When we
feel that we have an itchy scalp, most of us would just head down to the
grocery store and buy an anti-dandruff shampoo without giving it a second
thought. However, while an over the counter itchy
scalp shampoo will probably work out in most cases
of dandruff, there is more to it than meet the eyes. There are a few other
common causes of an itchy scalp that has nothing to do with dandruff.
In this
article, we look at some of the other reasons you may be causing an itchy scalp
that requires specific shampoo for each causes.
Firstly
when it comes to shampoo for itchy scalp, dandruff is the number one reason
people buy and use these types of products. Dandruff is just a shedding of dead
skin cells from the scalp due to frequent exposure to extreme heat or cold. You
should understand that while dandruff is neither dangerous nor contagious, it
is also not curable. Dandruff shampoos that you can buy at any ordinary grocery
shop may give a temporary relief to itchiness, it is not however permanent. As
soon as you stop applying the shampoo, the skin would once again start to
flake.
If you
find that regular anti dandruff shampoo is not curing your itchy scalp, then there's
a good chance that what you have is not ordinary dandruff, but rather a
condition known as seborrhoeic dermatitis.
Seborrhoeic
dermatitis is a very common inflammation of the skin due to the reaction with a
type of yeast, Malassezia which is found on the scalp. This condition causes an
over production of skin oil or sebum. In addition, the yeast produces toxic
substances that cause the itchiness and irritation of the scalp. In this case,
you may need a special type of shampoo to decrease the oil overproduction in
order to treat the problem.
One may
think that all the causes of the itching of scalp are caused by the flaking of
the scalp skin however you are mistaken. If you've tried all the common shampoo
for itchy scalp and find yourself in the same spot, there is a high possibility
that the itching may be caused by a tiny living organism living on your scalp
with the name of the head lice or head louse.
The head
lice are tiny wingless parasites that spend their entire life living on human
scalp and feeds on human blood. This causes the itching and irritation
sensation on your scalp. The head lice is one of the most difficult itchy scalp
problems to identify as the eggs of the head lice looks exactly like the scalp
shadings or dandruff. The normal treatment to head lice is to use shampoo for
itchy scalp that contains permethrin. This type of shampoo can be easily bought
at a store without any prescription.
Next on
the list is folliculitis. Folliculitis is the inflammation of one or more hair
follicles that can occur anywhere on the skin. It is not caused by your average
hair itching culprits such as the shedding of skin, overproduction of oil or
the head lice but rather by a bacterial infection at the base of the hair.
Whenever
you go to the barber for a haircut, it is common that some of the hair
follicles are damaged due to unintentional friction or pulling. In most of the
cases, the damaged or hurt hair follicles are infected by a bacterium known as
Staphylococcus. In fact, if you look closely a scalp affected by folliculitis,
you are likely to see and feel tiny pimples at the base of each hair. Unlike
other itchy scalp problems, an anti-itch shampoo will most likely not solve the
problem. Unfortunately, antibiotics are required.
