Eczema affects people in different forms, with one of the most common being scalp eczema. The scalp is particularly susceptible because the skin of the scalp is different from the rest of the body. The scalp has a very rich supply of grease and oil from the sebaceous glands and the hair follicles.
Eczema of the scalp belongs to a kind of Eczema called Seborrhoeic dermatitis. Seborrhoeic Eczema is a common type of Eczema that affects the greasy parts of the body such as the scalp, eyebrows, the corners of the eyelids, inner cheeks and sides of the nose. These areas are commonly referred to as the “T-Zone” of the face. Apart from this, the other common sites are the insides of the armpits, as well as the upper back and chest. This type of Eczema is most commonly seen at the onset of puberty when the oil producing glands of the body becomes active under hormonal changes. The eczema may be pink or red in color, with fine peeling or flaking of the surface. Within the scalp, seborrhoeic dermatitis causes ill-defined dry pink or skin colored patches with yellowish or white bran-like scale. It may spread to affect the entire scalp.
What causes this kind of Eczema remains unclear but it may be because of an overgrowth of yeast called Malassezia (formely known as Pityrosporum ovale). The yeast lives on our skin along with other microbes like bacteria. Sometimes factors such as change in climate or excessive sweating can lead to the overgrowth of the yeast that causes this Eczema to break out. The yeast is found in large numbers on the scalp, so the Eczema often appears in that region. Dandruff is also a kind of Seborrhoeic eczema that causes itching and scaling of the skin. The condition varies in severity. A mild case would be a little bit of dandruff and flaky skin over the face. In severe cases, the skin is widely affected and very itchy; the scalp is itchy, oily and, if very inflamed, there is much scaling of the scalp skin.
Seborrhoeic dermatitis may appear at any age after puberty. It fluctuates in severity and may persist for years. It may predispose to psoriasis. However, the plaques of psoriasis are more persistent, thicker, and a deeper red colour, with large flakes of white scale. Psoriasis is very likely to affect elbows and knees as well as the scalp. However, sometimes it is difficult to tell psoriasis from seborrhoeic dermatitis on the face, scalp and chest and your doctor may diagnose an overlap condition, known as
‘sebopsoriasis’
