seborrheic dermatitis in baby how to treat them
This article will be very informative to everyone, most importantly to our mothers whose babies might be suffering from this infection.
because we will be talking about a general skin infection that affects everyone even infants are not spared.
Seborrheic Dermatitis (SD) is a chronic disease that affects the the top layer of the body that is surrounded by the Sebaceous glands. The Sebaceous glands constantly secrete oil which makes it a fertile ground for Dermatitis resulting to itching, scaling, rash and ring-shaped patches of dry, pink skin.
When babies are infected by
Seborrheic dermatitis its often referred to as cradle cap, cradle cap mostly affects children within the first 3 months of life making their hair to appear flicky.
Table of Contents
Places prone to Seborrheic Dermatitis in children
SD normally affects the following areas :
- nose
- Back
- scalp
- face
- ear
Causes seborrheic dermatitis (SD) in children
For now the causes of SD is not yet known but a study has shown that patients (children) who are immune depressed mostly suffer from this infection.
Most doctors have associated it to immune intolerance to some kind of yeast found on the skin.
chemical irritants that makes the skin to over produce oil can also trigger it.
What are the symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis in children?
When seborrheic dermatitis affects a baby they will experience the following:
- It inflammatory effect will make the skin to be red and also itchy
- There will be patches of scaly or flaky which normally appears yellow or white in color
- The baby will likely be scratching his or her body often
How to cure seborrheic dermatitis
There is no permanent cure for now, you can only control it, treat i t and manage it.
When selecting a type of treatment you should place more emphasis on ease of use, effectiveness and the age of the baby , all this should be be put into consideration.
SD on the scalp
When it affect the scalp the perfect treatment to apply should be the following
Medicated shampoo : medicated shampoo which is an antifungal agent has proven to be effective because of its antiinflammatory effect, for you to achieve your desired result it is advisable you make use of it twice a day for a couple of weeks.
Types of medication shampoo to go for :
coal tar shampoo: this shampoo is the most popular shampoo that is widely used to treat SD.
It is known to reduce inflammation of the skin because of it antiinflammatory effect . If you should sustain usage of 7 days you will notice that most symptoms caused by SD wil l disappear.
tea tree oil shampoo: this is one of the best and safest shampoo for children because it suit their tender skin; not only that it can also be use as a preventive measure against future reoccurrence
zinc pyrithione shampoo: this shampoo contains some antifungal and anti inflammatory properties that elevate itching and also ensures a healthy scalp
selenium sulfide shampoo: since we are dealing with baby it’s advisable not to go for this type of shampoo unless a child is above 5 years of age.
Topical liquid : you can make use of topical antifungal, why we are recommending topical antifungal is because it won’t harm the sensitive skin of the baby
Spray or gel foam:
Face
When it affects the face then its advisable for you to follow this any of the following routine :
Oral medication
For best results it’s no bad idea if you combine both therapy together to achieve fast results
Oral ketoconazole: this has proven to be highly effective for SD on the scalp and other part of the body
How to use it : you should sustain the usage for a period of 4 weeks to totally over came the this infection.
Regina Uwalaka. Am your regular Dermatologist with 8 years of experience, you can contact me on any of my social media accounts