What Is Seborrheic Eczema?
Seborrheic eczema is a common, noncontagious, manageable skin condition that mainly affects the scalp. However, it can also affect other areas of the body, such as the face, forehead, sides of the nose, eyebrows, behind the ears, eyelids, navel, under the breasts, and in the bends of the arms, legs, and groin.
Seborrheic eczema is also called dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, and seborrheic psoriasis on teenagers' and adults' scalps. This chronic or lifelong condition may go away without treatment or return later. For infants, the condition is called cradle cap.
How Common Is Seborrheic Eczema?
About 11 % of the general population has seborrheic eczema. It commonly affects infants younger than three months old and adults aged 30 to 60 years. It is most often seen in men than in women.
What Causes Seborrheic Eczema?
The exact cause of seborrheic eczema is still unknown. However, certain factors may contribute to it, including:
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An inflammatory reaction to excess Malassezia, a type of yeast that usually lives on the skin's surface.
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An increased level of a hormone called androgens.
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An increased skin lipid levels.
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A family history of skin disorders such as eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis.
Other triggers that worsen seborrheic eczema include:
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Lack of sleep and stress.
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Cold and dry climate.
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Naturally Oily skin.
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Using alcohol-based lotions or creams.
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Using harsh detergents, solvents, chemicals, and soaps.
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Medications, including Psoralen, Interferon, and Lithium.
What Are the Major Risk Factors for Seborrheic Eczema?
Having the following health issues can make a person more prone to seborrheic eczema:
1. Weakened Immune Systems:
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Organ transplant recipients.
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Adult Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
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Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.
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Alcoholic pancreatitis.
2. Psychiatric Disorders:
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Depression.
3. Neurological Diseases.
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Parkinson's disease.
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Tardive Dyskinesia.
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Facial nerve palsy.
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Spinal cord injury.
4. Congenital disorders:
5. Psychotropic medications:
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Lithium.
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Buspirone.
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Haloperidol decanoate.
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Chlorpromazine.
What Are the Symptoms of Seborrheic Eczema?
Seborrheic eczema signs and symptoms may include:
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Itchy white skin flakes (dandruff) on the scalp, eyebrows, beard, or mustache. The flakes often come loose when scratched, mixed in with the hair, or shed onto the neck and shoulders.
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Red scales on the skin.
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Crusty yellow scales on baby's heads (cradle cap). The cradle cap does not itch, but when scratched, it may cause further inflammation in the area and break the skin, resulting in bleeding or mild infections.
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Blepharitis (a condition of scaly redness on the edges of the eyelids).
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Thick, pinkish patches of skin on both sides of the face.
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Flaky patches on the chest and at the hairline shaped like a flower petal or a ring.
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Redness in the folds and creases of the genitals, armpits, and beneath the breasts.
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Inflammation of hair follicles on the cheeks and the upper half of the trunk.
How Is Seborrheic Eczema Diagnosed?
Seborrheic eczema is an easy-to-diagnose condition due to its appearance on the affected skin and locations. The health care provider can likely determine seborrheic eczema by examining the skin. No blood, urine, or allergy tests are needed. The doctor may perform a skin biopsy to rule out conditions similar to seborrheic eczema.
How Is Seborrheic Eczema Treated?
Seborrheic eczema sometimes clears up, but often it is a lifelong condition, and one can easily control it with good skincare. Medicated shampoos, lotions, and creams are the first line of treatments for seborrheic eczema. However, before considering prescription remedies, the doctor may recommend home remedies, such as dandruff shampoos.
If home remedies do not help, the doctor may prescribe any of the following treatments:
1. Creams, Shampoos, Gels, Ointments, or Solutions That Control Inflammation:
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Hydrocortisone, Fluocinolone, Clobetasol, and Desonide are topical corticosteroids that can be applied once or twice daily to the scalp or other affected areas. If used for many weeks or months, these corticosteroids can cause thinning of the skin or streaks or lines on the skin. They effectively clear seborrheic eczema and are easy to use but should be used sparingly.
