5 Conditions That Lead to Itchy scalp and Cause Hair Loss

Does your scalp itch a lot? Then, sooner or later, you might suffer from hair loss, say experts. Many hair loss patients were found to have itchy scalp.

So, do not take your itchy scalp lightly. Find the cause of it and take appropriate treatment.

Itching is not a good thing for follicles, say doctors. When you scratch hard regularly, you damage follicles. This can make your hair fall dead.

What causes itchy scalp?

At times, the reason could be simple: you are using a harsh shampoo containing sulfates.

With time, sulfate residues get accumulated on scalp skin, causing it to itch.

Also, sulfates are known to dry scalp skin. Dry skin tends to itch.

So, the first thing to do when your scalp is too itchy is to switch to a sulfate-free shampoo. The beauty of such shampoos is that they not only cleanse hair, but also, with regular use, remove the collected sulfate residues from scalp. This lets your scalp breathe free.

Medical conditions that cause itchy scalp

Dandruff

A common reason for scalp itchiness. Mild dandruff that happens due to dry scalp skin does not cause hair loss.

Severe dandruff that is left untreated for a long time can make you scratch hard, even hurting your scalp, and causing hair loss.

Essential oils like rosemary, tea tree, lavender, cedarwood, chamomile, and peppermint are effective in treating dandruff. The oils also encourage hair growth and enhance scalp health.

Psoriasis

This is a skin disease and can also attack your scalp skin. It causes dry silvery scales and inflammation on scalp, accompanied with severe itching.

It is the constant and hard scratching that causes hair loss, not the disease itself, inform dermatologists.

Alopecia Areata

This is a kind of hair loss that happens when the immune system starts attacking body’s own cells. So they attack follicles too. People with a history of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes often experience such kind of hair loss.

The condition causes tingling sensation and itching on scalp.

Folliculitis

Folliculitis is caused by a fungi or staph bacteria. It leads to inflammation of follicles. It causes small bumps on the skin that itch a lot. Folliculitis can happen anywhere on skin where follicles are present. When it happens on the scalp, it may lead to temporary hair loss. Treating the condition leads to regrowth of hair.

Allergy

Hair dyes can cause allergies on scalp skin. It can lead to inflammation, itchiness, and hair loss. ISRN Dermatology had published a study that says most people are found to be allergic to PPD (Paraphenylendiamine), which is a common ingredient of most dyes.

In case you are suffering from any of the above conditions, please consult a dermatologist and receive appropriate treatment. Experts are of the view that itchy scalp can cause hair loss in most of the cases and not the condition itself.

To combat hair loss due to itchy scalp, you need to first address the scalp issue. Meanwhile, use sulfate-free, mild cleansing shampoo and conditioner.

Consider using Keranique, the hair care system designed specifically for women. The Keranique kit has everything you need to keep your hair looking healthier and stronger. For women with thinning hair problems, Keranique Hair Regrowth system works the best. It contains the FDA approved ingredient Minoxidil to gradually regrow hair regardless of your hair type.