Seborrheic dermatitis is a skin problem that mostly affects the scalp and oily areas of the skin such as the sides of the nose, ears, beard, eyelids and chest, causing redness, blemishes and flaking.
This condition can go away without treatment, however, in some cases it may be necessary to use specific and antifungal shampoos to treat the problem.
What symptoms
The signs and symptoms that usually appear in people with seborrheic dermatitis are:
- Dandruff on the scalp, hair, eyebrows, beard or mustache; patches with yellowish or whitish crusts on the scalp, face, sides of the nose, eyebrows, ears, eyelids and chest; Redness; Itching in the affected regions.
These symptoms can get worse in stressful situations or due to exposure to cold, dry environments.
Possible causes
It is not known for certain what causes seborrheic dermatitis, but it seems to be related to the fungus Malassezia , which may be present in the oily secretion of the skin and with an irregular response of the immune system.
In addition, there are factors that can increase the risk of developing this condition, such as neurological diseases such as depression or Parkinson's, weakened immune systems, such as in cases of organ transplantation or people with HIV or cancer, stress and taking some medications.
How the treatment is done
Seborrheic dermatitis in some cases can not be cured, and can appear several times throughout life, however an appropriate treatment can control the symptoms for some time.
To treat seborrheic dermatitis, the doctor may recommend the application of creams, shampoos or ointments that have corticoids in the composition, which will help control inflammation, such as Betnovate capillary or Diprosalic solution, for example. These products should be used with great care and the number of treatment days suggested by the doctor should never be exceeded.
As a complement, depending on the affected region and the severity of the symptoms, the doctor may also recommend products with antifungal in the composition such as Nizoral or other shampoos that contain ketoconazole or cyclopirox.
If treatment does not work or the symptoms return, it may be necessary to take antifungal medication in tablet form. See more about treatment.
In addition, for the treatment to be more successful, it is very important to always keep your hair and scalp very clean and dry, remove the shampoo and conditioner well after the bath, do not use very hot water, reduce your alcohol intake and fatty foods and avoid stressful situations.
Home treatment
A good home remedy to treat seborrheic dermatitis is Melaleuca oil, also known as tea tree, with antibacterial, healing and antifungal properties, which can be applied directly to the affected regions, preferably diluted in another vegetable oil, to avoid reactions in skin.
In addition, aloe vera is also a good option to eliminate dandruff, as it contains enzymes that eliminate dead cells and can be used in cream or gel, or the plant can be applied directly to the skin.
