DANDRUFF AND HIV/AIDS

            Seborrheic dermatitis is a skin disorder in the form of chronic inflammation and can recur, it usually appears in areas with many oil glands, for example the scalp, face, and body folds. In addition to dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis can give symptoms such as: redness, oiliness, peeling, crust, scaling and itching. Peeled skin is usually white to yellowish. Seborrheic dermatitis in infants often occurs on the scalp (often referred ascradle cap) and in area affected by diapers, while in children it usually affects the eyelids, eyelashes, and scalp. In adults, seborrheic dermatitis distributed wider and can involve more than one area.

            The mainetiology of seborrheic dermatitis is still unknown, but it was thought to be caused by the fungus Malassezia spp. which grow due to excessive oil production of the skin surface. It can also arise due to abnormal immune system response, as often found in people with HIV/AIDS where the immune system is weak,frequently occurs in early stages of the disease. A study mentioned the incidence of seborrheic dermatitis in HIV/AIDS patients is quite high, which is 2.9%. Another study was found cases of seborrheic dermatitis in both nasal folds of HIV/AIDS patients. This condition raisea concern, especially for health care workers to be able to make early detection of skin manifestations in patients with HIV/AIDS in early stages in order to prevent the severity of the disease and complications.

            Treatment of seborrheic dermatitis requires long period of time because this disease is a chronic condition. In general, treatment includes anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory ointments or creams, but actually the treatment is not only focused on healing or reducing complaints, but also aims to restore the function and structure of the skin. In scalp area, anti-dandruff shampoos containing selenium sulfide, zinc pyrithion or coal tar can be used. In infants, the use of moisturizing substances (emollient) such as olive oil or baby oil can loosen scales and reduce itching. Treatment in adolescents is relatively not much different from adults. In HIV/AIDS patients, in addition to treat seborrheic dermatitis, treatment also focused to overcome problems of the underlying immune system disorders, specifically HIV/AIDS itself.