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Seborrhoeic dermatitis - Management
How should I treat recurrence?

  • Use clinical judgement depending on the overall duration and appearance of the rash, bearing in mind that seborrhoeic dermatitis in infants usually resolves spontaneously:
    • If confident that the diagnosis is correct, consider repeating a course of treatment.
    • If the diagnosis is uncertain, seek specialist advice.
Basis for recommendation
  • CKS could find no systematic reviews of the treatment of recurrent episodes of seborrhoeic dermatitis in infants.
  • Infantile seborrhoeic dermatitis usually resolves within several weeks to several months [O'Connor et al, 2008]. Because the condition is self limiting and the course is generally short, CKS does not recommend prophylactic measures, but suggests reviewing the diagnosis if symptoms persist.

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