Scalp Eczema
When it comes to eczema, the scalp is not a very common problem area but it can be just as annoying and embarrassing as other types of eczema. Scalp eczema is flakier than regular eczema but the skin is just as red, irritated and itchy as it would elsewhere in other body areas. On the other hand, the skin of the scalp is completely different from regular skin, having more hair follicles and more oil glands.
Eczema of the scalp is called seborrheic dermatitis. It affects only the greasiest parts of the body, namely the face and scalp. You can get it in the T-zone across the forehead and in the nasal area of the face. You can get it anywhere in the scalp area. Eyebrows often get eczema. Scalp eczema is the most common of the seborrheic dermatitis cases. The inner cheeks of the face are also affected along with the inner aspects of the skin of the eyes. Other than the face, the armpits get seborrheic dermatitis, especially when oil glands develop in puberty.
The skin of this kind of eczema can be pink or red in color and often has scales on it that is yellow or gray in color. Parts of the scalp can be affected, as can the entire scalp in severe cases.
It isn’t known exactly what causes this kind of eczema but doctors have found an overgrowth of a particular strain of yeast known as Malassezia or Pityrosporum ovale in the skin of sufferers of this type of eczema. The yeast overgrows in situations such as excessive sweating or intolerance to a shampoo which causes the eczema to flare up.
Dandruff is a type of seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp and it is a common cause of itching and excessive scaling of the skin of the scalp. It can be a mild case of dandruff or a very severe case of dandruff. Using dandruff shampoos do a lot to reduce the rash of the scalp and make the itching better. The skin begins to heal and eventually the dandruff dermatitis goes away.
Babies can get scalp eczema too. It occurs around 2-3 months of age in those who have oily skin on their scalp and looks like yellow scales covering the baby’s scalp. It is also called cradle cap. The best treatment for cradle cap is to put baby oil on the scalp so that the skin is coated with oil and use a fine-toothed comb in order to brush out the scales. You then wash the hair with hypoallergenic baby shampoo and repeat the above steps every day until the scales and redness are gone. This kind of cradle cap does not usually last more than a month and almost always goes away completely after that.
The usual kind of seborrheic dermatitis or scalp eczema occurs after the age of puberty. This is when oil glands are overactive and the rash starts. It may predispose a teen to having psoriasis later in life, when they reach their mid-20s to mid-30s. It can also predispose a teen to developing other kinds of eczema, such as the kind that affects the inner aspect of the elbows and behind the knees.
Another condition that affects the scalp is known as sebopsoriaisis, in which there is scalp dermatitis, dermatitis of the face and dermatitis of the chest, which also has a fair amount of oil glands.
