Head Sores: Getting Rid of the Itch
When one or more of your hair follicles get irritated or inflamed, you may be suffering from folliculitis. Although it can appear anywhere on your skin, the hair follicles on the head are their favorite spot.
What is Folliculitis?
- Folliculitis happens when the follicles of your hair becomes infected with the bacteria staph or Staphylococcus. Other similar infection may also be developed because of a yeast infection which is triggered by a fungus.
- What really happens is that your hair follicles are damaged, either because of blockage of the follicles, shaving or because of friction with your clothing.
- Anywhere that there is hair, there is a tendency to have folliculitis. So aside from the head, it could also grow in the neck and in the genital and groin area.
- A folliculitis may either be superficial or deep. A superficial folliculitis is not a serious condition but deep folliculitis is.If not treated promptly, it could develop into gram-negative folliculitis, which is difficult to treat.
Causes of Head Sores
- Harsh hair products are believed to be the primary reason of head sores. It causes the scalp to dry out, which leaves the hair follicles open making it more susceptible to folliculitis. In most hair products, shampoo, hair conditioners, gel and hair sprays are made from toxic chemicals.
- The chemicals that make up most of the hair products are too intense and are what makes the sores on head. It makes the skin dry out and extracts the skin’s natural oils which results in the formation of the itchy scalp and the head sores.
- Lack of natural oil also makes the skin more prone to yeast infections, the reason for the flaking and dandruff growth.
Here are the other possible causes:
- sodium laureth sulphate or SLS
- tinea capitis
- skin conditions like acne
- contact dermatitis
- shingles
- chickenpox
- stress
- exhaustion
- emotional tension
- allergy
- psoriasis
- eczema
Home Remedies to Treat Head Sores
Minor cases of scalp sores may well be treated with home remedies. The goal is to prevent the itching and discomfort of having tender sores on the head making it all the more difficult to comb. Here are some remedies:
- Oatmeal lotion applied on the area will help relieve head itch.
- Washing the affected area with an antibacterial soap and applying antibiotic ointment after.
- Warm compresses several times in each day will help relieve head itching.