One of the less common types of acne is scalp acne, but that doesn’t mean it’s less of a problem to deal with. Some people might think that it’s easier to live with because your hair covers the unsightly pimples.
However, reality is that these types of blackheads and pimples can be very difficult to get rid of. And because of where they are, they can also become very painful during simple activities like washing or brushing your hair, or even lead to bald patches.
Unlike acne on your chest, face, or back, you will have to take some additional steps to deal with it. But with the right changes in cleansing routine and lifestyle you can achieve some significant improvements to the severity and risk of outbreaks.
On this page we’ll bring you the main tips to help you take preventative actions starting today. And if you’re in the middle of an outbreak and want to find out what will work best to get rid of the pimples then we have you covered as well.
There’s no need to be suffering any longer, as all our tips will bring you fast relief and long lasting results.
4 Main Symptoms of Scalp Acne You Should be Careful Of
Listed below in this section, are some of the most common symptoms of scalp acne.
Now, you may get unlucky and suffer from all of these symptoms at once. However, it is far more likely that you will just suffer from one or two of them. The longer you leave your scalp pimples, the more chance you have of suffering from a multitude of different symptoms.
1. Place of Breakout
In most cases, scalp acne is not going to occur near the center of your scalp. Instead, it is going to be near the forehead, very close to the start of your hairline. Once it starts to appear here, it is likely that the acne is going to be a minor. However, if you leave it untreated for too long, it is likely to turn into folliculitis, which occurs when the hair follicles start to become acne-ridden.
2. Flaking of Hair
You may start to notice flaking in the hair. This is going to be very similar in appearance to dandruff. Many people will use an anti-dandruff shampoo in a bid to try and get rid of it, but there is absolutely no guarantee that is going to work.
3. Sighting of Pimples
You may start to see red pustules appear near the center of the scalp. In some cases, these may be white and filled with pus. In other cases, they will ooze. It is all going to be dependent on what is actually causing your acne symptoms and, of course, the severity of your condition. As I have mentioned previously, the longer you leave it, the more chance you are going to end up with a severe form of scalp acne.
4. Bald Patches
If you leave your acne untreated too long, you may actually start to experience bald patches on your scalp. However, this is, thankfully, something which is very rare. Hopefully you will have treated your condition by this point so you are not going to need to worry too much about it.
There will, of course, also be the ‘standard’ symptoms of acne too. This means that you can expect redness or hyperpigmentation. You can also expect scalp irritation, so a lot of scratching! It is not going to be a pleasant experience in the slightest, sadly.
What Causes Scalp Pimples Or Acne? 5 Suspected Culprits
There are a number of different things which can lead to scalp acne. In this section, we are going to take a little look at some of the most common of them. If you are suffering from scalp acne, it is likely that one of these causes is at the heart of it:
1. In the vast majority of cases, your scalp acne is going to be caused by hormones. As you know, the majority of people who end up suffering from scalp acne do so during puberty. However, it can also occur during the menstrual cycle.
2. Most people are more prone to scalp acne when it is hot and humid outside.
3. If you live in a city, you are very prone to scalp acne. This is because pollution can cause it. There is very little that you can do about this.
4. The usage of certain shampoos and conditioners can cause scalp acne. If you find that you are suffering from scalp acne, you would do well to change your shampoo or conditioner, just to make sure it is not that causing the problem!
5. Heredity is another potential cause. It simply means if somebody else in your family has suffered from acne before, there is a pretty high chance that you will end up suffering from it too.
Top 5 Scalp acne treatments
Now finally, let’s take a quick look at five of the most effective scalp acne treatments. If you are suffering from this condition, it is likely that you will be able to find a solution in this list:
1. Choose Your Shampoo Wisely
The causes of scalp acne are very much the same as standard acne. This means that the same treatment tends to work. One of the main things that you are going to want to do is unclog those pores. They become filled with oil quite quickly.
The best way in which to do this is to use a gentle shampoo, nothing too harsh, on your scalp. This should keep everything clean. You can take a look at some of the best shampoos for scalp acne here.
2. Harness The Power of Salicylic Acid
Purchase a shampoo or cream which has salicylic acid in it. This is a treatment which tends to work fairly well on standard acne as it will help to kill all the bacteria residing in the pores (i.e. what actually causes the acne in the first place). A good shampoo or cream will have it cleaned out in no time at all.
3. Let Tea Tree Oil Handle it For You
Many people find that their scalp pimples clear up pretty quickly when they use tea tree oil in their hair. I have found that this is a solution which tends to work quite well. Perhaps the best way to use it is to add a couple of drops to your regular shampoo. If you head to a health food store, you may also be able to pick up some tea tree oil shampoo there which you can also use.
4. Better Stay Away From Conditioners
This is more of a precaution than a treatment. Try not to use conditioner on your hair unless you absolutely have to. Many people find that it is the conditioner causing pimples on scalp and just a few days away from it is all that it takes for those symptoms to clear up pretty quickly.
5. Keep Your Hair Clean
If you are performing a lot of manual labor, or perhaps working out in the gym fairly regularly, then you are going to need to wash your hair straight after. If you don’t do that, you are going to end up with scalp acne.
Got some questions or ideas to share regarding this issue? Share in the comments below!
