Seborrheic Dermatitis

Seborrheic Dermatitis or simply SD is a widespread inflammatory skin disorder affecting around 3% to 5% of the entire world's population. SD usually occurs in the areas of skin that mainly contain sebaceous sebum and glands.

Commonly affected areas include eyebrows, ears, groin, nose, neck, armpits, chest, face, scalp, beard, navel, and perianal area. Common symptoms of Seborrheic dermatitis are pink areas turning red swollen skin with either oily or dry skin flakes. Sometimes, the affected areas burn or itch excessively.

Seborrheic Dermatitis Risk Factors

Doctors and researchers still do not know the exact root cause of SD. A famous assumption linked with SD is yeast (malassezia genus) organisms, which are usual inhabitants of human skin.

Yeasts require lipids for survival purposes, as they are likely to inhabit the areas of skin, which are moderately rich in sebum. Studies revealed that yeasts produce an immuno-allergic reaction in vulnerable individuals, whereas other studies state that yeasts metabolize sebum and produce infuriating side effects on the skin.

Other causative factors responsible for contributing towards SD are:

1.   Genetic sensitivity
2.   Living environment, maybe humidity and temperature
3.   Seborrhea (greasy skin), as it promotes the development of malassezia
4.   Excessive exposure to detergents, irritants, and soaps that damage the skin's defensive ability
5.   Parkinson's disease
6.   HIV infection
7.   Androgens might also play a vital role by boosting sebum production
8.   Neurological conditions such as paralysis, multiple sclerosis, and stroke
9.   Alcoholism
10. Mood disorders such as stress or depression
11. Working environment
12. Poor hygiene conditions

In view of all the conducted researches and studies, it seems that there are three prime factors hugely responsible to cause Seborrheic dermatitis: predisposition to yeast, sebum, and malassezia yeast.

All these contribute to the list of causative factors for Seborrheic dermatitis. Unfortunately, medical researchers lack thorough knowledge regarding these factors and their connection with SD.