Seborrheic Dermatitis is a skin condition also known as dandruff. While it mainly affects the scalp, seborrheic dermatitis can also occur in other oily areas such as the face, chest, back, buttocks, navel, groin, underneath breasts, and in skin folds. This skin condition is not contagious and does not affect your overall health, but it can be embarrassing for those suffering from this condition and, more often than not, requires long term treatment. It affects people of all ages, but occurs most often in infants and older adults.
When babies get it, it is called cradle cap. There are several medical conditions that increase your chance of developing this skin condition including rosacea, psoriasis, epilepsy, eating disorders, depression, Parkinson’s Disease, and HIV/AIDS.
When seborrheic dermatitis becomes a problem, seeking an evaluation with a dermatologist who specializes in skin conditions for a diagnosis and treatment plan is recommended, because it can easily be mistaken for other skin conditions. Sometimes, it will resolve since the weather can be a factor. But most of the time it will require a doctor’s care to get rid of it. Typical treatments for seborrheic dermatitis include the use of creams, lotions, soaps, shampoos, medication, light therapy, and lifestyle changes. The trick to getting rid of seborrheic dermatitis lies in keeping the area clean in order to get rid of the problematic excessive yeast to reduce the inflammation, which will reduce the appearance of scale, itching, irritation and flaking.
