Is seborrheic dermatitis curable?

Seborrheic dermatitis is a common skin condition that can affect people of all ages. It causes a red, itchy rash on the scalp, face, and body. The good news is that seborrheic dermatitis usually goes away on its own after a few weeks or months. However, most seborrheic dermatitis sufferers find that it recurs when triggered by stress, hormonal changes and other events. I would love to never have to deal with seborrheic dermatitis ever again but is it curable?

Seborrheic dermatitis is a chronic disease that causes symptoms such as skin inflammation, itching, and flaking. Experts say the condition is not curable but it may be treated with topical and oral medication. However, if you change your lifestyle, balance your hormones and manage your stress, you might not get a flare of seborrheic dermatitis for years and maybe even lifelong. 

Let’s take a deep dive:

Is seborrheic dermatitis curable?

Experts and healthcare professionals all agree that seborrheic dermatitis is not curable. They say it can only be controlled with topical creams and sometimes with oral medications. However, these same people also say that no one really knows what causes seborrheic dermatitis and why it affects some people but not others.

I argue that everyone is saying seborrheic dermatitis is not curable because all they are doing is putting a bandaid on. They focus on treating seborrheic dermatitis like a fungal infection. How in the world are anti-fungal creams, steroids and oral anti-fungal medications supposed to cure the abnormal immune response that is at the heart of seborrheic dermatitis?

However, if you start focusing on the root of the problem and repairing your immune system, seborrheic dermatitis is potentially curable, or at least, could disappear from your life for a very long time.

How do I get rid of seborrheic dermatitis permanently?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best treatment for seborrheic dermatitis will vary depending on the individual. Most conventional treatments focus on loosening scales, reducing inflammation and swelling, and stopping the itching. In some cases, medicated shampoos will be able to alleviate symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis. All these treatments are important to help you feel better and control a flare up of seborrheic dermatitis in the short term.

However, to get rid of seborrheic dermatitis permanently, you need to go alot deeper than the skin. You will need to look at your lifestyle, diet, anxiety and stress levels. You’ll need to correct hormonal imbalances and learn not to somatize your stress. You will need to stop damaging and overtaxing your immune system and you will need to give your body rest so it can do what it does best – repair and recalibrate.

How long does it take for seborrheic dermatitis to disappear?

The time it takes for seborrheic dermatitis to disappear can vary from person to person. In general, however, seborrheic dermatitis tends to improve over 1-2 weeks after a flare. During this time, moisturizing with the right creams can help.

Unfortunately, whatever triggered the SD flare to begin with is probably still present. Stress and other factors may trigger another flare-up, and you might be back at square one even before your skin has fully recovered from the previous flare.

Sometimes, it feels like your SD never disappears and is there all the time, sometimes worse than others.

Is seborrheic dermatitis long term?

Each seborrheic dermatitis flare lasts a few weeks and is only short term. However, seborrheic dermatitis is a condition that can come and go throughout your life. You will find during times of stress or illness, your SD flare will last a lot longer and be more severe while in good times, it might disappear altogether.

Is seborrheic dermatitis life long?

No, seborrheic dermatitis is not a life-long condition in the sense that it is not always visible on your skin. However, some people may be at risk of having an SD flare up for life even if there are prolonged periods of remission. It’s important to monitor your symptoms and treat them when necessary. It’s even more important to sustainably change your lifestyle habits so that you can prevent SD from recurring.

To wrap up

Seborrheic dermatitis is a chronic skin condition that waxes and wanes. It will likely be with you for life and is not curable with conventional medicine. However, if you are willing to do the hard work and reset your immune system, SD is potentially curable.

Further reading: What foods trigger seborrheic dermatitis?