Seborrheic dermatitis is an unpleasant disease, against which not a single person is insured, because every person has a fungus that causes it. And under the influence of factors such as stress, unhealthy diet, it begins to multiply, leading to the appearance of redness, scales.
What causes provoke the development of the disease
Despite the fact that the fungus Pityrosporum ovale, which causes the disease, is in every person, seborrheic dermatitis does not develop in all. Why does this happen? The following factors can influence the activation and development of the problem:
- Stress, strong nervous shocks.
- Endocrine disorders, such as thyroid or ovarian pathology.
- Changes in hormonal levels, for example, during puberty or during pregnancy.
- Any diseases of the nervous system, such as epilepsy.
- Mental illness.
- Diseases of the digestive tract.
- Taking certain medications, such as anabolic drugs.
- Inadequate nutrition.
In addition, seborrheic dermatitis may occur as a result of a lack of minerals and vitamins in the body.
The main signs - what should I pay attention to?
Most often, the disease manifests itself on the skin of the face, in the scalp. Sometimes the ear region, around the shoulder blades, is affected. The rarest case is the defeat of the skin folds. Let's look at the main types of dermatitis and its symptoms.
Face
In this case, redness appears in the area of the nose, forehead and usually of the chin, the skin begins to peel off, itching appears. Over time, if you do not start treatment, the spots become covered with yellow scales - they are formed due to the fact that the greasy secret permeates the cells of the epidermis.
At the initial stage, the scales may be white, but as the disease progresses, they spread more strongly over the face and darken.
If dermatitis is complicated by a bacterial infection, a polymorphic rash appears, and vesicles can form. In men, pustules appear. The characteristic symptom is acne, since sebum quickly clogs the ducts of the sebaceous glands.
If we talk about pathological processes, they often affect the eyelids: there is swelling, cracks.
Torso
In the case of seborrheic dermatitis, inflammation usually forms on the chest or between the shoulder blades, and the rash is presented in the form of pinkish or yellow papules, usually covered with scales. Over time, large seborrheic plaques appear.
If the disease is associated with a bacterial infection, acne appears, and it is very painful.
In the skin folds, for example, in the armpits, reddish scaly patches are also formed.
On the scalp
The main sign of seborrhea - the appearance of dandruff. It should be noted that the skin cells are updated regularly, but in a healthy person the exfoliation cycle is about a month, but with the fungus the time is reduced to a week, and the cells during this period do not have time to go through the dehydration stage.
As a result, a large number of scales appears - it is impossible not to notice them.
Types of seborrheic dermatitis: characteristics and symptoms
It is also worth considering the symptoms that manifest themselves in various types of seborrheic dermatitis.
Dry
In this case, dandruff first appears in the back of the head, then spreads over the entire head, because the boundaries are blurred. Hypersecretion of sebaceous glands is not characteristic of the dry type of seborrheic dermatitis, and for this reason the scales are small, rather soft.
Fatty
This type of disease occurs when a high level of production of sebaceous secretion occurs: in scales, the sebaceous appearance resembles wax, they stick together. The scales themselves are tightly attached to the skin, unlike those that occur with dry type.
Due to seborrheic dermatitis, the hair begins to quickly turn greasy, redness appears on the skin, severe itching.
Inflammatory
This type of seborrheic dermatitis is characterized by the appearance of flaky erythema. The plaques formed merge into foci that cover the entire scalp, and yellow flakes grow on them. There may also be a sign of "crown": when there are clearly defined rash on the forehead. In an inflammatory type of person, severe itching is a concern.
In advanced cases, crusts may appear, exuding an unpleasant odor.
Generalized
Increasing foci of seborrhea can cause the appearance of erythroderma: during this period, the skin turns pink, becomes edematous, cracks and peeling appear on it.
Candidial flora is often involved in pathological processes, which leads to an increase in temperature, itching, and general well-being deteriorates significantly.
How is the treatment?
The fight against this disease begins with the determination of the cause, which led to the appearance of seborrhea. After that, you need to eliminate it. Let's take a closer look at how to deal with this ailment.
This treatment consists of taking special antimycotic drugs that affect Pityrosporum ovale. These include drugs such as:
- Ketoconazole.
- Lamisil.
- Batrafen.
- Curiosin.
- Drugs containing tar and ichthyol.
When treating smooth skin, such products should be used as a cream or ointment. If the disease is complicated by pyogenic flora, prescribe drugs with an antibiotic, such as Fucidin. If seborrheic dermatitis is characterized by an inflamed type, doctors prescribe ointments, which include glucocorticosteroids. It is also recommended to take keratolics, such as salicylic acid.
If we talk about dermatitis of the scalp, in this case, you need to use the same tools, but in the form of a shampoo, and they need to be used at least twice a week, the entire course is up to 9 weeks.
Attention should be paid to the following: after applying the antifungal shampoo, you need to wait about 10 minutes for the active ingredients to absorb and produce the proper effect. Only after that it should be washed off.
In case of a dry type of the disease, avoid using products that dry out the skin: for example, you should not use alkaline shampoos, soap, or preparations that contain alcohol.
When treating dry dermatitis, you need to use such shampoos as:
- Nizoral;
- Fryderm Zinc;
- Sulsena.
In the case of fatty dermatitis, it is best to use special antiseborrheic drugs, which include anionic turpents and acids.
During the period of remission, you need to wash your hair with antifungal shampoo 1 time in 2 weeks. At other times, use shampoos with a neutral level of acidity.
In severe types of dermatitis, antifungal medications are often prescribed, such as ketoconazole.
Will folk remedies help?
It should be noted that folk remedies are not a panacea, they can be used as additional methods that accelerate recovery. In addition, traditional medicine perfectly helps to cope with itching.
For example, you need to make a decoction of sage: take a teaspoon of funds, pour 200 ml of boiling water. After the broth has cooled, add a teaspoon of honey and strain. The resulting composition is necessary to wipe the scalp. Ideal for dry dermatitis.
In the fight against fatty dermatitis, it is better to use St. John's wort tincture. In the prepared container pour 400 ml of alcohol, pour 3 tablespoons of Hypericum. Cover the dishes with a lid and send in a dark place for a week. Dilute liquid with 1: 1 water before use. It is necessary to use tincture in the morning. But for too long it should not be used, because it can cause dry skin.
