Scalp Inflammation Hair Loss: Causes & Treatments

Although most hair loss in men is caused by male pattern baldness, various skin conditions may affect the scalp and contribute to hair loss. Many of these conditions have something in common: scalp inflammation.

If your scalp is itchy, inflamed, or painful, and you’ve noticed more hair shedding than normal, it’s important to take action as quickly as possible to determine what’s causing your scalp issues and what you can do to treat and improve your skin.

Below, we’ll explain several common skin conditions that can cause your scalp to become inflamed. We’ll also cover what you can do to treat scalp inflammation, as well as your best options for treating and preventing hair loss. 

Scalp inflammation is exactly what it sounds like — inflammation that affects the skin on the top, sides, and back of your head. 

There’s no specific medical condition called scalp inflammation. However, a variety of conditions can cause your scalp to become inflamed. These include:

• Seborrheic dermatitis. Seborrheic dermatitis is a common skin disease that can cause a red, scale-like rash to develop on your scalp. The affected area may look swollen and greasy, with a white or yellow scale. The rash caused by seborrheic dermatitis is often itchy. When itched, dry skin can flake off from the scalp, resulting in persistent dandruff.

• Folliculitis. Folliculitis is a type of infection that develops in your hair follicles. It causes small sores to develop on your scalp. These sores often resemble acne lesions and may develop a crust-like texture that doesn’t heal. Although folliculitis usually isn’t painful, it may cause itching and discomfort. It's common on your scalp, but folliculitis can also develop in other body parts.

• Scalp ringworm (tinea capitis). Scalp ringworm is a fungal infection that can develop in your scalp and hair follicles. It’s caused by the same groups of fungi that can infect your feet, torso, and other parts of your body. The most common symptom of scalp ringworm is a red, itchy rash that develops across your scalp. The rash caused by scalp ringworm often has a scale-like texture. Another sign is a black dot scalp symptom.

• Psoriasis. Psoriasis is a skin disorder that causes inflammation and the growth of thick, scale-like plaques on your skin. It’s caused by your immune system increasing the rate at which your skin produces new cells. Psoriasis can occur anywhere on your body, including your scalp. Common symptoms include the development of a red rash, itching, silvery-white scaly skin, and severely dry skin that can crack and bleed.

Not all scalp inflammation causes hair loss. However, some medical conditions that can cause your scalp to become inflamed may also damage your hair follicles and cause hair loss. 

For example, scalp ringworm can potentially affect your hair follicles and cause patches of hair loss in certain parts of your scalp.

When the inflammation caused by scalp ringworm is severe, it can lead to permanent hair loss that may affect your scalp, eyelashes, and eyebrows. We’ve provided more information about this in our detailed guide to scalp fungus. 

Other conditions that cause inflammation, particularly those that can cause itching, may cause hair loss indirectly through damage that occurs when you scratch your skin. 

For example, although psoriasis doesn’t directly cause hair loss, scratching or pulling at affected areas of scaly, painful skin can damage hair follicles and cause temporary hair loss.

If you have a skin condition that causes your scalp to become inflamed, the most effective way to prevent hair loss is to talk to your healthcare provider as soon as you notice symptoms. 

It’s particularly important to talk to your healthcare provider if your scalp feels uncomfortable or painful or if you already have noticeable shedding and hair loss.

Your healthcare provider will examine your scalp to determine the cause of your inflammation and/or hair loss. They may need to take a skin sample to test for the specific condition affecting your skin. 

Most conditions that cause scalp inflammation can be treated using a combination of personal care products and/or medications. You may need to use:

• Medicated shampoos, bath solutions, or other personal care products

• Topical medications to treat inflammation, itching, and other symptoms

• Topical antibiotics or antifungal medications

• Oral antibiotics or antifungal medications

• Moisturizer or lotion to treat dryness

Follow the instructions provided by your healthcare provider closely and use your medication for the full treatment period, even if your symptoms appear to improve quickly. 

If you’ve shed hair because of scalp inflammation, it should begin to grow back after you treat the underlying cause of the inflammation. Make sure to talk to your healthcare provider to find out what you can do to keep your hair healthy while you recover.

If you’d like to use a medication like minoxidil to stimulate hair growth, make sure to check with your healthcare provider first to verify that it’s okay. 

Although minoxidil is safe for most people, it shouldn’t be applied if your scalp is red, inflamed, infected, irritated, or painful. Using minoxidil while your scalp is inflamed or irritated may make your symptoms worse.

Your healthcare provider will let you know if and when it’s okay to use hair regrowth treatments and other hair care products. 

Here’s the TLDR on scalp inflammation and why it’s important to pay attention to.

• Although there is no medical condition called scalp inflammation, a variety of issues can cause your scalp to become inflamed, itchy, and uncomfortable.

• A common cause of scalp inflammation is seborrheic dermatitis, which can cause red, scaly patches to develop on your scalp. Other conditions that can cause scalp inflammation include folliculitis, scalp ringworm (tinea capitis), and others. You can read more about what causes folliculitis here.

• Although not all causes of scalp inflammation cause hair loss, some may cause you to shed hair. In some cases, this hair loss may become permanent if left untreated.

If you’ve noticed signs of inflammation on your scalp, talk to your healthcare provider to find out more about what’s causing the inflammation and what you can do to treat your symptoms. And, if you’re thinking of starting a hair loss treatment, start with an online hair loss consultation.