Via practica 4/2012

Seborrhoeic dermatitis

Seborrhoeic dermatitis is a common inflammatory disease of the skin that varies greatly in severity between individuals and with time. It occurs most often on the face, scalp and chest, but it is not always accompanied by overproduction of sebum (seborrhoe). The recent resurgence of interest in Malassezia yeasts has revived the old hypothesis that seborrhoeic dermatitis is caused by an altered relationship between these skin commensals and the host. Both antifungal and anti-inflammatory steroid preparations have been used to treat seborrhoeic dermatitis effectively and safely, but the disease tends to recur frequently.

Keywords: seborrhoeic dermatitis, Malassezia, individual susceptibility, treatment.