Volume 29, Issue 163, September 2025

Seborrheic dermatitis current information on diagnosis and treatment: A literature review

Julia Urbańska^1♦, Danuta Borowska¹, Kamil Nieczaj¹, Julia Sztubińska¹, Marta Urszula Marciniak¹, Marta Tortyna¹, Natalia Sioch¹, Julia Krotofil¹, Paula Szarek², Olga Samsel¹, Maciej Trzciński¹

¹Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, M. Skłodowskiej- Curie 3a street, 80-210 Gdańsk, Poland
²Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Collegium Medicum of the University of Zielona Góra, 28 Zyta Street, 65-046 Zielona Góra, Poland

^♦Corresponding author
Julia Urbańska, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, M. Skłodowskiej- Curie 3a street, 80-210 Gdańsk, Poland

ABSTRACT

Seborrheic dermatitis (SD) is inflammatory disease which is chronic and relapsing. It primarily affects areas with abundant sebaceous glands. It most often occurs on the scalp, face, and upper trunk. SD most commonly occurs in infants and adults aged 30 to 60. Pathogenesis encompasses various aspects. The disease is of multifactorial etiology, with Malassezia proliferation, immunologic response of the host, sebaceous gland activity, and environmental factors playing a role. A review of the current state of knowledge in diagnosis and treatment of SD aimed to appraise related studies. Clinical evaluation is what the diagnosis depends on, and occasionally dermatoscopic examination as well as histopathological analysis does also. Treatment involves topical antifungal medications, corticosteroids, and other medications. In some cases, phototherapy is used. In cases of resistance to recurrent symptoms, recent studies indicate the potential usefulness of microbiomemodulating therapies and systemic pharmacologic interventions. A comprehensive understanding of the basic mechanisms of the disease about to available treatment methods is crucial for effective and individualised patient management.

Keywords: seborrheic dermatitis, Malassezia, antifungal therapy, topical treatments, skin inflammation

Medical Science, 2025, 29, e158ms3624

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v29i163.e158ms3624

Published: 09 September 2025