What is Seborrhea?
Common dandruff is also known as seborrhea or seborrheic dermatitis. Seborrhea is not just dry skin. Seborrhea actually means excess oil. Seborrhea can cause scales on the scalp and redness on the face. This redness can show up in armpits or under the breast. Surprisingly, moisturizing these areas make the redness worse. It is important to learn all you can about seborrhea. Seborrhea or dandruff is a skin condition that is not a result of too little moisture or too much oil. It is, in truth, a skin inflammation or dermatitis. The cause of dermatitis is unknown. Dandruff can occur at any time during a person’s lifetime and can come or go at random. Seborrhea treatment is focused on fighting the inflammation of skin. This can be done by using cortisone based lotion or by reducing yeast that builds up on scaly areas. Remember, however that dandruff is not the same as a yeast infection. Moisturizing, switching shampoos, changing hair routines and switching deodorants do not help dandruff. Moisturizing lotions only smooth out scales and make patches of red worse. Also, shampoo doesn’t cause dandruff but medicated shampoos help with dandruff. Also, there is no correct shampoo or conditioner. There is also no proper number of times to shampoo each week. It depends more on age and other conditions. When armpits have a red tinge due to seborrhea, anything will make the condition worse, including deodorants. They may not cause the seborrhea but they can aggravate it. Some products help dandruff. When using store bought shampoos look for ingredients such as selenium sulfide, tar, zinc, ketoconazole or salicylic acid. You have a choice as to use these shampoos continually or a few times a week. It depends on the severity of the symptoms. If the dandruff problem disappears or clams down, stop using medicated shampoos and switch to a regular shampoo. If one particular shampoo helps relieve dandruff for a period of time and then stops working, switch to a new brand. Sometimes switching between shampoos can help. Cortisone creams along with creams with an anti- fungal benefit can help seborrhea. Cortisone creams can help reduce skin inflammations. They can be used on a persons’ face and can help the problem in a few days if it is applied two times a day. Cortisone scalp lotions can be applied daily after shampooing. Cortisone creams for the scalp can be used in conjunction with medicinal shampoos. Creams with an anti-fungal benefit can be effective. However, it is unclear if the fungus found in affected people’s skin actually causes seborrhea or is just a byproduct of it. Apply anti-fungal creams two times a day. Creams such as these can be used and applied until such time as the seborrhea goes away. The seborrhea will usually return and then these creams can be used once more. Dermatologists or medical doctors can tell you about prescription strength creams and shampoos if store bought products do not work. They may also prescribe cortisone based liquids or foams. These can be applied to the crown of the head and will not leave your hair lifeless and limp. Cortisone creams and shampoos that are prescription strength calm down skin or a scalp that is sensitive but these products cannot stop dandruff from returning. Even so, most people only treat their dandruff when it starts to become noticeable or itchy. Seborrhea does not have to be serious if you take the proper action to control it. |
