Symptoms and Diagnosis of Itchy Scalp

Few things are more irritating than a persistently itchy scalp. While this is usually not a sign of a serious condition, it does indicate that something unusual is causing your scalp to itch.

Diagnosis

• In order to diagnosis someone with an itchy scalp, the doctor will ask a series of questions. These may include: How long have you had itchy scalp? Is it mild, moderate, or severe? Have you been in contact with anyone who has had itchy scalp? Have you had a past history of skin aliments?

Symptoms

• In addition to asking these questions doctors, will also check a patient for symptoms that can help pinpoint the exact cause of itchy scalp. A doctor may look for white flakes in the hair, a rash on the scalp or elsewhere on the body, or whether or not you are experiencing any allergic reactions.

Causes

• Itchy scalp is usually a symptom caused by another condition. It is generally caused by dandruff, poor hair care, sunburn, insect bites, reaction to hair products, head lice, or psoriasis. Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease caused by scaling and inflammation.

Relief

• There are a few measures that you can take on your own to relieve an itchy scalp. You can use a shampoo that is pH balanced to keep your hair from getting dry and full of dandruff. Over-the-counter antihistamines are also very effective in treating itchy scalp.

Considerations

• If you have taken all the measures you can on your own to treat itchy scalp and it still bothers you, it is time to see a dermatologist. Dermatologists are the best suited to pinpoint and effectively treat conditions causing itchy scalp.