Seborrhoeic eczema

• Oily or wax-like appearance of the skin
• Scaly skin, the scales can vary in their colour from white to yellowish-grey to yellowish-brown, and the deposits can vary in how pronounced they are.
• Inflamed, reddened and possibly swollen skin; the areas affected are sharply defined/plaque-like
• Occur in areas rich in sebaceous glands: On the scalp, in the area of the forehead-hair lines, the upper lip, the eyebrows, the eyelids, behind and in the ears, in the creases of the mouth, around the nose, under the arms, around the navel, in the upper part of the chest, on the upper back.
• Mild to moderate itching
• Weeping and/or painful tears when the eczema occurs in creases of skin.

With severe forms, the disease can extend over the entire surface of the skin. In many cases, the inflamed skin can be infected by bacteria or yeast.

Development

Whereas seborrhoeic eczema usually spontaneously declines in size within a few weeks or months, the development with adults is chronic in most cases. The eczema then occurs in bouts; alternating with intervals free of problems.