Scalp Diseases

Scalp Diseases I

Living a healthy and exciting life sure is a challenge for many of us. It could be a dream or it could be the aim of life itself. Before we embark on any meaningful, interesting or exciting adventures, first we have to be healthy physically and mentally. However, with the existence of so many diseases and distractions, this could be a real challenge. Even to take care and maintain a certain body part could be tricky if we are not prepared. In this article, we will shed some light on three scalp diseases affecting the health of our head and hair.

1. Dandruff

We call it dandruff in English and simply kelemumur in both Malay and Bahasa Indonesia. Scientists and trichologists call them ‘pityriasis capitis simplex’. It is one of the most common conditions affecting the scalp as most people have encountered or will experience some degree of dandruff in their lives.  Dandruff is a non-inflammatory scalp disease which describes scalp flaking. However, there are various degrees of severity ranging from common dandruff, i.e. loose flakes, tight flakes, to more severe seborrheic dermatitis.

How it happened? Every inch of our skin is constantly shedding and replaced, including the skin of our scalp. However, these shedding of skin are happening at a cellular stage and often go unnoticed. Skin is shed and replaced constantly, including the skin on our scalp, and they usually fall off or get washed away when we bath. The surface of our skin is covered in millions of micro-organisms – otherwise known as germs, bacteria or ‘skin flora’. Our skin secretions (sweat and sebum) usually form a protective layer that keeps the bacteria in order. However, factors such as poor diet, illness, stress, hormonal fluctuations and weather can disrupt this barrier, allow bacteria to multiply and lead to excessive shedding of your scalp skin. This noticeable shedding on the scalp is ‘dandruff flakes’ 

What should we do? A flaky scalp presents a lot of discomfort and embarrassments but many people suffered from this condition and are able to overcome it by using over-the-counter shampoos, toners and scalp creams. The condition usually comes and goes and almost always flares up under stress. Mild to moderate dandruff is easily treated with products in the market but a severe build-up of flakes may need to be treated with stronger prescription products, as it can cause severe uneasiness and also may eventually lead to hair loss. In that case, it is best to consult a trichologist for further diagnosis.

2. RingWorm

This is not a wiggly worm that we can just pick it up and remove it from our precious scalp. Ringworm is a fungal infection of the scalp or in its scientific scalp disease name, Tinea capitis. Tinea capitis is caused by mold-like fungi called dermatophytes. This condition is characterised by bare patches, usually round, like a ring, hence the name, but could be any irregular shape of skin on the scalp. The round, scaly areas of skin that will be inflamed, red or swollen, causing extreme itch and having pus-filled sores. It can occur to anyone at any age but most often affects younger children. 

How it happened? Fungi grows well in warm, moist areas and can thrive on dead tissue such as the hair, nails, and outer skin layers. The infection is highly likely when someone has a minor skin or scalp injuries, have constantly moist skin (excessive sweating) or neglected hair hygiene. While all these could be prevented easily, ringworm is highly infectious so when one person has this condition, he or she could quickly as well as easily spread it on through skin contacts and sharing of personal belongings such as clothing, hats, combs, etc. One could even get infected from infected animals, especially cats, be it pets or strays.

What should we do? When someone is identified to be infected with ringworm, the person must be isolated, or at least be very careful about his or her contact until the ringworm is treated and is healing completely. This could be done with washing with a medicated shampoo, such as one that contains ketoconazole or selenium sulfide. Shampooing alone may slow down or stop the spread of infection, but it does not get rid of the ringworm. Prescription of oral medicine for 4 to 8 weeks is needed to fully clear away the infection.

3. Scalp Psoriasis

Psoriasis is an inflammatory disease of the skin that is estimated to affect about 2.2% of the adult population in the world. The symptoms of this scalp disease is the appearance of raised scaly bumps, pink in colour that combine to form itchy plaques. Psoriasis can affect any part of the skin but classically appears on the elbows and knees. Studies showed that at least half of all the people who have psoriasis have it on their scalp. The condition can be very mild, with slight, fine scaling but can turn severe with thick, crusted plaques covering the entire scalp. Scalp psoriasis extend beyond the hairline onto the forehead, the back of the neck and around the ears.

How it happened? It is understood that scalp psoriasis, like all other psoriasis, is related to genetic defects. There are undoubtedly external factors in the environment that trigger its initial development in genetically predisposed individuals. Psoriasis develops when a person’s immune system has faulty signals that command skin cells to grow too rapidly. The body does not shed these excessive skin cells. Instead, these skin cells pile up on the surface of the skin, causing patches of psoriasis to appear and thickens.

What we should we do? First of all, do not scratch!  Scalp psoriasis can be extremely itchy but scratching can cause the scalp bleeding, hair loss, and inflammation. Second, shampoo gently and handle the psoriasis with extra care. A scale softener that contains salicylic acid can be used to soften the thick, stubborn patches of psoriasis, this process allows the medicine applied to the psoriasis to work better. On the market, there are numerous coal tar and non-coal tar medicated shampoos for treating scalp lesions. Sometimes doctors inject affected scalp area with steroid medications for rapid recovery.

These are just a few examples of many other scalp diseases that exist. Unlike hair loss, a condition of losing hair more than the average hair loss daily, many of these diseases actually causes a lot of pain, itching, discomfort and other health complications to the bearer. On the good side, if one experience hair loss, plenty of great products are available, take a look at www.toppikmalaysia.com/shop and www.toppikmalaysia.com/blog. If keen, more reading could be done at www.toppikmalaysia.com

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