Dry, Crusty Skin on the Eyebrows of Babies

A dry, crusty skin on the eyebrows of your baby may be due to seborrhea dermatitis. Seborrhea is a common skin rash that affects babies one month and older. This dry crusty skin can effect your baby's eyebrows, eyelashes and scalp (cradle cap). Seborrhea is not caused from allergies and will eventually clear up on its own. If the dry, crusty skin gets worse on your baby, you can treat it with a medicated cream, lotion or shampoo.

Symptoms

The symptoms of seborrhea dermatitis can include: dry skin, yellow or white flakes of skin, skin redness, inflammation, soreness or itching. This condition not only affects the scalp, eyebrows and eyelashes, but it can also effect your baby's nose, behind her ears, armpits and other skin folds. When seborrhea dermatitis is on your baby's scalp it is called cradle cap 1. The signs and symptoms of cradle cap are thick, yellow, crusty patches of skin.

Causes

Seborrhea dermatitis may be caused by a yeast or fungus called malassezia. Malassezia is normal yeast that grows in the skin's sebum. Seborrhea may come from changes in the skin, stress and fatigue or a neurological condition. Even though this condition may seem serious it is not an infection and it is not contagious.

Diagnosis

Seborrhea dermatitis is diagnosed through your baby's doctor or pediatrician. The doctor will examine your baby's skin, eyebrows, eyelashes and scalp. An examination of your baby's skin will rule out any other skin disorder or condition that might be causing the dry, crusty skin.

Treatments

Seborrhea dermatitis on babies usually goes away on its own, but there are treatments you can use on your baby's skin to reduce the symptoms. A medicated cream, lotion or shampoo can treat your baby's seborrhea. Two types of medications used in these treatments: anti-fungal and corticosteroids. The anti-fungal treatment will reduce the production of yeast on the affected area and the corticosteroids will reduce inflammation and discomfort.