Folliculitis is a common skin condition that can affect any hair follicle on the body. Folliculitis involves a hair follicle becoming infected and inflamed. The infection can be caused by a bacteria or fungus.
Individuals who have folliculitis will notice small red bumps or pimples (sometimes with white-heads) that will appear around and near the affected hair follicles. If left untreated, the infection can spread and cause sores.
As previously stated, folliculitis can occur anywhere on the body with hair. This includes the scalp. When folliculitis occurs on the scalp, it can cause a serious infection as well as permanent hair loss.
It has been noted that non-infectious folliculitis can occur on the scalp due to the build-up of excess oils and sebum on the scalp. While an infection may not currently be present, the symptoms may still be present and hair loss is still a risk.
Folliculitis on the scalp can be slightly harder to detect than on the body, due to hair coverage. Patients with folliculitis often mention itchiness and soreness of the scalp as additional symptoms.
The treatment for folliculitis is usually a topical antibiotic ointment. For more serious cases, an oral antibiotic may be required.
To prevent folliculitis and promote a healthy scalp and hair, wash hair regularly with a gentle, organic shampoo. Anti-dandruff shampoos contain anti-fungal properties and may be beneficial to some. Maintaining good hygiene habits such as showering after sweating, changing out razors often, and staying hydrated will help ward off folliculitis and potential infections.
If you think you may have folliculitis on the scalp or elsewhere, you should make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. If you think your hair loss may be caused by folliculitis and you would like to explore treatment options, give us a call for a consultation.
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How to remove sebum build-up containing DHT from the scalp
If you’ve ever seen a bald person, or are bald yourself, you may have noticed a shiny, oily appearance to their or your scalp. This is caused by the build-up of sebum (natural oils secreted from your scalp). This sebum not only blocks pores, inhibiting hair follicles from growing hair, it also causes hair loss at the root, thanks to the DHT in it.
If you’re unfamiliar with DHT, DHT is testosterone that’d been converted to another form. Once testosterone is converted to DHT, the DHT gets to work signaling hair follicles to stop producing hair on our scalp.
DHT resides in our blood and reaches hair follicles internally, at the cellular level. But it’s also present exteriorly, on the surface of our scalp. It gets on the surface through excretion, via sweat and sebum. DHT does just as much damage to our hair follicles internally as it does externally.
Overtime, the sebum on our scalp builds upon itself, layer after layer, creating a type of plaque. This plaque is what causes the shininess on the scalp.
Once sebum has become plaque, it’s not as easy to remove and treat. While there are medications that can reduce DHT internally, there isn’t a medication for removing DHT externally. Thankfully, we’ve compiled a few helpful tips for you on how to reduce and remove this DHT-containing plaque taking up space on your scalp.
- Clean the scalp with salicylic acid – the salicylic acid deeply cleans the scalp, acting as a peel. You should not leave the acid on the scalp for more than 5-10 minutes. Rinse and clean thoroughly to remove all acid, dead skin cells, and oil residue. Peels can be done safely and effectively on the scalp once a month.
- Purchase a clarifying shampoo – clarifying shampoos are stronger than normal shampoos. They should be used about once a month in order to keep sebum build-up under control.
- Reduce use of conditioner – if conditioner tends to make your hair oily, only use it once or twice a week as needed. Additionally, only apply it to the middle and ends of your hair.
- Brush your hair daily – brushing or combing the hair from root to end helps evenly distribute your hair’s natural oils. This will prevent build-up at the root.
- Use baby powder or dry shampoo to eliminate oil at the roots – in between washes, apply a power based dry shampoo to absorb some of the oil.
If you think you may have hair loss caused by DHT, give us a call for a medical management consultation today.
Are these things keeping your hair from growing?
Many people who experience hair loss or who are trying to grow their hair have tried many products. These products such as oils, masks, shampoos, and pills all boast of their amazing hair regrowth abilities. Unfortunately, most individuals are disappointed to discover they see little success with these products.
What if it’s not so much about what products you need to take or use, but rather what products you should avoid?
You may be surprised to hear that there are things we consume and products we use everyday that can stunt hair growth. Below, I list some common hair growth enemies that you should avoid when working on re-growing your hair.
- Coffee and tea – coffee and tea make the body acidic. When the body is acidic it utilizes other nutrients to neutralize the acidity. These nutrients are often taken from non-essential tissues like the scalp. As we’ve talked about before, our hair needs all of its nutrients so that it can grow strong and healthy. Can’t bear the thought of cutting out coffee and tea completely? Moderation is key. Don’t consume more than 2 cups of coffee or tea per day.
- Processed foods – processed foods not only lack the healthy nutrients our bodies crave, but they also contain harmful chemicals and ingredients. Cutting out processed foods will not only make your hair feel better but your body as well.
- Lack of sleep – sleep is when our bodies heal and regenerate. It’s also when many bodily processes occur. Weight loss and hair growth are two of the many processes that occur during sleep. If you’re not getting an adequate amount of sleep or getting into REM sleep, those processes may not occur. Make sure you’re getting at least 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night.
- Smoking – everyone knows smoking is bad for you, but not everyone knows its linked to hair loss. It’s pretty black and white: the bad truly outweighs the good when it comes to smoking.
- Lack of exercise – exercise increases blood circulation, releases endorphin’s, and rids the body of toxins. All of these benefits promote healthy skin and hair. If you work at a desk or on a computer, try to break up periods of sitting every 2-3 hours. A simple walk around the building or a jog up the stairs allow you to keep blood flowing and nutrients moving throughout the body. Additionally, you should aim for a minimum of 20 minutes of purposeful activity per day.
