Looking Good - January 11, 2016

*-- Reasons and Remedies for Itchy Scalp --*
Suffering from a serious case of itchy scalp can be one of the most unpleasant experiences a person can have. Not only is it painful and unpleasant, it can be downright embarrassing to walk around with an itchy head. This is especially true if you happen to go to a lot of public places, and your job requires you to stand in front of lot of people. The causes for itchy scalp can be many.

The good news is that there are a lot treatment options available in front of you. These range from prescription medication, natural and herbal based remedies to common household items.

There are basically five different ways a person ends up with an itchy scalp. It can be as simple as not taking care of the hair and scalp properly. It could be a result of contamination by close contact with someone who has an itchy scalp problem. The other two reasons can be from using hair products which can create an allergic reaction, or it could be a result from hormonal imbalances caused by poor diet and stress. Lastly not getting enough sunlight is also a cause for itchy scalp.

As we can see four of these causes are a direct result of lifestyle choices. If for example you changed your shampoo or hair conditioner and as a result the scalp started to itch, then all that is required is to stop using that particular product. Sunlight exposure creates vitamin D in the skin, which can not only stop the scalp from itching, but promote hair growth as well.

The problem is that itchy scalp conditions rarely remain as just an obnoxious condition. If matters start getting very serious then hair loss can happen. Needless to say this is not a nice situation to be in, especially if you do not have full and thick head of hair. The most common remedies available today for itchy scalp are usually various types of shampoo products. These shampoos can either be anti-dandruff shampoo or medicated shampoos. If none of these products works then the next two options would be medicines prescribed by your dermatologists and natural herbal based remedies, which you can create at home.

As far as natural remedies go the three most commonly used materials are tea tree oil, almond oil and olive oil. Tea tree oil is used with olive oil, but separately from almond oil. Mix equal parts tea tree oil with olive oil and a cup of hot water. After mixing all three apply it on the head and massage rigorously. Then leave it on for 15 or 20 minutes then rinse it off using shampoo. Almond oil can also be mixed with olive oil and used the same way as the teat tree oil mixture. These remedies should be done for a few days. However, if the condition still persists, then other remedies should be pursued.

If trying all of the above steps does not cure your itchy scalp, then the next recourse is to go for antibiotics and homeopathic treatments. Antibiotics should be seen as a last resort. This is because they will almost always come with other side effects. For those of you who are uninitiated, Homeopathy is a European based medical study started roughly a 100 years ago. It uses mostly natural products as a base for its medicines, such as aconite plants and so on. The great thing about homeopathic remedies is that it will not require a prescription and will rarely have any side effects. Homeopathy offers both, internal as well as external medications for itchy scalps.

Antibiotics have the highest success rate as far as medications are concerned for scalp related problems. However, you will need to see a doctor and get a prescription to use it. If the doctor is able to diagnose the problem correctly then he will be able to prescribe a specific type of antibiotic. In most instances this will be enough. If you are suffering from severe itchy scalp problems, then just using shampoos alone will not be enough. However, using hair care products in conjunction with antibiotics will usually do the trick. The bottom line is that itchy scalp may not be a serious medical condition, but it can get in the way of leading a normal life. In most cases making a few lifestyle changes will cure the problem.

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