After having flakes of skin collect on your face or scalp, it might be comforting to finally have a diagnosis for what's wrong. However, you shouldn't let that distract you from the fact that this is a condition that requires special care and shouldn't be neglected. In addition to any treatment that your dermatologist prescribes for you, here are three more things you should know about this condition.
1. Get More Sunlight
At this time, there's no known cure for seborrheic dermatitis, but that doesn't mean that there aren't things that can help. On the contrary, between medication and dermatologist therapies, there are many things you can do to improve your condition. Surprisingly, exposure to the sun might be one of those things.
Studies have discovered that people tend to have worse seborrheic dermatitis during the time of year when there's the least amount of natural light, aka winter. Exposure to summer sunlight can reduce seborrheic dermatitis symptoms.
However, there is one thing to keep in mind. If your dermatologist prescribes steroids to help control your condition, you should follow their directions regarding the sun and theirs alone. Some steroids can make you more susceptible to sunburns, and that's not something you need to go through.
2. Keep it from Spreading
The good news is that seborrheic dermatitis isn't contagious so you don't need to worry about giving it to anyone else. However, that doesn't mean that the condition can't spread on the person it's already developed on. In other words, if you don't take good care of your skin, your seborrheic dermatitis can grow. Some people start with just small patches on the scalp and end up having it overtake their entire scalp, face, and even neck. Always follow your dermatologist's treatment plan to avoid this problem.
3. Infection
Lastly, keep in mind that you should never pick at your seborrheic dermatitis. It can be hard not to since the patches can get itchy and even painful, but scratching can open up sores in your skin that are susceptible to infection. The last thing you need right now is a secondary infection on top of seborrheic dermatitis, so avoid the urge to scratch. If you need help with it, talk to your dermatologist for an anti-itch formula that's safe for your skin.
Seborrheic dermatitis can be controlled and managed with the help of a dermatologist. If you haven't seen one yet, make an appointment soon.