Focus on psoriasis and seborrhoeic dermatitis

In some cases, the doctor will look for what caused seborrhoeic dermatitis to appear. In the vast majority of cases, the doctor will prescribe appropriate treatments, usually anti-fungal treatments. People with seborrhoeic dermatitis should use non-irritating products, understand its chronic and recurring nature, and therefore accept the need for maintenance treatment.

The anti-fungal treatments used are shampoos or creams for the face. In some cases, lithium in gel form is also used. You should avoid using products containing cortisone on the face, as these provide rapid relief but increase the skin’s sensitivity and have a very negative medium-term effect.

The doctor will first assess the scope of the psoriasis, its repercussions, and whether or not there is a metabolic syndrome or excessive consumption of alcohol or tobacco. He or she verifies whether there is rheumatism and if a triggering factor or facilitator can be found.

It is critical to stop scratching since it promotes patches. Stopping toxic factors (alcohol, tobacco) is more than desirable. Few cases of psoriasis resist therapy, since there are a wide variety of treatments tailored to the various forms. But fortunately, most cases of psoriasis are mild to moderate in scope and do not require any “heavy” treatment. In that sense, local treatments are usually sufficient but need to be applied regularly for this chronic condition. If treatment is discontinued, the lesions reappear.

Local treatments include corticoids and vitamin D derivatives. Moisturise the skin daily with creams to limit recurrences; cutaneous dryness facilitates recurrences. On the scalp, scales can be improved with a keratolytic treatment (salicylic acid, urea). The general treatments used include phototherapy by a dermatologist, retinoids, methotrexate, ciclosporin and biotechnology medicines.