There are many definitions and symptoms commonly described as
"scalp infections". There are in fact quite a few quite different
reasons why your scalp may be sore, itchy, inflamed burning red or
infected. If you are like many people with chronic scalp issues - it
may be driving you completely up the wall and not knowing what it is or
how to treat the problem effectively after many unsuccessful attempts to
eliminate it can make it seem far worse - like you are never going to
get to the bottom of the problem. Well that need no longer be so! It
can be simple to diagnose and treat it now and for good.
So if you are dealing with any of these symptoms lets first identify the problem and then some of the underlying causes.
Firstly,
if you want to get to the root of your problems, so to speak, you need
to be able to identify what your problem actually is. Of course, many
scalp infections & conditions look alike, so here is a brief
description of some of the most common scalp conditions:
Red Burning Itchy Scalp
Dandruff
Ringworm
Dry Scalp
Scalp Dermatitis
Eczema of the Scalp
Scalp Psoriasis
Folliculitis
Stress Related Itching
Red burning itchy scalp
can be characterized as any tingling,burning, prickly, and sensitive to
the touch or a fiery hot sensation. Often associated with an allergy,
sunburn, chemical burn (sensitization of the scalp),or fungal infection.
Dandruff
as most of us know is the process of continual shedding of skin cells
on our scalps. Often the cause of dandruff is simply the result of
toxins, pollutants and products that have built up on the scalp
particularly products like silicone- a cheap commonly used artificial
shine enhancer in conditioners sold in supermarkets.
When the
natural balance of our scalps is disturbed, this creates the perfect
environment for the yeast fungus Melassezia Globbosa to move in and
thrive. This is when the natural process of shedding our cells gets a
little out of hand resulting in an unsightly condition known as
"Seborrhoeic Dermatitis" (fancy name for dandruff) and we see the highly
visible tell-tale signs of flaking and crusting.
The accompanying
itch and urge to scratch are often made worse by the multiplication of
the fungal yeast pityrosporum-ovale (having one big party on your
scalp). Another follow on effect of this is that the relentless
scratching by the sufferer can cause small lesions which weep and ooze
or become infected resulting in scalp infections.
Lumps bumps and
sores are also common when the scalp is highly irritated or sensitivity
has been aggravated. Candida can be an underlying cause of yeast
infections of the scalp.
Ringworm of the scalp
(tinea capitols) is a superficial fungal infection of the scalp. Scalp
ringworm is caused by mold-like fungi called dermatophytes. Ringworm
infection occurs when a particular type of fungus grows and multiplies
anywhere on your skin, scalp, or nails. It is far more common in
children and symptoms include red, itchy patches on the scalp, leaving
bald areas. The skin might itch and be red and peel or be scaly, have
swollen blisters or a rash (that can spread) and looks like black dots.
The rash is highly contagious. It is normally treated with over the
counter products containing miconazole, clotrimazole, or similar.
Sometimes prescription anti fungal skin medications, such as
ketoconazole are needed to clear it up. There are also products direct
from nature's factories that can aid the healing process and act as
natural antibiotics, although it must be said that ringworm is an
aggressive fungus which needs to be monitored closely and treated
accordingly.
Dry scalp can feel "tight", a
sensation that is sometimes accompanied by flakiness. It is often the
result of natural oils being stripped from our scalps by the frequent
use of shampoos, hair dyes and or other hair products.
Dermatitis of the scalp
(Seborrheic dermatitis) is an inflammatory disorder affecting areas of
the head and body where sebaceous glands are most prominent. It can vary
from mild dandruff to dense flakey and greasy scale. Once again it is
often an accumulation of toxins and products built up on our scalps that
our body is trying to rid itself of.
Eczema of the scalp similar in appearance to Seborrheic dermatitis but instead has the name Atopic dermatitis.
Scalp Psoriasis
commonly occurs on the back of the head however multiple areas of the
scalp or the whole scalp may be affected. Scalp psoriasis is
characterized by thick silvery white scales on patches of very red skin
and can extend slightly beyond the hairline. Scalp psoriasis, despite
being partially hidden by the hair is often a source of social
embarrassment due to flaking of the scale and severe 'dandruff'. Scalp
psoriasis may be extremely itchy or on occasion have no itch symptoms.
It can also cause temporary baldness on the affected areas. It is a
common, chronic, inflammatory skin disease and is associated with
increased risk of melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and basal cell
carcinoma.
Folliculitis of the scalp is a
superficial bacterial infection of the hair follicles. It is
characterized by pustules around the hair follicles and symptoms include
painful brushing of hair and tenderness when rubbing your scalp around
the hair follicle sites. Treating with antibiotics for the particular
bacteria is the usual course of action but can eventually cause
resistance to the antibiotic used. Options include applying Evoclin Foam
which is topical. Folliculitis is commonly caused by staph bacteria
which also reside inside the nose and sinus cavity. Natural oils such
as tea tree and lavender have good antibacterial properties and can also
be used to treat this condition.
If you have a bump or lump under
the skin (commonly a lump behind the ears with no broken skin or rash
developing, then this could be a cyst. Cysts are liquid filled pustules
which can be painful when they become infected. If you have such
symptoms I recommend seeing a doctor to be safe. Doctors can also treat
cysts with antibiotics if they have become infected or incise them as a
further but uncommon procedure if the antibiotics are not sufficient.
