Thinning Hair and Itchy Scalp

It causes patchy of thinning hair or baldness, about the size of a large coin. It usually starts with 1 or more round, coin-sized patches.  The patchy hair loss is usually noticeable on the scalp of the head, but it can occur anywhere in the body.

*Credit to UBC Dermatology

But there is usually no pain and redness, because the inflammation mainly occurs in the deep of the skin, on the roots of hair follicles. Nevertheless, some people find that the affected area can be painful and itchy to touch at the onset of alopecia areata development.

In some cases, the problem may also affect toenails and fingernails, causing tiny pinpoint dents. Sometimes the affected nails may change in shape or even fall off.

The severity of the problem can vary. For instance, it may develop to a more severe form of hair loss such as causing no scalp hair (alopecia totalis) or no hair both on the scalp & body (alopecia universalis).

It can occur in people of all ages. But it is likely to be found in childhood and young adults.

In general, experts tend to blame a disorder in the body immune system. In fact, it is more common in people with autoimmune disorders such as Down’s syndrome, hyperthyroidism (over active thyroid), and type-1 diabetes.

And interestingly, it is quite common in people with families of the same condition (though it’s not clear yet whether this alopecia is hereditary)! However this suggests that some people’s genes may contribute to put them more susceptible to develop it.

Typically, it will re-grow in a few months. Even some people find that it grows back on its own. Interestingly, sometimes new hair loss can occur even with treatment. It seems that the outlook is closely dependent on how the immune system reacts.

But overall, the treatments can help stimulate hair growth more quickly. These may include:

1. Medications to help suppress the body immune system. The use of corticosteroids is often the first treatment tried. The treatment can be taken through pill (orally), cream /lotion /ointment (topically), or given as shots.
2. Minoxidil, a topical solution, can help stimulate hair growth. But it may be less effective than corticosteroids since it doesn’t target the underlying cause.
3. Other treatments are with diphencyprone (DPCP) and anthralin. Both are topical treatments and can target immune system.

Many times, the problem is often treated by more than one treatment. This is intended to boost the successful rate in treating alopecia areata.

It is a common skin problem in which the inflammation occurs in some hair follicles. It can occur in any hairy skin, including scalp.

At first, it may look like red, white-headed pimples with a hair shaft in the center of each one. These pimples usually contain pus, easier to break. If they break, they may drain blood, pus, or both.

*Credit to Strand and Science

The clusters of these pimples may lead to red, tenderness, itchy, and inflamed skin. They can spread, and therefore it’s important to NOT scratch them!

Although folliculitis is harmless, but it can be very bothersome and embarrassing! Even if it has caused scarring, hair follicles are less likely to grow back – and you may have permanent hair loss.

The cause is usually infection due to fungus or bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus is a common bacterium that can lead to folliculitis.

In some cases, the problem can be caused by viral infection, too – or even an inflammation due to ingrown hairs.

The common triggers factors include:

1. Skin injuries, such as from surgical wounds and scrapes.
2. If you have any conditions that can make you easier for skin infection such as dermatitis, diabetes, and some autoimmune disorders (weakened immune conditions).
3. Tight friction from tight clothing or shaving.
4. Heat & sweat, like when you wear waders or rubber gloves.
5. Or side effect of some medications – such as the use of antibiotic therapy for acne in long term, and steroid creams.

For mild cases, the problem is likely to respond with some self-care measures and may improve in a few days.  Here are some helpful remedies and self-care treatments:

1. Apply a warm, compress or moist washcloth! If necessary, dampen with a saltwater solution (2 cups of water containing 1 teaspoon of table salt). This may help the affected area drain and ease the discomfort. Do it several times a day!
2. An over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream or oatmeal lotion may help, too. This soothing solution can help relieve itchy skin. You can purchase it in your local pharmacist store.
3. Since the problem is often caused by bacterial infection, try an over-the-counter antibiotic to help fight the infection. There are some options to choose from. These include washes, gels, and creams.
4. Clean the affected skin carefully! Do it gently twice a day, and use antibacterial soap! Don’t share your washcloths and towels, since the bacterial infection is contagious. Use soapy, hot water if you need to wash these items. Wash any clothing that has contacted with the affected area!
5. Avoid shaving and protect your skin! If you need to shave, use warm water to rinse your skin and apply moisturizer afterward in order to prevent the problem from spreading to other parts of the body. And use an electric razor!

