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Seborrheic Dermatitis Symptoms & Remedies

Seborrheic dermatitis is a common skin condition that is manifested as flaking skin or red oily skin patches. Thee patches are ugly, itchy and, cause a lot of embarrassment, since they show up on the face.

It also affects the scalp, eyebrows, and ear canals, sides of the nose, behind the ears, armpits, chest and groin. People usually complain of dandruff on the back and sides of the scalp.

Causes: Seborrheic dermatitis is caused due to stress, fatigue, weather extremes, oily skin and infrequent shampooing. Neurological conditions such as AIDS, Parkinson’s disease, head injury, and stroke are associated with seborrheic dermatitis.

Seborrheic dermatitis may start in babyhood as cradle cap, where it affects the scalp. It shows up as thick, crusty and yellow scales. By the age of 3 years, children outgrow it and do not usually get seborrheic dermatitis.

People suffering from seborrheic dermatitis produce an excess of sebum or natural oil in the hair follicles. Later, an excess of pityrosporum yeast grows in the sebum, making the dermatitis more acute.

Treatment: Treating seborrheic dermatitis consists of using antifungal shampoos that contain zinc pyrithione, selenium sulphide or ketoconazole. The shampoo must be massaged onto the scalp and other affected areas and left for a few minutes before rinsing thoroughly. Other shampoo ingredients equally useful are salicylic acid, coal tar and sulphur.

If shampoos don’t work, you could also try using cortisone lotion once or twice a day or try using an overnight medication under a shower cap.

Apart from the above treatments, good hygiene is also important. This means washing your hair with soap frequently to downplay the effect of oils in the affected area. Also, expose your hair to sunlight as much as possible as sunlight does not allow the yeast to multiply. Using topical steroids such as hydrocortisone cream 1% is also very helpful.

Home remedies: You can also choose from a variety of home remedies to treat seborrheic dermatitis. These include the following:

1. Rub a cut onion on your head.
2. Massage your scalp with three-day-old cheese.
3. Rinse your hair with vinegar.

Dietary changes: You can also make some dietary changes such as limiting the intake of sugar and yeast.

1. Yeast-containing foods such as bread, beer and wine are known to encourage the growth of fungi that cause dandruff.
2. Increase your intake of B vitamins that are good for healthy skin and hair. They are found in grains, egg yolks, soybeans, bananas, avocados, nuts and seeds, and dark leafy greens, such as spinach.
3. Make zinc a part of your daily diet since it helps regulate the activity of your oil glands. It is available in egg yolks, fish, especially sardines, meat, soybeans, sunflower seeds and whole grains.
4. Eat plenty of omega-3 fatty acids contained in fresh, deep-water fish such as salmon, swordfish, mackerel and herring, and in canola, soybean and flaxseed oils.

Don’t despair about suffering from this everyday problem. There is a solution—and most of all you can get relief from eating the right foods, so, all you have to do is to make dietary changes. So, what’s stopping you - begin today.