Seborrhea of ​​the scalp and face in children

Skin pathologies cause marked discomfort in babies; they can manifest themselves in different ways. To cure such diseases will only correct treatment. Some parents have to solve the problem of seborrhea of ​​the scalp and face in children.

A condition in which the sebaceous glands are impaired is called seborrhea. It can occur in both children and adults. This pathology is characterized by a violation of the lipid balance of the skin. The prevalence of this disease is quite high.

In a healthy state, the sebaceous glands produce the necessary amount of secretion. It is quite fat and is well distributed throughout the skin. As a result of disorders in the central nervous system, the course of this physiological process is disturbed. Ultimately, this contributes to the appearance in the child of adverse symptoms of the disease, which bring pronounced discomfort to the baby.

Dermatologists distinguish several clinical forms of the disease:

• Dry. The development of this form of the disease leads to poor performance of the sebaceous glands. Usually this variant of the disease occurs in newborns and babies in the first months of life. It is characterized by the appearance on the skin of a large number of flakes, which are usually light gray or yellow.

• Oily. Occurs with excessive sebaceous glands. On external examination, a noticeably large number of scales, which are quite significant in size and can stick together with each other. The skin on the head becomes very oily and shiny. This symptom becomes very noticeable from the side.
• Mixed It is characterized by symptoms characteristic of dry and oily seborrhea. May occur at any age.

The development of the disease can lead a variety of reasons. It often happens that the occurrence of adverse symptoms provokes the combined effect of several causal factors simultaneously. In such cases, it is usually more difficult to treat the disease.

The appearance of symptoms provokes effects of the following reasons:

• Increased hormonal levels. Usually occurs in the presence of certain endocrine pathologies in pregnant women. Violation of the synthesis of hormones in this case is observed in the child - after his birth. Hormonal imbalance leads to the fact that the sebaceous glands begin to work imperfectly.

• Heredity. Genetic predisposition also often affects the appearance of discomfort symptoms. If parents have signs of seborrhea, then the likelihood of the appearance of similar clinical signs in a child doubles. Predisposition to allergic pathologies also significantly increases the risk of developing this disease.
• Chronic pathology of the gastrointestinal organs. Irritable bowel syndrome, occurring with impaired stool and signs of dysbiosis, often leads to impaired metabolic processes in the body. Problems in the gastrointestinal tract become the cause of the appearance on the face of various fatty crusts or dry scales. Quite often, this form of the disease is recorded in children aged 5-12 years.

• Transferred viral and bacterial infections. Many microorganisms have a pronounced toxic effect on the skin.Violation of metabolic processes contributes to the fact that disrupted sebaceous glands.
• Active vital activity of some fungi. Quite a common cause of the disease is reproduction on the skin of the fungus Malassezia furfur. Usually, these microorganisms grow and develop on the scalp and cause a large number of skin scales, also called dandruff. Most often, this variant of the disease occurs in boys of 13-16 years.

• Conducting improper hygienic care for the baby. Excessive use of baby cosmetics (especially one that does not match the type of baby’s skin) contributes to excessive dryness of the skin. Frequent overdrying occurs also as a result of the use of tar soap or detergent containing chemical additives.
• Violation of thermoregulation. Quite often, this cause contributes to the development of seborrhea in babies (in the first year of life).

• Strong stress. The impact of pronounced psycho-emotional factors leads to disruption of the central nervous system. Usually, symptoms of seborrhea appear or worsen in children who often move from place to place, or in schoolchildren with significant stress in school.

• Unbalanced nutrition. The prevalence in the children's diet of "fast" carbohydrates, which are contained in large quantities in confectionery and various sweets, contributes to the development of various dermatological pathologies, including seborrhea. Insufficient intake of vitamins A and E also causes disruption of the sebaceous glands in children.
• Excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Prolonged insolation can lead to severe dryness of the skin. Excessive and prolonged sunbathing can have a negative effect on the functioning of the sebaceous glands.
• Use with daily care cosmetic productscontaining alcohol in its composition. Usually these tools are abused by teenagers. Alcohol, which is contained in adolescent and youth cosmetics, can greatly dry the skin and lead to the development of signs of seborrhea.

See the clinical signs of seborrhea can be at home. Parents usually notice that the skin of a child suffering from this disease becomes quite smooth and glitters. On examination of the face, multiple “black dots” are visible. Usually they are located in the forehead, nose wings, and also on the chin. These formations are called comedones.