But for serious cases or if the problem returns (chronic), see a doctor promptly! The medical intervention can vary, depending on the severity and type of the infection. These may include:

1. A number of different pills, creams, or shampoos for different purposes – such as to help fight bacterial infection or fungal infection, and to reduce the inflammation.
2. Other medical interventions such as a minor surgery, laser treatment, and photodynamic therapy (a light therapy with medicated cream).

It is long-lasting, chronic skin condition of scaling and inflammation. Though it is a skin disease, but the effect can be systemic. Sometimes the disease can also cause symptoms that have nothing to do with the skin.

Psoriasis can affect scalp, too. The affected scalp can be so itchy, red, and with silvery-white scales. The scaly, red areas can become advanced and often extend beyond the hairline.

*Credit to WebMD

The itchy, silvery-white scales of psoriasis can be embarrassing and very bothersome. If you scratch it, you may find flakes of dead skin cells on the shoulders or hair. And there is a chance for the problem to trigger more hair follicles to fall out, too.

Experts know that psoriasis affects the normal life cycle of skin cells. If you have psoriasis, your skin cells can be rapidly produced. As a result, there will be lots of new skin cells that go up on the surface of the skin.

These extra new skin cells accumulate and cause thick, silvery scales that are dry, itchy, and painful. But experts don’t know the answer that triggers this change. Some studies suggest that the abnormality of immune system may be the answer.

There are a number of different treatments for psoriasis. Bu the major goals are to help:

1. Stop and prevent skin cells from growing too fast, which ease inflammation and reduce plaque formation. Since overactive immune system is thought as the main underlying cause, many treatments for psoriasis are designed to help suppress the immune system.
2. Get rid of scales, and smooth the skin afterward.

These include topical treatments (such as the use of corticosteroids, anthralin, retinoids, coal tar, salicylic acid, synthetic forms of vitamin D ‘vitamin D analogues’, calcineurin inhibitors, and moisturizer) – phototherapy (such as UVB phototherapy, excimer laser, and goeckerman therapy) – and injected /oral treatments (such as methotrexate, retinoids, and cyclosporine).

Contact dermatitis is itchy, red rash triggered by something that comes into contact with your skin. In other words, it is sensitivity to a substance that causes skin irritation.

It can occur anywhere, typically on areas that have a direct contact to an irritant substance that can vary from person to person.

It can occur on the scalp, too. The affected scalp can be red, tender, flaky, or /and itchy. Hair loss or thinning of hair can occur if you scratch it a lot!

Again, it is caused by a substance ‘something’ you’re exposed to that causes an allergic reaction or irritates the skin. This substance can vary. It can be one of thousands of ‘known & unknown’ irritants or allergens.

For instance, if you have contact dermatitis on the scalp, the irritant substances may come from your hair products. But again this varies!

The severity of the problem is dependent on some factors, such as:

1. The strength of the substance that triggers the irritation.
2. How long your scalp /skin is exposed.
3. Genetic factor. The way of how the skin responds to certain substances can vary from person to person.
4. Some environmental factors have an effect, too – such as ambient temperature and airflow.

The best treatment to stop the allergic reaction is by avoiding a substance you’re sensitive to! And avoid scratching the affected scalp, otherwise the problem will get worse and make your scalp itch more.

Some treatments are also available to ease and improve the problem more quickly. These include the use of steroid cream, or corticosteroids (taken by mouth) in severe cases!