Stress Related Itching
Stress can contribute to or worsen scalp itching as it plays havoc with
our immune system and hormones which have an effect on production of
sebum from your sebaceous glands. Although it can contribute to the
problem it is still somewhat of a myth. It may appear that you have
a"stress rash", but it is more likely that the problem was already there
in a less noticeable way, then aggravated by increased stress levels
making it harder for your body to deal with the problem on its own and
eliminate the problem. Many of the treatments below include stress
relieving properties - like Lavender oil for example which calms the
mind and soothes the body.
Solutions - what YOU can do about it
Going
to your doctor may be the best way to get an accurate answer to
diagnosing your problem, but I understand that many of you may have
already done this, been prescribed some form of medication of cream
(even "heavy duty" cortisone based ones where the cortisone potency may
need to be increased after time).
Often the problem either doesn't
go away from the start - or seems to subside but comes back with full a
vengeance later leaving you wondering with more unanswered questions
and a VERY unhappy scalp! Well the good news is if you don't like using
these expensive and often impotent products- or even want to help them
along you can use natural remedies and essential oils known to be super
effective anti-bacterial busters such as tea tree oil for instance to
inhibit or stop the growth of the infection and assist healing/re
balancing of the scalp.
Something that is also important to
understand in curing scalp conditions and scalp infections - a factor
that is missed by so many doctors, and something not disclosed by
companies who sell hair products and treatments is the number of people
who are allergic or sensitive to commonly used ingredients in shampoos,
dandruff treatments and other hair products. In fact MOST hair products
(as many as 90%) contain at least one ingredient that is used in engine
degreasers, another is a common ingredient in antifreeze.
These
ingredients are cheap to produce foaming agents that make shampoo foam
up, and do a fantastic job of stripping dirt and oily build up from
hair. Problem is that they sometimes do SUCH a good job that they
remove all of the natural oils and sebum from the scalp thus removing
the scalps natural against bacteria etc. Another little known fact is
that the most common ingredient (Sodium laureth sulphate) is used to
induce skin irritation in test patients by drug companies to test the
effectiveness of their itch relief skin creams. When first produced and
for year's afterwards manufacturers did not know that skin was not a
barrier but an absorber of ingredients & that they caused skin
irritation in so many people.
So sometimes the beginning of a
scalp condition can have originated from something as simple as an
imbalance to the skins (scalps) sebum or an allergy to an ingredient
that can easily be rectified.
Like your immune system, if your
skin has an opportunity to rebalance itself and not be subjected to
"incoming foreign matter" and the daily stripping of its natural oils
that further aggravates the problem you can allow your body to re
balance and heal itself. Obviously buying products that do not strip
your hair and scalp is an obvious step in the right direction.
Fortunately
there are a lot of manufacturers such as Aveda and Akin (Purist
Company) who know what consumers are suffering from these issues so have
addressed this problem. They have applied this knowledge to produce
some amazing products with all of the benefits of natural ingredients,
with none of the side effects at a price we can afford (Akin
especially). It need not be difficult, nor expensive to make these
choices and a move to healthy hair and scalp long term.
So yes you
can eliminate harsh shampoos containing sodium sulphates and go for
natural Sulphate and paraben free shampoos that contain ingredients such
as macadamia, wheat germ or jojoba oils. These oils mimic our natural
sebum to some extent to help to re moisturize and nourish our scalp.
Then
there are lavender, rosemary and tea tree oils which contain
antibacterial, healing properties. Neem oil great for its antiquing and
stops itching. You can apply these topically to your skin for fast
relief, to assist healing as well as looking out for shampoos with these
natural ingredients in them.
Lavender calms the skin (as does chamomile tea cooled and used as hair rinse).
As well as buying quality shampoos containing these ingredients, you can
create your own combinations of remedy or remedies to soothe your scalp.
You can also help it along by using natural remedies to treat your
scalp such as this scalp treatment containing natural oils to assist
healing, detoxify and stimulate hair growth: (Add to
water (4 parts water 1part oil) and spray onto scalp and you can add to your shampoo and conditioners also).
Oils To Relieve Itching: Lavender, German Chamomile and Eucalyptus Oils
(Mixed together and dabbed locally on effected areas has a soothing effect).
Neem
oil is also a very good dandruff preventative which can be added to any
of the formulas detailed below and is excellent for psoriasis and
eczema & scalp infections.
Scalp massage with lavender oil (not scented - the real oil) is another
wonderful way to relieve the tension from a sore scalp as well as treat the
issue. It also helps to re grow hair and repair the damage done to your
follicles by chemicals in shampoos causing thinning hair. (Lavender is known to stimulate hair growth too).
There
are many more powerful scalp remedies you can use to treat your scalp
as well as many shampoos that are excellent value, contain no nasties to
aggravate your scalp and hair follicles. It can be really simple to
treat scalp problems by treating yourself to your own pampering session
using natural oils to help heal your scalp infection. And then be kind
to your hair and scalp by using only products that nourish your hair and
scalp such as Aveda or Akin brand shampoos. You can assist the healing
process and help restore balance back to your scalp and you hair will
appreciate and reward you for it too by becoming less brittle, stronger
and shinier.
As with all natural remedies please patch test first. It is not
intended for this information to replace a doctors medical advice, so
please see your doctor for diagnosis and treatment. The responsibility
of obtaining doctors diagnosis and using remedies is yours.
