Description

Seborrheic (seb-o-REE-ik) dermatitis is a common skin condition that mainly affects the scalp. Cause scaly patches of inflamed skin and stubborn dandruff. It usually affects fatty areas of the body, such as the face, sides of the nose, eyebrows, ears, eyelids and chest. This condition can be irritating, but is not contagious, and it will not cause permanent hair loss.

Seborrheic dermatitis may go away without treatment. Or you may need to use a medicated shampoo or other products in the long term to clarify the symptoms and prevent flare-ups.

Seborrheic dermatitis is also called dandruff, seborrheic eczema, seborrheic and psoriasis. When it occurs in babies, called cradle cap.

Symptoms

Seborrheic dermatitis signs and symptoms may include:

  • Peeling of the skin (dandruff) on your scalp, hair, eyebrows, beard or mustache
  • Patches of greasy skin covered with flaky white or yellow scales or crust on the scalp, face, sides of the nose, eyebrows, ears, eyelids, chest, armpits, groin or under the breasts
  • Eruption of the skin that may appear darker or lighter in people with brown or Black skin and a reddish people with white skin
  • In the form of a ring (ring) rash, by a guy called petaloid seborrheic dermatitis
  • Itching (pruritus)

The signs and symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis tend to explode with the stress, the fatigue, or the changing of the season.

When to see a doctor

Consult your health care provider if:

  • You're so uncomfortable that it makes you lose sleep, or you are distracted from their daily routines.
  • His condition makes him feel shame or anxiety.
  • You think that your skin is infected.
  • Have you tried these self-care measures, but the symptoms persist.

Causes

The exact cause of seborrheic dermatitis is not clear. It may be due to the yeast Malassezia, the excess oil in the skin or a problem in the immune system.

Risk factors

Risk factors for seborrheic dermatitis include:

  • Stress
  • Fatigue
  • A change of season
  • Nervous system conditions, such as Parkinson's disease
  • Have a mental health condition, such as depression
  • Disorders of the immune system such as HIV infection
  • The recovery from the stressful medical conditions, such as a heart attack

Diagnosis

To diagnose seborrheic dermatitis, your healthcare provider will probably talk to you about your symptoms and examine your skin. You may need to have a small piece of skin (biopsy) for study in a laboratory. This test helps to rule out other conditions.

Treatment

For teens and adults, the main treatments for seborrheic dermatitis are medicated shampoos, creams and lotions. If the-counter products and self-care habits don't help, your health care provider may suggest that you try one or more of the following treatments:

  • Antifungal gels, creams, lotions, foams or shampoos alternated with another medicamento.Su health care provider may suggest that you try a product with a 2% ketoconazole, 1% or ciclopirox (Loprox). Or you could rotate between two or more products. Ketoconzole can worsen the dryness of curly or chemically treated hair and increase the risk of breakage. To alleviate this effect, use only once a week with a moisturizing conditioner. How often you shampoo, or apply other antifungal products will depend on your hair-preparation of the practices and of the symptoms. Medicated shampoos can be used once a day, or 2 to 3 times a week for several weeks. Let the product sit on your scalp for a few minutes — see the instructions on the package, so that you have time to work. Then rinse. After your symptoms disappear, you can use a medicated shampoo only once a week or once every two weeks. This will help to prevent a relapse.
  • Creams, lotions, shampoos, or ointments that the control of the inflamación.Su health care provider may prescribe a prescription-strength corticosteroid is applied on the scalp or other affected area. These include hydrocortisone, fluocinolone (Capex, Synalar), clobetasol (Clobex Temovate) and desonide (Desowen, Desonate). They are effective and easy to use. And to use it only until the symptoms disappear. If they are used for many weeks or months without a break, which can cause side effects. These include the loss of color of the skin, thinning of the skin, and skin that shows streaks or lines. Creams or ointments with a calcineurin inhibitor such as tacrolimus (Protopic) or pimecrolimus (Elidel) may be effective. Another advantage is that they have fewer side effects than corticosteroids do. But they are not first-choice treatments due to the fact that the Food and Drug Administration has concerns about a possible association with cancer. In addition, tacrolimus and pimecrolimus cost more than mild corticosteroid medications.
  • Antifungal medication is taken as a pill. If your condition does not improve with other treatments or severe, your doctor may prescribe an antifungal medication in the form of a pill.

Antifungal gels, creams, lotions, foams or shampoos alternated with other medications. Your health care provider may suggest that you try a product with a 2% ketoconazole, 1% or ciclopirox (Loprox). Or you could rotate between two or more products. Ketoconzole can worsen the dryness of curly or chemically treated hair and increase the risk of breakage. To alleviate this effect, use only once a week with a moisturizing conditioner.

How often you shampoo, or apply other antifungal products will depend on your hair-preparation of the practices and of the symptoms. Medicated shampoos can be used once a day, or 2 to 3 times a week for several weeks. Let the product sit on your scalp for a few minutes — see the instructions on the package, so that you have time to work. Then rinse. After your symptoms disappear, you can use a medicated shampoo only once a week or once every two weeks. This will help to prevent a relapse.

Creams, lotions, shampoos, or ointments that the control of inflammation. Your health care provider may prescribe a prescription-strength corticosteroid is applied on the scalp or other affected area. These include hydrocortisone, fluocinolone (Capex, Synalar), clobetasol (Clobex Temovate) and desonide (Desowen, Desonate). They are effective and easy to use. And to use it only until the symptoms disappear. If they are used for many weeks or months without a break, which can cause side effects. These include the loss of color of the skin, thinning of the skin, and skin that shows streaks or lines.

