Efficacy of terbinafine 1% cream on seborrhoeic dermatitis

Seborrhoeic dermatitis (SD) is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease. Although the exact pathogenesis of SD is unknown, Malassezia yeasts as well as genetic and environmental factors have been implicated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of terbinafine 1% cream on SD lesions with face localisation. Thirty-five patients with SD were included in the study. Patients applied terbinafine 1% cream twice daily for four weeks. The severity of the signs (erythema, scaling, infiltration) was assessed using a 4-point score (0=absent, 1=mild, 2=moderate, and 3=intense) at baseline and at the 2nd and 4th weeks of the therapy. Also, self-assessment was done by the patients on a 100 mm visual analogue score (VAS) at each visit. Complete remission was observed in 10 (32.3%) patients at the end of the therapy. Statistically significant reductions in the scores of all parameters were observed at both the 2nd and 4th weeks of the therapy. Patients' self assessments in the 2nd and 4th weeks were similarly better than at the baseline.