Itching All Over

What is seborrheic dermatitis?

Seborrheic dermatitis, also called dandruff or eczema, is an inflammation of areas of the skin where oil-producing sebaceous glands are present (oily areas).

What are the symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis?

Mild forms of seborrheic dermatitis are characterized by a fine, white, powdery scale, usually on the scalp. More severe forms are characterized by powdery or greasy scales on the scalp, face, trunk, or back.

Where does seborrheic dermatitis occur?

Seborrheic dermatitis is most prominent on the scalp, along the hairline, between the eyebrows, on the edges of the eyelids (blepharitis), in the creases beside the nose, and behind the ears.

Sebhorreic dermatitis of the trunk occurs in the body folds including the navel and groin.

Who gets seborrheic dermatitis?

Seborrheic dermatitis is more common in men and usually occurs during the teens and twenties.

Infantile seborrheic dermatitis, also known as “cradle cap,” occurs commonly in babies, but usually clears up by twelve months of age.

Why does seborrheic dermatitis occur?

Two probably factors for the development of seborrheic dermatitis include hormonal involvement and overgrowth of a common yeast known as malassezia.

Evidence of hormonal influence is provided by research demonstrating that the human sebocyte responds to androgen stimulation [Zouboulis CC, Xia L, Akamatsu H, Seltmann H, Fritsch M, Hornemann S, et al. The human sebocyte culture model provides new insights into development and management of seborrhoea and acne. Dermatology 1998;196:21-31].

Pityrosporum ovale, a lipophilic yeast of the Malassezia genus, has been implicated in the development of seborrheic dermatitis [Hay RJ, Graham-Brown RA. Dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis: causes and management. Clin Exp Dermatol 1997;22:3-6.].

Sebhorreic dermatitis responds to antifungal treatment, providing evidence of the role of yeast in the condition.

How is seborrheic dermatitis treated?

If left untreated, a secondary bacterial infection may result. Treatment focuses on cleansing and removal of scales, followed by medication if necessary.

Scales are removed by applying olive oil to the affected area, letting it sit, scrubbing gently, and shampooing. Olive oil loosens the scales and also has antifungal properties. Coconut oil may also be used and also contains antifungal properties.

Sun exposure inhibits the growth of P. ovale [Wikler JR, Janssen N, Bruynzeel DP, Nieboer C. The effect of UV-light on pityrosporum yeasts: ultrastructural changes and inhibition of growth. Acta Derm Venereol 1990;70:69-71].

Over-the-counter and prescription medicated shampoos can be used, as well as antifungal medications.

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Sunburn is a very common skin problem. You’ll get it with too much exposure in the sun. It is expected with people who love sunbathing in the beach and those whose job requires them to be on the field at all times. There are many ointments and lotions available today that can heal sunburn. But do you know that most of them contain herbs as the primary ingredient? These herbs are very helpful in treating sunburns and other sun-related damages to the skin.

Aloe Vera is an herb that you can use against sunburn. It has soothing properties that allows for a speedy recovery of sunburns. There are many Aloe Vera gels and lotions available at herbal stores and pharmacies today. You can use them on your sun burnt skin. Just read the indications on the label. Take extra care when using these lotions though, as they can be harmful if applied on broken skin. Aloe Vera has effective anti-inflammatory properties that can help soothe sunburns.

Aside from Aloe Vera, comfrey is also an effective herb for sunburn. Comfrey has allantoin, a natural active ingredient that stimulates skin cell regeneration. Comfrey juices and lotions are widely available these days. You can apply them directly on the skin for best effects. If you can’t find any comfrey creams in the market, you can simply get some leaves and stems from a comfrey plant and extract the juice yourself.

Green tea can also help address sunburn. However, this herbal remedy is mostly used on the eyes alone. Cool some green tea bag and then put them in your eyelids as you sleep. Its gentle soothing relief would heal sun burnt eyelids in no time.

St. John’s Wort is another effective herb for sunburns. The infused oil or extract of this herb can be applied topically on the skin to help relieve the pain, redness, and inflammation brought about by the sun. Use it regularly to speed up the skin’s healing process.

Calendula can be used against sun burn as well. Its anti-inflammatory properties can decrease the redness around the affected areas. Look for ointments that contain calendula. Most of the time, this herb is combined with comfrey and aloe for best effects.

Gotu Kola is another herb effective for sun burnt skin. You simply drink Gotu Kola tea on a regular basis as an internal medication for sunburn. Gotu Kola tincture is known to have the same effects. This herb helps by stimulating the formation of collagen while healing damaged tissues.

Other effective herbal remedies for Sunburn:

Aloe Vera for Sunburn: Aloe Vera comes from leaves of an aloe plant. Its gel has a soothing effect on a sun burnt skin. It has anti-inflammatory properties to help the skin regenerate faster and helps in restoring its natural state fast. Commercially-prepared Aloe Vera gels are now available in health stores and specialty shops. Just apply it on the affected areas and you should be all set.

