Itching of the scalp: causes and methods of treatment

Almost every person at least once in a life has experienced itching of the scalp. This is an unbearable feeling that does not allow a normal life, work, study, and just being in society. Itching is often accompanied by dandruff, increased fat content or, conversely, dry skin. All this creates not only physical discomfort, but also a real cosmetic problem, which I want to get rid of as soon as possible. Itching of the scalp can have various causes - it is commonplace pollution to serious diseases, which are not so easy to get rid of. In this article, we will talk about itching of the scalp, how and why this unpleasant symptom occurs, and also consider various ways to eliminate it.

Why does itching of the scalp

Itching of the scalp is a very unpleasant and dangerous manifestation. When we scratch the scalp, the skin becomes thinner, small wounds appear, the risk of infection increases, in some places even cracks are visible on the epidermis. If itching of the scalp is accompanied by the formation of open wounds, hair loss, severe dandruff, crusts on the skin, you should definitely consult a trichologist. As a rule, itching of the scalp is perfectly treated, the most important thing is to identify the irritant and the cause of this symptom. And there can be many reasons.

1. Seborrhea. This is one of the most common causes of itchy skin on the head. Seborrheic dermatitis is a fungal disease that results from a malfunction of the sebaceous glands. There is dry seborrhea (with insufficient production of sebaceous fat) and oily seborrhea (with excessive secretion). Seborrhea is often accompanied by itching on the skin, dandruff, acne, and inflamed skin in the scalp. In sebaceous gland disputes with seborrhea, fungi, streptococci and other harmful microorganisms can grow and develop. They are activated with a decrease in immunity, leading to clogging of pores. When a person combes, he can damage these vesicles, the skin begins to get wet, inflammation spreads over large areas. Another dangerous fungal disease that causes itching of the scalp is lichen. They can be infected from a sick person or, for example, a dog. Lichen is characterized by small areas on the scalp with partially or completely lost hair.
2. Pediculosis. Another common cause of itching is parasite infection. Most often, lice appear in a person’s hair that bites a person’s skin and feeds on his blood. During a bite, a person feels an acute tingling sensation that causes itching. Lice can be very dangerous and carry various diseases, for example, typhoid. Lice often appear in people during natural disasters, when there are no basic conditions for hygiene. You can get lice in the children's team, especially girls with long hair are at risk. One touch of curls with a sick person and all, the parasite ran to a new location. To avoid this, you need to look at the child’s head every day with a magnifier. And even if lice run away in time, you can determine their presence with the help of white larvae - nits, which are quite noticeable on dark hair.
3. Dandruff. At a high speed of exfoliation of skin flakes, dandruff appears on the hair, the process is accompanied by a strong, intolerable itching. In fact, dandruff is a mild degree of seborrheic dermatitis that needs to be combated. If measures are not taken in time, dandruff develops into a more serious fungal disease.Often we use various shampoos, conditioners and conditioners against dandruff, not suspecting that the symptom requires medical treatment. Dandruff can be caused by some yeast-like fungi or be the result of improper care of the scalp.
4. Allergy. Itching of the scalp can occur against the background of an allergic reaction caused by new cosmetic products. If you feel itching after using a new shampoo, conditioner or balm, you need to abandon this remedy. Often, allergies occur to hair dye, especially if it contains ammonia and hydrogen peroxide. When exposed to aggressive components, itching appears even during staining. To avoid this, you need to conduct a test - apply a little paint to the inside of the elbow and monitor the reaction. Especially if you are using this brand of product for the first time. To reduce the aggressive effect of paint on the scalp, the procedure should be dyed only on dirty hair. In this case, the skin is protected by a natural fat layer.
5. Improper care and hygiene. The scalp produces a huge amount of fat, which protects the hair from overdrying. Frequent washing of the head leads to the fact that the fat does not have time to develop, the skin dries, the hair becomes brittle. You should not wash your hair more than once every three days, this is the maximum. Otherwise, the fat content of the head will gradually begin to increase. Itching of the scalp can occur with frequent use of the hair dryer. In this case, the hot air simply dries the delicate and thin epidermis, leading to similar problems. The cause of dry scalp can be frequent staining, burnout of strands in the sun, a lack of vitamins in the body and a physiologically low secretion of sebaceous fat. Sometimes the head itches due to the fact that a person does not wash his hair for too long. The fact is that greasy fat has antibacterial components that live for about a week. If you do not wash your hair for longer than 7 days, the scalp begins to itch seriously.

In addition, itching of the scalp can occur at the psychosomatic level. Stresses, depressions, a constant state of anxiety greatly affect human health, leading to severe itching. It is noteworthy that when a person thinks of itching, dandruff, fungi and parasites, the head begins to itch especially actively.

Medication for scalp itching

Before you deal with itching of the scalp, you need to identify the cause of its appearance. And only after that use medications and cosmetics.

