Seborrheic (seb-o-REE-ik) dermatitis is a common skin condition that mainly affects your scalp. It causes scaly patches, inflamed skin and stubborn dandruff. It usually affects oily areas of the body, such as the face, sides of the nose, eyebrows, ears, eyelids and chest.
Treatments for Mild Scalp Psoriasis. The first line of defense is treatment you use directly on your skin (topical treatments). These include medicated shampoos, creams, gels, lotions, foams, oils, ointments, and soaps. You can get some of these products over the counter, but stronger ones require a prescription.
There are a lot of products out there — conditioners, serums, shampoos — that promise to heal and restore dry, damaged hair. Sadly, there's really no way to heal damaged hair. Hair is not a living tissue with regenerative abilities, so it can't heal. It has no nervous system, blood, or living cells.
What can cause sores or scabs on the scalp? Sores or scabs on the scalp are often harmless and clear up on their own. However, they can sometimes be a sign of a condition that may require treatment, such as psoriasis, contact dermatitis, or head lice.
Thinning hair, excessive shedding and hair loss, constant itchiness, oiliness, flakes, redness and irritation—these are all signs that your scalp is in poor condition.
Unfortunately, a lot of our everyday routine contributes to an unhealthy scalp (think stress, pollution, and poor eating habits). Among one of the biggest culprits is buildup around the hair follicles, which is caused by the overuse of hair and scalp products, like dry shampoo, heavy oils, and sprays.
Oxidative stress — AKA the release of free radicals, which damage the structure of skin cells and break down the components of skin — can contribute to poor scalp health. This happens when the natural antioxidants in your body are outpaced by free radicals, leading to hair thinning and hair loss.
Bald spots of the scalp, brow, or beard are commonly caused by a medical condition called alopecia areata. It is also commonly called spot baldness, and it is believed to be an autoimmune disorder that causes the body's immune system to mistake hair follicles for foreign invaders, and then, attack them as such.
In most people, new hair eventually grows back in the affected areas, although this process can take months. Approximately 50 percent of people with mild alopecia areata recover within a year; however, most people will experience more than one episode during their lifetime.
Alopecia areata typically begins with sudden loss of round or oval patches of hair on the scalp, but any part of the body may be affected, such as the beard area in men, or the eyebrows or eyelashes.
If you can easily see your scalp through the hair, it's thin. If you can't, it's medium or thick.
“A healthy scalp is free of flakes, pimples and dry patches—the scalp will look clean, smooth and moisturized with no breaks or cuts in the surface,” says Dr. Kari Williams, a board-certified trichologist, licensed cosmetologist and member of DevaCurl's Expert Curl Council.
What Does Sebum Buildup Look Like? Sebum buildup appears as white or yellowish oily residue on the scalp. It sometimes produces flakes on the scalp and may be mistaken for dandruff, scalp eczema, or psoriasis.
Scabs on the scalp are typically harmless and clear up on their own. Sometimes they're a sign of a condition that requires treatment. These include dermatitis, head lice, or psoriasis.
Folliculitis signs and symptoms include: Clusters of small bumps or pimples around hair follicles. Pus-filled blisters that break open and crust over. Itchy, burning skin.
Using products that are designed to nourish the scalp and hair can definitely speed up this process, but on average you'd be looking at six months to a year to fully see a difference in your hair's condition.
Sudden Loss of Patches of Hair
Bald spots may grow very slowly in one area or you may notice a patch or strip of hair loss that appears within just a day or two. In some cases, you may notice burning or stinging before sudden hair loss.
The main and often the only symptom of alopecia is hair loss. You may notice: Small bald patches on your scalp or other parts of your body. Patches may get larger and grow together into a bald spot.