Scalp Itching

What Your Symptom Is Telling You

There you are, scratching your head like a bluetick hound, wondering why your scalp is so doggone itchy. Muse no more, McGruff.

You may have developed a skin condition like psoriasis or seborrheic dermatitis, accompanied by a yeast that forces your skin to grow more rapidly than normal. The overabundance of skin, in turn, encourages an overgrowth of the organisms that trigger—you guessed it—itching, says Robert Rietschel, M.D., chairman of the Department of Dermatology at the Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans.

Other common head itchers: improper hair care and (yuck) head lice.

Symptom Relief

Rather than rub yourself raw, try these treatments for itchy scalp.

Banish the bar. Never use a cake of soap to shampoo your hair, says Ron Renee, president of the Aestheticians International Association in Dallas. Not only is it harsh on hair, but it also strips the scalp of essential oils, which can lead to itching, he says.

Do the right shampoo. "You really need a pH-balanced shampoo to keep your scalp from flaking and drying, a common cause of itchy scalp," says Renee. Look for one that has a pH level between 4.5 and 5.5, he says. You can check the pH level of your favorite shampoo by using nitrozine paper test strips, which you can buy from pharmacies, he says.

Have an antihistamine. Some antihistamines used for allergies contain anti-itching ingredients that may provide temporary relief from itchy scalp, says Robert Richards, M.D., a spokesperson for the American Academy of Dermatologists with a practice in Toronto. Among the best are Benadryl and Chlor-Trimeton. Because each contains a sedative, both may be helpful with an itch that's keeping you up, he says.

Sleep on it. "If you're looking for an over-the-counter treatment for scalp scaling, there's an excellent product called Baker's P and S Liquid," says Dr. Rietschel. Apply it to the scalp at bedtime and put on a shower cap. The next morning, clean your hair with a dandruff shampoo.

Spread on some olive oil. "Olive oil does seem to have a soothing effect on some cases of dry, itchy scalp," says Dr. Rietschel. Just massage warm olive oil into your scalp and wait ten minutes before you shampoo.

Make a date with your dermatologist. "You're going to need a higher level of care if you don't begin to get substantial relief within about a week," says Dr. Rietschel.

Stopping Psoriasis

Don't get sore at psoriasis, get even—with these remedies.

Give psoriasis a scrub. Coal-tar based shampoos, while messy, seem to work best at removing the dead skin and reducing inflammation that accompanies psoriasis on the scalp, says Dr. Rietschel. "If you deal with the inflammation, then you are dealing with the itching," he says. You should see results within one to two weeks; if not, see your doctor.

Cut the itch with cortisone. If eczema or psoriasis-induced itching continues after shampooing, reach for 1 percent hydrocortisone cream, an item available in most drugstores, says Dr. Rietschel.

Hairdos and Don'ts

It's also entirely possible that while you were trying to develop the latest hairdo, you may have committed a hair don't: You exposed your scalp to several chemicals that triggered an allergic reaction, causing inflammation and itching. Or you may simply be using the wrong kind of products to clean your hair. Consider these tips when caring for your hair.

Test your hair-care treatment. Home hair dyes often contain para-phenylenediamine, a chemical that's been linked to severe scalp itching and blistering. "Once you've had the contact, that's enough for the immunological process to run its one- to two-week course," says Dr. Rietschel. To avoid an allergic reaction, test the dye on the box as directed before using, he says.

Drop your acid perm. If you've ever experienced severe itching 48 hours or less after getting a salon perm, avoid glyceryl thioglycolate, a perm activator and common irritant. Because the chemical stays in hair even after frequent shampooing, some eczema sufferers have been forced to shave their heads to get relief. "It's really difficult to deal with," says Dr. Rietschel. "Avoid it if you can."

Liquidate Those Lice

It's not a pleasant prospect, itchy scalp could also be a sign that you're one of ten million Americans (mostly schoolchildren, their parents and teachers) plagued with head lice. These mustard-seed-size insects stab tiny holes in the scalp, live off blood and never, ever, dine without producing several hundred offspring.

If you suspect your child may have brought home a crop of head lice from school, you'll have to take action before the whole family starts itching, says Dr. Richards. To nix those nits:

Buy a power shampoo. A variety of prescription and over-the-counter shampoos are great at killing head lice, according to Dr. Richards. They include: Kwell, which features the ingredient gamma benzene hexachloride, and Nix, which contains permethrin. Once the lice have been killed, however, you'll need to remove their eggs by carefully combing the hair with a nit comb, says Dr. Richards. You may have to repeat the treatment several times. Any survivors won't waste time starting a new family of hungry lice.