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How to get rid of eczema on the scalp: Salicylic Acid Topical (Compound W)

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Salicylic Acid Topical (Compound W)

Brand Names:Acnevir, Akurza, Aliclen, Bensal HP, CeraVe SA, CeraVe SA Renewing

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Salicylic acid is a keratolytic (peeling agent) that causes shedding of the outer layer of skin.

Salicylic acid topical (for the skin) is used in the treatment of acne, dandruff, seborrhea, or psoriasis, and to remove corns, calluses, and warts.

Salicylic acid topical may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

uses

What is Salicylic Acid Topical (Compound W) used for?

  • Acne
  • Dermatological Disorders

warnings

What is the most important information I should know about Salicylic Acid Topical (Compound W)?

You should not use salicylic acid topical if you are allergic to it.

Using this medicine in a child or teenager with flu symptoms or chickenpox can cause a serious or fatal condition called Reye’s syndrome.

Ask a doctor or pharmacist if this medicine is safe to use if you have:

  • liver or kidney disease;
  • diabetes; or
  • blood circulation problems.

Ask a doctor before using this medicine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Side Effects

What are the side effects of Salicylic Acid Topical (Compound W)?

Salicylic acid topical can cause a rare but serious allergic reaction or severe skin irritation. These reactions may occur just a few minutes after you apply the medicine, or within a day or longer afterward.

Stop using this medicine and get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives, itching; difficult breathing, feeling light-headed; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Also stop using salicylic acid topical and call your doctor at once if you have:

  • severe headache, ringing in your ears, problems with hearing, thinking problems;
  • severe stomach pain, vomiting, or diarrhea;
  • a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;
  • shortness of breath; or
  • severe burning, dryness, or irritation of the skin.

Common side effects may include:

  • minor skin irritation, rash, or peeling; or
  • changes in the color of treated skin (usually whitening).

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Can I take Salicylic Acid Topical (Compound W) if I’m pregnant or breastfeeding?

C

Risk cannot be ruled out

Based on FDA pregnancy categories

Ask a doctor before using this medicine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Interactions

What drugs and food should I avoid while taking Salicylic Acid Topical (Compound W)?

Avoid using this medicine on open wounds or on sunburned, windburned, dry, or irritated skin.

Rinse with water if this medicine gets in your eyes or mouth.

This medicine may be flammable. Do not use near high heat or open flame. Wash the medicine off your hands before handling a hair styling appliance (such as a curling or straightening iron). High heat could cause the medicine to ignite and burn your skin. Do not smoke until the gel has completely dried on your skin.

Avoid using other medications on the areas you treat with salicylic acid topical, unless you doctor tells you to.

Dosage Guidelines & Tips

How to take Salicylic Acid Topical (Compound W)?

Use Salicylic Acid Topical (Compound W) exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.

What should I do if I missed a dose of Salicylic Acid Topical (Compound W)?

Salicylic acid topical is used when needed. If you are on a dosing schedule, skip any missed dose. Do not use two doses at one time.

Overdose Signs

What happens if I overdose on Salicylic Acid Topical (Compound W)?

If you think you or someone else may have overdosed on: Salicylic Acid Topical (Compound W),  call your doctor or the Poison Control center

(800) 222-1222

If someone collapses or isn’t breathing after taking Salicylic Acid Topical (Compound W), call 911

911

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Medical Disclaimer

Drugs A-Z provides drug information from Everyday Health and our partners, as well as ratings from our members, all in one place. Cerner Multum™ provides the data within some of the Overview, Uses, Warnings, Side Effects, Pregnancy, Interactions, Dosage, Overdose, and Images sections. The information within all other sections is proprietary to Everyday Health. 

Symptoms, treatment, and natural remedies

Eczema can result in inflamed, dry, itchy skin. On the scalp, skin may appear scaly and red, or a lighter color than the surrounding skin. A person may also experience dandruff.

One of the main types of eczema that can affect the scalp is seborrheic dermatitis. It appears in areas where the skin is most oily, such as the scalp, face, and upper back. When seborrheic dermatitis affects babies, it is known as cradle cap.

In this article, we look at risk factors for scalp eczema, how to prevent it, and what treatment involves.

Seborrheic dermatitis is a type of eczema linked with the scalp, though it can appear in other areas with a lot of oil-producing glands in the skin.

Doctors do not fully understand what causes seborrheic dermatitis, but a type of yeast that lives on the skin may be involved. Malassezia, this yeast, exists on everyone’s skin, and it may trigger an immune response in some people. This response leads to the inflammation and itchiness.

