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Article: Seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp: etiology and treatment.(Articles)
- Article from:
- Journal of Drugs in Dermatology
- Article date:
- March 1, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Abstract
Seborrheic dermatitis is a common chronic infection of the lipid-rich areas of skin. While seborrheic dermatitis has been a recognized clinical entity for decades, its etiology is far from clear. Early investigators of the development of seborrheic dermatitis focused on the role of the Malassezia (previously Pityrosporum) yeasts. These yeasts are also normal skin commensals, thus their importance as pathogens in this disorder came to be doubted. However, it was subsequently found that treatment of seborrheic dermatitis with an antifungal agent not only resulted in clinical improvement but also reduced the number of Malassezia yeasts on the skin. This has ...