Monday, April 16, 2012

Logic and the FDA

Seborrheic dermatitis is a minor skin ailment with which I have been afflicted since I was about 11 or 12 years old.  Mostly it makes red, itchy, oily, scaly patches on my scalp.  I've always used a medicated shampoo that contains 1% selenium sulfide to handle the problem.

Most of my life the only way to obtain the medicated shampoo containing 1% selenium sulfide was with a prescription from a doctor, which was filled by a pharmacist.  The first few bottles of it that I got, 50 some years ago, said POISON over a skull and crossbones.  Later they gave that up, but it still required a prescription.  A hairdresser I knew told me the reason it was controlled was that if you get it in your eyes, it could blind you.

So I had to assume that as long as a prescription was needed, I wouldn't get it in my eyes.

Well, I'm no longer safe.  The restriction came off a few years ago and you can now find shampoo containing 1% selenium sulfide in any hair care aisle (I use the Head & Shoulders version).  I suppose the FDA knew what it was doing, but I tremble every time I go to use the stuff.  What's to keep me from getting it in my eyes now? 

You might say I don't know whether to shampoo or go blind.

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