3 Common Scalp Issues

Posted on: 10 August 2016

Every day, many people suffer from scalp issues. Do you have a dry, itchy scalp? Is your scalp consistently the locus of discomfort? It could be the case that you're suffering from a scalp related issue. Here are some of the most common scalp related issues and how to go about treating them.

Allergic Contact Dermatitis

This issue occurs because you are having an allergic reaction to something that is touching your scalp on a regular basis. More often than not, the material is a chemical in a hair dye known as paraphenylenediamine, or PPD. It can cause severe damage to your skin, including painful rashes, general discomfort, and constant itching. If you believe you are suffering from allergic contact dermatitis, halt the use of any product that contains PPD and make an appointment with your physician. He or she will most likely prescribe you a series of ointments and creams to apply to the offending area until it heals.

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a disorder that can affect your skin anywhere on the body, but is very common to the scalp area. It is a disease where your skin regenerates at an alarming level, and will form new layer upon new layer. This can create an appearance that is aesthetically unappealing to many people: psoriasis manifests itself as pink, scale-like plaques that look quite dry and flaky. Not only can psoriasis be aesthetically unappealing, it can also be somewhat painful and quite itchy. Address the issue with your physician. He or she may have you apply ointments on a daily basis or offer self injected pharmaceuticals that will slow down the regeneration of your skin.

Ringworm

Although ringworms are most common in children, it is not entirely rare for them to form in adults. Ringworms are tiny parasites that can make their home in your scalp and hair and are generally transferred from human to human by sharing brushes or simply through unhygienic practices. The issues that ringsworms can cause include painful rashes on the scalp and outright bald spots. When you discover that you are infected, make sure that you disinfect all of the sources which may have caused ringworms; namely, your brushes, combs and other hair products. Ridding yourself of ringworms may require a prescription antifungal pill.

If you suspect that you are suffering from any of the listed scalp related issues – or your scalp is the source of discomfort in general – make an appointment with your physician.

Share