Will seborrheic dermatitis recur?

Written by Huang Ling Juan
Dermatology
Updated on February 13, 2025
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Seborrheic dermatitis is likely to recur. In cases of seborrheic dermatitis, oily skin can easily lead to recurrence. Additionally, an inappropriate diet, often consisting of spicy, irritating food, as well as fried and greasy food, and habitual late nights, can also easily lead to recurrence. Therefore, when seborrheic dermatitis occurs, it’s essential to maintain a light diet, avoiding spicy and irritating foods, and seek treatment under the guidance of a doctor. For topical use, one can choose corticosteroid medications, typically choices include desonide ointment or hydrocortisone butyrate cream. For oral medications, options include Vitamin B6 or a B-complex vitamin. If itching is significant, it might also be necessary to combine treatment with antihistamine medications.

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Written by Xie Ming Feng
Dermatology
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How is seborrheic dermatitis formed?

Seborrheic dermatitis, also known as seborrheic eczema, is a chronic papular and scaly superficial inflammatory skin disease that occurs in areas where sebum is excessively secreted. It commonly affects areas rich in sebaceous glands such as the head, face, and trunk, and is more frequently seen in adults and newborns, often accompanied by itching of varying degrees. The exact cause of this disease is not completely understood; however, it is generally believed to be related to an increase in sebum secretion or changes in its chemical composition. Additionally, colonization and infection by Malassezia yeast play a certain role. Other factors such as mental stress, diet, deficiency in B vitamins, and alcohol abuse also influence the occurrence and progression of the disease to varying extents.

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Written by Xie Ming Feng
Dermatology
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How to Treat Seborrheic Dermatitis

Seborrheic dermatitis, also known as seborrheic eczema, is a chronic papular scaly superficial inflammatory skin disease that occurs in areas with excess sebum secretion. It can be accompanied by varying degrees of itching and typically occurs in areas with abundant sebaceous glands such as the scalp, face, chest, and back. The treatment generally includes three aspects: The first aspect involves advising patients to maintain a regular lifestyle, get sufficient sleep, avoid various mechanical stimuli, use less hot water and soap with high alkalinity for bathing, and pay attention to their diet by limiting and reducing the intake of polysaccharides and fats, alcohol, and spicy and irritating foods, while consuming more fruits and vegetables. The second aspect is the treatment with topical medications. Commonly used medications include mixed preparations containing corticosteroids and antifungal drugs, such as compound miconazole and compound econazole. If the effect is unsatisfactory, topical calcineurin inhibitors such as pimecrolimus or tacrolimus can be used. If there is exudation or erosion, zinc oxide ointment or erythromycin ointment can be chosen. For scalp lesions, shampoos containing ketoconazole or selenium sulfide can be used. The third aspect is the treatment with oral medications, which generally includes supplementation with B vitamins such as vitamin B2, vitamin B6, and compound vitamin B, or zinc-containing preparations. For severe itching, antihistamines can be taken orally. In cases of fungal infection or widespread lesions, oral itraconazole can be administered, and for bacterial infections, tetracycline or erythromycin can be prescribed.

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Written by Xie Ming Feng
Dermatology
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Seborrheic dermatitis is caused by what?

Seborrheic dermatitis, also known as seborrheic eczema, is a chronic papular squamous superficial inflammatory skin disease that occurs in areas with excessive sebum secretion. It can be accompanied by varying degrees of itching and is commonly found on the scalp, face, chest, and back where sebaceous glands are abundant. Both adults and newborns are frequently affected. The exact causes of this condition are not yet fully understood. Currently, it is generally believed to be related to an increase in sebum secretion or changes in its chemical composition. Additionally, colonization and infection by Malassezia fungi, along with factors such as stress, diet, vitamin B group deficiency, and alcohol consumption, can all influence the occurrence and development of this disease to varying degrees.

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Written by Xie Ming Feng
Dermatology
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How to treat symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis?

Seborrheic dermatitis is a chronic papular and scaly superficial inflammatory skin disease that occurs in areas where sebum is secreted. It is often accompanied by varying degrees of itching and commonly affects areas with abundant sebaceous glands, such as the head, face, and trunk. The disease is chronic and may recur periodically. Treatment generally includes three aspects: Firstly, patients should be informed to maintain a regular lifestyle, get sufficient sleep, avoid various mechanical irritations, use less hot water and strongly alkaline soaps for bathing, and pay attention to their diet. They should try to reduce or limit the intake of polysaccharides, alcohol, and spicy foods, while consuming more vegetables and fruits. Secondly, topical medications are used, generally choosing formulations that contain corticosteroids and antifungal agents, such as compound miconazole and compound econazole. If the response is inadequate, calcineurin inhibitors such as tacrolimus and pimecrolimus can be used. Zinc oxide ointment, boric acid and zinc oxide camphor ointment, and erythromycin ointment can be used when there are exuding erosions. If the scalp is affected, shampoos containing ketoconazole or selenium sulfide may be used. Thirdly, oral medication treatments typically include supplementation with B vitamins such as vitamin B2, B6, complex B vitamins, or zinc-containing formulations. For severe itching, antihistamines can be taken orally. Oral itraconazole may be used for fungal infections or widespread lesions. Tetracycline or erythromycin may be used for bacterial infections.

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Written by Xie Ming Feng
Dermatology
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Can seborrheic dermatitis wear makeup?

Seborrheic dermatitis, also known as seborrheic eczema, is a chronic papular squamous superficial inflammatory skin disease that occurs in areas of sebum secretion and can be accompanied by varying degrees of itching. The causes of the disease are generally believed to be related to increased sebum secretion, changes in the chemical composition of sebum, and colonization and infection by Malassezia. Additionally, factors such as mental state, diet, deficiency in B vitamins, alcohol consumption, stress, fatigue, and infections can all variably affect the occurrence and development of the disease. Accordingly, in clinical practice, patients are advised to maintain a regular lifestyle, ensure adequate sleep, adjust their diet, limit intake of polysaccharides and fats, avoid spicy and irritating foods, abstain from alcohol, eat more vegetables and fruits, and avoid various irritants. Furthermore, makeup can potentially irritate the face, so it is generally recommended that patients with seborrheic dermatitis either do not wear makeup or minimize its use.