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Creams or lotions containing calcineurin inhibitors, like Tacrolimus and Pimecrolimus, may be effective and pose fewer adverse effects than corticosteroids. However, they are usually applied to the affected area twice daily.
2. Antifungal Gels, Creams, or Shampoos in Combination With Another Medication: Depending on the affected area and the severity of the symptoms, the doctor may prescribe a topical medication with 2 percent Ketoconazole or 1 percent Ciclopirox or both to be used alternately.
3. Antifungal medication as a Pill: If the condition does not improve with other treatments, the doctor may prescribe antifungal medication in pill form. These drugs may cause possible side effects and drug interactions.
4. Home Remedies:
It is possible to control seborrheic eczema with lifestyle changes and home remedies. Many of these are available in over-the-counter or nonprescription forms. However, the best approach varies from person to person. In addition, it depends on the skin type, the condition severity, and whether the symptoms affect the scalp or other body areas. But even if the condition resolves, it will likely come back at some point. So watchful waiting and resuming treating the condition when it recurs is essential.
The following over-the-counter treatments and self-care tips may help control seborrheic eczema:
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Wash the scalp regularly. Try over-the-counter dandruff shampoos if the regular shampoo fails to help with seborrheic eczema. Use over-the-counter dandruff shampoos that contain one of the following active ingredients:
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Pyrithione zinc.
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Selenium sulfide.
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Ketoconazole.
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Coal tar.
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Salicylic acid.
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Shampoo the baby's scalp daily with warm water and baby shampoo for the cradle cap. To soften thick patches, rubbing mineral oil onto the area and brushing gently with a baby hairbrush can help peel the scales off. Before trying one, a dandruff shampoo can irritate the skin, so consult a pediatrician about medicated shampoos.
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Soften and remove scales from the hair by applying mineral or olive oil to the scalp.
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Avoid hair styling products like hair sprays, gels, and other styling products while treating the condition.
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Avoid alcohol-based skin and hair products that can cause the disease to flare up.
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Wear smooth-textured cotton clothing that helps keep air circulating on the skin and reduces irritation.
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If having a beard or mustache, shampoo the facial hair regularly. Seborrheic eczema can worsen under mustaches and beards.
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Gently clean the eyelids. If the eyelids show redness or scaling, wash them each night with a gentle shampoo and wipe away scales with a cotton swab. Warm or hot compresses can also benefit.
How Is Seborrheic Eczema Prevented?
Some simple healthy things can help reduce the risk of seborrheic eczema, including:
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Get plenty of sleep.
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Control emotional stress.
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Get some safe sun.
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Follow healthcare professionals' instructions for using medicated shampoos and skin products.
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A cradle cap is a natural, harmless condition that can be simply treated at home.
When To See a Doctor?
One has to see a doctor if:
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The symptoms get worse, or there are flare-ups. The healthcare provider may change the medication dosage, add a different medication to the treatment regimen, or change medications.
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The condition causes discomfort resulting in losing sleep or being distracted from the daily routines.
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The condition is causing embarrassment and anxiety affecting the quality of life.
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The skin is infected.
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The self-care steps could have been more successful.
What Is the Outlook or Prognosis for People With Seborrheic Eczema?
A cradle cap is a harmless condition that happens in most babies. It usually does not cause itching, pain, or discomfort. However, seborrheic eczema is a life-long condition, so managing it on some level for the rest of one's life is essential. In adolescents and adults, seborrheic eczema of the scalp, the face, and the body is a condition that comes and goes throughout life. However, it can be easily controlled with treatment. Therefore, it can be effectively managed with simple at-home treatments.
The condition gets better quickly with regular treatment. However, one has to see a health care professional if the condition does not respond well to regular treatment or if the affected area causes pain, forms crusts, or oozes fluid or pus.
Conclusion:
Seborrheic eczema is often a harmless and non-contagious skin condition. The condition appears red, itchy, dry, and flaky skin on the scalp and other body parts. This lifelong condition occurs, disappears with treatment, and flares up from time to time. Although seborrheic dermatitis is itchy and uncomfortable, it does not harm health. The condition is easily treatable with over-the-counter medications, lifestyle changes, and home-based care treatment.
