Dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis—what's the difference?

Though many researchers consider seborrhoeic dermatitis to be a more advanced form of dandruff, the two may have different symptoms.

• Dandruff symptoms typically include irritation, flaking and dryness. Dandruff is restricted to the scalp.

• Seborrhoeic dermatitis symptoms usually include reddened, irritated skin, increased flaking and larger flake size. The scalp may be oily, causing flakes to have a yellowish tinge. Commonly affected areas may include the scalp and eyebrows, but patches may also appear on the eyelids, creases of the nose, lips, behind the ears, in the external ear and along skin folds. Stress and certain health problems have been found to worsen outbreaks of seborrhoeic dermatitis.