This condition is embarrassing, uncomfortable, and very unwanted. An itchy scalp can be quite annoying, especially when you’re trying to do an important task, or you’re trying to focus on a particular thing because this itchiness doesn’t let you concentrate on anything. The picture you are in the middle of a meeting, and suddenly there is this sudden urge to itch your scalp. You try to distract yourself, immerse yourself in something else, anything that would save you the embarrassment. But it just does not help! If you’re frequently scratching your head, then there could be more to it than just regular dandruff. Although dandruff is a contributing factor to itchy scalp, various other factors can cause an itchy scalp. Some of these factors are things like ringworm, bacterial infection, dryness, etc. If left untreated, itchy scalp can lead to excessive hair fall, which will eventually cause hair loss and many more.

Generally, this condition is not healthy, and it depicts a drop in your hygiene level.
You may often spend a lot of money on trying various hair products to cure this problem, but knowing the actual cause of itchiness is the better way of handling this problem. The first step to finding the solution to this problem is understanding the reason before proceeding to find a solution.

When your head itches continuously, there may be many other contributory factors. Head itching can be so irritating and troublesome. Finding the cause and treating it should be a priority before looking for the solution; most times, we often use the wrong treatment modality for the various itches. Each one of the itchy scalps has its unique solution, so this article will help you with valuable and well-written ideas.
The most common reasons for head itching include but are not limited to infectious, autoimmune disease, and allergic reactions. Below are better explanations and how to get rid of the problem.

1) Irritation from a hair care product: Itchy, dry, or flaky scalp could be telling you that you really need to do a better job at rinsing the conditioner, shampoo, or other products from your hair after use. Leaving some shampoo unwashed on your scalp can irritate your scalp. You might not necessarily be allergic to shampoo, conditioner, or other hair products that touch your scalp, but you may begin to feel irritation when they stay longer on your scalp. If this is your case, you’ll likely have an itchy rash on your scalp and any other skin that the product touches.
How to get relief: If you want to stop the itch, you have to rinse out whatever hair product used on your hair very well as instructed. Hygiene in this aspect solves the root cause of the irritation.

2) Dandruff: If you experience continuous itching of hair, this may be due to dandruff. Dandruff causes dryness of the scalp, resulting in itching, and if left for an extended period of time, it can lead to hair loss, but this is very rare. Dandruff is common, but some people tend to ignore it. Don’t take such a thing lightly because it might facilitate hair loss, and unhealthy hair environment, and other hair issues.
How to get relief: If your itchy scalp is as a result of dandruff, then treatment options include; over-the-counter anti-dandruff shampoos, hair ointments, and creams, and other scalp treatments.

3) Head lice: Head lice can likely invade anyone’s scalp, not just children. Other people have correlated poor hygiene to headlice in the past, but this is not always the case. Poor hygiene does not necessarily cause head lice manifestation, as it may manifest in some clean hair too. Head louse spends most of its life cycle glued to a hair strand and can likely glue to any hair strand it comes in contact with. There are lots of other ways you could get infected with hair lice. Some of the know ways include:

>Sharing personal objects like combs and brushes with head lice; you may not always know someone who has or has not; hence don’t share personal hair objects like combs and brushes.
>When your head comes in contact with that of someone who has headlice.
>Using fabric items with someone who has head lice.

How to get relief: Several head lice treatment available can kill any newly hatched nits and relieve itching. Using Shampoos containing permethrin or pyrethrin can proffer solution to the itchy scalp as a result of head lice.

4) Allergic reactions: This usually occurs when your hair is allergic to some hair products. The product or products can irritate the scalp, resulting in itching. Although, in most cases, the reactions may be mild, and any scalp irritation or inflammation is temporary. If this irritation persists, it can damage the hair follicles and cause hair loss. People who experience this allergy can be due to any of the following products; shampoo, conditioner, hair dye, hair gel, hair mousse, etc.

How to get relief: Allergy creams or medications can often treat the itchiness caused by the allergy. If a particular product causes your allergic reaction, it is advisable to stop using it or try switching to a different brand if necessary. If there is a particularly harsh chemical in the product that your hair is allergic to, try avoiding it whenever you are getting a hair product for yourself. People who experience allergy benefit from using gentle products that contain fewer harsh chemicals. Some pure organic hair products should be the right choice for people with such allergies.

5) Scalp ringworm: Ringworm is a fungal infection of the scalp and hair shafts. The sighs and symptoms of ringworm include an itchy patch on the scalp. Frequent itching of the scalp resulting from ringworm may cause sections of the hair to break off, leaving scaly red areas or bald spots. You may also notice black dots where the hair must have broken off. Ringworm, being on the head, is not a minor issue. Anyone can get infected by this; hence always be on the lookout.

How to get relief: If ringworm is left untreated, it can spread from the affected areas to the unaffected areas. Ringworms can be treated with oral antifungal medications as prescribed by your doctor. Your doctor may also recommend a medicated shampoo to prevent the ringworm from spreading to unaffected arrears. Generally, good hygiene is also required. Ensure you wash your hair regularly to ensure a clean and healthy scalp.

An itchy scalp can indeed happen to anyone for various reasons. However, having a regular itchy scalp might indicate a lack of good hygiene or carelessness; hence always endeavor to handle any itching that develops in the hair.