Many people experience bumps on the scalp after a haircut. These bumps can be caused by a variety of factors, with the most common culprits being ingrown hairs, razor burn, folliculitis, or even underlying skin conditions like acne or eczema. Understanding the potential causes and knowing how to address them can help alleviate discomfort and prevent future occurrences.
Scalp folliculitis is a skin condition that involves inflammation of the hair follicles. Causes of this inflammation may include ingrown hairs, infection, and medication side effects. It begins with small, inflamed bumps that appear along the hairline. Over time, these bumps can grow larger and become more inflamed. Without treatment, scalp folliculitis can spread to hair follicles in the center or back of the head.
Besides inflamed bumps, other symptoms of folliculitis include:
Folliculitis is a general term to describe an inflammation of the hair follicles. However, people can develop different types of folliculitis, depending on the cause. These can include:
Many of us can experience bumps on the back of our heads after a haircut. You may think it is a condition and might not know how to deal with it. They are ingrown hairs, which happen when hair that has been waxed, shaved, or otherwise clipped begins to grow back into the skin rather than up and out. The manner the hair is cut is one of the potential causes of this. Too close of a trim can result in a sharp edge that can easily pierce the skin as the hair grows back.
Read also: Understanding Scalp Acne
Bumps on your head are commonly associated with haircuts using clippers or razors rather than scissors. Widespread areas of small bumps with a red rash are known as razor burn. As the name suggests, razor burn can feel like a burning sensation, which gradually goes away as inflammation decreases. Razor burn is more common with shaving facial and body hair, but it can occur during haircuts with razors that are dull or unclean.
Razor burn is sometimes confused with a separate condition known as barber’s itch. This is a fungal condition that affects the neck and face when your hair is shaved in these areas. Barber’s itch is characterized by large bumps that are red that may or may not be itchy. The bumps tend to also crust over and develop acne pustules.
AKN was first described in the literature by Kaposi in 1869, and Bazin coined the term acne keloidalis in 1872; both described a follicular-based dermatitis occurring on the posterior scalp. The name is a bit of a misnomer given that the lesions are neither acne nor true keloids. The lesions most commonly occur on the occipital scalp and posterior neck and are a folliculitis. The exact cause of AKN is unknown. It is thought to result from the irritation of coarse hairs on the posterior neck and occipital scalp, leading to a chronic inflammatory state in the skin. Initially, the condition presents as a folliculitis characterized by papules and pustules. Over time, the inflammatory state of the skin results in the formation of keloid-like plaques. Close shaving, frequent haircuts, and rubbing of clothing or equipment can exacerbate AKN. In advanced cases of AKN, the lesions can become infected, and abscesses and sinus tracts can form.
In 2000, Sperling and colleagues proposed that AKN is a primary form of inflammatory scarring alopecia, and that bacteria and other pathogenic organisms do not play a significant role in AKN. They also found no association between pseudofolliculitis barbae and AKN, although both conditions predominantly affect African American men. The prognosis of AKN is good with proper medical management. Patients should not wear tight or irritating clothing or equipment on the back of the scalp or neck. Patients should be advised to avoid haircuts where the barber closely shaves the affected area. If AKN is not treated early and properly, chronic pruritus, microbial superinfection, and/or scarring alopecia can occur. The appearance of advanced AKN may be psychologically damaging to some patients.
Scalp pimples are very common, but making a few changes to your hair routine can usually clear them up. Scalp acne is when pimples and breakouts happen on your scalp or hairline. Acne can be a complex skin condition, but it generally happens because of four processes:
Read also: Preventing Acne Near Hairline
Your scalp is full of hair follicles and oil glands. If the follicle or pore becomes clogged with dirt and oil, this can lead to acne. You can still get scalp acne even if you have good hygiene, but sweat, oil, and dirt buildup from improper washing can lead to clogged pores.
However, you may need to reexamine your hair care routine. Lots of scalp pimples are caused by shampoos, styling gels, and hairsprays that leave residues on your scalp and clog your pores. Scalp acne caused by hair products is so common that it has its own medical name: acne cosmetica. Hormones can also cause acne. Androgen hormones, especially testosterone, cause your body to make more oil. The increase of hormones during puberty is often responsible for acne, but adults can have hormonal acne too. Genetics also affects your skin. If you have an immediate family member who has acne, you're more likely to have it too.
