Seborrheic alopecia

2023 Author: Alfred Shackley | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 13:14

If the sebaceous glands are disrupted, a dermatological disease can develop - seborrheic dermatitis.

The main cause of this form of seborrhea is hypersecretion of the sebaceous glands - excess sebum production. This condition is in most cases caused by an increase in the level of androgens - male hormones - in the body.

The composition of the lubricating greasy secretion changes, the natural protection - disinfecting properties - decrease. Ideal conditions are created for the development of conditionally pathogenic microorganisms that are part of the flora that is constantly on the human body.

The sebaceous ducts of the hair growth zone function especially intensively. The skin thickens, becomes an unhealthy yellowish tint, begins to shine. The strands become dirty almost instantly, become dull, stick together, itching of the skin appears in the area of the hair follicles.

The follicle mouths are clogged with desquamated epithelium and sebaceous secretions. Oxygen ceases to flow to them from the outside, they begin to whine. If you do not treat oily seborrhea, hair loss due to the death of hair follicles can be irreversible.

Types of oily seborrhea and symptoms of the disease

In most cases, the disease of the skin begins with a change in hormonal status - against the background of growing up or with pronounced hormonal changes.

Also stimulate the hypersecretion of the sebaceous glands, changes in diet and diet, diseases of the digestive organs, intoxication of the body, mental disorders and emotional discomfort.

The skin of the hair zone becomes dense, a whitish coating appears on it. On closer inspection, you can clearly see the whitish scales that are tightly adjacent to each other - and sometimes a white-gray coating. Due to constant discomfort - itching of the head - irritability appears, insomnia - a nervous state and a desire to scratch your head prevent you from falling asleep.

The increased fat content of the skin changes its acid-base balance, ideal conditions are created for the development of opportunistic microorganisms.

There are two types of oily seborrhea - thick and liquid.

Oily seborrhea with the release of thick sebaceous secretion causes inflammation in the sebaceous glands - due to blockage, secretion accumulates in them and blackheads appear. The skin around acne becomes inflamed, if a neoplasm is opened, an infection often penetrates there - more often streptococcal flora. After combing, scars remain at the site of the pustules.

If a liquid secretion is secreted with seborrhea, hair loss begins. A yellowish crust forms on the skin, the hair follicles underneath it pretend and weaken. When trying to remove the crust, it comes off along with the hair.

Infant crust causes similar symptoms, but - in contrast to dermatological disease in adults - after its separation, the hair follicles remain. If the fatty seborrhea of adults is not treated, hair loss can become irreversible and hair cannot be restored without a hair transplant.

How to treat seborrheic alopecia

Not all patients begin treatment at the first symptoms of the disease - it seems to them that if they wash their hair more often, they will be able to get rid of the oily sheen and crust at the hair roots.

Frequent shampooing only worsens the condition - the sebaceous ducts, from which the sebum is washed out, send an impulse to the brain: you need to work harder. The secretion production increases, the skin becomes greasy faster.

Disease therapy consists of a set of measures.

1. It is required to normalize the diet. Exclude from it fatty foods and foods, sweets, foods that cause fermentation, stimulating the activity of the fungal flora. The diet should include foods rich in fiber - cereals, bran, fresh vegetables and fruits - except for potatoes, bananas and grapes.
2. They carry out medical and hygienic measures. The head is washed with shampoos with specific properties - having antifungal activity and providing a disinfectant and anti-inflammatory effect.

Shampoos with similar properties are cosmetic and medicinal.

Cosmetic shampoos cleanse the skin, remove crusts and cleanse the sebaceous ducts. Visually, the appearance becomes healthy, but it is worth stopping to use this type of detergent, and the disease returns. The antimycotic and antimicrobial properties of such agents are relatively weak.

Healing shampoos must necessarily have a pronounced antifungal effect.

They may include the following components.

• Ketoconazole or bifonazole. These substances quickly stop the activity of fungi and have a wide spectrum of action. The first remedy is more "old", when oily seborrhea reappears, it may not work - there is a possibility of developing resistance. The second agent is newer and more persistent - it should be used every 3 days, no resistance arises.
• Salicylic acid - has an anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, drying effect. Stops the production of sebum.
• Clotrimazole - destroys fungal spores at the cellular level, when penetrating the membranes of fungal cells, it destroys adult microorganisms. It has a wide spectrum of action, can be used in case of severe symptoms and the presence of secondary infection.
• Zinc pyrithione and ciclopirox simultaneously stop the growth of the fungus and have a disinfectant effect, increasing the immunity of the skin surface.

With a pronounced inflammatory process, these active substances are used not only in shampoos, it may be necessary to apply ointments and gels to the scalp.

Cosmetics and remedies for oily dandruff often include natural remedies:

• essential oils - for example, tea tree or cedar oil, which have pronounced bactericidal properties;
• birch tar - is an active antiseptic, has a depressing effect on pathogens;
• selenium persulfide - a substance that stops the reproduction of fungal flora.
• Symptoms of seborrhea can be eliminated faster if you call on the help of traditional medicine. Funds with antibacterial activity and pronounced anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties are used.

These tools include:

• herbal remedies - chamomile, oak bark, sage, eucalyptus, aloe and others;
• vegetable juices with pronounced bactericidal properties - onions, garlic, beets …;
• medotherapy - honey and propolis;
• Apple vinegar.

Apple cider vinegar not only inhibits the development of fungal flora - it normalizes the activity of the sebaceous glands, has a drying effect.

Hair care after treatment of oily seborrhea

When they begin to be treated on time, go on a diet and use drugs with antimycotic components for treatment, it is possible to stop the development of the disease relatively quickly - in 2-3 months.

More time will have to be spent on restoring the quality of the hair - due to the inflammatory process in the root zone, it has thinned significantly, the hair has become weakened, dull, there are much fewer of them left, the structure of the keratin rods is broken.

For hair restoration, industrial and self-prepared masks are used from components that have a stimulating and irritating effect. They should be used carefully - if you get carried away, a relapse of the disease is possible.

Physiotherapeutic effects help to eliminate residual effects and stimulate the activity of hair follicles: laser comb, ozone therapy, mesotherapy, darsonval.

In order to prevent the re-development of seborrheic dermatitis, it is necessary to accurately establish the cause that caused it, normalize the hormonal background and bring chronic diseases into remission. Hair care should be carried out especially carefully and avoid using other people's combs, regularly rinsing your own in a weak solution of vinegar.