Petaloid Seborrheic Dermatitis: A Variant Described Primarily in Skin of Color

Main Article Content

Rachel Christensen
Colleen Powers
Chelsea Mockbee
Robert Brodell

Keywords

Seborrheic dermatitis, pityrosporon sp, Malassezia furfur, skin of color, pathophysiology

Abstract

Petaloid seborrheic dermatitis is a distinct variant of seborrheic dermatitis most commonly affecting patients with skin of color. It is characterized by arcuate coalescing lesions with fine scale and a raised border that symmetrically expands over the course of weeks in a seborrheic distribution.  Two patients with extensive petaloid seborrheic dermatitis of the face are presented who quickly responded to a typical regimen for seborrheic dermatitis.  Recognition of petaloid seborrheic dermatitis will prevent misdiagnosis and improper treatment of this common condition.

References

1. Bolognia J, Schaffer JV, Cerroni L, eds. Dermatology. 4th ed. Elsevier; 2018.

2. Elgash M, Dlova N, Ogunleye T, Taylor SC. Seborrheic dermatitis in skin of color: Clinical considerations. J Drugs Dermatol. 2019;18(1):24-27.

3. De Carvalho Fagundes FN, Simoes JP, Pereira Magnago AG, De Sousa Brito Xavier MH. Annular and arcuate syphilis: An uncommon presentation of disseminated secondary syphilis. Dermatol Online J. 2018;24(4):13030/qt2nb2k1xd.

4. Halder RM, Holmes YC, Bridgeman-Shah S, Kilgman AM. A clinicohistopathological study of acne vulgaris in black females. J Invest Dermatol. 1996;106(4):888.

5. Amer A, Fischer H, Li X. The natural history of pityriasis rosea in black American children: how correct is the "classic" description? Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2007;161(5):503-506.

6. Li, JC, Kundu RV. Tinea versicolor: In: Love, P, Kundu, R, eds. Clinical Cases in Skin of Color: Adnexal, Inflammation, Infections, and Pigmentary Disorders. Springer, Cham; 2016. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22392-6_11

7. Aslan Kayıran M, Wang JV, Karadag AS. Papulosquamous annular diseases. Clin Dermatol. 2022:S0738-081X(21)00265-0. doi: 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2021.12.007.

8. Urbina F, Das A, Sudy E. Clinical variants of pityriasis rosea. World J Clin Cases. 2017;5(6):203-211. doi:10.12998/wjcc.v5.i6.203

9. Pontasch MJ, Kyanko ME, Brodell RT. Tinea versicolor of the face in black children in a temperate region. Cutis. 1989;43(1):81-84.

10. Aly R, Shirley C, Cunico B, Maibach HI. Effect of prolonged occlusion on the microbial flora, pH, carbon dioxide and transepidermal water loss on human skin. J Invest Dermatol. 1978;71(6):378-381. doi:10.1111/1523-1747.ep12556778

Most read articles by the same author(s)