Seborrheic Dermatitis (Seborrhea)

Prevention

Because doctors do not know what causes seborrhea, there is no way to prevent it. However, symptoms can be controlled with effective treatment.

Treatment

If you have an infant with cradle cap, your doctor may suggest applying baby oil to soften the scale, followed by shampooing with a mild baby shampoo to gently remove the scale. If this doesn't help, your doctor may recommend an anti-seborrhea shampoo. For skin areas outside the scalp, your doctor may prescribe hydrocortisone or an anti-yeast cream, because yeast sometimes can trigger seborrhea.

If you are an adult with scalp seborrhea, your doctor may suggest a shampoo containing coal tar, selenium sulfide, or zinc pyrithione. Brand names include Selsun Blue, Exelderm, Head & Shoulders, Zincon, and DHS zinc. Your doctor also may prescribe corticosteroid cream and shampoo containing ketoconazole. For other skin areas, hydrocortisone or anti-yeast cream can be rubbed directly into seborrhea patches.