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Thursday, March 19, 2009
Q I have been treated for rosacea for one year. Recently my scalp has started to itch, and I was wondering if this could be related to my rosacea?
AResponse from Dr. Joseph Bikowski, clinical assistant professor of dermatology, Ohio State University.
Although it is possible to have rosacea on your scalp, it is unusual for the disorder to manifest itself there.
It's also possible that you suffer from seborrheic dermatitis, which often occurs in addition to rosacea. Seborrhea is a common, chronic inflammatory skin disorder, generally confined to areas where sebaceous (oil) glands are most prominent. The condition is not harmful or contagious, but it can be uncomfortable and unsightly. Scaling and redness are the two dominant characteristics of seborrheic dermatitis. If it develops on the scalp, it can range from a mild case of dandruff to thickened scaling patches and may have an itching sensation.
Seborrheic dermatitis may be the most common skin condition to occur at the same time as rosacea. Although the two disorders are unrelated, a clinical study found that 26 percent of patients with rosacea also had facial seborrheic dermatitis and 28 percent had seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp.
Let your dermatologist know about your itchy scalp so that he or she can accurately diagnose and treat your condition. If you have concurrent disorders, more than one therapy may be necessary.
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