Comparison of scalp interleukin-17 levels in hijab-wearing women with and without seborrheic dermatitis and the correlation with disease severity

Seborrheic dermatitis (SD) is linked with Malassezia colonization, which increases in hijab-wearing women. The growing number of hijab wearers in Indonesia makes this issue relevant. Interleukin (IL)-17 plays a role in inflammation and antifungal immunity, including against Malassezia. However, studies on the role of IL-17 in SD, particularly in hijab-wearing women, are currently lacking. Our study purpose was to evaluate differences in IL-17 levels between hijab-wearing women with SD and without SD, and their correlation with SD severity. This cross-sectional study included 66 hijab-wearing participants aged 18-59 years, with 34 in the SD group and 32 in the non-SD group. IL-17 expression was assessed using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) on scalp skin samples obtained through tape stripping (Sebutape®). The SD group had significantly lower IL-17 levels (0.064 [0.006-0.354] pg/μg protein) compared to the non-SD group (0.105 [0.030-0.531] pg/μg protein) (p=0.002), with a strong negative correlation between IL-17 levels and SD severity scores (r=–0.728, p=0.000). The result suggests a potential protective role of IL-17 against SD.