Seborrheic dermatitis is a typical skin condition that mostly affects your scalp. It causes scaly patches, red skin, and stubborn dandruff. Seborrheic dermatitis can also affect oily areas of the body, for example, the face, sides of the nose, eyebrows, ears, eyelids, and chest.
Seborrheic dermatitis is also called dandruff, seborrheic skin inflammation and seborrheic psoriasis.
For infants, the condition is known as cradle cap and causes crusty, scaly patches on the scalp.
Risk factors
There are many risk factors that help in developing seborrheic dermatitis, such as
Some neurologic and psychiatric conditions such as Parkinson's’ disease and depression
Those people having low immunity or weak immune system, such as seen in organ transplant recipients and people with HIV/AIDS, alcoholic pancreatitis, and some cancers
Recovery from stressful medical conditions, such as a heart attack
Some medications
Obesity
Oily skin
Fatigue
Using hair and skin products contain alcohol
Symptoms
This condition has symptoms like:
Skin flakes (dandruff) on your scalp, hair, eyebrows, bread, or mustache
Redness of the skin
Itching
Patches of greasy skin covered with flakes of a white crust on the scalp, face, sides of the nose, eyebrows, ears, eyelids, chest, armpits, groin area, or under the breast
Causes
The exact cause of this condition is not known yet but it may be related to the condition which is given below
A yeast (fungus) called Malassezia that is in the oil secretion on the skin
An irregular response of the immune system
Other conditions which are similar to seborrheic dermatitis
PSORIASIS- This condition also has red skin and dandruff with flakes and scales but psoriasis usually has more scales, and they will be silvery white.
ATOPIC DERMATITIS- This skin reaction causes itchy, inflamed, skin in the folds of the elbows, on the backs of the knees, or on the front of the neck. It often recurs.
TINEA VERSICOLOR- The rash of this condition appears on the trunk but usually isn’t red like seborrheic dermatitis.
ROSACEA- This condition usually occurs on the face and has very little scaliness.
Diagnosis: This condition is diagnosed by physical examination of the skin.
Biopsy, scrape off your skin cells for the diagnosis, to rule out the above condition.
Treatment:
Treatment depends on the severity of the symptoms
The treatment of seborrheic dermatitis focuses on loosening the scales, reducing inflammation and swelling, and curbing itch
In mild cases - A topical antifungal cream or medicated shampoo may be enough to control symptoms
In more severe cases – you may receive a prescription for mild corticosteroids
Management
Wash your skin regularly
Always maintain skin hygiene
Apply coconut oil
Avoid styling products
Avoid skin and hair products that contain alcohol
Wear cotton clothes, also smooth textured clothes
Avoid harsh soaps and detergents
Avoid scratching whenever possible
Dos
Maintain hygiene
Wear cotton loose clothes
Use coconut oil
Keep yourself
Hydrated
Don’ts
Don’t use harsh soaps
Don’t scratch
Avoid friction
Conclusion: Proper skin hygiene and medication can help manage the condition effectively.
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