Infection on Scalp Could Be Causing Your Hair Breakage
Are you struggling with hair breakage and also noticed that some areas on your scalp itch and hair won’t grow back? Hair breakage usually starts off in one part and then extends to the other parts of your scalp. If you notice that some areas in your hair are super dry and tend to break off easily, then you might have a scalp infection and it could be the cause of your hair breakage.
Many people have scalp or hair infections which may cause the hair to thin, fall out, break off or grow very slowly. Some common scalp infections that could cause hair loss or breakage are…
1. Ringworm:
This is a fungal infection of the outer layer of the scalp and in the hair. If you have ringworm, it usually causes rashes made up of circular patches with raised red edges that resemble worms. The rash spreads from these edges leaving the center clear and giving it a ring shape. This type of fungi when on the scalp causes temporary hair loss, breakage, and extreme itching of the scalp.
2. Dandruff:
This can also be caused by a fungi infection and is the shedding of the skin on the scalp which leaves white flakes on the head, neck, and shoulder. It might also be a form of a skin condition known as eczema which causes an increase in shedding of normal scalp skin cells. Dandruff can be very itchy and cause hair breakage.
3. Head lice:
This is common among school-age children and can cause serious itching and raw patches on the scalp. Head lice look like tiny wingless insects.
How Do You Know If You Have Scalp Infection?
There might be several symptoms that will indicate you have a scalp infection such as when you experience any of the following:
1. Cracks or patches on the scalp
2. White, flaky scales or shedding.
3. Intense itchiness could be dandruff
Some scalp infections might be mild, this is why it is important to visit a doctor for scalp scrapping to diagnose either ringworm or any other infections of the scalp.
To Prevent Scalp Infection, make sure you are not sharing any of the listed hair tools with anyone.
1. Hairbrushes
2. Combs
3. Pillow scarves
4. Any other item that comes in contact with another person’s scalp.
Make sure you have your personal hair tools whenever you are going for salon appointments to avoid stories that touch the heart.
Scalp infections such as ringworm can live on the skin for a long time. If you have consistent itching of the scalp and used a dandruff shampoo to stop the flakes and soothe the itching, the scalp might look normal and not infected, but the fungus could still be settled into your scalp and be causing hair breakage.
Dandruff shampoos have active ingredients like Nizoral which is an anti-fungal medication that can help alleviate the effect of the problem. The anti-dandruff shampoo will not entirely get rid of the scalp infection. This is the reason why your hair continues to grow in the infected areas but breaks off at a certain time.
Home Remedies for Dandruff
1. Use anti-dandruff shampoo: There are different anti-dandruff shampoos that could be used to get rid of dandruff from your scalp. This can be used to wash your hair.
2. Rub into your scalp: While washing your hair, lather the first time, rinse and lather again. Use your fingers and rub into your scalp vigorously as you shampoo. This will help to dislodge excess cells. Do not be rough in order not to damage your scalp.
3. Let the anti-dandruff soak in your hair after you lather it for about 5 minutes or more and rinse. Apply hair conditioner, leave for a couple of minutes and rinse out thoroughly.
4. Apply a leave-in conditioner of your choice.
For ringworm scalp infection, kindly visit your doctor for possible diagnosis and treatment.
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