Acne is usually graded by severity and by the type of pimples you have, which might affect your treatment. Types of acne severity include:
Types of pimples include:
Sometimes, you can get severe forms of acne, such as acne conglobata and acne fulminans, which can affect your scalp. These are very uncommon. Scalp acne can appear throughout your hair or along your hairline.
Read also: Relief for Itchy Eyebrows: Causes and Treatments
Common symptoms include:
Sometimes acne affects your emotions and self-esteem. It’s common for people to feel embarrassed and even depressed because of acne.
If you have a history of eczema, it’s possible that scalp rashes you experience after a haircut may be attributed to seborrheic dermatitis (eczema of the scalp). These bumps tend to be flatter and may scab over, but they aren’t pus-filled. You’ll also notice that the patches are itchy and greasy, with flakes that appear white, yellow, or red in color. It’s possible that getting a haircut can aggravate seborrheic dermatitis because of the tools and chemicals being used on already-sensitive skin. You may also be prone to infections if you scratch at your scalp and cause the rashes to bleed.
There are several treatment options for scalp folliculitis. The following home remedies may help treat mild cases:
If your scalp acne is caused by your shampoo or other cosmetics, it will go away on its own when you stop using them. It can take up to six weeks to see improvement, but the first thing to do is to change your hair routine and products. Switch to shampoo, conditioner, hair spray, and products that don’t contain oil. The label should say things such as:
Keeping the dirt, oil, and sweat off your scalp will help keep your pores clean. You might need to wash your hair more often, especially if you:
To wash your hair, focus on the scalp. The hair on your head is dead, and while your hair products can help keep your hair shiny and healthy, it’s actually more important to wash dirt and oil from your scalp. It’s also important to make sure you fully rinse all the extra shampoo and conditioner off your scalp and face. The pimples along your hairline might be caused by buildup from not rinsing properly. The product residue can also transfer to whatever touches your hair, which can add to the problem. Make sure to wash everything that touches your head, including:
If thorough rinsing doesn’t help, you may be able to manage scalp acne by changing to products that are oil-free and antibacterial. Also look for:
People may want to see a doctor if they have severe or persistent scalp folliculitis that does not improve with home or over-the-counter (OTC) treatments. A doctor can identify the underlying cause and prescribe an effective treatment.
People should also see a doctor if they develop:
Make an appointment with your health care provider if your condition is widespread or the symptoms don't go away after a week or two of self-care measures. You may need a prescription-strength antibiotic or antifungal medication to help control the condition. Seek immediate medical care if you experience signs of a spreading infection. These include a sudden increase in redness or pain, fever, chills, and a feeling of being unwell (malaise).
A doctor can identify the underlying cause and prescribe an effective treatment. These can include:
If topical remedies don’t ease your scalp acne symptoms, you might need other treatments, such as:
If you have bacterial folliculitis, your doctor may prescribe antibiotic lotions or gels. If it’s serious or keeps coming back, they may give you antibiotic pills to fight the bacterial infection. If you have fungal folliculitis, your doctor may prescribe antifungal shampoos, creams, or pills. For eosinophilic folliculitis, your doctor may recommend a steroid cream to help with itching. In severe cases, your doctor may make a small cut in an infected follicle to help it drain and heal. If you have razor bumps that haven’t responded to treatment, your doctor may advise using laser hair removal treatments instead of shaving. You’ll probably need several treatments over a period of time.
Anyone can develop folliculitis. However, the following factors may increase a person’s risk for scalp folliculitis:
The following strategies may help prevent scalp folliculitis:
Also:
To help reduce the risk of folliculitis, a person should treat their underlying conditions. People who have medical conditions that affect their immune systems, such as rheumatoid arthritis, HIV, or diabetes, may want to consult a doctor to discuss prevention strategies. People who have a long history of topical antibiotic use can discuss alternative treatment options with their doctors.
If a person does not treat scalp folliculitis, it can lead to:
Folliculitis is not contagious. However, infectious agents, such as bacteria and fungus, can cause folliculitis to spread if people share razors, towels, hairbrushes, and other personal hygiene products.
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