Malassezia furfur in infantile seborrheic dermatitis.

Malassezia furfur is important in the pathogenesis of a number of dermatologic diseases including seborrheic dermatitis in adults. It has also recently been suggested that M. furfur might be the etiologic agent in infantile seborrheic dermatitis (ISD).

Essential fatty acids in infantile seborrheic dermatitis.

Background: In infantile seborrheic dermatitis (ISD) several different pathogenetic mechanisms have been proposed.

Objective: The purpose of the study was to investigate the importance of essential fatty acids (EFAs) and their metabolites in the origin of ISD.

Methods: The serum EFA patterns of 30 children with ISD, 1 to 6 months of age, were studied for 2 to 5 months.

Transepidermal water loss and water content in the stratum corneum in infantile seborrhoeic dermatitis.

Thirty-seven patients with clinically diagnosed infantile seborrhoeic dermatitis (ISD) were studied in an attempt to establish the significance of transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and water content in the stratum corneum, in active disease and after recovery. All the patients were treated daily with topically applied borage oil (containing 24% gamma-linolenic acid). With this regimen they were completely free from all skin symptoms within 3-4 weeks.