Sores, blisters, or bumps on the scalp Painful sores, blisters, or bumps that form on the scalp may be caused by: Infection of the hair shafts (folliculitis) or the skin (such as impetigo). An allergic skin reaction (contact dermatitis). Viral infections, such as chickenpox and shingles.
There are many reasons why you might have sores on your scalp. They include ringworm (although this affects more children than adults), psoriasis, and folliculitis.
It can feel satisfying to pick, and the behavior is not always indicative of a larger problem. However, excessive picking can be a sign of dermatillomania, or skin picking disorder—a mental health condition characterized by an irresistible urge to pick at your own body.
There are many possible reasons why a persons scalp feels sore and tender to touch, including skin conditions such as psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis. Other potential causes of a sore and tender scalp include occipital neuralgia , a type of headache, and alopecia areata .
a head injury or concussion. a cold or flu. temporomandibular disorders – problems affecting the 'chewing' muscles and the joints between the lower jaw and the base of the skull. sinusitis – inflammation of the lining of the sinuses.
Pemphigus foliaceus is an autoimmune condition that causes painful and itchy blisters and sores on your skin, most often on your face, scalp and trunk. Symptoms can reduce with topical creams, ointments or drugs. This condition isn't contagious.
Scabs on the scalp can emerge due to folliculitis, dermatitis, psoriasis or an allergic reaction to chemical products, like hair dye or or hair treatments. It is rare for scabs to form due to severe health conditions, like skin cancer.
Excoriation Disorder
It is also known as dermatillomania. People with this condition will pick their skin to the point where it can cause bleeding or other damage to the skin.
To ease scalp pain, ibuprofen or similar over-the-counter medication can relieve inflammation or headaches. Essential oils, like rosemary or lavender, can help heal sores that may be the cause of scalp tenderness once diluted.
Although these skin conditions are usually on the scalp, seborrheic dermatitis can also occur on the face, chest, armpits, and groin. The cause for such issues links back to vitamin deficiencies in vitamins B3 (niacin), B2 (riboflavin), and B6 (pyridoxine).
Bacteria trapped in the inflamed hair follicle can cause small pus-filled bumps called pustules to form. These red, oozing pustules look like acne.
What does shingles on the scalp look like? Shingles is a viral infection that appears as painful rashes anywhere on the body, including the scalp. It may cause discolored patches of skin on the scalp with bumps or blisters that eventually form scabs.
Any one or combination of these stress response changes can cause symptoms that affect the scalp, such as burning, itchy, tight, tingling, crawly, pressure, pain, and so on. Acute stress, such as from anxious behavior, is a common cause of scalp symptoms.
This includes the scalp. Impetigo can also spread from the original site to other areas of the body. Impetigo causes red sores on the skin that burst, leaving a yellow-brown crust. However, the redness may be harder to see in darker skin tones and may look more dark red, purple, brown, or gray in appearance.
N-Acetylcysteine (NAC): NAC is an amino acid that has shown promise in reducing compulsive behaviors, including skin picking, in some studies. It may work by increasing levels of the neurotransmitter glutamate, which plays a role in impulse control.
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.
Painful sores, blisters, or bumps that form on the scalp may be caused by: Infection of the hair shafts (folliculitis) or the skin (such as impetigo). An allergic skin reaction (contact dermatitis). Viral infections, such as chickenpox and shingles.
Tar-based shampoos or Dermax (not tar-based) are good for keeping symptoms of flaking and scaling at bay, and they can be alternated with a ketoconazole shampoo. Tar-based shampoos include: Neutrogena T/Gel Therapeutic Shampoo. Capasal Therapeutic Shampoo.
It can be tempting to pick at scabs on the scalp if they are itchy or painful, but this can cause complications such as infections or skin damage.
“Discoid” refers to the round shape of the sores or lesions that develop. These are thick, raised, scaly patches that are often pink and may flake or form a crust on the surface of the skin. Lesions most often appear on the face, ears, scalp, neck, and hands.
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that causes your immune system to attack your body. Your immune system attacks your hair follicles because it thinks they're foreign invaders — bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi — that cause infection, illness and disease.
Any scalp soreness that does not go away within one to two weeks should be further investigated by a medical professional. This includes soreness caused by dermatitis, psoriasis, fibromyalgia, and recurrent tension headaches. Some are chronic conditions that require ongoing management.