Dermatitis is general term for the collective skin conditions that causes the skin to swell, become red and irritated and to itch like crazy. One very common type of dermatitis is called seborrheic dermatitis.


Seborrheic dermatitis is a skin condition that often affects the scalp and causes dandruff. Actually, for the adults and children that suffer from seborrheic dermatitis it is normally just called dandruff, unless a person has a severe case. When an infant is unlucky enough to suffer from seborrheic dermatitis it is usually called cradle cap.



The symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis are simple to recognize. They are red and itchy skin on the scalp and of course the flaking and peeling of the skin that is commonly referred to as dandruff. Though it is most common in the scalp that is not the only place that people can suffer from it on. It can also be on a person’s face, the chest, in creases of the arms or the legs, and on the groin. The skin of these places often looks greasy, flakey, or scaly when a person has a problem with seborrheic dermatitis.


Though the actual cause of seborrheic dermatitis is not actually known there are two theories. One of them is hormones. This is believed because people will often suffer from it as infants and have it disappear before they hit puberty. Another thought is that fungus causes it. It is called malassezia. It is normal for this to be on the skin in small numbers, but at times these numbers increase dramatically causing people to have some skin problems.


Treatment for seborrheic dermatitis is rather easy. There are shampoos that you can buy that treat the irritation as often as you need and they usually help to stop the dandruff completely. These shampoos can be as simple as over the counter dandruff shampoos like Head and Shoulders or, if your seborrheic dermatitis is bad enough your doctor can prescribe a shampoo that you usually use weekly to control the itching and flaking of your skin. If you don’t get any relief from any of the everyday shampoos you should go to your doctor to see about your other options.

Tags: Adults, Cradle Cap, Creases, Dermatitis, Flakey, Fungus, Groin, Head And Shoulders, Hormones, Itchy Skin, Legs, Peeling, Puberty, Seborrheic Dermatitis, Shampoo, Skin Condition, Skin Conditions, Skin Problems, Two Theories