A Case of Intractable Seborrheic Dermatitis Successfully Treated with Improvement of Dietary Intervention,Psychological Approach and Chinese Herbal Medicine

Abstract

A 58-year-old woman diagnosed with seborrheic dermatitis was referred with pruritic scalp and perineal rashes accompanied by extensive scalp hair loss and pain on excretion. Although she underwent routine management with topical steroids, topical anti-fungal agents, oral antihistamines,and zinc supplementation, her skin rash continued to worsen. Clinical and biopsy features were consistent with the diagnosis of seborrheic dermatitis. It was further speculated that unfavorable dietary habits and a poor gut environment, compounded by inherent frailty and the stress of recent lifestyle changes, had a strong influence on herworsening symptoms. Afterstopping all local and systemic medications, she was put on a gluten-, casein-, and sugar-free balanced diet, and prescribed a course of Chinese herbal medicine to improve and stabilize the intestinal environment. After two weeks of treatment, the skin rash started to improve and after six months it disappeared. Based on the pathology, lifestyle-related habits, eating habits, and gut environment, new solutions can be found. Skin Research, 20 : 80-86, 2021