What are some of the reasons a client might consider avoidance of steroids for seborrhea. Seborrhea or scaly skin is a common clinical presentation. Sebum is composed of sterol, diester waxes, free cholesterol, triglycerides and fatty acids. Regulation of sebum production is hormonal. Dietary fat deficiency initially increases sebum production but later on it will decrease it.
Keratinization is the process by which keratin is produced and the stratum corneum is formed.
It takes usually 21 days for the cells of the stratum basale to migrate upward to the stratum corneum and be filled with high molecular weight keratin. To differentiate between primary and secondary seborrhea it is important to follow a well-organized plan to rule out other diseases. Good communication with the client and adequate finances are necessary. An accurate diagnosis is important for appropriate therapy and prognosis. Pruritic causes for secondary seborrhea are scabies, flea allergy, food allergy, atopy, Cheyletiellosis , pyoderma and Malassezia .