Seborrheic Dermatitis On My Face For Thr Last Year

Gary Wilson · Nov 23, 2018

Hi guys, not sure if ive come to the right place but here goes.
For the last yr or so ive been getting seborrheic dermatitis or atleast thats what the Doctor calls it.
He gave me steriod cream which does take it away while using it but i dont see it as a long term fix.
Ive noticed a patten which might sound strange but thats why ive come here rather than the Doctor looking at me strange again!
Basicly everytime my beard gets about a weeks worth of growth i get this red itchy patch on my left eyebrow which gets worse and spreads if i dont shave and treat it?
It all started when i had a fairly long beard and i had same problem under my beard, used oils etc
One day i shaved it all off and noticed that within 3/4 days it calmed down on my eyebrow too.
Any ideas what causes it?
Thanks

Manochoice · Nov 23, 2018

Hey Gary,

It may well be a coincidence (growing the beard and the onset of dermatitis). Had many friends that reported similar situation: onset of dermatitis while growing a beard. I myself have has minor skin issue when trying to grow a beard. Are you shaving your brow or just the beard? The things is that the beard (especially in it's early growing stages) is very abrasive and irritating - especially for already sensitive beard. Bets is to keep face clean shaved, clean and hydrated. If you can avoid steroid creams, do it at all cost (or at least don't overuse it). I have friends who have been using steroid cream on their face for years and now they regret it as it makes the skin very sensitive and steroid creme dependent.

Most likely you do indeed have a case of dermatitis (that can spread to head, arms and legs, chest etc. At least for a while stay way from growing a beard: it will only aggravate it the skin and risk more spreading!

Gary Wilson · Nov 23, 2018

Hi thanks
Yes i will keep it trimmed as short as i can without clean shaving, hate it!
What i also have is kind of a blotchy forehead at times, normally when hot and visable pores and small blackheads on my forehead its not really noticable except to me really but dont know if its related.

The eyebrow thing is really getting me down though, im really worried about it spreading.
Ive never had skin problems untill i grew a beard last yr!

Manochoice · Nov 27, 2018

As long as you keep your beard trimmed you should be fine. Maybe you should visit a derm but try to stay away from steroid creams. Long term they are pretty bad.