Seborrheic Dermatitis

Seborrheic dermatitis is a common inflammatory skin condition that occurs on areas of the skin that have a lot of sebaceous glands, such as the face, chest, and scalp . It is most common in children and adult men between the ages of 30 and 40.

What are the symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis?

The most common symptoms are:

• cracked or greasy spots
• redness and itching
• formation of small crusts on both the skin and the scalp (commonly called dandruff)

Seborrheic dermatitis is a chronic and recurring disease , that is, it tends to reappear over time. The symptoms have an intermittent pattern, for example, they increase with cold and dry weather or stress and generally subside in the summer.

Seborrheic dermatitis affects approximately 3 million people in Italy and represents 10% of the reasons for visits to the dermatologist.

What causes seborrheic dermatitis?

The manifestations of the disease are due to inflammation of the skin , which causes an imbalance in the production of sebum, that is, the natural fat produced by the skin that helps keep it soft and protect it from external agents.
The causes responsible for the disease are not yet fully known. However, it has been found that some factors can contribute to the appearance of seborrheic dermatitis:

• genetic predisposition, i.e. previous cases of seborrheic dermatitis in the family
• nervous factors, such as depression and stress
• abnormalities of the skin's natural defense system
• unfavorable external environmental conditions, such as the presence of high humidity
• air pollution and smog
• hormonal imbalances
• exposure to aggressive detergents or irritants

In addition, excessive sebum can cause the proliferation of a fungus that is normally present on the skin but if it grows excessively it can contribute to accentuating the inflammation.
This is why it is important to maintain the right balance of the skin microbiome.

How does seborrheic dermatitis manifest itself?

Skin lesions and inflammation can facilitate some infections. For this reason it is important:

• visit a dermatologist to get a correct and timely diagnosis
• always have proper personal hygiene
• avoid scratching and help the skin with soothing creams

In addition, skin blemishes and/or discomforts associated with the skin pathology often appear, such as scabs, flaking, redness and itching. To alleviate the presence of these blemishes, dermocosmetic adjuvants can be used, which can help mitigate their onset.

Seborrheic dermatitis on the scalp

The scalp, an area with high sebum production, is often affected by annoying aesthetic problems such as flaking with the production of dry or greasy dandruff, which settles between the hair, redness and itching.

How to treat the blemishes associated with seborrheic dermatitis on the scalp?

For seborrheic dermatitis on the scalp, choose a shampoo with Alukina (a complex covered by an international patent) which helps rebalance the skin's hydrolipidic film with a hydrating, sebostatic and soothing action.

Seborrheic dermatitis on the face

The skin of the face affected by seborrheic dermatitis presents characteristic clinical manifestations: yellowish scales that can be greasy or dry, often itchy, and papules (reddish raised areas of skin that do not contain pus and tend to peel off) usually present at the hairline, on the nose and in the auricles.