The health of your skin is linked to the health of your hair. Different skin conditions such as eczema and seborrheic dermatitis can impact your scalp’s health. It’s not all that uncommon either; up to 5% of the population suffers from scalp eczema.
While finding dandruff on your scalp doesn’t mean you’ll start losing your hair, it’s still important to keep on top of your scalp and overall skin health. You’ll want to know what to do if you discover a skin condition and how to approach hair retention or regrowth depending on the severity.
Does Scalp Eczema Cause Hair Loss?
Eczema, the most common form of which is known as atopic dermatitis, causes a rash break out which leads to itchiness. Excessive scratching can lead to temporary hair loss caused by damaging your hair follicles.
Another kind of eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, creates flakey, greasy skin on your scalp often resulting in dandruff. Much like atopic dermatitis, temporary hair loss can occur through excessive scratching. However, one of the symptoms related to seborrheic dermatitis is the over secretion of sebum, which is an oil that your body produces that can then cause an overproduction of a natural yeast known as Malassezia. An excess of Malassezia on your skin can cause inflammation that is capable of preventing hair from growing nearby.
How Can I Treat Eczema & Will My Hair Grow Back After?
Atopic dermatitis is more easily treated and has quite a few treatment options. The many over-the-counter treatments include lotions, ointments, and shampoos. In more serious cases you may need topical steroids and potentially steroid injections. You likely won’t have any permanent hair damage from this, especially if you don’t scratch your head.
Seborrheic dermatitis may be a different story. If untreated, the hair loss caused by seborrheic dermatitis can be permanent. It may be possible to handle some cases of seborrheic dermatitis with over the counter shampoos and other home remedies, but if you are not seeing positive results in a timely manner you will want to consult a physician.
Consult with a Hair Restoration Doctor Today
Eczema affects everyone differently and by its very nature requires different approaches to deal with it properly. The best way to evaluate whether hair restoration procedures will work for you in this instance would be to consult a physician who specializes in hair restoration. Here at RHRLI, we offer free consultations in our state-of-the-art facilities located in Jericho, NY, and Manhattan using the ARTAS® robot. We can assess whether robotic hair restoration is the right treatment for you. Find out more by contacting us today.