Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Seborrhea, Dermatitis and Seborrheic conditions exposed



Seborrhea is an inherited condition that affects the rate of production of skin cells. For the many who think their problem is actually due to “dryness”, visible flaking is really due to a buildup of proliferating cells that have nowhere to go. This is why all the moisturizer in the world won’t help resolve seborrheic dermatitis.

Seborrheic dermatitis:

Seborrheic dermatitis appears on sebum-rich areas of the scalp, face, and trunk. Sebum production begins at puberty, triggered by circulating DHT (the activated testosterone metabolite). Lipid rich sebum nourishes normal skin yeast, Pityrosporum ovale. Flourishing numbers of yeast produce lipase, an enzyme used to break down sebum into digestible free fatty acids (FFA). Unfortunately, FFAs are irritating to the skin resulting in inflammation - hence the itch, scratch cycle.

Patients with seborrheic dermatitis also have an abnormal immune response with reduced activity of helper T cells and activation of the alternative complement pathway.

Anyone can have seborrhea at any time for absolutely no reason. In fact, the sheer unpredictable nature of the condition is often maddening for patients. However, there is no doubt that there are definitely trigger factors that can cause seborrheic dermatitis to flare.

Seasonal changes unquestionably play a role in flaring seborrheic dermatitis. Part of this is due to diminished UV light during the winter. Ultraviolet rays help reduce the rate of cellular turnover, explaining why the condition is at its best during the summer. Cold weather also dehydrates the skin, exaggerating the appearance of flaking. And finally, cold and flu season is coincidentally at its peak, perhaps confusing the picture.

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article source: Seborrhea Treatment Articles from Ezine Articles

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