ask your pharmacist

Are there any over-the-counter treatments for seborrhea?

Mild forms of seborrhea on the scalp or body usually clear up with over-the-counter dandruff shampoos. Look for a product with one or more of the following ingredients: pyrithione zinc (Head and Shoulders), selenium sulfide (>Selsun Blue), salicylic acid (>Neutrogena T/Gel), coal tar (>Denorex), or ketoconazole (>Nizoral A-D). Follow the product instructions carefully. Overuse of these shampoos may make your skin oily and worsen the condition. You may find that one shampoo works for a period of time, then becomes less effective. Switching to a product with a different active ingredient often helps.

You may want to apply a steroid cream or lotion to areas that don't respond to dandruff shampoos. Hydrocortisone creams available without a prescription (brand names Cortizone 10, and Lanacort 10) can relieve itching. Use a hydrocortisone cream only as needed for flare-ups. If you use it too often and for too long, it may stop working, or make your condition worse. Also, it doesn't treat dandruff.

If you don't get relief after using these products for a week, or if your condition spreads or gets worse, call your doctor. He or she may need to prescribe a stronger medicine for you.

Sources:
Habif, Thomas. Clinical Dermatology. Mosby-Year Book, Inc., 1996.
Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs. American Pharmaceutical Association, 1996.
Diseases and conditions, "Dermatitis/eczema."http:www.mayoclinic.com. Mayo Clinic Health. Last accessed 1/2/2007.

This answer prepared 7/17/2000.
This information updated 1/2/2007.

• >Cortizone 10