Seborrhea is an excessive discharge of sebum from your sebaceous glands that causes oily, crusty or scaly skin condition.
Sebum is an oily waxy secretion predominantly composed of fat and keratin. It’s mostly secreted from your sebaceous glands to protect your skin from drying and lubricates your hair. When it combines with sweat, the combination takes on antifungal and antibacterial properties. Sebum is also secreted by other glands, such as your tarsal glands of your eyelids.
Your sebaceous glands are ducts that generally open into hair follicles. The control of these glands secretion of sebum are androgen hormones, particularly testosterone. Hence, seborrhea tends to be a bit worse in males.
Seborrheic dermatitis is the health condition caused by seborrhea that results in skin symptoms, such as:
- itching
- burning
- redness
- flaky skin
- inflammation
- yellow crusty patches
For most, this seborrhea caused health condition is a scalp issue. Cradle cap is the term used for seborrhea of a baby’s scalp and dandruff for older folks. Although other skin areas are prone to a seborrhea caused problems, like eyelids, side of the nose, chin, behind the ears and groin area.
Having seborrhea is a genetic thing. Therefore, the best you can do is treat your affected skin areas as they appear. Forms of treatment that combat the issue head on include products containing zinc pyrithione, coal tar, selenium sulfideand ketoconazole. Topical hydrocortisonehelps with skin flare-up discomfort. And using exfoliating alpha hydroxy acidor beta hydroxy acidproducts can help dissolve your seborrhea build up.