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Seborrheic Dermatitis Symptoms

Written by Megan Kinder, with information gathered from credible sources, research, and user submissions - including MedicineNet.com. Gary W. Cole, MD, FAAD

If you're looking for Seborrheic Dermatitis Symptoms, you should know that the rash itself is characteristically red and scaling but occasionally can become weepy and oozy. The scaling can be extensive enough to be called dandruff and can be the patient's major complaint.

The Distribution of Seborrheic Dermatitis Symptoms on the Body

The distribution of this rash is often of great help in making the diagnosis. In adults areas commonly involved include the scalp, the outer ear and external auditory canal, the forehead, the brows, the eyelids, the cheeks adjacent to the nose, including the folds that extends from the nose to the sides of the mouth, and less commonly the armpits, the mid-chest, and mid-back regions. In babies, the rash causes a scalp eruption commonly called "cradle cap."

Seborrheic Dermatitis Symptoms in the Diaper Area

It can also be more extensive and involve the diaper area as well. Although in both adults and children the rash may have no symptoms, it commonly causes itching, especially in the scalp.

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