Scalp skin disease, neglect leads to chronic disease and hair loss

Even a single pimple on my face makes me worry, and if I get even a small rash on my arms or legs, I immediately look for ointment. But what about our scalp? Many people tend to brush it off when they experience itchiness or dandruff, thinking, "It's probably because I'm tired," or, "I should try changing my shampoo." But I tell you this firmly. Skin diseases that occur on the scalp are more persistent and prone to becoming chronic than those on the face or other areas, and are a warning sign that may eventually lead to hair loss.

1. Scalp, a ‘special’ environment conducive to inflammation

Why do skin diseases of the scalp tend to not get better and become chronic? [cite: 974] This is due to the unique environmental characteristics of the scalp.

• A dense forest called hair:The scalp, which is densely covered with about 100,000 hairs, does not allow air to pass through well and is prone to moisture. This provides optimal conditions for bacteria and mold to grow.
• Active sebaceous and sweat glands:The scalp is one of the areas with the highest concentration of sebaceous and sweat glands in our body. The sebum and sweat secreted here serve as good nutrients for microorganisms and cause inflammation to worsen.
• High temperature and heat dissipation:The scalp has a higher body temperature than other parts of the body, and a lot of heat is dissipated due to brain activity. High temperatures serve to further promote the inflammatory response.

In this way, the three conditions of 'high temperature and humidity environment', 'rich nutrients (sebum)', and 'poor ventilation' come together, and once inflammation begins, the scalp becomes a vulnerable environment that easily worsens and leads to chronic inflammation.

2. A typical scalp disease that leads to hair loss if left untreated

Representative scalp diseases that occur in this environment are as follows, and all of them can be direct causes of hair loss.

• Seborrheic Dermatitis:It is the most common chronic inflammatory disease, and its main causes are poor sebum secretion and fungal growth. It is characterized by redness of the scalp, itchiness, and the appearance of dandruff or dead skin cells. And chronic inflammation can harm the health of hair follicles, causing telogen effluvium, which causes hair to thin and fall out.
• Folliculitis:It is a disease caused by bacterial infection in the hair follicles. It appears as a rash with red or yellow pus and is accompanied by pain or itching. If the inflammation becomes severe, the hair follicle tissue itself may be destroyed, leaving permanent scars and preventing hair from growing again.
• psoriasis:It is a chronic autoimmune disease caused by abnormalities in the immune system. Red spots covered with thick, silvery-white dead skin cells appear on the scalp, and unlike regular dandruff, the boundaries are clear. Psoriasis itself does not destroy hair follicles, but the process of scratching or forcibly removing dead skin cells due to severe itching can damage hair follicles and cause hair loss.
• Folliculitis Decalvans:As the name suggests, it is a serious disease that causes permanent hair loss. Severe inflammation and pustules repeatedly form around the hair follicles, ultimately leading to 'scarring alopecia' in which the hair follicles are replaced by fibrous tissue and destroyed. Once damaged, hair will never grow again.

3. The illusion that ‘it will be okay’ makes the disease worse.

The problem is that many people are not aware of the seriousness of these scalp diseases. If the itchiness subsides for a few days after using dandruff shampoo for a few days, or if the red rash is no longer visible, people tend to think it is all cured and stop taking care of it. However, this is like temporarily covering up the embers of inflammation that have not been eradicated. If treatment is stopped while the root cause is not resolved, the inflammation quietly grows deeper in the scalp and recurs when the skin is stressed, tired, or the climate or environment changes. As this process is repeated, the disease becomes increasingly chronic, and treatment becomes more difficult or complicated.

In particular, the scalp has a 'blind spot' where it is difficult to visually see changes in its condition because it is covered by hair. There are many unfortunate cases where people do not take it seriously because they feel itchy or have dandruff, but then one day they find that their hair is noticeably thinning and falling out, and then they go to the hospital. By then, numerous hair follicles may have already been damaged due to inflammation.

Conclusion: Scalp diseases are the area of ​​‘treatment’, not ‘beauty’

Skin disease that occurs on the scalp is a clear ‘disease’ that should never be taken lightly. Passive action or indifferent neglect, such as changing shampoos, can be a shortcut to chronic discomfort and loss of precious hair. If you feel small abnormal signals sent by the scalp, such as repetitive itching, dandruff, rashes, redness, etc., you must receive an accurate diagnosis and begin consistent and regular treatment. It is important to remember that a tree called healthy hair can grow only when there is a healthy scalp.