Creams or ointments with a calcineurin inhibitor such as tacrolimus (Protopic) or pimecrolimus (Elidel) may be effective. Another advantage is that they have fewer side effects than corticosteroids do. But they are not first-choice treatments due to the fact that the Food and Drug Administration has concerns about a possible association with cancer. In addition, tacrolimus and pimecrolimus cost more than mild corticosteroid medications.

Lifestyle and home remedies

You may be able to control seborrheic dermatitis with lifestyle changes and home remedies. Many of these are sold without a prescription in the forms. You may have to try different products or a combination of the products before the condition improves.

The best method for you depends on your skin type, hair-grooming practices and their symptoms. But even if your condition improves, it is likely to come back at some point. Be attentive to the symptoms and resume the treatment of the condition when it is repeated. Or use without a prescription antidandruff products into your self-care routine to prevent outbreaks.

Wash your scalp regularly

If normal shampoo does help with dandruff, try without prescription shampoos for dandruff. Are classified according to the active ingredient that they contain:

  • Pyrithione zinc (DermaZinc, Head & Shoulders, others), also sold as a bar of soap
  • Selenium sulfide (Head & Shoulders, Selsun Blue, other)
  • Ketoconazole 1% (Nizoral A-D)
  • Tar (Denorex Extra Strength, DHS Tar, other)
  • Salicylic acid (Denorex, the DHS Salt, other)

How often you shampoo, or apply other antifungal products will depend on your hair-preparation of the practices and of the symptoms. Medicated shampoos can be used once a day, or 2 to 3 times a week for several weeks. After your symptoms disappear, you can use a medicated shampoo only once a week or once every two weeks. This will help to prevent a relapse. Shampoo that contains tar or selenium sulfide can stain light colored hair.

Sometimes a shampoo that has helped it loses its effectiveness over time. If that is the case, try alternating between two or more types. Be sure to leave the shampoo on for the full recommended time — this allows your ingredients to the work. Then rinse. These shampoos can be gently wipe over the face, ears and chest, and rinse well.

Other home remedies

The following non-prescription treatments and self-care tips can help you to control seborrheic dermatitis:

  • Soften and remove scales from your hair. Apply mineral oil, peanut oil or olive oil on the scalp. Leave in 1 to 3 hours. Then, comb or brush your hair and wash it.
  • Wash your skin regularly. Use lukewarm water, not hot, water and a mild soap or nonsoap cleanser. Rinse thoroughly. Dry and apply a moisturizer while the skin is still damp.
  • Apply a medicated cream. First try a soft corticosteroid cream, foam, ointment, or oil (Scalpicin Scalp itch) in the affected areas, keep away from eyes. If that doesn't work, try the cream antifungal ketoconazole.
  • Do not use styling products. Stop using hair sprays, gels, and other products to the hairstyle while you're at the treatment of the condition.
  • Do not use on skin and hair products that contain alcohol. These can cause the disease to manifest.
  • If you have a beard or moustache shampoo, facial hair regularly. Seborrheic dermatitis may be worse under the mustaches and the beards. Shampoo with 1% ketoconazole daily until your symptoms improve. Then, the switch to shampoo once a week or once every two weeks. Or shaving could alleviate your symptoms.
  • Gently clean your eyelids. If the eyelids are inflamed or scaly, wash them each night. Use a few drops of baby shampoo mixed with two capfuls of hot water. Clean the scales with a cotton swab. Warm, wet cloth pressed to her eyelids may also help.
  • Gently wash your baby's scalp. If your baby has mild cradle cap, wash the scalp with a gentle baby shampoo once a day. Gently loosen the scales with a cloth or a baby brush the hair before you rinse the shampoo. If the scaling persists, first apply the mineral oil or olive oil on your scalp for an hour or two. Cradle cap usually goes away in a few weeks or months.

Alternative medicine

Many alternative therapies, including those listed below, have helped some people to manage their seborrheic dermatitis. But the evidence of its effectiveness is not proven. It is always a good idea to consult with your doctor before you add any alternative medicine for your self-care routine.

  • Tea tree oil. A shampoo containing 5% tea tree oil can be used in the affected area. Some studies suggest that tea tree oil can trigger an allergic reaction.
  • The Aloe. Apply aloe vera gel on the affected area. Aloe is an ingredient in many products, or you can use it directly from the leaf of an aloe plant.

If you are considering dietary supplements or other alternative treatments, talk with your health care provider about their pros and cons.

Preparing for your appointment

Probably the first visit to your primary care provider. Or you can see a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of skin conditions (dermatologist).

Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.

What you can do

Before your appointment, the list of your answers to the following questions:

  • What are your symptoms, and when do they start?
  • Is there something that seem to trigger your symptoms?
  • What medications are you taking, including those you take by mouth, as well as creams or ointments?
  • What treatments have been tried up to now? Nothing has helped?

What to expect from your doctor

Your health care provider is likely to ask you a few questions. Be prepared to respond to them can free up the time to go through any of the points that you want to devote more time. Your health care provider might ask:

  • What are your symptoms, and when did you first notice them?
  • This is the first time you've had these symptoms, or have had before?
  • How severe are the symptoms? Are they about the same thing all the time, getting worse, or sometimes better and sometimes worse?
  • Do your symptoms affect your quality of life, including your ability to sleep?
  • Have you tried any at-home treatments, such as creams, gels or shampoos?
  • How frequently do you use these treatments?
  • Nothing seems to help?
  • Does anything seem to make your symptoms worse?
  • What medications, vitamins or supplements that you are taking?
  • Have you been under stress lately, or seen significant changes in the life?

What you can do in the meantime

A prescription antifungal cream or anti-itch cream can be helpful. If your scalp is affected, non-prescription antifungal shampoo, foam, or other product that can relieve your symptoms. Try not to scratch or pick at the affected area. This increases your risk of infection.

Symptoms and treatment of Seborrheic dermatitis