Some skin conditions look and feel worse than they truly are. Seborrheic dermatitis, also called seborrhea, is one of these conditions. It can be scary to see your scalp and skin flaking, blazing with a red rash, and dandruff. 

However, you should not be alarmed by this strange-sounding condition. It is not painful, and most people report an itch and sensitive rash. It goes no deeper than the skin, and the worst danger it causes is in its cosmetic effects. 

According to Medscape, 3-5% of the world’s population suffer from seborrheic dermatitis. However, as many as 20% suffer from dandruff, which is considered a mild form of the condition.

If your otherwise normal skin on the scalp or other areas has suddenly erupted in an itchy rash, you might have seborrheic dermatitis. However, do not worry. This article will explain all you need to know about seborrheic dermatitis, its causes, prevention, and permanent treatment.

What is Seborrheic Dermatitis

Seborrheic dermatitis is a skin disorder affecting sebaceous (oil-producing) patches of skin on the scalp, face, and trunk. It results in dry, flaky skin with a lot of dandruff due to the shedding of dead skin cells. It can also bring a dry, itchy rash with it.

Some of the body parts which this condition affects include the scalp (top of your head), eyelids, eyebrows, and chest. 

Medical experts consider seborrheic dermatitis to be a form of chronic eczema, albeit a bit different with different approaches as to diagnosis and treatment. It can also look like psoriasis, and is often confused with the latter.

Even though it mainly occurs in oil-producing patches of skin, it can occur anywhere on the body. It can also affect both men and women equally, and also affects all age groups in various forms.

Forms of Seborrheic Dermatitis

There are no medical segregations of types of seborrhea, but it appears in various forms. 

• Infants can experience the condition. Seborrhea in infants is also called 'cradle cap.' In these cases, it is identified by a thick, yellow, or grey crust on the head and is often accompanied by a stubborn diaper rash.

• Very mild cases of seborrheic dermatitis are commonly known as dandruff.

• Seborrheic dermatitis in adults: This type of SD commonly occurs in older adults, although you can get it at any age. It is usually long-lasting but manageable and sometimes curable.

Since it is relatively common, seborrhea is easy to distinguish from other similar conditions, such as psoriasis. It's signs, symptoms, and effects are unique.

Symptoms of Seborrheic Dermatitis

You may have seborrheic dermatitis if you show all or some of the following symptoms:

• Flaking skin off your scalp or other patches of normally oily skin. It forms thick, grey dandruff that doesn't seem to go away.

• Patches of greasy skin covered by flaky yellow or white scales. These patches can also show up as a thick crust on areas affected by SD. They include the scalp, face, back, chest, armpits, or groin.

• Redness on oily parts of your skin, especially the scalp, sides of the nose, among others.

• The red places can also itch and burn.

• For people with dark skin, it shows up as pink-colored patches with accompanying signs such as rash, flaking skin, or the grey/yellow crust.

• It can show up as a thick yellow or grey crust for babies who are three months or younger. This crust is also called a 'cradle' cap. 

How to Diagnose Seborrheic Dermatitis

Since most of the symptoms which seborrheic dermatitis exhibits are also common to other skin conditions, experts recommend that to consult a dermatologist as soon as possible to get a professional diagnosis.

A doctor or dermatologist will look out for three principal features: the occurrence of the disorder on sebaceous(oily) patches of the skin, presence of the fungi called Malassezia spp., and individual risk factors.

To determine the presence or absence of fungi, a sample of your skin or skin secretions (or dandruff) will be mixed with some lab reagents (chemicals) and observed under a powerful microscope.

You will also need to provide a full medical history. This helps the dermatologist to pinpoint risk factors that lead to seborrheic dermatitis.

Causes of Seborrheic Dermatitis

While Malassezia spp is commonly associated with seborrhea, the causes and factors surrounding the condition are not well understood.

Malassezia is a type of fungi/yeast that is usually, but not always, found in high quantities in individuals suffering from the condition. Another link to this fungi is the fact that the administration of antifungal creams helps to manage and cure the disorder. 

The specific strains of the fungus involved include M. globosa and M. restricta. Both of these depend on external lipids (oils/fats), which has led medical research experts to believe that these two culpable strains break down lipids in sebum (oil produced by the skin) into smaller fatty acids.

The resultant fatty acids penetrate the skin and irritate the cells in the lower layers, causing the inflammation associated with seborrhea.

However, the fungus doesn't work alone but is aided by many other internal and external factors that produce the conditions necessary for seborrheic dermatitis. These contributing factors can help give you more insight into the condition.

Seborrheic Dermatitis Trigger Factors

These factors do not cause seborrhea by themselves, but their presence creates a conducive environment for it to occur. Therefore, having some of them at once puts you at an increased risk of contracting seborrheic dermatitis. They include the following.

• Stress. Increased levels of stress are linked with seborrhea, where experts think that stress leads to reduced immunity. Thus, it allows the fungus to grow exponentially. It can be made worse by sleep deprivation, change of season, and other stressful conditions.

• Hormonal change or illness. Immunodeficiency conditions such as HIV and neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s are commonly associated with seborrheic dermatitis. Stroke is also a common risk factor.

• Hormonal changes. Fun fact: eunuchs cannot contract seborrheic dermatitis because they have low androgen (male hormone) levels and small sebaceous glands in their skin.

• Genetic factors. Although it is not well understood, it is thought that genetics also has something to do with SD. One study shows that some of the genes which have to do with immunity and protein production correlate with seborrhea, although information is still scant in this area.

