Dandruff
(Seborrhea)

Medical Author: Alan Rockoff, MD
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

• What is dandruff (seborrhea)?
• What doesn't help dandruff (seborrhea)?
• What over-the-counter products can help dandruff (seborrhea)?
• If over-the-counter products don't work, what can the doctor prescribe for dandruff (seborrhea)?
• Related dandruff articles:
  Dandruff - on WebMD

What is dandruff (seborrhea)?

Seborrhea is not just skin dryness. Actually, the word "seborrhea" means "too much oil." Seborrhea is also known as seborrheic dermatitis or common dandruff.

Seborrhea can present as a variety of conditions such as dandruff, thick scales on the scalp, redness on the face or in the armpits, or raw, red patches below the breasts. Although some of these conditions may feel "dry," moisturizing only makes them redder. In other cases the skin may seem oily or even oily and dry at the same time.

Seborrhea (dandruff) is a skin disorder that results from neither too little moisture nor too much oil. It is a form of skin inflammation (dermatitis) which has no known cause. This condition can appear at any time from infancy to old age, and can come and go more or less at random. Treatment of seborrhea (dandruff) is directed at fighting the skin inflammation. This is done either directly, by using cortisone-based creams and lotions (which reduce inflammation), or by reducing the yeast that builds up on scaly areas and adds to the problem. Note, though, that dandruff is not a yeast infection.

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