Seborrheic dermatitis is disorder of the skin that can affect your scalp, back, chest, oily body areas and face.  It can be unpleasant, unsightly and uncomfortable. You can treat mild cases at home if you know what to look for, but more severe cases should be treated by a doctor.

The main symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis include crusty and scaly patches, white or yellow scales near hair shafts, reddened and oily skin with yellow or white flaky scales, soreness, itching, dandruff and flaking skin.  Though it these can mainly affect your scalp, you can find it in between eyebrows, around the groin, over the breastbone, behind ears, around your nose and in the armpits.  Sometimes the symptoms can be mild and other times they can be more severe.

The main triggers of seborrheic dermatitis include yeast infections, fatigue, stress, seasonal changes (winter is worse), neurological conditions or diseases, HIV and AIDS.  However, with medical advice from a medical specialist or your doctor, you can learn to minimize the effects of the symptoms and avoid the triggers that cause your outbreaks.

You should see your doctor when your symptoms become unmanageable.  If your symptoms affect your day to day living, you cannot sleep, your skin hurts, you get a skin infection or you have tried home-based remedies and management to no avail, make a doctor’s appointment.

To treat your seborrheic dermatitis at home by yourself, there are remedies that you can use:

• Shampoo your hair daily with anti-dandruff shampoos containing ketoconazole, ciclopirox, salicylic acid, pyrithione zinc, tar or selenium sulfide.
• Use a daily topical application of non-prescription Lotrimin (clotrimazole) from your pharmacy.
• Use a non-prescription cream containing hydrocortisone to help with itching.
• Use hypoallergenic detergents/soaps.
• Rinse your body well after washing.
• Wear smooth cotton fabric clothing.
• Remove unnecessary hair – mustaches, beards, etc.
• Trim your nails to avoid scratching.
• Wear gloves whilst sleeping to avoid scratching.

If you have to see your doctor, your doctor will first make a diagnosis through varied tests.  These can include talking about your symptoms, examining the affected areas, doing skin biopsies and also ruling out other possible skin conditions.  Other conditions that mimic seborrheic dermatitis include: atopic dermatitis; psoriasis; and tinea capitis (scalp ringworm).  Once diagnosed with seborrheic dermatitis, your doctor may prescribe prescription, medicated shampoos if your scalp is affected, or give you special antifungal or corticosteroid topical or oral medications.  These can help reduce your skin’s sensitivity to allergens (your triggers) and inflammation.

Unfortunately, seborrheic dermatitis has no cure.  It is a life-long affliction with outbreaks that may last days, months, weeks or years, but may have periods in between with no symptoms at all.  However, there are ways to ease your symptoms and you should, if you suspect you have seborrheic dermatitis, seek medical advice before undertaking any home treatments.