A similar condition may arise on the legs. Erosive pustular dermatosis of the scalp affects severely sun damaged skin usually in areas of scarring such as after injury, skin cancer surgery or shingles . The pustules evolve into yellow brown crusts. If these are removed, the skin underneath is red and moist.
Extensive disease can itself result in scarring.
Severe ulcerated erosive pustular dermatosis of the scalp. Cause The cause of erosive pustular dermatosis of the scalp is unknown. However, it appears to relate to sun damage and is possibly triggered by a minor injury to the affected skin. Secondary infection should be treated with oral anti-Staphylococcal antibiotics such as flucloxacillin or erythromycin . Erosive pustular dermatosis of the scalp improves with potent or ultrapotent topical steroids applied once or twice daily to the affected areas for a couple of weeks, then repeated as necessary if and when the skin disorder recurs.