Do not share a roommate’s steroid bottle. Photograph; get a label that matches the rash.
Seborrheic dermatitis is common, often itchy, with yellowish scale. Psoriasis can show thicker plaques and body clues. Tinea and scarring alopecias can mimic. This page will not invent a PMID. Related: seborrheic-versus-dandruff cause file — different URL.
Do not start oral finasteride for scale. Do not double minoxidil on fissured skin. Ketoconazole shampoo, if used, follows a carton or clinician — another file.
Pus, fever, or hair coming out in clumps with pain is dermatology now. This is not medical advice.
Try the free self-check →Sources: AAD ↗
FAQ
Can minoxidil treat both?
No. Treat the rash as diagnosed. Foam is a pattern label.
Is it contagious?
Seborrheic is not ringworm. Tinea is another exam.
Same as dandruff page?
Related scale family, different URL. This file is seborrheic versus psoriasis.
Steroid from a friend?
Do not. Potency and infection risk are clinical.
Explore more
⚠️ When to see a doctor — don’t self-treat
- Sudden patchy or circular bald spots
- Redness, scaling, pus, pain or itch (possible scarring alopecia — treat urgently)
- Broken hairs or rapid loss
- Loss with body-wide signs (weight loss, fatigue, cycle changes, acne, extra hair)
- Loss right after a new medication
- Any hair loss in a child