Dry, flaking skin on face

Hi, I am a 20 y/o college student with a history of psoriasis on my scalp but recently I have developed skin flakes on my forehead, between my eyes, in my eyebrows, and in my beard. It is much like that on the scalp (which is controlled fine by moisturizing shampoo and conditioner.) This, however, comes off when rubbed especially easy after a shower. My skin is very sensitive, however these areas are not inflamed or puffy just "flaky." It is very frustrating, I have noticed it gets much worse if i skip a day showering and I play alot of sports so when i sweat it appears much more. I have used a mixture of baby oil and cocoa butter and a mix of baby oil and aloe vera. This helps but if i miss a day it begins again, I live in florida and it has persisted in winter and this summer. I workout regularly, take multivitamins and eat well, drinking heavily 4x a week is really my only unhealthy habit. I thought the dehydration from drinking could contribute but i drink a TON of water daily. Also is there a name for this? Can this be treated from the inside out? Any advice is greatly appreciated


This discussion is related to Very Dry Skin--What to Do?.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
This dry flaking skin can be due to seborrheic dermatitis. It is usually caused by overgrowth of Malassezia furfur. This skin disease commonly affects adolescents and young adults, especially in warm and humid climates and is aggravated by sweating and humidity.

Topical antifungals and mild steroids are the usual treatment and combination of the two can be used to treat stubborn patches. Oral antifungal drugs and immunomodulators such as tacrolimus and pimecrolimus are used in very severe cases. The other possibilities are of eczema, lupus erythematosus or dermatitis. Best would be to consult a dermatologist and get biopsy skin done to confirm the diagnosis.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.