Please login or create an account. If you do not have access to this content, you will be shown a 30 second preview and licensing options.
- Presentation
Hair Oils, Malassezia, and Seborrheic Dermatitis
Description
The talk explains that while hair oils are popular for making hair shiny, soft, and moisturized, applying them to the scalp can worsen or trigger seborrheic dermatitis by feeding Malassezia, a lipid-dependent yeast that normally lives on human skin and thrives in oily areas after puberty. The speaker describes patients who developed scalp itch and scale after using products like Moroccan oil and other common oils. Since increased Malassezia growth is associated with seborrheic dermatitis, adding oils such as coconut, olive, almond, argan, cocoa butter, shea butter, jojoba, and similar products may promote symptoms, even though some oils may help damaged hair shafts when applied to the lengths of the hair rather than the scalp. The advice is to educate patients that a dry, itchy scalp may actually be seborrheic dermatitis, avoid heavy scalp oiling, use antifungal shampoos like ketoconazole or zinc pyrithione when needed, and reserve oil for the distal hair shafts. The speaker notes that mineral oil and MCT oil are likely yeast-safe, but they are not ideal hair oils.
View moreConclusions
- Hair oils may improve the look and feel of hair, but applying them to the scalp can worsen seborrheic dermatitis in susceptible people.
- The key mechanism is likely that many common oils provide lipids that promote growth of Malassezia yeast, which is involved in seborrheic dermatitis.
- A dry, itchy, flaky scalp should not automatically be treated with more oil, because it may actually represent seborrheic dermatitis.
- Most popular cosmetic oils used on hair and scalp, including coconut, olive, almond, argan, and jojoba-derived products, are likely to be unfavorable for Malassezia-driven scalp disease.
- Antifungal treatment, such as ketoconazole or zinc pyrithione shampoos, can reduce Malassezia and improve symptoms.
- If patients want to use oil, it is safer to apply it to the distal hair shafts rather than the scalp.
- Only a few oils, such as mineral oil and MCT oil, appear relatively yeast-safe, but they are not ideal cosmetic hair oils for everyone.
- Tea tree oil and cinnamon oil may have antifungal activity, but their irritation risk limits routine recommendation.
- Overall, the presentation argues for avoiding routine heavy scalp oiling in patients with seborrheic dermatitis and for educating patients that scalp oiling can be counterproductive.
- Comparison of Three Skin Sampling Methods and Two Media for Culturing Malassezia Yeast#10.3390/jof6040350
- Seborrheic Dermatitis and Malassezia species: How Are They Related? J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2009 Nov; 2(11): 14–17. PMCID PMC2923939; PMID 20725575
- Hair Oils May Worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis in Black Patients#10.1159/000527778
- Antifungal activity of different essential oils against Malassezia pathogenic species#10.1016/j.jep.2019.112376