Comfrey Treatment for Sunburn: Comfrey contains allantion. It is a very helpful substance for cell regeneration. To use it for sunburn, just extract the juice or lotion taken from the stems of fresh comfrey leaves. It should give you an instant relief to sunburn.

Calendula Cure: Calendula works as an anti-inflammatory agent. For people with sun burnt skin, calendula can help decrease the instances of redness and swelling. Just like the others, the extracts of this herb is to be applied topically on the affected areas.

St. John’s Wort Remedy: St. John’s Wort is another wonder herb that can ease the pain and swelling associated with sunburn.

There are many St. John’s Wort oil and extract available at health stores today. Take a small portion of it and apply on the burnt skin. Your sunburn should heal it in no time.

Gotu Kola Treatment for Sunburn: Unlike the others, Gotu Kola is best taken orally as an aid to sun burnt skin. Gotu Kola tincture or tea can speed up the healing of the tissues. It works by stimulating the synthesis of collagen in the skin.

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You know when you have a rash. Its an outbreak of red bumps on the skin. The most common types of rash are as follows. Scaly patches of skin not caused by infection. Scaly patches of skin caused by a fungus or bacterial infection. Red itchy bumps scattered randomly on the skin.

Rashes are seldom dangerous self diagnosis is not a good idea. The proper evaluation of a rash should be done by a doctor. A doctor can determine what type of rash you have and prescribe proper treatment. Scaly patches of skin that are not caused by an infection are usually referred to as eczema. Atopic dermatitis is the most common type of eczema. This type is hereditary and often appears in childhood as chapped cheeks and scaly patches on the hands, legs torso and arms. This type of eczema appears on adults on the hands, genitals, eyelids and can appear almost anywhere on the body.

This type of eczema is inherited from your parents. Atopic dermatitis can apear and disappear for no apparant reason but things like the weather can have an effect on it.

The word “dermatitis” means inflammation of the skin, “atopic means hereditary. Hereditary means that it runs in your family.

Diseases that are hereditary often occur together, that is they can tend to make their appearance simultaneously. In atopic dermatitis the skin can become inflamed and itchy with swelling and cracking and can include weeping, crusting and scaling. People afflicted with this type of rash may also have allergies but most cases of this type of rash are not the result of an allergic reaction. This type of rash is not contagious even though spread patterns may make it apear as though it is.

Another type of rash is “contact dermatitis”. This type of rash is brought on by contact with a substance that is irritating to the skin. This can be any one of a number of things including allergic reactions to substances or contact with chemical irritants.

This type of rash can be causes by poison ivy or poison oak as well as prolonged contact with something like gasoline or strong cleaning products. Frequently it is caused by exposure to nickel in costume jewelry. Almost everyone has experienced this type of rash at some point in their life.

Topical treatments such as ointments along with avoidance of what caused the rash in the first place are the usual prescription for this type of rash.

Another type of rash is red or scaly patches of skin caused by fungus or bacterial infection. Fungus infections are the most common. They have nothing to do with hygiene clean people get them as well as those who might not be so clean. In contrary to the myth they are not highly contagious.

They are not easily transmitted in gym shower or locker rooms or on toilet seats. Antifungal creams are the usual course of treatment. Many of these types of creams can be purchased over the counter at your local drug store.

Another type of rash is a bacterial infection. This type of rash is caused by a bacteria rather than a fungus. Again hygene plays little or no part in this infection. Treatment for this type of rash might include oral antibiotics and a perscription strength topical ointment. The over the counter treatment that are effective on fubgus caused rashes are just not very effective on bacterial rashes.

Viral rashes are caused by a viral infection. They can come as a symptom to a disease like chicken pocks or herpes or a number of other diseases. But this is not always the case the viral infection can also be just the rash itself. Many diseases do have a rash as one of their symptoms though

Allergic drug rashes are caused by an allergic reaction to a drug. Many people are allergic to a specific drug and a rash can apear days or weeks after taking the drug they are allergic to. A common drug that people are allergic to is penicillin.

Treatment for this type of rash is to discontinue the use of the drug and wait for it to go away. Topical treatments to sooth the itching are available over the counter. In extreme cases you may require a perscription strength topical treatment.

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Egg allergies are common among many young children and most will grow out of the allergy by the time they turn five. The rest will remain allergic for their entire lives. The difficulty with egg allergies is that eggs and egg proteins are in a number of commercially produced products and are not always listed on the label. There are different allergies within eggs; some can be allergic to the egg white proteins, while others are allergic to the yolk. Egg proteins are not just in the foods that are eaten but also in cosmetics, shampoos and even flu vaccines.

As with many food allergies the symptoms are similar starting with digestive problems.

Atopic Dermatitis affects one out of ten infants and is caused mostly to allergies and is a sign of an allergy to egg proteins. This is often known as eczema. It is not only infants that can be affected. Although, many infants outgrow the allergy, it is possible for an adult to develop atopic dermatitis from an egg allergy. In an infant this will appear as a rash with small white ‘pimples’ that are red in center on the infant’s cheeks, neck and scalp. It is not a diaper rash. If any of the infected center pimples will ooze fluid and spread over a wider area. In older children it will appear in places such as the inner forearms and the inner elbows. Some may get the ‘pimples’ on their eyelids and soles of the feet. The difficulty is that this is atopic dermatitis is a symptom of a number of different allergens from bacterial, fungal, or viral infections.

