Patients and Providers Seek More Effective, Time-Saving Treatments for Seborrheic Dermatitis

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A new survey revealed patterns in patient and provider satisfaction for seborrheic dermatitis treatment in the United States.¹ The questionnaire explored disease burden, therapy misconceptions, and other perceptions of the current landscape. It was found that both groups are unsatisfied with current therapies and are looking to try new treatments that are more cost- and time-effective with better results for patients of all backgrounds. A national, cross-sectional survey conducted by the Harris Poll collected online responses from December 14, 2021, to January 19, 2022.

The patient survey lasted about 10 minutes, and all 300 respondents were aged ≥ 18 years with a clinical diagnosis of seborrheic dermatitis in the United States. The average age was 40 years and 55% were male. Over 70% of patients considered their disease severity to be moderate. The mean symptom duration was 3.6 years. 

The clinician survey lasted about 12 minutes and included 601 practicing physicians (67%), nurse practitioners (10%), and physician’s assistants (24%) who saw more than one patient with seborrheic dermatitis a week. The mean number of years in practice was 3.1, treating a weekly average of 160 patients with all skin conditions.

On average, patients spend 34 minutes a day treating their seborrheic dermatitis with 5.9 different treatments a week (2.4 prescriptions, 2.1 over-the-counter, and 1.4 alternative methods). Clinicians underestimated the daily treatment time and believed it to be 16 minutes.

This costs about $650 a year, which only 19% of patients believed to be affordable. The highest average was spent on prescription medications ($300) with $190 on over-the-counter therapies and $160 on alternatives. According to other studies, the total annual cost for scalp treatments in the US is estimated to be at $300 million per year.² Less than 25% of patients were “very satisfied” with the effectiveness of their prescription treatments. This rate was even lower in healthcare providers (8.7%). 

Over 60% of patients believe that current treatment options are too time-consuming while almost 90% are looking for a regimen with fewer therapies. Nearly all surveyed patients and providers acknowledged the difficulty and frustration of treating seborrheic dermatitis and are looking for new treatment methods to try. In particular, both groups are looking for rapid symptom relief rather than focusing on how the product feels or looks. Almost 90% of patients expressed that they would appreciate a therapy that can easily be incorporated into their existing hair care routine. Nearly all the surveyed clinicians agreed with this statement.

“These insights highlight the importance of a single, once-daily treatment option that can be used on multiple areas of the body,” the authors said.

According to patients, additional considerations in patients’ skin tone (81%) and cultural background (55%) are needed to meet needs and preferences when recommending products. Most health care providers also agreed that these factors play a role in what treatments they prescribe. It is worth noting that Black patients (10%) had the lowest percentage of satisfaction regarding how well their treatment fits into their routine.

The study does have some limitations, such as sampling and self-reporting biases. However, the population-based, weighted sampling strategy should be relatively balanced and represent the population as a whole. Future prospective research with larger sample sizes and different settings may provide more insight.

Current treatment options include antifungals, low-potency corticosteroids, and calcineurin inhibitors, which hope to reduce inflammation, itch, flaking, and erythema but can have low efficacy and local adverse effects.³ These survey results confirm that new seborrheic dermatitis therapies should effectively save time and prevent discomfort while considering diverse hair care routines and cultural practices.

References

1. Chovatiya R, Chang CH, Aldredge L, et al. Patient and healthcare provider perspectives on treatment patterns and patient satisfaction of seborrheic dermatitis in the United States. J Dermatolog Treat. 2025;36(1):2476576. doi:10.1080/09546634.2025.2476576

2. Manuel F, Ranganathan S. A new postulate on two stages of dandruff: a clinical perspective. Int J Trichology. 2011;3(1):3-6. doi:10.4103/0974-7753.82117

3. Borda LJ, Wikramanayake TC. Seborrheic Dermatitis and Dandruff: A Comprehensive Review. J Clin Investig Dermatol. 2015;3(2):10.13188/2373-1044.1000019. doi:10.13188/2373-1044.1000019