Seborrheic Dermatitis

There are many different types of dermatitis, such as seborrheic dermatitis. This condition is very common, but it isn’t dangerous and doesn’t lead to other complications.

Seborrheic dermatitis

Seborrheic dermatitis is a common and noncontagious skin condition. It usually affects body areas where there are a lot of sebaceous glands, such as the scalp, face, forehead, base of the nose, eyelids, behind the ears, upper back, chest, under the breasts, arms, legs, and groin.

Seborrheic dermatitis is called dandruff when it affects the scalp in adults and cradle cap when it affects the scalp in babies.

This condition affects males more than females, and it’s more common in babies under the age of three months and adults in the ages between 30 and 60.

Causes and risk factors leading to seborrheic dermatitis

There isn’t a clear known reason for seborrheic dermatitis, yet there are some factors that increase the risk of having it, such as:

• Family history.
• Stress.
• Fatigue.
• Having some psychological conditions like depression, neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy, and conditions when the immunity is compromised like HIV.
• A change of season. The condition worsens in dry and cold weather.
• An increase in the androgen hormone.

Symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis

The symptoms usually come as flare-ups when there’s a trigger, and they include:

• Red and scaly skin.
• Dandruff where there’s hair.
• Greasy and scaly skin patches that are yellow or white.
• Rash.
• Itchiness.
• Inflammation in the hair follicles.
• Blepharitis.

Diagnosis of seborrheic dermatitis

• Physical examination.
• Skin biopsy in some cases.

Treatment of seborrheic dermatitis

The treatment depends on the symptoms and area of the seborrheic dermatitis, in addition to the patient’s age.

For babies

• Seborrheic dermatitis in the scalp (cradle cap) usually heals alone without a treatment, and you can massage the scalp and use babies’ shampoo.
• If needed, the doctor might prescribe a specific lotion or shampoo.
• If seborrheic dermatitis occurs in other body areas, specific lotions are prescribed.

For adults

• In cases of dandruff, a specific shampoo is prescribed, depending on the case.
• If seborrheic dermatitis occurs in other body areas, specific lotions are prescribed, and sometimes oral drugs in severe cases.