Seborrheic Dermatitis

Basics

A common and chronic papulosquamous inflammatory skin disorder
Affects all age groups and varies from mild dandruff to extensive adherent scale
Found in areas with high concentrations of sebaceous follicles and glands
Sharply demarcated yellow to red to brown, greasy, scaling, crusting patches/plaques
Periods of remission and exacerbation frequent in adults

Exact pathogenesis not fully understood
Multifactorial with environmental, genetic, hormonal, immunologic, microbial, and nutritional influences
Strong association with Malassezia yeasts
Complex physiologic response:
- Immunologic
- Inflammatory
- Hyperproliferation
Disease flares are common with physical and emotional stress or illness
Factors predisposing patients to develop seborrheic dermatitis and more severe or refractory disease:
- Parkinson disease
- Paralysis
- HIV/AIDS
- Mood disorders including depression
- Congestive heart failure
- Immunosuppression in premature infants
Medications known to induce or aggravate seborrheic dermatitis include:
- Arsenic
- Auranofin
- Aurothioglucose
- Buspirone
- Carbamazepine
- Chlorpromazine
- Cimetidine
- Ethionamide
- Gold
- Griseofulvin
- Haloperidol
- Interferon-α
- Lithium
- Methoxsalen
- Methyldopa
- Phenothiazines
- Phenytoin
- Primidone
- Psoralen
- Stanozolol
- Thiothixene
- Trioxsalen

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