Seborrheic dermatitis is a chronic (long-term) type of eczema that causes greasy scales and itchy, flaky patches on the skin and scalp. It often appears in areas with a lot of sebaceous glands (oil glands).

It’s important to know that seborrheic dermatitis is not caused by poor hygiene and it’s not contagious. There’s no cure yet for seborrheic dermatitis, but with the right treatment plan, you can manage symptoms and reduce flare-ups.

How Common Is Seborrheic Dermatitis?

Seborrheic dermatitis is a fairly common condition, affecting about 3 percent to 10 percent of people. According to research published in InformedHealth.org, the condition happens more often in men than women.

Seborrheic dermatitis is also most common in infants, adolescents, and adults between the ages of 30 and 60.

What Causes Seborrheic Dermatitis?

Doctors aren’t exactly sure what causes seborrheic dermatitis, but several factors may play a role.

One possible cause of seborrheic dermatitis is an inflammatory reaction to a type of yeast called Malassezia. This yeast naturally grows on everyone’s skin, especially in oily areas. This finding has led researchers to wonder if there may be a connection between an overgrowth of Malassezia yeast and seborrheic dermatitis. However, it’s still not proven that Malassezia directly causes seborrheic dermatitis.

Other factors that may increase your risk of seborrheic dermatitis include a family history of dermatitis, a personal history of skin disorders, certain medications, and having oily skin.

Because seborrheic dermatitis is chronic, certain factors can make symptoms worse or trigger flare-ups, such as:

• Cold, dry weather
• Stress
• Irritating ingredients in soaps, detergents, or skin products
• Infections
• Too much sun exposure

People with certain medical conditions or diseases are at a higher risk of developing seborrheic dermatitis. Some of these conditions include infections such as HIV/AIDS, a compromised immune system, and neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.

How Is Seborrheic Dermatitis Diagnosed?

A healthcare provider can usually diagnose seborrheic dermatitis by examining your skin. Most of the time, no further testing is needed, but sometimes they will order a skin biopsy — taking a sample of body tissue to look at your skin under a microscope — to make sure it isn’t another condition.

Because several skin conditions can look similar, before diagnosing you with seborrheic dermatitis your healthcare provider may need to rule out other possibilities, such as:

• Atopic dermatitis — Dry skin, inflamed, itchy skin
• Rosacea — Red or brownish patches on the face, depending on skin tone
• Psoriasis — Scaly, dry patches or a rash
• Lupus erythematosus — Disc-shaped rashes on the face or scalp
• Nummular dermatitis — Pink, red, or brown coin-shaped rashes
• Lichen simplex chronicus — Thick, dry, itchy, skin

Healthcare providers will compare your symptoms with those of other skin conditions to make the right diagnosis. The location of lesions, plaques, and rashes can tell your healthcare provider a lot about what condition you may have. If needed, a skin biopsy can confirm whether you have seborrheic dermatitis or something else.

Common Symptoms of Seborrheic Dermatitis

Sebaceous glands are found on most parts of the skin (except for your palms and soles). As a result, seborrheic dermatitis can be found on many parts of the body. It most often affects the scalp and face, especially around the:

• Ears
• Eyebrows and eyelids
• Nose
• Beard area
• Forehead

Less commonly, you might also notice symptoms in areas where skin rubs together or where there’s less airflow, such as:

• Back and chest
• Under the breasts
• Inside the elbows and behind the knees
• Buttocks, groin, and genitals

Symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis include:

• Itchy skin
• Flakes of skin on the scalp, eyebrows, or facial hair (dandruff)
• Yellow, greasy scales or crusts
• Thickened or discolored patches of skin (called plaques)
• Small bumps or inflamed hair follicles on the face and chest

The color of the rash from seborrheic dermatitis depends on your natural skin tone. It may look red or pink on lighter skin and darker, brown, or purplish on darker skin.

Some people with darker skin tones may also develop a form called petaloid seborrheic dermatitis. This type of seborrheic dermatitis causes round, flower petal-shaped pink or white rashes around the cheeks and nose and on the eyebrows.

In infants, seborrheic dermatitis is called cradle cap. Babies with darker skin tones may have lighter or pink patches or scaly, flaky skin. Light-skinned babies with cradle cap may have thick yellow crusts or plaques with some redness on the scalp.

Treatment Options for Seborrheic Dermatitis

While there’s no cure for seborrheic dermatitis, treatments can help reduce itching and flaking and help control flare-ups. It may take some trial and error to find what works best for your skin.

Treatment options include a variety of shampoos, creams, foams, pills, and ointments that contain ingredients like antifungals or steroids. Your doctor will recommend treatments based on where symptoms are located and how severe they are.

For mild seborrheic dermatitis, over-the-counter treatments may help, including:

• Over-the-counter dandruff shampoos with coal tar, zinc pyrithione, selenium sulfide, or salicylic acid
• Medicated antifungal shampoos, with ingredients such as ketoconazole

Treatments for moderate to severe seborrheic dermatitis include:

• Topical antifungals
• Topical corticosteroids
• Topical calcineurin inhibitors
• Topical PDE4 inhibitors
• Oral antifungal medications
• Phototherapy with ultraviolet light

Conditions Related to Seborrheic Dermatitis

Seborrheic dermatitis may happen alongside other health conditions, known as comorbidities. These conditions include Parkinson’s disease, HIV, and AIDS. Treating any comorbidities may help resolve skin symptoms.

In rare cases, seborrheic dermatitis can cause skin infections if left untreated. You may also experience side effects from topical corticosteroids or antifungal medications, including skin thinning, nausea, and other skin problems. Seborrheic dermatitis can also cause changes in your mood and self-esteem.

What Is the Prognosis of Seborrheic Dermatitis?

Seborrheic dermatitis is a chronic skin condition. Symptoms may come and go over the course of years. The condition is not dangerous, but it can be uncomfortable during flare-ups. The good news is that symptoms can usually be managed well with treatments.

Even though seborrheic dermatitis causes inflammation around hair follicles, it doesn’t cause permanent hair loss.

If you notice any symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis, or if you have another health condition that increases your risk, talk to your healthcare provider or dermatologist. They can work with you to create a treatment plan to help keep your symptoms under control and address any underlying health conditions that may make your symptoms worse.

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