• Environmental factors are also associated with seborrhea. These include heat, humidity, air pollution, among others.

• Malnutrition. A diet deficient in vitamins C and E puts you at greater risk of contracting seborrhea.

How to Manage Seborrheic Dermatitis

Having understood how seborrheic dermatitis comes about, you can better take steps to manage it. These steps also help a great deal to prevent it altogether if you are at a greater risk of contracting it.

1. Use Normalizing Base Cleanser for Cradle Cap

For babies with an SD cradle cap, you need Normalizing base Cleanser and Special K Cream. Wash their hair and scalp very gently until the cap starts to break down, then comb it off the hair. It will usually resolve by itself within the first year. Then Apply Special K Cream.

1. Use Dandruff Base Cleanser

An anti-dandruff Base Cleanser helps a great deal for adults or adolescents (seborrhea usually reappears at puberty). This Base Cleanser can has active ingredients that are plant-based so its harmless to the skin and pH5.

Our products will work.

3. Watch What You Eat

Some foods are well-known triggers of skin conditions like eczema and seborrhea. Keep off such foods, which include gluten, dairy, citrus fruits, eggs, soy, and some spices such as vanilla and cinnamon.

Instead, you can eat:

• Plenty of green vegetables.

• Fruits with plenty of antioxidants such as strawberries and cherries.

• Foods high in Vitamin C, such as bell peppers.

• Almonds.

• Sweet potatoes.

• Foods with Vitamin E, such as avocados.

Healthline has a full list of foods that are good for those suffering from seborrhea.

4. Antifungal Creams

Since the main cause of seborrhea is the fungus Malassezia spp, an antifungal cream to kill the fungus cells usually proves effective in its control. It will usually be prescribed mild to severe cases, but may not give a permanent solution on its own.

These creams are applied directly to the skin, but they are not the first choice in many cases. That is because the FDA (Food and Drugs Administration) still has concerns with some of them over skin thinning and even cancer.

Usually, a dermatologist will prescribe the right cream for your condition, depending on severity. It can have 2% ketoconazole as the active ingredient, 1% ciclopirox, or other such ingredients.

5. Antifungal pills

When topical creams don’t seem to help, a doctor can also prescribe a pill or pills to swallow regularly to help fight the fungus.

6. Natural Measures

Healthline also outlines a few natural measures to help combat seborrheic dermatitis. These include:

• Fish oil: It improves overall cardiovascular and immune health in the body.

• Aloe vera: This a plant whose slimy sap has excellent anti-inflammatory properties. You can just apply it to the affected areas to help reduce flare-ups. Its extracts work just as well.

• Essential oils such as tea tree oils, blackcurrant seed oil, primrose tree oil, borage oil, and other essential oils can help when applied to the site of a seborrhea flare-up.

• Olive oil. Coat the scalp or other affected area in it, leave it on for an hour, then use a brush to remove scales. Wash and brush the hair, then rewash it with shampoo.

7. Antihistamines and Antihormones

Where environmental factors are identified as causing allergies that result in seborrhea flare-ups, antihistamine medication is administered. These help to reduce itching and prevent inflammation.

The same applies to antihormones, where androgens are pinpointed as a causative factor. 

Get Your Seborrheic Dermatitis Treatment From Kapyderm USA

The various methods outlined above are primarily meant for the management of seborrhea. Some of the more promising ones have the disadvantage of being highly invasive, which is quite a significant concern.

As for natural treatments, they don't work so well alone. For example, aloe vera may do great to ease inflammation during flare-ups, but it does nothing for long-term relief. 

Kapyderm USA brings you the complete treatment of seborrheic dermatitis, based on a formula of potent natural ingredients all working together to bring you long-term healing power.

Kapyderm USA has a team of experts who have decades of experience in treating skin and hair conditions. Now, you can get relief from the emotional toll seborrhea can have on you by trying one of their proven treatments. 

Home Treatment

The home treatment kit works to restore your skin's elasticity, moisture, and tonicity. It also kills all fungi which are responsible for seborrheic dermatitis and other skin conditions. 

Here is how to use the home treatment kit.

1. Remove your makeup with the Normalizing Base Cleanser.

2. Apply the Fungi-Active with K1 or K2 for dry or oily skin, respectively.

3. Take 2 dePature in the morning and afternoon.

4. Take 2 Revital at night. You will take both types of pills over a 4-month cycle.

5. Apply special K cream at night.

This treatment attacks the disorder from all angles, ensuring swift and long-lasting victory. However, if you don't want to go through the pains of home treatment, you can pop in at one of our professional centers.

Professional Therapy at Center

Our certified professional therapists follow a patented treatment method called dermotrichology. The details are top-secret, of course, but here is the process:

1. Your makeup is removed with a Normalizing Base Cleanser.

2. If you have plaques, KS115 is applied. K1 or K2 is chosen depending on your skin type.

3. Basic Cell Activation is performed, and Ampoule ‘N’ (or KN for the face) is applied.

4. The therapy medication is left to sit for 20 minutes.

5. The therapist will emulsify with a normalizing base cleanser to remove residue.

6. Fungi-Active 50% is applied with a base tonic (50%).

7. A Special K cream will be the finish.

Unfortunately, the professional centers are still being rolled out currently. The best way to cure your seborrheic dermatitis is to order our home treatment kit.

You don’t have to suffer the discomfort, shame, and shattered pride caused by seborrhea. Order your home treatment kit right now and get your complete treatment in months Shop Now

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