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8 Reasons Why You Get Rashes On Scalp

There are several causes for scalp rashes. Few of them are explained in this article.

By Ajanta Sen

Rashes are generally not a very severe issue. Sometimes, there can be some environmental irritants due to which the rashes emerge, while at other times, the rashes may appear due to some hidden skin condition. There can be various causes for rashes to appear.

Scalp rashes can be quite problematic because of the hair follicles. Sometimes, a scalp rash due to psoriasis can also spread to the other areas of your body such as on your ears, neck and forehead.

In such a case, you should seek immediate medical attention. Also, knowing about the reasons why you get rashes on your can help you identify the problem better and take the medication accordingly.

Following are the top 8 reasons due to which you can get scalp rashes, read on:

1. Allergic Reactions

1. Allergic Reactions

You can get scalp rashes because of allergic reactions due to various products like soap, cosmetics or detergent. Your scalp skin can get damaged due to some harsh ingredients present in your conditioners, shampoos, hair-dyes, hair gels or various other types of hair care products.

These scalp rashes can come along with swelling, itching and, sometimes, with an appearance of small bumps. These can make your scalp infected. In order to avoid these rashes, stay away from hair products that contain harsh chemicals. You can use topical creams, gels, ointments and foams for two to three weeks to alleviate this condition.

2. Cysts

2. Cysts

Sometimes, scalp rashes appear in the form of cysts. These are very easy to recognize. These cyst-like scalp rashes are harmless, genetic and you need not worry much about them. In a very few cases, they can irritate or infect your scalp, which may cause drainage and pain and, in other cases, the best treatment is to just overlook them.

3. Shingles

3. Shingles

These are virus-borne rashes that usually occur to people after the age of 50 years. Shingles cause tingling, pain, itching and burning sensations. Shingle rashes on your scalp may appear within two weeks of getting the virus and the pain usually lasts for a few months even when the rashes disappear.

4. Folliculitis

4. Folliculitis

These kinds of rashes are generally swelling of the hair follicles. These are triggered by some bacterial infection or sometimes from hair dyes, shaving and use of dense conditioners. These types of rashes look like bumps filled with pus and can be painful as well. Medications like steroid creams and topical lotions are normally prescribed by the doctors to heal these kinds of scalp rashes.

5. Ringworm

5. Ringworm

Generally, kids are affected with these kinds of rashes and in a very few cases, adults also get affected. You can contract this kind of a fungal infection by a number of ways - animal to human being, humans to humans and from any object to a human. These rashes are scaly and painful, and they can also result in broken hair, bald spots and black-coloured dots. These ringworms on your scalp can be treated by anti-fungal pills.

6. Seborrhoeic Dermatitis

6. Seborrhoeic Dermatitis

These rashes emerge in the form of red patches on your scalp. There are various factors that are responsible for this condition such as oily skin, age, infrequent use of shampoo, fatigue, extreme weather, stress, using lotions containing alcohol, etc. Although these types of rashes are harmless, they can be very irritating because they make your scalp extremely dry, flaky and itchy. These rashes can be cured by treating dandruff effectively.

7. Psoriasis

7. Psoriasis

This is also a kind of rash that can affect your scalp. This condition can happen to anybody regardless of the age. The rashes due to psoriasis are pink coloured scaly plaques, which are accompanied by silver coloured scales. These plaques can itch, can be painful and sometimes bleed as well.

8. Crib Cap

8. Crib Cap

This condition disappears after 6 months even without any treatment. However, the scaly patches on your scalp may irritate you a lot. These rashes normally affect babies. Rinse your infant's scalp and hair properly using a soft shampoo. Brush his/her hair using a hair brush with soft bristles. A scalp massage with olive oil prior to shampoo can help loosen the scaly plaques of your baby.

Hope this article helped you in knowing about the reasons or causes for scalp rashes.

Story first published: Thursday, January 5, 2017, 16:01 [IST]
Read more about: rashes scalp