Hair loss is common because of our poor diet, unhealthy lifestyle, and stress. However, losing clumps of hair in the shower and brushing your hair is not normal. Identifying the underlying cause is essential to combat it. Most people don’t realize their hair loss is due to scalp inflammation.
Scalp inflammation can be due to various reasons, but some people cannot identify its signs until it’s too late. You need to educate yourself about scalp inflammation to combat its side effects before it’s too late. Keep reading to identify scalp inflammation’s signs and its causes!
What are the Causes of Scalp Inflammation?
Some people don’t even understand the inflammation meaning; hence, they cannot identify it. You cannot see scalp inflammation, but you can notice some of its signs which we will discuss later. Identifying the causes is one of the first steps to treating scalp inflammation. Here are some of the causes:
- Heat and Excess Sebum
There are quite a few reasons for scalp inflammation, but one of the common ones is heat. Being in the sunlight way too much can cause your scalp to heat up and produce excess sebum. The sebum can irritate your scalp, causing it to inflame.
You may notice your scalp feeling itchy and irritated in the sun. The best way to prevent heat inflammation is to stay indoors as much as possible or wear a headscarf in direct sunlight. When you return home, take a cold shower to cool down your scalp.
- Tying Hair Tightly
Most of us usually have our hair in a bun too tight to cause a headache. If you tie your hair too tight, you may have folliculitis, which causes pain in hair follicles. It causes your hair to weaken, causing it to fall in clumps.
The best way to prevent scalp inflammation is to tie your hair loosely. Leave your hair open whenever you can to reduce pressure on your scalp. Instead of using rubber hair ties, use silk scrunchies as they are much more gentle. Don’t sleep with a bun; always let your hair loose when sleeping to avoid breakage.
- Eating Inflammatory foods
One of the main reasons why people have scalp inflammation is because they have inflammatory foods constantly. There are a few inflammatory foods to avoid if you want to treat your scalp. Frequent consumption of alcohol, red meat, junk, etc., can cause redness and irritation in your scalp.
The best way to avoid inflammation is to eat good food. Try to have lots of green vegetables, milk, dried fruits, nuts, etc., to promote hair health. Avoid red meat as much as possible and replace it with plant-based protein.
- Product Build-up
The worst thing you could do to your hair is not to wash your scalp properly after using styling products. Most people only wash their hair for days after using hair spray or other styling products. It causes product build-up on the hair, causing scalp inflammation, dandruff, and other hair issues.
It is essential to avoid hair styling products as much as possible and use minimum heat. Even if you use hair styling products, try to wash your hair as soon as possible. Always double-shampoo your scalp to eliminate build-up, and use a scalp massager to stimulate blood flow.
What Are the Signs of Scalp Inflammation?
Now that you know about some of the causes of scalp inflammation, it’s time to know its signs. You cannot look at your scalp closely; hence, it is harder to identify inflammation. However, some signs can let you know you are experiencing it:
- Losing Clumps of Hair
One of the main signs of scalp inflammation is losing clumps of hair. Most men lose hair due to men’s pattern balding, but inflammation can also be one of the reasons. You lose a lot of hair in the shower or while brushing them. It is okay to lose 70-100 strands of hair each day, but more than that is worrisome.
- Scalp Pain and Redness
If you have scalp pain, it is usually because of inflammation. You may also experience pain in some parts of your scalp upon touching. Looking closely at your scalp, you will notice red, irritated patches. You may also experience pain in your hair follicles making it harder to tie them.
- Dry, Itchy, and Flaky Scalp
Another strong sign of scalp inflammation is a dry, itchy, flaky scalp. You may experience a dry patch in most parts of your scalp that are harder to scratch. When you scratch away at the dry patch, it may start bleeding.
Conclusion
Scalp inflammation is common, considering our poor eating habits and not taking care of our hair. Hair needs proper attention, and it is essential to be gentle with them. Ensure you are not tying your hair tightly or brushing harshly, as these are common reasons for hair inflammation.