Seborrheic dermatitis affects up to 5% of the general population, and slightly more males than females have it. It is common in babies. In adults, it is most common in people aged 40 or over.

Seborrheic dermatitis can resemble dandruff, which is a milder condition that affects up to half of the population.

It is possible for other types of eczema to affect the scalp, including atopic eczema or contact dermatitis. A doctor, such as a dermatologist, can identify the type.

Certain factors can make people more prone to seborrheic dermatitis. These include:

  • having oily skin
  • being male
  • living in a dry or cold environment
  • having a condition that weakens the immune system, such as HIV
  • having a neurological condition, such as Parkinson’s disease
  • having certain mental health conditions, such as depression or an eating disorder
  • taking certain medications, such as lithium, dopamine antagonists, or immunosuppressants

The following might trigger a flare-up of this type of eczema:

  • stress
  • lack of sleep
  • sweating
  • irritants
  • dry skin

People can usually tell the difference between eczema and dandruff by looking for visible signs of inflammation. Both eczema and dandruff can cause flaky skin and itchiness, but only eczema typically causes inflamed patches of skin.

Researchers think that dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis are part of the same disease process and that both are related to the presence of Malassezia fungus on the scalp.

Research from 2015 argues that the two exist on a continuum, with dandruff is on the milder end and seborrheic dermatitis causing more severe symptoms.

Scalp eczema causes patches of itchy, inflamed, dry skin. The patches may change in shape and size over time.

People with seborrheic dermatitis may also have:

  • patches of waxy or oily skin
  • skin that flakes off
  • yellow or red discoloration, in people with lighter skin tones
  • skin that is darker or lighter than the surrounding area, in people with deeper skin tones

The condition typically appears in areas with a lot of oil-producing glands. A person with seborrheic dermatitis on their scalp may also have it in other areas that produce oil, such as the:

  • nose
  • eyelids
  • eyebrows
  • ear canal
  • area behind the ears
  • upper back

Even after the rash heals, any color changes may last.

The best approach depends on the type of eczema a person has. For seborrheic dermatitis, treatment involves using topical products that reduce the growth of the yeast, calm inflammation, and remove the flakiness.

The first step involves skin care, and a dermatologist can describe how to keep the scalp clean and hydrated. Replacing any harsh shampoos with gentle, pH-balanced ones may reduce irritation, for example.

Next, the doctor may recommend an antifungal cream, spray, or scalp treatment. This may contain a combination of:

  • zinc pyrithione
  • salicylic acid
  • selenium sulfide
  • ketoconazole
  • ciclopirox
  • sulfacetamide
  • coal tar
  • sulfur

For more severe cases, a mild corticosteroid can calm the inflammation. A doctor may prescribe a topical corticosteroid, which goes on the skin, to treat an active flare-up that causes severe pain, itching, and flaking. Corticosteroids are not suitable for use over long periods, however.

A doctor may also prescribe a topical medication that suppresses the immune system. These products do not contain corticosteroids and a person can use them for longer periods. For very severe cases, doctors may prescribe an oral antifungal medication.

For babies with cradle cap, mineral oil can help loosen the flakes so that they fall off with gentle washing. Usually, this is all that is necessary. The condition often improves on its own after a few months.

In adults, seborrheic dermatitis can come and go for long periods and require managing to reduce flare-ups.

Many prescription products for seborrheic dermatitis contain ingredients that people can purchase over the counter, such as:

  • coal tar, which reduces itching
  • sulfur, an antibacterial mineral
  • salicylic acid, a compound that naturally occurs in plants and exfoliates flaky skin

Many over-the-counter scalp treatments contain these substances.

Also, some research shows that daily use of a 5% tea tree oil shampoo can significantly improve mild-to-moderate symptoms without causing side effects. However, less research has gone into this approach.

People should never use essential oils undiluted on the skin. Also do not use these oils at all to treat eczema in children or babies.

There is no single test for scalp eczema. The yeasts that play a role in seborrheic dermatitis occur naturally on everyone’s scalp, so testing for these will not help.

Instead, a doctor does a physical examination and takes the person’s medical history. They may diagnose eczema based on the symptoms alone, or they may perform tests to rule out other possibilities, such as an allergic reaction.

The specific symptoms can also reveal the type of eczema.

If a doctor suspects a fungal infection, they may take a skin scraping and send it for analysis.

Since experts are not sure exactly why scalp eczema develops, they cannot recommend a surefire method of prevention.

