Grand Summary of Things That Might Be Helpful for Pulling, by John R. Kender

My guess at this point is that some pullers are sensitive, as are a small fraction of the population, to certain hydroxy fatty acids and/or long-chain alkanols (such as isostearyl alcohol), which are produced by the skin yeast Malassezia. If so, then pulling can be managed in many ways: by inhibiting the yeast, by disabling the enzymes, or by avoiding the irritants their enzymes produce.

Thus, here is a grand summary of things that might be helpful for pulling. (In general, this list is based on the reported experience of many pullers, but items marked "possibly" have been reported infrequently.)

[EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Basically, it's a nutritional approach. First, try not eating sugar, caffeine, and chocolate. Have some dry red wine instead. These should have an effect in two days. Then, avoid beans, peanuts, and eggs as well. These should have an effect in 10 days. Keep a food diary to help you track your own particular triggers. Keep your hair and hands clean, and use antifungal creams and/or Sea Breeze in emergencies.]

• Via energy supply
  • Avoid eating sugars, even natural ones as in: honey, molasses, raisins, dates; use pure fructose if necessary instead.
• Via resting stage signals
  • Avoid drinking caffeine as in: coffee, cocoa, chocolate, soft drinks.
• Via nitrogen supply
  • Avoid eating asparagine/aspartate, as in: coffee, cocoa, chocolate, cola; legumes; tomato seeds; possibly other seeds, nuts; possibly whole grains, whole grain flours; possibly aspartame (Nutrasweet).
  • Avoid eating glutamine/glutamate, as in: MSG.
  • Avoid eating nitrites, as in: possibly preserved meats.
• Via growth signals
  • Avoid eating sterols as in: egg yolk; butterfat; legumes, especially peanuts, but also beans, soy products, alfalfa sprouts, licorice; yams; dates; organ meats; crustaceans (shrimp, crab, lobster); fatty fish such as tuna, herring, sardines, salmon, mackerel; hair roots; possibly (for lash pullers) vitamin D enriched milk products.
  • Avoid increasing blood cortisol as in: stress; possibly grapefruit.
  • Avoid increasing blood progesterone as in: PMS.
  • Take supplements to increase liver clearance of blood sterols as in: magnesium and vitamin B complex.
  • Counter ethanol-induced growth by eating: inositol.
• Via chemical attack
  • Eat allicins as in: garlic, possibly onions.
  • Eat alpha hydroxy acids as in: apples, grapes, oranges/lemons/limes, pineapple.
  • Eat bromelains/papains as in: pineapple, kiwi, gingerroot, papaya, figs, guava.
  • Eat beta-glucanases as in: ripening bananas
  • Eat gamma-thionins and isothiocyanates as in: mustard, and possibly other mustard family vegetables like cabbage, Brussels sprouts, etc.
  • Drink tannins as in: unsweetened tea, dry red wine.
• Via external (skin) environment
  • Take long hot sudsy showers and shampoos, morning and dinnertime.
  • Use non-pH-balanced antifungal shampoos like: Zincon.
  • Use prescription antifungal shampoos like: Nizoral.
  • Use high pH soaps like: castile, Cuticura; avoid Neutrogena.
  • Apply antibiotic chemicals like: Cuticura; possibly (for very short term use only) Listerine, Vick's Vap-O-Rub, tea tree oil.
  • Apply antifungal chemicals like: Aloe vera gel; Micatin cream, possibly mixed with Polysporin cream.
  • Apply tannins as in: witch hazel.
  • Apply ultraviolet light, local heat, and ozone as through: possibly high frequency generation units ("violet ray" machines).
• Via internal (gut) environment
  • Eat acidophilus as in: capsules, unsweetened "live" yogurt, kefir, possibly buttermilk, sauerkraut, or kimchi.
• Via yeast reservoir control
  • Avoid close contact with furry pets.
  • Wash hands before touching hair or eyes.
  • Wash eyelids with baby shampoo.
• Via mite vector control
  • Use insecticidal shampoos like: Nix, Rid.

• Via all above but also
• Via feeding signals
  • Avoid taking medicines with ibuprofen.
• Via direct induction
  • Avoid possibly drinking alcohol; avoid probably drinking gin.
• Via chemical attack
  • Take gluconates: preferably magnesium, but also calcium, ferrous, potassium, and/or zinc.
  • Apply gluconates as in: K-Y Jelly.
  • Apply benzoyl peroxide.
• Via control of chemical reactions
  • Apply ice cubes.

• Via all above but also
• Via skin exposure
  • Wick them up by applying solvents like: rubbing alcohol; (for very short term use only) Sea Breeze Sensitive Skin.
  • Avoid applying fatty alcohols, especially "-yl" alcohols (cetearyl, cetostearyl, cetyl stearyl, stearyl; possibly cetyl) as in: conditioners, deodorants, hand and body lotions that contain them.
• Via ingestion
  • Avoid eating fatty alcohols as in: hair roots.