Q. What are some causes of itchy scalp?
Doctor Answer is medically reviewed by SecondMedic medical review team.
Itchy scalp can have a number of causes. These can range from small things, like overly dry skin or too much product buildup, to serious medical issues, such as lice or psoriasis.
The most common cause of itchy scalp is dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis. Dandruff is caused by an imbalance in the pH levels of your scalp and overproduction of natural oils on the scalp that trap dead cells and clog pores. Seborrheic dermatitis is a type of eczema that creates inflamed patches on the skin with redness and flaking.
Another frequent source of an itchy scalps is contact dermatitis, which typically occurs when someone comes into direct contact with materials like hair products and detergents that irritate the skin's surface layer, leading to inflammation. Allergens such as dust mites may also be responsible for triggering itches in people who are allergic to them. Harsh weather conditions (hot sunny days) also often create itchiness due to increased perspiration levels causing irritation at the follicle base level on the head area .
More rare but still possible culprits include infection from viruses or bacteria present on your head—like ringworm—or more systemic symptoms due to hormonal imbalances such as psoriasis or alopecia areata (which often cause loss of hair). Normally this sort of problem needs you see your doctor about getting treatment for whatever issue is underlying it before any other treatments will work properly; otherwise you’re just treating symptoms not causes. Furthermore heat rash can be another factor if there has been excessive exposure to long periods directly under a source such as sunlight/heat lamps over time – this allows sweat glands present around roots become inflamed creating discomfort in form itching sensation which again should be treated medically preferably under supervision physician/medical practitioner specialist depending upon severity & intensity experienced!
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