What Should You Do after a Seborrheic Dermatitis Diagnosis?
Posted on: 29 November 2021
The human body is complex, and as a result, lots of things can go wrong, even if they're not dangerous. Seborrheic dermatitis is one such condition. While seborrheic dermatitis tends to be long-lasting and recurring, it's not contagious, but can create a lot of cosmetic problems for its sufferers. You may even require visits with dermatology specialists. If you've been told that you may have seborrheic dermatitis by a doctor, here's what you should do in order to manage it.
What It Is
At its core, seborrheic dermatitis is essentially a condition where the body creates new skin cells too quickly.
Under normal circumstances, new skin cells are constantly being developed. Once an old skin cell reaches a certain age, it's sloughed off by the body, and the new cell takes its place. With seborrheic dermatitis, however, these new cells are produced before the older cells are released. As a result, small raised patches can form on the skin, which typically look similar to dandruff, but larger, and often with a greasy yellow appearance. These patches tend to stick to oily parts of the body, so they're quite common on the scalp, eyebrows, around the nose and T-zone, and other sebaceous glands. In addition to the raised skin patches, rashes and irritation may also occur, making your skin look red and irritated, and feeling itchy.
See a Specialist
While seborrheic dermatitis can often be diagnosed by general physicians, it's important to get a specialist's opinion, as well. Dermatologists are pros at treating all skin conditions, and can diagnose seborrheic dermatitis with certainty.
When you visit the dermatologist, they'll inspect your skin and may take a small sample to send to a lab. Generally this condition can be diagnosed visually, but the sample allows them to make sure that there aren't other issues that can cause similar problems, like eczema or ringworm.
Once you've been diagnosed, your dermatologist will provide you with some information and tips on what you can do about it. Seborrheic dermatitis often responds well to anti-dandruff products, and keeping your skin clean and as oil-free as possible may also be beneficial. Products that speed up cell turnover, like retinol, may also be beneficial, but should only be used with a dermatologist's go-ahead, as they can also cause irritation to the skin.
Long-Term Care
For many people, seborrheic dermatitis symptoms come and go over time. Weather changes, stress, and even age can play a role in whether or not you're having breakouts and irritation on your skin. As a result, once your seborrheic dermatitis is under control, you shouldn't stop treating your skin. Make an effort to exfoliate and keep your skin as clean and oil-free as possible. UV rays have also been shown to have a beneficial effect on seborrheic dermatitis, so make sure that you're getting a bit of sunshine each day.
This condition can be quite irritating, but thankfully, it's not detrimental to your health. If you're tired of having ugly skin patches and itchiness, talk to a dermatologist.
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