get healthing in your inbox with the morning checkup and weekender newsletter!

skin health

what it feels like: seborrheic dermatitis leaves a mark inside and out

living with seborrheic dermatitis can cause physical symptoms and negative self-perceptions that make living with the condition difficult in everyday life.

by angelica bottaro

published nov 04, 2024

4 minute read

join the conversation

4 minute read

join the conversation

itching is the most notable irritating symptom of seborrheic dermatitis, especially if the skin is infected. getty images

natasha was diagnosed with seborrheic dermatitis (sd) when she was in her younger teen years after developing a rash on her face. the rash, which was prominent on her nose and inner cheek area, caused itchiness, flakiness, and redness. it also spread to her ears and scalp. since then, she has tried treatment after treatment to find something that will work, but to no avail.

“nothing’s really cured it, or you know, even for a short time. nothing’s really stopped it completely,” natasha said.

dr. melinda gooderham, a dermatologist and clinical researcher, is an expert on various skin conditions and sees firsthand how detrimental they can be to live with in everyday life.

“it’s so visual. mostly, it’s on the face or the scalp, so patients often feel very embarrassed about it. they feel self-conscious, people may comment on it,” she said. “often patients feel like, ‘oh, i wash my face every day. i don’t know what i’m doing wrong.’ they feel almost unclean when it has nothing to do with that.”

natasha knows those feelings firsthand, having dealt with the visual appearance and other symptoms of sd for much of her life.

“you’re really self-conscious. especially for me with my ears, which get really scaly, and you can’t always tell because you can’t see your ears yourself, right? but once you realize the scales are there and you realize everybody can probably see it if you have your hair up or whatever, so that’s always been an issue.”

natasha notes that people have commented on her condition, making her even more self-conscious.

“i don’t know why they comment on it, but they do,” she said.

dealing with the symptoms and impacts of sd

the appearance of sd isn’t the only downfall of the condition. it’s also the myriad of physical symptoms that people have to contend with, such as burning, stinging, and severe itching.

itching is the most notable irritating symptom, especially if the skin is infected. for natasha, those sensations are one of the worst parts of the condition, other than the visual appearance of sd. in some cases, they are so bad that they lead to bleeding.

“it’s just the fact that it’s so itchy to the point where you’re bleeding,” she said.

natasha utilizes medicine to try and cope with the symptoms and emotional and mental impacts of sd, leaning on her care providers to offer her different options when one doesn’t work for her.

“i’ve really just been reaching out to my dermatologist or doctors to find the latest thing,” she said. “there’s different things on the market that sort of take away redness, but they don’t really (tackle other symptoms).”

from the emotional side of things, people living with sd often have negative self-perceptions because they see themselves as less than for having to deal with the chronic and hard-to-treat condition.

“it really does impact the way you see yourself in society, the way you feel about yourself, and then, of course, that will impact how you interact with others. patients may not, if they’re having a flare-up, feel comfortable going to work or going out with friends because they feel like everyone’s just staring,” said dr. gooderham.

leaning on new treatments to find hope

steroids are often a first-line therapy for skin conditions such as sd because they tackle inflammation. however, patients are often weary of using these types of medications for long periods, even if they help, because of the long-term effects.

steroids can only be used for a specific length of time, so when they do work, patients know that when they have to stop, their symptoms will return.

“they get home with a new treatment. it’s helping, and they’re told to stop, and then it all comes back. and now, what are they supposed to do?” said dr. gooderham.

many treatments for sd are also geared toward where on the body it develops, so patients with sd presenting in multiple areas may need several types of treatment, including one for the scalp and one for the face. the cost adds up.

two years ago, natasha, who had been using different products with little to no relief, noticed that her dermatologist had set up a clinical trial for the newer sd drug zoryve. she jumped at the opportunity to try the latest medication available, even though it wasn’t yet on the market.

“it just cured it completely, like, just gone. and for days and days,” she said. “so, it was like a miracle drug.”

zoryve comes in two forms: a cream and a foam. however, the foam that worked for natasha is not yet on the market. she already has the cream, but it’s difficult to apply to her scalp.

“i was just told by my dermatologist and by the pharmacy because i have a prescription for it (the cream version), that it (the foam) should be available in december or january. so, in a few months,” she said.

natasha has had to wait roughly two years since the clinical trial, but with the recent approval of the drug, she may have access to her “miracle drug” soon, giving her hope for relief from the symptoms and impacts of sd.

angelica bottaro

angelica bottaro is the lead editor at healthing.ca, and has been content writing for over a decade, specializing in all things health. her goal as a health journalist is to bring awareness and information to people that they can use as an additional tool toward their own optimal health.

what it feels like: seborrheic dermatitis leaves a mark inside and out

living with seborrheic dermatitis can cause physical symptoms and negative self-perceptions that make living with the condition difficult in everyday life.

topical treatment for skin conditions vitiligo and atopic dermatitis gets approval in canada

super dry hands? it may be dermatitis due to sanitizer

dealing with the symptoms and impacts of sd

leaning on new treatments to find hope

advertisement

what it feels like: seborrheic dermatitis leaves a mark inside and out

living with seborrheic dermatitis can cause physical symptoms and negative self-perceptions that make living with the condition difficult in everyday life.

related stories

topical treatment for skin conditions vitiligo and atopic dermatitis gets approval in canada

super dry hands? it may be dermatitis due to sanitizer

eczema: do you know the signs?

advertisement

dealing with the symptoms and impacts of sd

advertisement

leaning on new treatments to find hope

advertisement

share story