Itching of the scalp is an unpleasant phenomenon. Severe discomfort appears with burning and peeling on the back of the head. Often this is associated with allergies, skin ailments, infection with a fungus. Why the back of the head itches is described in the article.
Parasite
This is one of the reasons why the back of the head itches under the hair. Some insects that feed on epidermal cells are visible to the naked eye. It is very easy to get infected with them:
- through hugs;
- from household items - bed linen, clothes, combs.
Some people think head lice are a problem for the poor, but sources of infestation are everywhere. The carriers of the disease can be homeless people, and traveling by public transport can lead to infection. Often epidemics occur in schools, camps, kindergartens. Therefore, if a child has an itchy scalp, the skin should be examined by parting the hair.
Used to fight head lice by shaving the head and treating with gasoline. And now there are many effective remedies, so shaving the curls is not required.
BeddingBed bugs are another common reason why the back of the head itches. Getting out of bed in the morning with bites on the body, the first thing you think is that mosquitoes have flown into the window. But traces of bed bugs that parasitize on the skin have a certain feature: they are placed in the form of a track. Insect reproduction is fast. In the morning, blood stains from bites appear on the body.
Of course, cleanliness in the house is important, but this does not give a complete guarantee that bed bugs will not appear in the bed. The insect has a size of about 8 millimeters, it is yellow-brown in color. After absorbing human blood, the color becomes deep red. And when crushed, a characteristic odor arises. Bites can lead to allergies. Parasites can also be carriers of tuberculosis and hepatitis B.
Why does the back of my head itch? Demodicosis is a common cause. The disease is caused by a demodex mite. Insect parasites live on the skin, feed on the cells of the epidermis. Their favorite areas are the sebaceous glands and hair follicles. From them appear ulcers, acne, swelling. If the scalp is infected, the scalp will itch. Itching is most pronounced in the evenings and at night, since this small insect is afraid of the light of the sun. The disease develops from stress, depression, excess UV radiation, saunas. Another reason why the back of the head itches a lot is described below.
Seborrhea
Why does the back of the head itch under the hair? Severe itching may indicate seborrhea. The skin usually turns red, oily dandruff appears. These symptoms are similar to the manifestations of seborrheic eczema -type of dermatitis. A lot of viscous thick sebum is released from the inflamed area of the skin, peeling occurs. Hair will fall out a lot. There is a blockage of the sebaceous glands, the development of pathogenic microorganisms.
Ailment occurs:
- due to heredity;
- hormonal disorders;
- chronic ailments;
- chronic fatigue syndrome;
- hormonal imbalance in the body.
Complex treatment allows to solve the problem. But it must be prescribed by a dermatologist.
Dry skin
If there are no parasites, why does the back of the head itch? Often this occurs with chronic dryness of the scalp. The constant use of aggressive shampoos that remove sebum, the use of a hair dryer lead to irritation. The skin will be dry and flaky. Forceps, stylers, curling irons have a negative effect. Dry skin is one of the reasons why the back of the head itches under the hair of women.
Tap water can have different qualities. For example, hard water with s alts leads to dryness of the scalp, a decrease in hair quality. It turns out that excessive hygiene is harmful. Dry skin appears with beriberi, lack of fat. The problem often occurs in women who follow a strict diet and do not consume fatty foods.
Allergy
Why does the head itch in the back of the head? Often this is associated with allergies - it appears as a response to irritants. Itching occurs from hair dye, styling foam, varnish. Shouldobserve which new products lead to irritation.
In shampoos, sodium lauryl sulfate is a dangerous ingredient for allergy sufferers. And most hair dyes contain hydrogen peroxide and ammonia.
Dermatomycosis
This is another common reason why the back of the head itches. This is a fungal infection that occurs in cats and dogs. And from a person, the disease passes through towels and shoes. This happens especially often at elevated temperatures and humidity - in the sauna, shower, pool.
The disease not only develops on the hair, but also affects the feet, face, body. Symptoms include uneven red spots. Ringworm usually occurs in children. Painful nodules similar to boils appear under the hair. Hair breaks and falls out.
Nervous
Why does the back of the head itch under the hair? Stress and itching are interrelated. Due to nervous overstrain, malfunctions in the immune system occur. It activates and defends itself against its body cells.
The epidermis of the head is irritated. Over time, the follicles are damaged, and this leads to alopecia. Stress often causes problems such as hair loss.
Other reasons
Why is the back of the head constantly itching, if the above reasons are excluded? Some internal diseases lead to itching. Often the problem is related:
- with gastrointestinal diseases;
- avitaminosis;
- shoulder spasms;
- the effects of chemotherapy.
These are all the main reasons why the back of the head itches. Whatever the problem is, it causes discomfort, so timely treatment is necessary.
Diagnosis
Only a doctor can accurately determine why the back of the head itches very much. Treatment is performed only after the diagnosis is established. Diagnosis and therapy is performed by a dermatologist or trichologist.