1. Remedies for lice. If itching is caused by head lice, you need to use a variety of sprays, shampoos and lotions to help you deal with parasites. Among the most effective means are Paranit, Medifox, Nyuda, A-Par, Pedikulen, etc. Most of these products are completely safe for children. Strictly follow the rules for applying funds, otherwise one surviving larva can restore the entire population of insects in a short time. Typically, such funds are kept on the hair for at least 10-15 minutes. After using any product, you need to comb the curls with a frequent comb to rid the hair of dead lice and nits.
2. Antifungal drugs. If itching is caused by seborrhea, you should definitely use antifungal drugs that effectively suppress inflammation. In order for the treatment to be effective, you must first pass a smear from the skin for analysis. This will help to identify the type of fungus and its sensitivity to drugs. Most often, funds are prescribed, which include Nizoral and Miconazole. It should be noted that the drugs can not act through a thick layer of keratinized scales, so you need to first soften the skin with vegetable oil, comb out the scales, lifting them from the skin, and only then use the medicines.Shampoos with zinc, hormonal ointments, and rarely antibiotics are also used in the treatment of seborrhea.
3. Antihistamines. If itching is caused by an allergic reaction to some cosmetic products, you must definitely take antihistamines - Zodak, Zirtek, Diazolin, etc. Do not use a new product anymore, it is better to stick to your usual shampoo, which does not cause you itching and dandruff.
4. Dandruff Shampoos. These are complex formulations that contain a combination of active substances. Among the most effective are Keto plus, Kelual, Algopiks, Elfa, NodeDS, etc. These are real therapeutic shampoos that should be used only during the period of getting rid of dandruff and prophylactically - no more than once a week. You can’t always use them, they are quite aggressive.
5. Vitamins Often, itching and dryness of the scalp occurs against the background of a lack of minerals and vitamins in the body. Without fail, the patient should take vitamin complexes that will help raise immunity. Riboflavin must be included in the composition - it participates in fat metabolism, stimulates the oxidative - reduction process, and relieves dryness and dandruff.

If itching of the scalp is caused by stress and anxiety, sedatives are prescribed. To improve immunity, immunomodulators, probiotics for the intestine, etc. can be used. Be sure to follow the rules for hair care. The head needs to be washed no more than twice a week. You need to eat properly and balanced, limiting the amount of fat and carbohydrates, but increasing the amount of protein consumed. Be sure to stabilize the emotional state, stop being nervous. Every day, comb your hair at bedtime for at least 10 minutes. This will provide a gentle massage, improve blood circulation in the tissues of the epidermis. Avoid thermal devices that dry your hair and scalp. In the fight against itching of the scalp it is also very effective to use various home masks.

Folk recipes to combat itching of the scalp

Itching, dandruff, and dry skin on the scalp respond well to home treatment. Here are some proven recipes to help you quickly and permanently get rid of itchy skin.

1. Herbal Rinse. Regular herbal rinses will help normalize metabolic processes in the scalp, get rid of fat and dandruff. Prepare decoctions of chamomile, St. John's wort, nettle, coltsfoot, plantain and just rinse their curls after washing. Do not rinse the broth, just pat it with a towel.
2. Onions, lemon juice and oil. Onion and garlic contain volatile, sulfur and special acids that are effective in combating dandruff, seborrhea and itching. Mix the onion juice with lemon juice and sunflower oil in equal parts. Lemon juice suppresses the activity of the sebaceous glands, eliminates excess fat, and the oil softens the aggressive effect of garlic or onion. The composition should be applied to the scalp, wrap and leave for 20-30 minutes. The mask gives some inconvenience - it burns. But it's worth it, the composition can be used as a mask against hair loss.
3. An Apple. The juice of this fruit contains acids that quickly neutralize itching and inflammation, gently soothe and heal the skin. The apple should be grated and applied to the hair roots and scalp. Keep the mask for about an hour. The result will be noticeable after the first procedure.
4. Oils. Use a variety of cosmetic oils, many of them have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, oils perfectly soften the skin, relieve dryness. In the fight against itching, you can use almond, sea buckthorn, peach, burdock and castor oil.
5. Dandelion tincture. An excellent remedy for itching, dandruff and dry scalp.Dandelion flowers are chopped, filled with a bottle and filled with alcohol or vodka. The tincture is prepared for at least three weeks, after which it is filtered and rubbed into the scalp three times a week. The effect will be noticeable after 2-3 procedures.
6. Rye bread. This mask is useful if you need to get rid of severe itching here and now. Rye bread should be soaked in hot water, let it brew for 15-20 minutes, and then squeeze, strain and rinse the hair with the resulting composition. Rye water will quickly calm, relieve inflammation and itching, relieve redness.

These simple recipes are quite effective, but to completely get rid of the problem you need to carry out at least 4-5 procedures. In the future, you need to do masks prophylactically, once every few weeks, to exclude the recurrence of the problem.

Itching of the scalp is not just an irritating symptom that leads to thinning of the skin and tissue damage. Itching cannot be tolerated, a person has to scratch his head in crowded places, putting himself in a not very comfortable position. Moreover, frequent itching leads to the fact that the hairstyle and styling fall, the woman becomes shaggy. Constant scratching leads to lifting the hair scales from the skin, dandruff becomes much more noticeable. All these arguments tell us that itching cannot be tolerated. It is necessary to find out its nature as soon as possible and actively deal with this symptom. If you can’t get rid of itching yourself, be sure to consult a doctor. Measures taken in time will help you prevent the development of serious diseases.

Video: how to get rid of dandruff and itching of the head