Treatments for Scalp Acne

What is scalp acne?

Have you ever wondered about scalp acne? Well, if you are reading this, your answer to the former question must likely be yes. To answer another question that many have, scalp acne is indeed a medical condition.

Scalp acne is defined as simply acne that develops on the top part of your head also known as your scalp. If you feel a small bump on your hair that is tender or sensitive to the touch, it is very likely that it is a pimple or zit that has formed.

Don't be too alarmed about this. Contrary to what you may be thinking, this medical condition is not all too uncommon.

What causes scalp acne?

Well, first, think about facial acne or body acne...they develop due to excess oil caused by hormones, stress, or several other factors. Because the scalp consists of skin, acne is very much able to develop there. Therefore, what causes facial acne also causes the formation of it on the scalp.

Treatments for scalp acne

Much like the regular form of acne, the same active and inactive ingredients used to treat them are also used to treat scalp acne. Some of the popular treatments include a solution containing salicylic acid and sulfur.

However, this does not mean that what you can put on your face, you can also put on your hair without any adverse unwanted effects. Let's use the ingredient benzoyl peroxide as an example.

Benzoyl peroxide is a common organic chemical ingredient used to kill the bacteria that causes pimples and blackheads and whiteheads to form and flare up. Benzoyl peroxide is used in facial care products such as the proactive daily cleanser and proactive renewing cream.

Now, to get back to the point, benzoyl peroxide isn't typicallly used in scalp acne treatments or any scalp condition because it is of the peroxide family. Peroxide is a bleaching agent, so unless you would like to lighten your hair, we definitely do not in any way recommend using this organic chemical ingredient as a scalp or hair rinse as it will bleach hair and may cause it to be brittle.

An ingredient that should do well at treating this condition is salicylic acid. There are many over the counter (otc) shampoos with this ingredient in it. Some common brands are Neutrogena shampoos and Denorex shampoo.

Denorex shampoo has a couple of different types of dandruff treatments so make sure you choose the one with salicylic acid if you want to attempt to treat scalp acne.

If your scalp is tender and sensitive, you may want to consider using a treatment with a smaller percentage dosage. If you are extremely concerned about the tenderness and sensitivity, it is always best to consult a dermatologist or your physician.