Don't take too long to see a specialist. With the help of modern diagnostic measures, it will be possible to quickly and accurately identify the source of the problem. First, an examination is performed and an anamnesis is collected. Further diagnostics is:
- blood test for allergenic factors;
- blood chemistry, hormone testing;
- bacteriological research;
- examination of the organs of the endocrine system, if the etiology of itching has not been identified.
Treatment
There are several therapies for itching depending on the factors that have led to it. Treatment to eliminate parasites should be comprehensive: clothing should be treated at high temperature (iron). To remove bedbugs from upholstered furniture, it is vacuumed and chemical agents are used.
The following medicines are used in the treatment of pediculosis:
- "Pair-plus".
- "Parasidosis".
- Medifox.
Because these lice, nits and insect eggs killers are considered insecticides, they are applied topically. This will prevent harmful effects on the body.
When bitten by bed bugs, ice, vinegar lotions, propolis or calendula tincture are required. Pharmaceutical products are also used: Fenistil-gel, Bepanten, Psilo-balm.
Medications with metronidazole are effective in the treatment of demodicosis. Seborrhea is eliminated with ointments - salicylic, zinc, sulfuric, as well as shampoos - Friderm, Zinc Sulsena, Sebozol. Dry skin is treated with moisturizers. If there is a tendency to dryness, hypoallergenic or baby shampoos and balms will be effective.
If the problem is allergies, then it is required to identify its source and exclude contact with it. In symptomatic treatment, Suprastin, Loratadin and other antihistamines are used. With dermatomycosis, "Mycozoral" is effective.
If the burning and irritation of the skin appear due to nerves, drugs are needed to eliminate neurosis and tension. These are "Cipramil", "Saroten", vitamin complexes for the normalization of the nervous system. And when itching is associated with internal ailments, then their systemic treatment is needed.
Folk remedies
In addition to pharmaceuticals, folk remedies are used to treat scalp itching:
- Apple cider vinegar. This product (2 tablespoons) is added to warm boiled water (1/2 l). The finished solution is distributed over the scalp and left for 5 minutes. After that, the head should be thoroughly rinsed. This method allows you to eliminate the itching of the scalp if the discomfort is associated with improper care or use of the wrongcosmetics. Apple cider vinegar is considered a comprehensive treatment that eliminates seborrhea and pediculosis.
- Onion peel. The product helps to get rid of various hair problems. It is necessary to make a decoction: the husk is separated from 8-10 onions, poured with cool water (1 liter). The mixture is boiled for an hour, and then filtered, used for rinsing. Procedures can be performed after each hair wash. Itching is eliminated after 3 treatments.
- Tar. This remedy eliminates irritation on the head, so it is included in recipes for the treatment of various hair problems. The mask will help eliminate itching. Soft tar (10 g) and castor oil (30 g) are added to vodka (1/2 cup). The composition is mixed to a homogeneous product and applied to the scalp. Cellophane and a woolen scarf will help enhance the healing effect. The procedure lasts 2 hours, and then the mask is washed off with warm water and a drop of shampoo.
- Pulp of apples. With dermatitis and seborrhea, an apple mask will help eliminate itching. You need to grate 2 large fruits. Puree is distributed on the hair, and then combed with a fine comb. The mask is kept for up to 30 minutes, after which it is washed off.
- Dandelions and lemon. To do this, you need to prepare a mask. A handful of flowers is dipped in 50 ml of vodka. Vinegar and lemon juice are added (½ tbsp each). The product is infused for 14 days, and then the scalp needs to be lubricated daily.
Diet
If itching is associated with beriberi, diabetes or allergies, then you need to adhere to a special diet. It affects the condition of the scalp andhair. Frequent use of harmful products leads to deterioration of the epidermis, peeling, itching, dryness. Nutrition will allow you to restore the normal functioning of the sebaceous glands:
- Dairy should be included in the diet.
- You need to drink more fluids - 1.5-2 liters per day. It is allowed to add lemon juice, ginger, a little honey to the water.
- It is important to give up sweets, s alty, fatty foods.
- Eat nuts, eggs, liver, boiled poultry, lean fish every day.
- The diet should be rich in fiber. There is a lot of it in buckwheat and oatmeal, pistachios, beets, cabbage, vegetables.
- Pharmaceutical vitamins A, E, groups B, C, as well as iodine, calcium are also useful.
With parasites, skin ailments, fungus, proper nutrition speeds up recovery.
Prevention
To prevent itching, you must follow simple rules:
- It is important to maintain scalp hygiene. It consists in regular washing, combing hair.
- You need to use quality cosmetics for hair care and skin cleansing. They should not cause discomfort.
- Don't wash your hair too often and blow-dry your hair too often, as this damages their structure.
- You should brush your hair regularly.
- Scalp massage is helpful.
- There should be a suitable headdress for every season.
- Stress should be avoided.
- Sleep schedule required.
- Need he althy physical activity.
- Eat he althy food.
These simple tips will protect your hair and make it shiny. And the scalp will be he althy. Prevention is much easier than cure.
Should not start an itchy scalp. It is necessary to identify the real cause, as well as start treatment in a timely manner. Compliance with the rules of hygiene is the main rule in any therapy. Then the discomfort will be eliminated quickly.
