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Seborrhoeic dermatitis
Category: Illness or disabilities
Type
Involuntary
Introduction and description
Seborrhoeic dermatitis or seborrheic dermatitis ("cradle cap" in infants) is a condition classified as a form of eczema . It causes dry or greasy peeling of the scalp, eyebrows, and face, and sometimes trunk. In newborns it causes a thick, yellow, crusty scalp rash called cradle cap.
It can be caused by nutritional deprivation – a lack of some essential nutrient needed by the baby, such as biotin and is thus curable.
The literature on biotin in human nutrition and therapy has been reviewed. The influence of the diet on biotin excretion and the intestinal synthesis of biotin is discussed. Biotin deficiency symptoms are occasionally seen, especially in infants where the deficiency is manifested as seborrhoeic dermatitis. Nevertheless, low urinary excretion and low circulating biotin levels can be found in certain sections of the population. PMID: 142069
Note, however, that deficiency of any essential nutrient can result in problems, for example:
Hospital diets, and, perhaps, diets in general may be low in copper and zinc, with the diets being lower in copper than zinc in comparison to requirements. Several human diseases or pathologic conditions of unknown etiology have similarities to findings in deficient animals. Thus nutritional status and metabolism of copper may be important in anemia, ischemic heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis and seborrheic dermatitis. Zinc may be involved in growth failure, acne, difficulties of labor, congenital abnormalities and wound healing. Whether or not dietary amounts of copper and zinc are involved in the etiology or the pathogenesis of these conditions can be determined by clinical investigation. PMID: 161345
The cause of the dermatitis should always be investigated before making assumptions, however, for more details on symptoms, causes and thus treatments see Eczema
