How to deal with leiorrheic dermatitis of the scalp and face?

Seborrheic dermatitis is also known as seborrheic eczema. This is a disease characterized by peeling of the skin between the face and head. It happens, however, that it affects other parts of the body. This problem primarily affects people in their teens, but is also common in adults and infants. The causes and symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis are varied, so it is worth knowing them in order to respond as quickly as possible - if necessary -.

What is seborrheic dermatitis of the head and face?

Seborrheic dermatitis, or seborrheic eczema, is a chronic and relapsing skin condition. It is mainly caused by inflammation of the skin, which leads to excessive flaking of the epidermis. In other words, seborrheic skin is oily skin that people with overactive sebaceous glands have problems with. Seborrheic dermatitis is a seasonal disease, that is, it occurs at certain times of the year. It usually increases in autumn and winter. Most often, then you can observe dryness, redness and thick, greasy yellow or white scales on the head or face. They are especially noticeable around the hairline and behind the ears. Often, seborrheic dermatitis resembles psoriasis or skin conditions caused by an overactive immune system.

It is worth adding that seborrheic dermatitis is not contagious. It's also not an allergy, although some can mimic the symptoms of PsA. These include, for example, an allergic reaction to an excess of the more expensive Malassesia. These are yeast fungi that are naturally present on the scalp and everyone has them, but too much of them causes the immune system to riot and overreact. This eventually leads to an inflammatory response.

It is also important that seborrheic dermatitis may be associated, although not certain, with neurological disorders such as brain damage, epilepsy, or Parkinson's disease. However, there are other triggers for this disease.

Seborrheic dermatitis in adolescence

Rarely, seborrheic dermatitis develops before puberty. However, if it causes a lot of problems, you should not ignore this disease. In adolescence, the activity of the sebaceous glands of the skin increases significantly. It is then that the production of sebum, i.e. fat, which is one of the components of the lipid membrane of the skin, reaches its highest level, the so-called peak. This means that its amount is so high that the skin reacts differently. There is, among other things, irritation, ie. excessive exfoliation of the epidermis. However, when seborrheic dermatitis occurs on the head, the hair on the hairy areas of the body (including, of course, on the head) becomes thinner.

The reason for this is both the amount of sebum and its composition. During puberty, the body changes due to hormones. It also affects the composition of sebum produced, which significantly increases the content of triglycerides. At the same time, the amount of fatty acids and esters decreases.

seborrheic dermatitis in infancy

It happens that seborrheic dermatitis also affects babies, i.e. up to three months of age. Symptoms usually disappear between six and twelve months of age. PsA usually presents as erythematous, scaly patches. They may also be covered in greasy yellow scales. It is important to note that they can appear around the scalp or in other areas, including mainly the face. Peeling of the skin predominates on the head, white or yellow scales appear, forming the so-called lullaby cap. It can be concentrated behind the ears and in the groin, under the eyebrows, on the nose and in the armpits. On the face, seborrheic dermatitis affects the cheeks and eyebrows, as well as the ears and skin folds, including scissors, the folds of the limbs, or the armpits.

The important thing is that the cradle is not particularly harmful. It does not pose a risk to the health of babies. Interestingly, some doctors consider its occurrence to be natural.

Symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis

Seborrheic dermatitis is manifested primarily by mild erythema, accompanied by peeling of the skin. Often the process can be quite stressful and powerful. The scales become oily and either white or yellow. It is important to note that in some cases the formation of rather unsightly scabs can be observed.

Changes may appear at the very beginning in the scalp area. The hair gets tangled and tangled and also thins out. Most often, this stage passes into the next - erythema and peeling of the skin passes to hairless areas of the body, including the forehead along the hairline, around the eyebrows, behind the ears and in the nasolabial folds. In addition, some patients struggle with rashes along the spine. This is called a seborrheic trough and in and around the sternum, on the thighs and chest, and on the cheeks or above the upper lip. In some cases, seborrheic dermatitis leads to inflammation of the edges of the eyelids.

Causes of seborrheic dermatitis

The main reason for the appearance of seborrheic dermatitis is, of course, the increased activity of the sebaceous glands, as well as the wrong composition of the sebum produced. It is important, however, that it has not been fully proven - this is the opinion of most experts, but there is no clear evidence. Some people believe that seborrheic dermatitis is related to an impaired immune system. This is supported, in particular, by the fact that PsA has been observed in immunocompromised individuals.

Causes include, but are not limited to, poor diet, inadequate personal hygiene, environmental pollution, insufficient sunlight, hormonal imbalances, and stress. These causes contribute to the aggravation of the symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis. In addition, the causes of PsA include, but are not limited to, cancer, alcoholism, HIV infection, psychiatric disorders, including depression and the use of psychotropic drugs, obesity, extreme weather conditions, changes in the protective barrier of the skin, neurological diseases, including syringomyelia, Paralysis of the VII nerve, stroke and Parkinson's disease.

How to treat seborrheic dermatitis? Various treatments

Seborrheic dermatitis is a problem that requires specialized treatment. It is more of a therapeutic problem and therefore depends on several factors, including the age of the patient, the location of the lesions, and the severity of the disease process.

Both local treatment and general treatment are needed. The second option is mainly used in patients in whom skin lesions are extremely burdensome and severe, and in whom skin changes do not respond to local treatment. The reason for the general treatment are also severe relapses. For adults, oral preparations are used, such as, for example, retinoids, imidazole derivatives, antibiotics, and even, in special cases, steroids.

Experts recognize that both seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff are skin diseases that are extremely difficult to cure. This is because they are recurrent and chronic. They can even take years to heal, and the improvements are often temporary.

Very often, the doctor also prescribes a change in diet. At the same time, you should avoid dishes that contribute to the release of sebum, i.e. fatty and fried foods and sweets. Some sources also state that the occurrence of PsA is affected by a deficiency of zinc, vitamin B and free fatty acids. However, this has not been unequivocally proven.

In some cases, special measures can help in the fight against seborrheic dermatitis, for example, nourishing ointments for the skin containing vitamins A and D3, and special lotions that are added to the bath. Some also use anti-dandruff shampoos with sulfur, coal tar, tar, ketoconazole, or salicylic acid in their formula.

What to do when symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis appear?

If the symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis or similar blushing and peeling of the skin appear on our body, it is not worth waiting or ignoring the problem. See a specialist, family doctor or dermatologist as soon as possible. He will prescribe the necessary treatment and prescribe specialized examinations and tests. Thanks to this, the patient will know what disease he is suffering from and whether it is really the aforementioned seborrheic dermatitis.

Diagnosis of seborrheic dermatitis

Not everyone knows that seborrheic dermatitis is a disease that causes symptoms similar to at least some others. It is often confused with mycosis, psoriasis, pink dandruff or allergic diseases. PsA is a disease that includes, among other things, excessive scaling of the epidermis, and therefore the symptoms may be similar to other diseases. Therefore, to diagnose the source of trouble, specialized examinations and tests should be carried out, which the doctor will prescribe.

Who gets seborrheic dermatitis?

According to experts, seborrheic dermatitis affects from one to five percent of the world's population. Men get sick much more often than women. The greatest number of cases is registered in the retaining group from 18 to 40 years. In addition, the disease is observed in people suffering from diabetes, epilepsy, acne, Down's syndrome, psoriasis, Parkinson's disease, viral hepatitis, heart attacks, strokes, facial paralysis, viral pancreatitis and HIV infection.

Medications, including some psychotropic drugs, can also affect the development of PsA.