An egg allergy may cause hives. When the hives do not go away it is called chronic urticaria which is commonly caused by an allergy. Unlike the ‘pimples’ of atopic dermatitis , hives do not have any fluid contained within the centers.

Allergic asthma is another symptom that can occur as a result of allergic reaction to egg proteins. Allergic asthma is characterized with airway obstruction and inflammation which is reversible with medication. Unfortunately, the symptoms of allergic and non-allergic asthma are the same. It can be coughing, wheezing, shortens of breath or chest tightness.

Another symptom of egg protein allergies is what is called rhinitis. This is a runny, stuffed up nose accompanied by a headache in the area around the eyes. It is nearly impossible for a person to be able to determine rhinitis from the common cold with congestion and sinusitis. Although rhinitis is not life threatening in any way, it can make a person miserable with cold like symptoms lasting for long periods of time.

The most serious symptom of egg protein allergies is anaphylaxis. This is when the blood vessels widen so much that a person’s blood pressure plummets. To start with a person may become flushed, develop a rash, swelling of lips, sweating, paleness leading into abdominal cramps, rapid pulse, fainting, confusion, or convulsions. Anaphylaxis is a life threatening allergic reaction that if not treated quickly (minutes) it can lead to death. In some the symptoms at first do not seem as urgent as they can include itching in the mouth or throat, hoarseness, or feeling the need to urinate.

If you suspect you or your child is having any signs of anaphylaxis dial 911.

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Seborrhoeic Dermatitis is a disease of the skin. It is an inflammation of the skin, so it is called dermatitis (a type of eczema). As it is connected to sebaceous glands, it is called seborrhoeic. This is a condition of skin when skin develops red scaly patches on a area. There are no known reasons for this disease except that a type of yeast may be responsible. Those who have an oily face and scalp can develop this disease quickly. Dandruff is a kind of seborrhoeic dermatitis without red patches. Seborrhea is also another kind of seborrhoeic dermatitis without redness and scales. Seborrhoeic dermatitis can be easily treated using topical shampoos and ointments. It cannot be cured forever.

Seborrhoeic Dermatitis > Look And Site Of Occurrence

Seborrhoeic Dermatitis commonly affects the scalp, face, eyelids, sides of nose, groin, chest, armpits and other places that are oily or warm. On different sites, it may look little different. On the scalp, sometimes it becomes difficult to determine if it is psoriasis or seborrhoeic dermatitis.

When you get seborrhoeic dermatitis, it will look like red patches with scales. The scales are commonly white or yellow in color. Most of the patches are ring shaped. It is a harmless disease and affects many people.

Seborrhoeic Dermatitis > Who Gets It?

Seborrhoeic dermatitis is believed to be an inflammatory reaction related to a proliferation of a normal skin inhabitant, a yeast called Malassezia (formerly known as Pityrosporum ovale). Patients with seborrhoeic dermatitis appear to have a reduced resistance to the yeast.

Any healthy person can get seborrhoeic dermatitis. Though, it is found that those with Parkinson’s disease are more prone to it. People with AIDS get seborrhoeic dermatitis that spreads wildly on their body. It is not known, if seborrhoeic dermatitis is a hereditary disease or if diet has any connection with it. Stress sometimes triggers seborrhoeic dermatitis. Cold weather finds more patients of deborrhoeic dermatitis than warm weather. It itches, forms a sore and the patches of skin with scales may look embarrassing on the face. Do you have reduced resistance to yeast? If yes, you are more prone to seborrhoeic dermatitis because it is believed to be caused by a type of yeast that normally lies on the body.

Seborrhoeic Dermatitis > Treatment>

There is no known complete cure for seborrhoeic dermatitis. Using shampoos on the scalp and ointments/creams/gels on the body can control it. You may have to use these medications for a long time till the seborrhoeic dermatitis does not clear. You should therefore avoid more use of steroids for treating seborrhoeic dermatitis.

For scalp, your doctor may prescribe shampoo containing active ingredients such as selenium sulphide, zinc pyrithione, or ketoconazole. You should allow the shampoo to remain on your scalp for about five minutes minimum and then wash it off. Your doctor will tell you about the frequency of use of the shampoo. The frequency depends upon severity of the disease.

For treatment of the patches on the body, your doctor may prescribe steroid creams, or anti-fungal preparations. Sometimes, they may be combined with anti-bacterial agents. Apply the formulations as directed.

There is no known prevention for seborrhoeic dermatitis. Keep your body free of oil, don’t get stressed and watch when the weather changes. Washing your scalp regularly with an anti-fungal shampoo once a week may be a good idea. Consult your doctor about treatment and prevention.

If you have psoriasis with seborrhoeic dermatitis, your doctor will follow a different line of treatment.

This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advise and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Please follow any tip given in this article only after consulting your doctor. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from information obtained from this article.

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