Stalling Seborrheic Dermatitis

You wash your hair once a week but you still manage to have those tell tale flakes in your hair and scalp. Not to mention your scalp is incredibly itchy. You have dandruff, which is a form of seborrheic dermatitis.

Seborrheic dermatitis is an overproduction of oil on inflamed skin (seborrheic means “oil flow” and dermatitis means “skin inflammation”). This process is due to yeast dwelling on the skin. Dandruff is a mild form of seborrheic dermatitis. The scalp, eyebrows, eyelids, ear canals, and the crease that runs from the sides of the nose to the sides of the lips are the places most targeted by it. It can be quite itchy.

The adult form of seborrheic dermatitis affects up to approximately five percent of the general population. It is more common among men than women. People usually get it for the first time when they are young adults or over the age of 50.

It’s a chronic condition in adults and teenagers, with symptoms that vary in severity over time. These symptoms may go away for a while—often in summer. But they may return again in winter or during periods of stress.

In babies, it is different situation. If seborrheic dermatitis occurs during the first few months of a child’s life, it usually goes away and doesn’t come back. This is commonly referred to as cradle cap.

One prevailing theory is that there is a fungus on the skin, Malasezzia, which colonizes the skin in people with seborrheic dermatitis. The fungi grow in areas with lots of sebaceous glands, which secrete oils to moisturize the skin.

Seborrheic dermatitis may occur in patients with other illnesses. There appears to be more seborrheic dermatitis in adults with diseases of the nervous system such as Parkinson disease. Patients recovering from stressful medical diseases, such as a heart attack also may develop this problem.

Hospital patients, nursing-home residents, and those prone to immune-system disorders appear to be prone to this disorder. People with seborrheic dermatitis have no increased risk of other skin diseases. This condition does not progress to or cause skin cancer, no matter how long it remains untreated.

Seborrheic dermatitis usually improves quickly with treatment. However, it may reoccur. In rare cases of seborrheic dermatitis being unresponsive to treatment, a skin biopsy or other laboratory may be done to eliminate the possibility of other illnesses.

There are some products that may prove effective in treating seborrheic dermatitis such as old-fashioned Listerine (the amber one), Listerine with white vinegar, Vicks VapoRub, milk of magnesia and Noxzema cleanser. And because sunlight can improve this condition, people try phototherapy with UVB light.

Some of the over-the-counter shampoos recommended are Denorex, Head and Shoulders, T/Gel and Selsun Blue. The recommendation is to use whatever shampoo you choose for two to three times a week to get rid of the scaly skin on your scalp. If that doesn’t reduce the scaling, then switch to a product with different active ingredients such as sulfur, salicyclic acid, selenium sulfide, zinc and tar.

Just note that tar, as in coal tar is carcinogenic. But the Food and Drug Administration says there is so little of it in shampoos that it doesn’t pose any health risks. Those that wish to try tar shampoos should exercise caution in sunlight because tar can increase the tendency to sunburn the scalp up to 24 hours after use.

For more severe cases, prescription shampoo may be given along with adjusted levels of therapy. In the most-severe cases, medications may be given by mouth to control and clear this condition. However, patients should follow their doctor’s advice; excessive use of stronger steroid preparations can cause side effects.

The best treatment may involve the use of several combinations of topical and systemic medications. Most facial rashes are easily treated by a dermatologist experienced in treating facial-skin problems. Steroid creams should be used under proper supervision and adjustment by your doctor.

Overuse of super potent steroid creams can cause stretch marks, thinning of the skin, and excessive growth of red blood vessels on the skin.

There is no treatment that clears seborrheic dermatitis for good. The condition goes away on its own. You don’t need special sun protection for seborrheic dermatitis. It’s enough to use sunscreen appropriate for your skin type.