Need help fighting a longterm yeast-type fungus..

[Frootloop]

Not the below the belt type, though. It's Pityrosporum, and has taken over my head, neck, shoulders, chest, and upper back for going on 5 years now. It consists of small red pimply-looking bumps that itch like mad and also burn as a heat rash would if I start to sweat. I get sores on my scalp that crust over, and I will also lose hair where the sores appear.
My forehead and temples get very bad if I begin to sweat. And the fact that I've always had an extremely oily scalp and face, well that just helps it spread even more. Oddly enough, I don't have much of a problem with a flaky scalp.

Usually, I can kind of keep it at bay by using Nizoral shampoo and Ketaconazole cream (prescribed by my primary doctor) when it starts to flare up more than usual (beyond a few bumps here and there - unfortunately, it never ever goes away completely).. but I seem to be becoming resistant to both since they are doing nothing whatsoever for my current flare, which happens to be quite bad. I'm insanely itchy at the moment and very selfconscious.

I've attempted to self-treat with smearing yogurt containing acidophillus (no clue on the spelling there) on my skin for a week after reading something online. Of course, that did nothing.

Isn't there a supplement containing acidophillus? Do you think maybe that could help me? Are there any herbal treatments I could try? Foods I should avoid? I'm getting pretty desperate here.

Thanks in advance.

[PoppyMama]

If you can't do the dietary stuff to rid yeast you might consider a long course of diflucan.

[Frootloop]

I will try just about anything at this point.. dietary changes, or whatever! I'm just not too sure where to start.

I haven't been to a dermatologist or anything over this, but I've had two doctors confirm that is in fact a type of yeast. Some people with longterm infections are treated with steroids or corticosteroid creams, neither of which am I comfortable with.

I'll definitely talk to my doctor about Diflucan.. I've never taken more than 2 days worth of it to treat vaginal yeasts (mine never ever go away with standard creams). For some reason, I've always been super succeptible to yeast infections of all types. I hate it with a passion.

[JaneS]

Instead of diflucan which has the side effect risk of liver damage, I would do enzymes:
Enzymedica's Candidase 3x per day on empty stomach (1 hr before, 2 hrs after eating).

I would start slow though and acclimate myself with one dose per day and then work up. Two weeks at this intensive dosage, then re-evaluate. You can drop down to 2 doses per day, then I would stay on one nighttime dose for maintenance. I would be taking high doses of probiotics with this as well. Yogurt doesn't have much beneficial bacteria compared to supplements.

[Frootloop]

Thanks so much, Jane... I will look into it!!