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Seborrhoeic dermatitis - Making a diagnosis
Adolescents and adults
- Seborrhoeic dermatitis is characterized by red, flaky, greasy areas of skin, which are commonly found on the scalp (dandruff), nasolabial folds, and eyebrows, behind the ears, and on the upper chest [Gupta and Bluhm, 2004].
- The clinical picture may vary; some people may only experience mild dandruff, whereas others have more widespread, oily, dense scaling on the scalp, face, and trunk, with symmetrical distribution of lesions [Gupta and Bluhm, 2004].
- Other presentations may be seen:
- Blepharitis is common and presents with scaly lid margins, sometimes with yellow crusts [Holden and Berth-Jones, 2004]. For more information, see the CKS topic on Blepharitis.
- Different types of seborrhoeic dermatitis can appear on the chest [Schwartz et al, 2006]:
- Petaloid type — reddish-brown follicular and perifollicular papules with greasy scales. The papules can expand to form patches in the shape of flower petals or medallions.
- Pityriasiform type (less common) — generalized macules and patches that resemble extensive pityriasis rosea.
- Flexural seborrhoeic dermatitis (e.g. axillae, groin, anogenital, and submammary regions) presents as intertrigo with diffuse, marginated red areas and greasy scaling [Holden and Berth-Jones, 2004].
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