Topical Antifungals used for Treatment of Seborrheic Dermatitis

It is a multifactorial disease that requires several predisposing factors for its progress. Presence of these factors leads to reproduction of opportunistic yeast Malassezia spp [2]. The fungus uses lipids from the skin surface to produce unsaturated and saturated fatty acids which, when left in the individual’s skin milieu, induce an inflammatory response. The sebum in the skin aids the growth of P. ovale (i.e. Malassezia) and hence the development of SD. The fact that SD responds to treatment with antifungal medication represents concrete evidence of the association between Malassezia and SD [1]. Even if the yeast is not critical to the disease pathogenesis, it is at least an exacerbating factor [3].