Itchy, flaky scalp? Why you should talk to a dermatologist

Sorry, but your browser does not support the video tag. (BPT) – By Arcutis Biotherapeutics Got flaking skin and thick yellow scales? What about signs of inflammation like redness or changes in skin color? If these symptoms sound familiar to you, you may have a common recurrent inflammatory skin condition called seborrheic dermatitis. Seborrheic dermatitis, or Seb Derm, affects nearly 10 million Americans. Never heard of it before? You are not alone — in an online nationwide survey of 300 individuals living with Seb Derm, 71% of those surveyed had not heard of the condition prior to their diagnosis. Common symptoms of Seb Derm include red patches covered with large, greasy, flaking yellow scales and persistent itch, most often occurring on areas of the body with oil-producing glands. These symptoms can manifest themselves differently among individuals with darker skin tones; for example, the affected areas may not have any redness, but appear pink, slightly purple or lighter in color than the surrounding skin. Despite its commonality, 56% of those surveyed reported having a difficult time finding information on Seb Derm prior to their diagnosis — something that Christina is quite familiar with. Christina is a personal brand and marketing strategist and entrepreneur, as well as a wife and mother, who started noticing symptoms of Seb Derm long before her diagnosis. “I noticed what was distinctive about it was really white, thick, waxy scales,” said Christina. “I would of course pick them off, and the next day they came right back. I was like, ‘OK, what is going on here?’ So, I tried over-the-counter treatments … and nothing was working.” Christina spent a year trying to manage her symptoms on her own and coming up short in seeking answers online. “My initial instinct was to go to the internet, just to have direction on what I should do. And the images didn’t look like me. None of the articles spoke to me as a Black woman,” she said. Along with the daily struggle to keep her symptoms at bay, Christina also grappled with feelings of shame and embarrassment, due to her condition. Christina is among the 91% of people who reported in the survey that their quality of life has been negatively impacted by their Seb Derm in some way. “One thing about personal branding is that you’re marketing you. You feel like you’re this flawed product in front of people, and I really started withdrawing,” she explained. “I would try and shorten what I had to say, or I’d sit back further from the camera. I finally just said enough was enough because I was just so tired of crying in my bed at night and looking in the mirror and just feeling ashamed of what I saw.” Like Christina, many people delay seeking help for their Seb Derm symptoms. In fact, on average those with Seb Derm wait 3.6 years to see a healthcare professional, according to that same survey. If you think you might have Seb Derm, don’t wait to get help — Seb Derm is a real medical condition that requires a clinical diagnosis. It’s important to make an appointment with your healthcare provider to receive an accurate diagnosis. “Remember that seborrheic dermatitis doesn’t define you. I always say that my journey with this condition is just a chapter and not the whole story,” she explains. “We have lives to live, and we shouldn’t let seborrheic dermatitis define how we live them!” Hear more about Christina’s experience firsthand in the video above. For more information and resources on seborrheic dermatitis visit www.clearingupsebderm.com. Christina is living with Seb Derm and is being compensated for her time contributing to this article. SPONSORED BY Arcutis Biotherapeutics © 2023 Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc. All rights reserved. US-CRP-NON-00021 09/23