What is Seborrhea?
The term seborrhea refers to an "exalted, or at least increased, activity of the sebaceous glands; this hyperfunctionality is concretized in the" excessive production of their secretion, called sebum.
When it appears during puberty, seborrhea is in many cases the antechamber of acne.
For further information see the dedicated article: acne and seborrhea.
Symptoms
To learn more, read: Seborrhea - Causes and Symptoms "
Seborrhea begins macroscopically giving the skin of the face a shiny and oily appearance, sometimes also affecting the scalp and the upper part of the back.
Excessive sebum secretion can also give the skin a dry and rough appearance to the touch. In this case we speak of asphyxiated skin, a problem that arises when excess sebum does not find an outlet outside the follicles and, stagnating inside them, leads to the formation of blackheads.
As anticipated, in fact, seborrhea often precedes and accompanies acne lesions, in the "order: closed comedones (whiteheads), open comedones (blackheads), papules, pustules, nodules and cysts. In any case, not necessarily l" acne represents the direct consequence of seborrhea.
On the scalp level, however, seborrhea can be accompanied by dandruff, alopecia and oily hair.
Usually, the excessive production of sebum gives the hair a greasy appearance and, when it is particularly evident, a typical rancid odor. In addition to the aesthetic and hygienic problem, the alteration of the quantity and quality of the sebum produced tends to steal vitality from the hair , even if it is still unable to directly atrophy the follicles. For this reason, the term seborrheic alopecia has now fallen into disuse.
On the other hand, it must be said that the same hormone called into question in the appearance of seborrhea (dihydrotestosterone) is responsible, if present in excess, for the gradual involution of the hair follicles, commonly called hair loss (in these particular cases, we speak of " androgenetic alopecia ").
Aftermath
In infants, seborrhea is involved in the formation of the so-called "milky crest", which regresses spontaneously.
In adults, however, seborrhea is often associated with oily dandruff, characterized by thick, yellowish and oily scales, which fall from an equally greasy scalp. The excess of sebum has also been implicated in the appearance of dry dandruff.
Seborrhea is sometimes accompanied by a form of eczema, a condition known as seborrheic dermatitis. This condition, of inflammatory origin, leads to the loss of greasy scales not only from the scalp (dandruff), but also from other areas rich in sebaceous glands, such as the eyebrows, the skin areas on the sides of the nose and behind the ears, the area inguinal and, sometimes, the axillary. Very often it is associated with itching, sometimes intense.
Causes
For what has been said so far, seborrhea is implicated in the genesis of numerous multifactorial inflammatory conditions and diseases. Consequently, excess sebum is not necessarily responsible for their development and maintenance, which can be affected by various factors, such as:
- Endocrine elements (excessive synthesis of androgens);
- Hygienic factors (excessive or insufficient personal hygiene);
- Cosmetics (use of aggressive or too greasy cosmetics);
- Environmental factors (contact of the scalp with irritants);
- Dietary factors (excessive alcohol consumption, malnutrition);
- Psychological factors (stress);
- Sexual factors (more exposed is the male sex);
- Factors of infectious origin (alteration of the skin flora, with excessive growth of certain microorganisms, some diseases, disorders of the immune system).
Finally, it should be remembered that, in addition to excess, also the change in the composition of the sebum can predispose to the typical manifestations of seborrhea. These changes can be physiological or, more frequently, induced by particular microorganisms, such as Malassezia furfur or Pityrosporum, considered primary cause of dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis.
Care and Treatment
The treatment and treatment of seborrhea differ according to the conditions that accompany it.
The following table shows the main disorders that can occur in association with seborrhea and the consequent therapeutic approaches that can be adopted to treat them.
SOLUTION
Seborrhea, acne and
hair loss
(androgenetic alopecia)
Endocrinologist visit, use of 5-alpha reductase enzyme inhibitors, such as finasteride or dutasteride, or phytotherapeutic analogues, such as serenoa repens, pumpkin seeds, nettle root, epilobium, African pigeo.
Seborrhea and oily hair
Trichological examination, frequent use of non-aggressive skin-purifying shampoos.
Seborrhea and dandruff
Trichological examination, use of anti-dandruff shampoos, non-aggressive and with antibactericidal action
Seborrhea and asphyxiated skin
Dermatological examination, use of retinoic acid-based products under medical supervision, surgical enucleation, peeling.
Seborrhea e
seborrheic dermatitis
Dermatological examination, use of creams or shampoos with bactericidal action, such as those based on ketoconazole.
