As a chronic form of eczema, seborrheic dermatitis can cause lasting damage to the hair follicles and hinder hair growth. This condition can leave you scratching your scalp all day, causing more irritation and scarring. Seek professional help at Borealis Dermatology to keep your scalp and hair looking and feeling healthy.

What is Seborrheic Dermatitis?

Seborrheic dermatitis is a type of eczema that specifically affects the scalp. It causes scaly patches on the scalp and leaves the skin inflamed and irritated. When severe enough, seborrheic dermatitis can also lead to temporary hair loss. This condition is also commonly known as dandruff, but the scaling can also occur on the face, sides of the nose, eyebrows, and ears. While the condition can go away without treatment and is not contagious, it is highly recommended to see a dermatologist to prevent the condition from interfering with your daily lifestyle. 

Did you know…

This condition isn’t due to a lack of hygiene, as it occurs with both dry and oily skin. It’s essential to wash and moisturize your skin properly to reduce the effects continuously.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the symptoms of Seborrheic Dermatitis?

No matter where it occurs, seborrheic dermatitis is often associated with flaking skin or dandruff:

• Patches of flaky white or yellowish scales
• Irritating rash–darker in color for darker-toned patients and lighter in color for lighter-toned patients.
• Itching

There are also cases of ring-shaped rashes that develop with petaloid seborrheic dermatitis. Different types of seborrheic dermatitis may require different treatments, so make sure to discuss all your symptoms with your provider. 

What causes Seborrheic Dermatitis?

Seborrheic dermatitis develops around areas abundant in oil-producing glands or sebaceous glands. Currently, the causes of seborrheic dermatitis aren’t entirely clear. Some experts believe that it may be caused by the yeast bacteria, Malassezia, developing on the skin, where the immune system overreacts to the presence of this yeast. Other causes may be excess oil production from the skin or other issues with the immune system. It can also result from a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors, including stress, alcoholism, eating disorders, and acne.

How is Seborrheic Dermatitis treated?

Depending on the type and severity of seborrheic dermatitis, treatments can vary. After evaluating your condition through various diagnostic tests, our team can provide a variety of treatments to help control your symptoms and alleviate your skin, including:

• Prescription Medications: There are creams, shampoos, gels, and washes that can be prescribed to prevent the skin from becoming dry or scaly. If needed, pills are prescribed as well. Depending on the type of seborrheic dermatitis, these prescription medications can be antifungal or antibacterial.
• Topical Corticosteroids: These creams and ointments reduce swelling and redness during severe cases of dandruff and scaliness.

If you are struggling from itchy and scaly scalp or find excess dandruff on your scalp, schedule an appointment with our office. Borealis Dermatology offers two convenient locations to provide various treatments for our patients in the Queens and Long Island areas. You can experience the highest medical and aesthetic expertise available through our treatment options by visiting our clinic.