting about the H&S BiscuitDrama. Glad you've been able to get hold of it and are giving it a try, KARW. Hope you find it's a good stand-in for the Selsun. I've had a mooch around the internet and can't find any information about how much selenium sulfide is in it. H&S don't state the percentage anywhere, which makes me conclude that it's not as high as the 2.5% content in Selsun. There are quite a few shampoos that have 1% and I'm making an educated guess that the H&S stuff is similarly low. (Particularly as it says it's gentle enough to use every day.) That won't work for my seb derm, so I'll hang on with fingers crossed that the stuff I ordered from Thailand is the same as the Selsun I'm used to. Something tells me that there's a difficulty getting licensed to sell products with more than 1% selenium sulfide in the UK now, possibly Europe-wide and beyond. Not sure why that should be, but it's probably Big Pharma related, as these sorts of issues usually are.

With any luck your pityriasis versicolour responds well to a lower strength, KARW. Let us know how you get on!

[KenAdamsRealWife]

Not much luck with head and shoulders, I’m missing selsun so I emailed Sanofi and got this reply if your interested reenchantmentofeverydaylife
Says the hope it will come back mid 2019!
At least it’s hoping to come back. My GP in the meantime has given some clotrimazole, not sure if working - will have to go a fee more days

[reenchantmentofeverydaylife]

Hi KARW, sorry the H&S isn't really helping, but thanks for updating

That's great news about Selsun, hope they can keep their intention on track! My order from Thailand arrived. Very different packaging, but the bottle is white like the old UK version and the shampoo itself is the same colour, if a little lighter. It seems slightly thinner but I might be imagining that. The difference that concerns me is it smells more 'perfumed' than the version we're used to. I'm not nuts about the smell of our version but I know it smells that way because it's a clinical formula. This Thai version doesn't smell completely dissimilar but I'm a bit worried that my skin might react to the fragrance, which obvs would defeat the object of using it. Anyway, still got a tiny bit of my old bottle so haven't had the nerve to try this alternative yet, but when I do I'll report back. Meantime I remember the H&S box said it's a gentle formula for everyday use, so I'd be interested to know how often you're using it.

[KenAdamsRealWife]

Oh that’s interesting on the selsun from Thailand. I guess it could be made differently? Does it have a manufacturer detail? For example is Sanofi listed on the bottle? Or box?
I only tried H&S for a few days as gp said try clotrimazole so I’ll give the cream a couple weeks and then try H&S properly. Hope that selsun might be back by then! Fingers crossed 🤞

[reenchantmentofeverydaylife]

That was a really good question, coz it says it's made by a company called Mentholatum. I checked them out and they seem kosher. Looks like the Selsun medicated formula is licensed to different manufacturers in various countries, but is essentially the same shampoo. On the side of the box mine says 'improved fragrance and colour' so I guess that explains the differences I described. Box also says it's a selenium sulfide 2.5% suspension, whereas lots of other so-called 'Selsun' shampoos online either don't contain selenium sulfide at all, or else have only 1%. The Mentholatum site shows that they're a company who make various non-prescription pharmaceutical products.

I'm going to take the plunge this weekend and will post my findings!

[KenAdamsRealWife]

Ahh that seems legit then I hope. Good luck

[DilboJim01]

How did you get on with the Selsun purchased from Thailand, please...

[reenchantmentofeverydaylife]

Hello, sorry I haven't posted recently, been pretty busy

I've found the Thai version helpful but I don't think it's quite as effective as the old UK version. So far I've probably had to apply it a bit more frequently than usual, but it definitely helps keep my seb derm under control. My one concern is that it has a more pleasant fragrance than the UK one, and that's not ideal because perfumes in shampoos tend to be an allergen for me. But that doesn't seem to be much of a problem so far. I'd recommend giving it a try if you can't access it cheaper elsewhere. Think my bottle was about 12 quid inc. postage. Whatever you do, don't buy anything called Selson (with an 'o') because it's a cash-in on the proper brand name and nothing like Selsun. Also, my friend has tried the Head & Shoulders Clinical Solutions and says it definitely isn't worth buying.

HTH

[reenchantmentofeverydaylife]

I'm not getting good results with the Thai version, I'm afraid. I've given it a good couple of weeks or more to see if it does the job but unfortunately I've concluded it's pretty much minimally effective compared with the old UK formula. I wouldn't recommend it after all.

I'm feeling very apprehensive about the future at this point. Having googled Selsun all I'm seeing is 'discontinued' and 'out of stock' and nothing that gives me any hope it'll be coming back