Check the fat content of the skin, you can use a regular paper napkin. To do this, touch it to the face of the child. Perform this procedure only if there is no cream or lotion on the skin. Before performing this test, you should not treat your face with tonic or other cosmetic products. The appearance of fatty prints on a paper napkin indicates that the child has pronounced oily skin.

In some cases, the surface of the skin becomes bumpy and somewhat resembles the rind of citrus. The affected areas are called seborrheic elements or zones. They are usually located on the face, eyebrows, scalp, wings of the nose and on the neck.

Some clinical variants of seborrhea are accompanied by the appearance of adverse symptoms on the skin of the back and chest. The predominant localization of seborrheic sites is the upper half of the body.

Check for the presence of abnormal fat skin can be another simple method. To do this, hold your finger on the skin. If it left a fat print, then this indicates the presence of increased fat content of the skin. The skin at the same time begins to shine strongly.

Some situations are accompanied by the appearance of a fairly thick secret, which is synthesized by the sebaceous glands. It mixes with skin scales, which leads to the appearance of white plates or dandruff. This symptom is a significant cosmetic problem, especially in adolescence. Frequent washing of the head only provokes an increase in this adverse manifestation of the disease.

There are additional symptoms of seborrhea. They are not found in all cases, but they cause a certain discomfort in the child. Such symptoms include increased sweating of the palms and feet, and in some cases - in the armpits.

In infants, hyperhidrosis is manifested in the area of ​​the inguinal folds. The increased humidity of the skin leads to the fact that bacteria capable of causing secondary infection easily penetrate into the affected area.

Seborrhea has a chronic course. For the correction of metabolic disorders that occur, the appointment of complex therapy is required. Cure exacerbation of seborrhea can be, for this you need to take into account all medical recommendations. Many parents believe that treatment is not required to consult a doctor, and independently select a treatment regimen. This usually leads to an unstable positive result, which quickly disappears.

It is possible to treat seborrhea at home, but with mandatory control, which should be carried out by specialists. Problems associated with dermatological diseases are dealt with by dermatologists. In some cases, additional tests and examinations are required before prescribing treatment. These diagnostic tests allow to exclude fungal or infectious skin pathologies that occur with the development of similar symptoms.

If a child has concomitant chronic diseases of the internal organs, these pathologies must be treated. Improving the appearance of the skin is not possible in the presence of functional disorders in the intestine or in exacerbation of endocrine disease.

Treatment of seborrhea includes:

• Normalization of the day regimen. Excess physical exertion, which leads to severe fatigue, is necessarily excluded from the child’s daily schedule. Night sleep is very important for the recovery of the nervous system. Its duration in babies should be at least 8 hours. Very young children should definitely rest in the daytime.

• Dieting. In the children's diet, all confectionery and sweets are substantially limited. Consumption of fatty foods should also be limited. These include various saturated fats, mayonnaise, lard, fatty pork and lamb, goose pate. The nutrition of the child should be fractional and include a sufficient amount of fermented milk products, fruits and vegetables.
• Reception of multivitamin complexes. The composition of these medicines must necessarily contain vitamins of group B. These biologically active substances have a beneficial effect on the skin, contributing to the normalization of the sebaceous glands. Some experts recommend taking brewer's yeast, which contain a sufficiently large amount of essential vitamins.

• The use of gentle cosmetics. Shampoos containing antifungal ingredients help to remove dandruff. With increased oiliness of hair should not wash your hair too often. Frequent washing will only contribute to increased fat content and will lead to aggravation of the disease.
• Treatment of Concomitant Chronic Diseases internal organs. Prevention of exacerbations of these pathologies helps to improve the general well-being of the child and reduce the manifestation of seborrhea in him.
• Consultation with a psychologist. Appointed for enough emotional kids, as well as children who have undergone recent stress. Classes with a specialist lead to the normalization of nervous activity, which has a positive effect on the well-being and appearance of the child.

• Strengthening immunity. Active exercise and proper nutrition have a positive effect on the work of the immune system. Strong immunity allows the child to quickly deal with various diseases. Daily walks in the fresh air have a positive effect on the appearance of the skin.
• The implementation of proper hygienic care for the skin. Recommendations regarding the implementation of such treatment should be obtained from a dermatologist - after conducting a clinical examination of the skin. During this study, the doctor will determine the type of skin, as well as make individual recommendations for the daily care of problem areas.

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