Six scalp conditions that can halt hair growth.

The building blocks for growing a full, healthy head of hair are adequate water intake, maintaining a well balanced diet, and cultivating a healthy scalp. While the first two steps to success are easily manageable under normal circumstances, the third may prove trickier to retain. For most, dehydration and malnutrition produce warning signs way before major physical issues kick in and can be corrected in record time. But with your scalp, because it is not a part of the body that can readily be seen, certain conditions may either go ignored or be mistaken for nonthreatening maladies and not treated until it’s way too late. What one might think is simply a dry scalp that needs more moisture products to correct could indeed be more serious than first suspected. So what are the most common scalp issues that may be impeding your journey to beautiful hair and how can they be resolved?

It’s common for portions of the scalp to be shed, since all skin of the body is constantly growing, dying and regenerating, but if that shedding is in excess it can be quite a nuisance to deal with. Dandruff, a time of Seborrhoeic dermatitis condition, is a skin disorder which results in scaly, itching and flaking skin, specifically in sebum rich areas of the body. Although the cause for dandruff is not readily known it can be easily treatable. Aloe vera gel has been recognized by the World Health Organization as a traditional treatment for dandruff, although this has yet to be medically proven. Tea tree oil is also known to successfully take care of the condition. To reduce the itching quality of dandruff, rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide may be used, but care must be taken to ensure the skin is not broken due to excessive scratching before application.

Although dandruff may most likely be harmless it has been known to be one of the first signs linked to Parkinson’s disease, so if home treatment does not get it under control medical evaluation is highly recommended.

When one hears the word eczema the first image that comes to mind is dry and itchy rash like areas on the arms, legs or backs of hands. However it is a little known fact that one of the most common places for eczema to occur is on the scalp. Essentially, eczema of the scalp is another sort of Seborrhoeic dermatitis that is caused by overactive sebaceous glands. Scalp eczema is more prominent in men between the ages of 30 and 60 but women have been known to be afflicted with it as well. Like with dandruff the cause of scalp eczema is unknown but it is also easily treatable. Shampoos that use gentle detergent agents or are oil based are good home remedies to combat eczema breakouts. It is also a general thought that eczema breakouts are due to an imbalance in the immune system and can best be avoided by adding certain foods to your diet. Increased intake of raw vegetables (steamed or in juices), grains rich in carbohydrates and a teaspoon a day of flax, hemp or olive oils has been recommended along with topical treatments.

Psoriasis can be easily mistaken for dandruff since they produce the same signs and symptoms. But the difference comes in knowing that psoriasis causes thicker patches of dry skin than dandruff that may bleed when removed, and is often present in more than more area of the body. In addition to those differences, psoriasis of the scalp is a lot more difficult to treat than Seborrhoeic dermatitis, although treatment for both is similar. Mild psoriasis is normally treated with coal tar shampoos or salicylic acid which can be found over-the-counter. Since the first step to treating scalp psoriasis is removing the scaly patches, it is recommended that the affected skin be soaked in favorite moisturizing oil and covered for a time in order to loosen and remove them. Care and caution needs to be applied when removing the scales as to not risk infecting the affected areas which can make the condition more difficult to treat.

Although rare, Lichen Planopilaris is a recurring scalp ailment that is thought to be the immune system’s reaction to a viral infection. This condition is generally characterized by scalp inflammation that shows as flat, violet colored shiny bumps that grow together into patches. These patches often result in scaring alopecia, producing random bald patches in the hair, but many times the condition results in just the bald patches alone. The area most often affected by this disease is the crown of the head, but it can be present in other places on the head. Sometimes this condition can be brought about as a reaction to medications used to treat viral infections or can be trigged by environmental elements. Very little is actually known about Lichen Planopilaris and because it can be confused with psoriasis and Seborrhoeic dermatitis in its initial stages, so diagnosis by a dermatologist is strongly suggested if home treatment is not causing the condition to improve.

If you have ever had your hair braided so tight it gave you the appearance of constantly having your eyebrows raised in questions, then nine times out of ten you’ve suffered from folliculitus. Most commonly known as “hair bumps”, folliculitus is an inflammation of one or more damaged and blocked follicles that can be caused by the aforementioned malady of too tight braids, friction from clothing or shaving (razor bumps). In most cases with this condition, once the hair follicle has been damaged it is then infected by Staph bacteria. Chronic cases of folliculitus have been associated with iron deficiency anemia. The appearance of this condition is a pimple-like bump with a in its center and can also be caused by follicle clogging products containing such ingredients as coco butter and coal tar. Under normal circumstances folliculitus is easily remedied by wearing looser braid and weave styles, cutting down friction or using astringent to clear hair follicles after cutting. If these suggestions do not work, a trip to a dermatologist may be necessary to pinpoint the underlying causes of the condition.

The simplest scalp problem which may be the easiest to diagnose and treat is contact dermatitis, which is simply an allergic reaction to certain products or ingredient combinations. There are two specific types of contact dermatitis which result in approximately 5.7 million doctor visits each year: irritant and allergic. This condition is characterized by a rash that may itch, sting or burn at the contact site that is made up of small, fluid filled blisters that swell, crust and weep. Although the scalp is mostly resistant to contact dermatitis it is not uncommon to experience it, even after years of using the same product without incident. Contact dermatitis is normally associated with hair dyes and is the number one reason “patch tests” are recommended before indulging in full head treatments. The remedy for this condition is typically to discontinue use of the product which caused the rash and medical treatment may not be necessary. But in the effect you want to make sure which form of CD you suffer from for broader health care reasons, a dermatologist can best determine that.

Most common scalp issues may be “cured” by simply applying more moisture products to the hair, changing products to ones that are less irritating or incorporating an over-the-counter medicated shampoos or dressings to your regimen. But many other conditions, especially those resistant to home treatment, are caused by a fungus like ringworm and/or result in massive hair loss, are best remedied by prescription medications from a licensed dermatologist. 

If you are a Columbus resident suffering from a prolonged case of any of the above conditions there are a host of reputable, certified physicians within the Columbus city limits who are trained to care for various ethnic skin types and a myriad of scalp conditions .  Two such doctors include Dr. Alan J. Parks of Eastside Dermatology Center, which also has a location in Hilliard, and Dr. Shari Hicks-Graham of  Downtown Dermatology LLC., who are both listed as Fellow members in the American Academy of Dermatology Website directory.