What autoimmune disease causes itchy scalp?

Author: Clarissa Schumm  |  Last update: Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Scalp Psoriasis. Scalp psoriasis is an autoimmune condition. It causes raised, discolored plaques on your scalp or on the skin around your scalp that may be dry, itchy and irritating. Prescription and over-the-counter medications can alleviate your symptoms.

What diseases is itchy scalp a symptom of?

What causes itchy scalp?
  • Dandruff is when you have flakes of skin on your scalp. ...
  • Seborrheic dermatitis occurs on parts of your body where the skin is oily. ...
  • Psoriasis causes thick, itchy, scaly skin patches called plaques. ...
  • Eczema (dermatitis) causes dry, itchy skin. ...
  • Tinea capitis is a fungal infection of the scalp.

What deficiency causes itchy scalp?

It leads to redness, itching and flaking on the scalp. A vitamin deficiency of certain vitamins can make this situation much worse. Vitamins D, B2, B3, B6, B7 are usually associated with a flaky scalp. A deficiency of these vitamins can directly impact the immune system and increase the risk of inflammation.

What autoimmune disease affects the head?

Autoimmune encephalitis is a collection of related conditions in which the body's immune system attacks the brain, causing inflammation. The immune system produces substances called antibodies that mistakenly attack brain cells.

Is itchy scalp a symptom of MS?

Conclusion: MS patients experience paroxysmal neuropathic pruritus that is most frequently localized to the extremities, face or scalp. Patients with itch were more likely to have MS-related comorbidities and demyelinating lesions in the spinal cord or brainstem.

Top 10 Signs of Autoimmune Diseases - A Rheumatologist's Guide

What neurological conditions cause itchy scalp?

This type of itch has been described in several neurologic conditions, including stroke, tumors, vascular malformations, demyelinating disease, and radicular compression. To date, no cases of localized scalp dysesthesia related to a meningioma have been described.

What are the first symptoms of MS in a woman?

Symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • feeling extremely tired (fatigue)
  • problems with your eyes or your vision, such as blurred vision or eye pain.
  • numbness or a tingling feeling in different parts of the body.
  • feeling off balance, dizzy or clumsy (uncoordinated)
  • muscle cramps, spasms and stiffness.

What is the sister disease to MS?

Neuromyelitis optica is often misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis, also known as MS, or is seen as a type of MS . But NMO is a different condition. Neuromyelitis optica can cause blindness, weakness in the legs or arms, and painful spasms.

What autoimmune diseases can cause your head to itch?

Autoimmune diseases that have been linked with scalp itch are dermatomyositis, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma and Sjögren syndrome. Itch may or may not be associated with skin lesions. If present on dermoscopy, erythema and enlarged interfollicular vessels may aid the diagnosis.

What is the hardest autoimmune disease to diagnose?

Vasculitis: Vasculitis involves inflammation of blood vessels, leading to various symptoms depending on the affected organs. The diagnosis often requires imaging studies and biopsies, making it one of the more challenging autoimmune diseases to identify.

Why is my scalp so itchy like crazy?

Infrequent hair washing, a reaction to a hair product, dandruff, and seborrheic dermatitis are some of the most common reasons why your scalp might be itchy. Other causes include head lice, psoriasis, nerve problems, ringworm, and scabies. Your treatment will depend on what's causing the itching.

What is the best vitamin for itchy scalp?

To keep your scalp hydrated and happy, adding Omega-3 fatty acids is key. No more dry scalps or flaky patches. Omega 3 can be added by taking fish oil supplements or eating foods high in Omega 3.

What hormone imbalance causes itchy scalp?

As our oestrogen levels plummet, one of the side effects is dry, itchy skin. Our oil glands lose size and reduce production, so our skin, including that on our scalp, wrinkles and becomes more susceptible to damage.

What is an autoimmune condition in the scalp?

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that causes patchy hair loss anywhere on your body, but it most commonly affects the hair on the skin that covers your head (scalp). “Alopecia” is a medical term for hair loss or baldness, and “areata” means that it occurs in small, random areas.

Why is my head so itchy but I don't have lice or dandruff?

Some other causes of itchy scalp include diabetes, herpes zoster, anxiety, discoid lupus, migraine headaches, hot comb hair loss/ heat styling, scalp psoriasis, scarring alopecia or contact dermatitis.

What is neuropathic itching?

Neuropathic itch refers to disorders characterized by chronic itching caused by dysfunction or damage to pruriceptors, nerves involved in itch transmission. In these conditions, itch is not triggered by external stimuli (eg, irritants or allergens), but rather arises spontaneously.

What illness makes your head itch?

Scalp pruritus is a common and distressing symptom. It is most commonly associated with seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis but appears often without any noticeable skin lesion or obvious diagnosis.

Why is my immune system attacking my scalp?

In alopecia areata, the immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles, causing inflammation. Researchers do not fully understand what causes the immune attack on hair follicles, but they believe that both genetic and environmental (non-genetic) factors play a role.

What not to use on scalp psoriasis?

Tips for Washing Hair with Scalp Psoriasis

Harsh chemicals can aggravate the condition. Avoid hot water: Use lukewarm water to wash your hair, as hot water can further dry out the scalp and trigger flare-ups.

What is the most common neurological autoimmune disease?

If you have a neurological autoimmune disease, your immune system may be overly active and mistakenly attack healthy cells. The most common of these is multiple sclerosis (MS).

What is often misdiagnosed as MS?

These include fibromyalgia and vitamin B12 deficiency, muscular dystrophy (MD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), migraine, hypo-thyroidism, hypertension, Beçhets, Arnold-Chiari deformity, and mitochondrial disorders, although your neurologist can usually rule them out quite easily.

What are Mog disease symptoms?

Symptoms of MOG Antibody Disease

MOGAD causes inflammation on the brain, spinal cord and/or optic nerves and can result in the following symptoms: Lost or blurred vision in one or both eyes. Loss of color vision. Pain in the eyes, back, legs, arms or chest area. Paralysis or weakness in arms and legs.

What is the hot bath test for MS?

The hot bath test involved lying in a bath of warm water. If this caused or worsened neurological symptoms, it was taken as evidence that the person had multiple sclerosis. This test has not been used for many years. The hot bath test reflects the effect of heat that many people with MS notice.

What are the symptoms of fibromyalgia in a woman?

What are the symptoms of fibromyalgia?
  • Medium to severe tiredness (fatigue)
  • Less exercise endurance.
  • Sleep problems at night.
  • Depressed mood.
  • Anxiety.
  • Headaches.
  • Irritable bowel symptoms, such as belly (abdominal) pain and bloating, diarrhea, and constipation.
  • Restless legs.

What does MS feel like in your head?

Lesions in the brain may affect cognitive abilities. Some people with MS have trouble with memory, attention and concentration, multitasking and decision-making, says Dr. Scherz. The changes are usually mild at the beginning, but can be frustrating as time goes by.

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