Still, a person can reduce the chances of the condition flaring up by:

  • avoiding contact with harsh soaps, chemicals, or solvents
  • protecting the head in cold or dry weather
  • using a humidifier to make indoor air less dry
  • washing the scalp after exercise and other activities that cause sweating
  • reducing and managing stress levels
  • receiving treatment for any medical conditions that increase the risk of seborrheic dermatitis

If a medication may be contributing to scalp eczema, a doctor can describe the next steps.

Seborrheic dermatitis is a type of eczema that tends to affect the scalp. Doctors believe that it results from an immune system reaction to a type of yeast that naturally grows on the skin. Seborrheic dermatitis causes one or more patches of itchy, flaky skin, which may feel oily.

Treatment may involve using topical creams, sprays, or shampoos that contain antifungal and anti-inflammatory ingredients.

Because other types of eczema can also occur on the scalp, it is important to get a diagnosis. The doctor can also rule out other conditions that can cause an inflamed or flaky rash, such as psoriasis.

Read the article in Spanish.

causes, what it looks like, types, stages, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment

Causes

Classification

Symptoms

Complications

Diagnosis

Treatment

Prevention and prognosis

Eczema is an inflammation of the skin of a non-infectious nature. Among the main manifestations are redness and itchy blisters that contain fluid. May become chronic. The name “eczema” comes from the word “boil”, and it came from the fact that the bubbles in this disease are similar to those that appear in boiling water.

Eczema can occur on the hands, feet, face. The disease can appear regardless of age and gender, but women are more susceptible to it. The reasons for this are unknown, perhaps it is due to the hormonal background or more frequent contact with household chemicals. Most often it has a professional nature: when the skin is constantly exposed to chemicals, allergens, especially against the background of a weakened immune system.

Eczema is not contagious and is not transmitted to other people, since microorganisms do not participate in its development.

Causes and triggers

It is now established that the cause of eczema is primarily hidden in genetics: a predisposition to it is inherited. If one of the parents has this disease, then the probability of its occurrence in children is up to 40%, and if two parents have it, up to 60%.

With a large number of synthetic substances in the modern world, from household chemicals to food additives, as well as allergens, stress, the likelihood of eczema with a genetic predisposition is very high. Moreover, in such cases, severe forms often occur, which are difficult to treat and give complications.

However, in order for the disease to manifest itself even with a predisposition, the influence of some predisposing factors is required, including:

  • existing allergy to household chemicals, dust or other substances;
  • endocrine diseases;
  • regular stress, neurotic conditions;
  • chronic inflammatory processes of infectious origin, including caries;
  • chronic diseases of internal organs – liver, stomach, intestines and others;
  • avitaminosis;
  • hormonal disruptions during puberty, menopause, against the background of taking medications and other treatment.

    • If a person has any of the above, this does not guarantee manifestations of eczema. However, some factors can cause its appearance at any time, for example, hypothermia, trauma with skin damage, alcohol consumption, contact with chemicals, including cosmetics, or those that are part of food, severe stress and anxiety.

    The disease begins when an autoimmune reaction is triggered, that is, the body produces antibodies against skin cells. This occurs when several factors are combined at once: predisposition, contact with chemicals, the action of antigens from chronic infectious foci, against the background of a decrease in immunity. As a result of autoimmune processes, inflammation appears on the skin with characteristic watery vesicles.

    Classification

    There are different forms of eczema that can vary greatly, and here are a few of the most common:

    1. True. It usually appears on the face and limbs. The affected areas of uneven shape alternate with healthy ones, have vesicular vesicles, papules, pustules. The skin turns red, weeping erosions form on it. In the chronic form, the skin coarsens, becomes dry, abscesses may appear when combed erosions become infected.
    2. Nummular or nummular eczema. It is provoked mainly by allergic reactions and chronic infectious processes in the oral cavity or respiratory system. It looks like coin-shaped plaques 1-3 cm in diameter, with vesicles, areas of wetting, crusts. In women, it usually occurs during puberty, and in men – closer to 60 years.
    3. Microbial eczema. Usually occurs around infected wounds or areas of pyoderma. May have a different shape with a clear border. In the center, purulent or serous crusts appear, when peeled off, areas of weeping are exposed. Itching is strongly pronounced, which provokes infection of the affected areas.
    4. seborrheic eczema. It starts on the head under the hair, in places where the sebaceous glands accumulate. Then it moves to other areas of the body. The skin is hyperemic, edematous, with yellow papules and covered with yellow crusts.
    5. Varicose eczema. It develops against the background of varicose veins, on the legs, near varicose ulcers. Severe itching is characteristic.
    6. sycosiform form. It is formed during infection and inflammation of the hair follicles and spreads beyond the hairline. It occurs on the face, under the armpits, on the pubis. This form is characterized by weeping and severe itching.
    7. Dyshidrotic eczema. It affects the skin of the palms and feet, where hyperemic areas appear with small bubbles containing liquid.
    8. Professional. Occurs due to the influence of production factors. Usually this is frequent contact with allergens – chemicals, antibiotics, metals. It often happens to those who often immerse their hands in water: dishwashers, cooks, cleaners, orderlies. It manifests itself in the contact zone as true eczema and disappears if the irritating factor is removed, for example, to change jobs.
    9. Dry eczema. It usually appears in older people on the background of too dry skin. Usually affects the hands or feet, and not only the epidermis, but also the dermis. It is manifested by redness, the formation of papules, peeling, ulcers. Severe itching, soreness, burning sensation are characteristic.

