Have you noticed worsening seborrheic dermatitis symptoms during periods of hormonal changes, like puberty, hormone therapy, or aging? If so, you’re not alone.

Although the exact cause of seborrheic dermatitis is unknown, hormonal changes throughout your lifespan can trigger seborrheic dermatitis flare-ups (periods of worse symptoms), leading to flaky, itchy, and peeling skin.

In this article, we’ll discuss which hormones can affect seborrheic dermatitis and how they may lead to flare-ups.

How Hormones Affect Seborrheic Dermatitis

Certain health conditions put you at a higher risk of developing seborrheic dermatitis — and in people diagnosed with the condition, many different triggers can cause flare-ups. These triggers include hormonal changes, cold weather, oily skin, and stress.

Some of these factors can add up, making the other issues worse. Stress can cause a seborrheic dermatitis flare-up on its own but may also trigger hormonal changes in the body that all cause flare-ups.

Seborrheic dermatitis can happen at any age and is especially common during puberty (usually during adolescence) when hormone changes occur quickly. For middle-aged people, seborrheic dermatitis may first show up right around the same time that hormonal changes occur. In general, seborrheic dermatitis peaks in teenagers and adults 30 to 60 years of age and becomes less common for people over the age of 60.

Seborrheic dermatitis is more common on the scalp, typically affecting the hairline, face (especially cheeks and eyebrows), and chest. These are areas of the body where there are more sebaceous glands. Sebaceous glands secrete sebum, an oily substance that keeps the skin from drying out. Androgen hormones (female and male sex hormones) target these glands and make them grow, producing more sebum. This excess sebum can make seborrheic dermatitis symptoms worse.

Hormones can also affect how much sebum your skin makes, potentially causing seborrheic dermatitis. Research also shows that hormones cause an increase in sebum — which is why you may have acne during puberty.

More research is needed to understand the exact connection between hormones and seborrheic dermatitis.

Can Hormones Affect Malassezia Growth?

Malassezia yeasts are a normal part of healthy skin. These yeasts feed off of the oily sebum. When too much Malassezia yeast grows on the skin, it can cause seborrheic dermatitis symptoms. People with oily skin are at a higher risk of seborrheic dermatitis because oily skin produces more sebum.

Recent research suggests that Malassezia yeast overgrowth alone isn’t enough to cause seborrheic dermatitis. Instead, evidence shows seborrheic dermatitis is caused by multiple factors like:

• Excess sebum from sebaceous glands
• Reduced immune system function
• Hormonal changes
• Malassezia yeast overgrowth

One example of this is that androgen hormones target sebaceous glands in the skin. This condition may provide a happy home for Malassezia yeast overgrowth, triggering seborrheic dermatitis symptoms.

Testosterone and Seborrheic Dermatitis

Seborrheic dermatitis can be triggered by changes in androgen levels. Androgens are sex hormones that increase during puberty in adolescence. Types of androgens include:

• Testosterone
• Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
• DHEA sulfate (DHEAS)
• Dihydrotestosterone

In general, androgens are changed by the body into more hormones. Seborrheic dermatitis symptoms are common during puberty when sex hormones trigger reproductive organs to make estrogen and testosterone.

Studies from Dermatology Online Journal show that seborrheic dermatitis is more common in men than in women. Some researchers believe this finding suggests that testosterone (the male sex hormone) may play a role.

Testosterone is the most common androgen and can be found in everyone, regardless of their sex. Researchers have also found that high doses of testosterone and anabolic-androgenic steroids (performance-enhancing drugs) increase the size of sebaceous glands and the amount of sebum they produce. Bigger or more oil glands in your skin can create more oil and raise the chance of seborrheic dermatitis flare-ups.

MySebDermTeam members have also found that hormonal imbalances may also trigger their symptoms. Abnormal DHEA and testosterone levels can be an issue for some. One member wrote, “My hormones are screwy. Last lab — and I am female — but my DHEA and testosterone are very low. She told me to get a supplement for the DHEA.”

If you think your testosterone levels may be low, talk to your dermatology provider. In females, symptoms to look for include:

• Low sex drive
• Irregular menstrual cycle
• Vaginal dryness
• Infertility

In men, typical low testosterone symptoms include:

• Low libido
• Erectile dysfunction
• Brain fog
• Loss of muscle mass
• Poor sleep

Managing hormonal imbalances may improve these symptoms and your seborrheic dermatitis.

Estrogen and Seborrheic Dermatitis

Doctors and researchers are still learning about the link between estrogen and seborrheic dermatitis. In women and people assigned female at birth, androgen is changed into estradiol (which you can think of as estrogen), according to Cleveland Clinic. Estrogen controls the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause. Evidence suggests that estrogen affects the fungi found naturally on the skin. This means estrogen may affect the growth of Malassezia yeast, leading to seborrheic dermatitis.

Androgen levels fluctuate throughout the day and change throughout our lifespan — they tend to decrease as we age. High androgen levels can cause polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). People with PCOS have elevated hormone levels, which can cause seborrheic dermatitis as well as other skin disorders.

Estrogen levels change throughout periods of the menstrual cycle and aging. When a person is having their period, estrogen levels fluctuate repeatedly, which can lead to a seborrheic dermatitis flare. During menopause, estrogen levels begin dropping and continue to decline, which can make seborrheic dermatitis symptoms worse.

Estrogen and progesterone (female sex hormones) can influence the immune system. According to the National Eczema Association, an overactive immune system can make seborrheic dermatitis symptoms worse.

One MySebDermTeam member wrote, “My seborrheic dermatitis got so much worse after menopause. I don’t know if there’s a hormonal issue that connects it or not. I honestly don’t think the research has been done for seborrheic dermatitis.”

Overall, more research is needed on the role of estrogen in seborrheic dermatitis to better understand the connection.

Managing Seborrheic Dermatitis Flares From Hormonal Changes

There are many treatment options for seborrheic dermatitis, some of which overlap with treating other skin conditions.

Birth control pills (oral contraceptives) and intrauterine devices (IUDs) are hormonal birth control options. They contain hormones and can increase estrogen in the body and reduce sebum production — these can be used to treat or reduce seborrheic dermatitis symptoms. DHEA can help regulate immune function and treat seborrheic dermatitis.

For extra help with treating your seborrheic dermatitis symptoms, your doctor can prescribe:

• Antifungal shampoos to target Malassezia yeast, like ketoconazole
• Corticosteroids like fluocinolone (Synalar)
• Calcineurin inhibitors
• Over-the-counter skin care ointments, lotions, and creams, such as topical salicylic acid, which exfoliates the skin to reduce symptoms

Hormonal therapy, although not usually the prescribed treatment for seborrheic dermatitis, could help in treating your symptoms. If shifts in your hormone levels have caused seborrheic dermatitis flares, speak with your dermatologist or other health care provider regarding the best options for regulating your hormones if they’re found to be outside normal limits.

Find Your Team

MySebDermTeam is the social network for people with seborrheic dermatitis and their loved ones. On MySebDermTeam, more than 10,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their tips with others who understand life with seborrheic dermatitis.

Have hormonal changes affected your seborrheic dermatitis? How has your doctor recommended managing seborrheic dermatitis symptoms caused by hormonal changes? Share your thoughts in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.