Seborrheic Dermatitis

Usually beginning on the scalp as oily, waxy patches, this common type of eczema sometimes spreads to the face and beyond. A severe case, while rare, produces widespread lesions. Like most type of eczema, seborrheic dermatitis tends to flare in cold, dry weather.

Other names
• Seborrheic eczema
• Cradle cap (occurs in infants aged 0 to 6 months)
• Dandruff
• Seborrhea

Signs and Symptoms
Signs and symptoms can vary from day to day and include:
• Oily, waxy appearance to the skin
• Flaking skin with scale that ranges in color from white to yellowish brown
• Reddish, somewhat swollen patches of skin that can over a period of weeks or months but may return at puberty.
Adults: Seborrheic dermatitis is often chronic, flaring periodically and without warning. It appears on these areas of the body: scalp, hairline, upper lip, beneath the eyebrows, inside and behind the ears, eyelids, creases near the mouth, around the nose, armpits, groin, navel, buttocks, underneath the breasts, and upper back. These areas contain oil-producing glands called sebaceous glands.
• Skin may itch constantly. Itching and burning are most common when a skin infection develops. When the skin is infected, it becomes extremely inflamed and itchy.
• If severe, widespread patches

Who gets it?
• Develops in all races
• Tends to begin during infancy (newborn to 6 months), puberty, or between 40 and 70 years of age. After 6 months of age, the condition rarely appears before puberty. When seborrheic dermatitis begins in infancy, it usually clears by 9 to 12 months of age.

Causes
While the exact cause is not known, researchers believe that a number of factors interact to cause seborrheic dermatitis. These factors include the genes we inherit, yeast that normally live on human skin, stress, climate, and overall general health.

Risk factors
The following tend to increase the likelihood of developing seborrheic dermatitis:
• A family history of eczema
• Having oily skin or hair
• Stress/Fatigue
• Cold, dry climate
• Gender: Males tend to develop more often and have more severe cases
• Some medical conditions (Parkinson's disease, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and recovering from a stroke or heart attack) increase the risk significantly.
• Taking certain medications, including interferon-a, beta-blockers, lithium, and psoralen, significantly increases one's risk.

Duration
Infants: The condition usually clears on its own over a period of weeks or months but may return at puberty. Adults: Seborrheic dermatitis is often chronic, flaring periodically and
Skin biopsy or other laboratory testing. This may be necessary to eliminate the possibility of another medical condition.

Treatment
While seborrheic dermatitis cannot be cured, most cases respond quickly to proper treatment. The goals of treatment are to loosen and remove scales and crusts, prevent skin infections, as well as reduce the inflammation and itch.

Treatment varies by age and areas of the body to be treated:
• Infants (scalp). Cradle cap, which only develops in infants, can usually be controlled by shampooing more frequently with a baby shampoo and by softly brushing away the scales. Your dermatologist also may prescribe a mild corticosteroid or anti-fungal medication.
• Infants (beyond the scalp). When the condition spreads beyond the scalp in infants, dermatologists usually prescribe a topical medication, such as a mild corticosteroid or anti-fungal cream.
• Adolescents and adults (scalp). Adult patients may need to use a medicated shampoo and a stronger corticosteroid preparation. Non-prescription shampoos containing tar, zinc pyrithione, selenium sulfide, ketoconazole and / or salicylic acid maybe recommended by a dermatologist, or a prescription shampoo, cream gel, or foam maybe given. Sometimes getting results requires alternating dandruff shampoos so that a different shampoo is used every few days. An excessive use of stronger preparations can cause side effects, patients should follow their dermatologist's advice.
• Adolescents and adults (beyond the scalp). Medicated dandruff shampoos may also be used to treat other affected areas. A topical corticosteroid or anti-fungal medication may also be prescribed. A severe case may require the addition of an oral antifungal medication or phototherapy.

Reference:
TMC, Department of Medicine Section of Dermatology

Note: This information is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical advise, diagnosis or treatment. If you or someone you know have any of the symptoms mentioned above, it is advisable to seek professional help.

How can The Medical City help you?

At The Medical City we have a complete roster of competent dermatologists who may assess or treat people with seborrheic dermatitis.
For further inquiries or if you want to seek consult, please call:

CENTER FOR WELLNESS AND AESTHETICS
Tel. No. (632) 988-1000 / (632) 988-7000 Ext. 6576 / 6492 / 6386

CENTER FOR PATIENT PARTNERSHIP
Tel. No. (632) 988-1000 / (632) 988-7000 Ext. 6444