What is Seborrheic Dermatitis: The Flaky Truth

What is seborrheic dermatitis? The answer to this question requires the necessary information regarding the disease that encompasses it. Eczema or dermatitis eczema refers to several kinds of inflammations of the skin. Most of the symptoms of the diseases under it are redness, skin edema, itching and dryness. The seborrheic dermatitis is another kind of dermatitis eczema affecting the certain areas of the skin that produces sebum. During the onset of the disease, the skin would exhibit redness and itchiness especially on the face. The seborrheic dermatitis is also commonly found on the scalp due to the nature of the scalp to produce constant amount of sebum. This would cause scaly and flaky crusts on the scalp.

What is Seborrheic Dermatitis and What Would Cause It?

The question "what is seborrheic dermatitis?" can also be answered by determining the involvement of a certain yeast called Malassezia furfur. This yeast was formerly known as Pityrosporum ovale. The most common cause of seborrheic dermatitis is the existence of one of the yeast's species, namely the M. globosa. The fungus thrives on the skin and scalp due to the abundance of sebum. Aside from the existence of this factor, seborrheic dermatitis can also occur due to the genetic makeup of a person. The environment, hormonal and immune system factors can also contribute to the existence of seborrheic dermatitis. People afflicted with the disease have a harsh response to the infection causing the skin to be inflamed and flaky.

The seborrheic dermatitis can also be worsened though intense stress, sudden change in the weather, greasy skin and sporadic shampooing and skin cleaning. There are also people with severe maladies including AIDS, Parkinson's disease, head injury and stroke that could be afflicted by the condition. However, the major contributors of the disease are the sebaceous glands and hair follicles. People who have seborrheic dermatitis often produce large amounts of oil. The massive amount of oil produced by the skin can attract the yeast Malassezia furfur and other bacteria.

What is Seborrheic Dermatitis and How Can You Treat It?

What is seborrheic dermatitis and will you be able to treat it? The answer is yes. A basic treatment for the disease exists in the form of shampoos that contain zinc pyrithione. There are also alternative shampoos that contain selenium sulfide and ketoconazole that could fight the disease. You have the option to try using several shampoos, with those chemicals, in order to determine which one works better. To maintain effectiveness of the treatment, you can choose to rotate from non-medicated to medicated shampoos. Applying the shampoos requires massaging the scalp and those areas affected and leave the foam on your scalp for a few minutes. Rinsing the shampoo thoroughly is also important.

However, if shampoos seem not to work, you can apply cortisone lotion once or twice daily. You can also take an overnight medication under a shower cap if the seborrheic dermatitis proves to be stubborn.