Definition
The term eczema is used to describe various skin diseases that are mainly characterized by itching. The word “dermatitis” is also often used synonymously instead of eczema. Eczema is triggered by a variety of causes.
There is a sequence of certain skin reactions typical of skin eczema, including reddening of the skin, blistering, weeping, the formation of crusts and the subsequent scaling of the skin. Eczema is one of the most common skin diseases in Germany. Almost every person suffers from it at least once in their life. In the area of the scalp, seborrhoeic eczema manifests itself above all.
Causes
The cause of the yellow dandruff is most probably a yeast fungus, which is also found on the skin of non-affected persons, but in their case it is not pathogenic. The name of this fungus is Malassezia furfur or Pityrosporium ovale. As already mentioned, it is actually one of the germs that occur naturally on the skin.
In people suffering from seborrhoeic eczema, however, the fungus in question is much more common on the skin than in healthy people. In large numbers, Malassezia finally leads to an inflammatory reaction of the skin with redness and scaling. The itching is in this case from person to person variably pronounced, can even be completely absent.
The term “seborrhoeic” (originating from the sebaceous glands) also describes that a changed sebum composition contributes to the development of the disease. Especially people with a weakened immune system very often suffer from seborrhoeic eczema because they find it difficult to suppress the unhindered multiplication of the triggering skin fungus. This is illustrated by the fact that a considerable percentage of HIV-infected persons suffer from the yellowish-scaly eczema.
The climate also has a considerable impact on the disease. Dry skin, especially in winter, aggravates the eczema condition, while in summer and in high humidity (e.g. by the sea) the scaling decreases. This topic might also be of interest to you:
- Psoriasis of the scalp
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