    Eczema in children also occurs, children from the age of 3 months can get sick. In them, the disease can affect any area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe head, except for the nasolabial triangle, as well as the buttocks and limbs.

    The disease goes through several stages of development: first there is hyperemia of the skin, itching, then papules form, then vesicles with fluid and weeping when they open. This is the stage of weeping eczema, when infection of the affected skin is possible. Then these areas dry up and crusts form. Further, the crusts are exfoliated, the skin is restored.

    Symptoms

    Symptoms of different forms of eczema are somewhat different, but they are also characterized by common manifestations:

    • skin redness, swelling;
    • the formation of vesicles with vesicular contents;
    • severe itching.

    Also, this pathology is characterized by the opening of vesicles and the formation of crusts, under which areas of weeping are noticeable. At the stage of recovery, these crusts begin to peel off.

    Complications

    Pathology can be complicated by the addition of an infection. Then the affected areas can fester and symptoms of intoxication will appear, with an increase in temperature and a deterioration in well-being. Infection can cause ulceration of the skin, which can visibly damage a person’s appearance.

    The most dangerous complication is erythroderma, when inflammation covers 90% of the skin. This disease has a high mortality rate.

    Diagnosis

    To diagnose eczema, a dermatologist conducts an examination and questioning whether a person has relatives with this disease, allergic reactions, and type of activity. Skin hyperemia, erosion, gray crusts and weeping allow a preliminary diagnosis, but some research may be required.

    Among them:

    • biochemical blood test;
    • blood test for immunoglobulin E;
    • sowing discharge to identify microorganisms and determine their sensitivity to antibiotics – to exclude the microbial form and treat secondary infections.

    You may also need to consult other specialists: an endocrinologist, a gastroenterologist, a psychoneurologist.

    Treatment

    For the treatment of eczema, an individual approach is required, since it is necessary first of all to eliminate provoking factors. A hypoallergenic diet is prescribed, with the exception of foods such as fish, fatty meats, cocoa and coffee, citrus fruits, and legumes.

    If the disease is caused by external factors, they should be eliminated: move to a more environmentally friendly place, change jobs, exclude contact with disease-provoking factors, including at home.

    The following drugs are also used to treat eczema:

    • antihistamines – to reduce itching;
    • desensitizing – to stop inflammation and normalize metabolic processes in the skin;
    • glucocorticosteroids – with volumetric weeping eczema or the absence of results from treatment with other drugs;
    • antibiotics – if a microbial form is detected or a secondary infection has joined.

    Immunostimulating drugs may also be prescribed to increase the body’s defenses. Along the way, the therapy of the underlying disease should be carried out, if this has been detected, and first of all, the pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract. It is possible to prescribe sedatives to normalize the central nervous system.

    Lotions with astringents can be used locally – this accelerates the formation of crusts and their drying. Ointments and creams for eczema based on corticosteroids and antiseptics have also proven effective.

    Prevention and prognosis

    With proper and timely treatment, after a few days, itching and inflammation are noticeably reduced. Recovery occurs in 3-4 weeks, so the prognosis for uncomplicated forms of eczema is favorable. In the complicated form, it depends on the accompanying problems and the possibilities for their treatment.

    Prevention of eczema requires good hygiene and avoid contact with allergens. Proper skin care is also important – keeping it clean, using emollients and moisturizers, but damage and the use of harsh products should be avoided.

    The author of the article:

    Shapovalova Valeria Olegovna

    cosmetologist, dermatologist, trichologist

    work experience 4 years

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