Topical Anti-inflammatory Agents for Seborrheic Dermatitis of the Face or Scalp

CLINICAL QUESTION: Are there differences in effectiveness between topical anti-inflammatory treatments (steroids, calcineurin inhibitors, or lithium salts) and placebo or azoles in the treatment of seborrheic dermatitis of the face and scalp in adults? BOTTOM LINE: The topical anti-inflammatory treatments were more effective in achieving total clearance of symptoms than placebo by 1.4-fold to 8.5-fold, but there are no considerable differences in the anti-inflammatory topical treatments or in comparison with azoles for short-term treatment. There is no evidence of treatment effects in long-term, continuous, or intermittent use of these compounds despite the chronic nature of the disease.