PAINFUL BUMOS ON THE SCALP

Painful bumps on Scalp Causes

There are many different types of skin conditions that can give rise to painful bumps on the scalp area. Some of the common causes of this problem are discussed below:

Ringworm: This is a fungal infection and is also known as tinea capitis. When this fungus grows on the scalp, red bumps appear on its surface which is round in shape and causes excessive itching. Some of these bumps may get filled up with pus. It can cause hair loss in the affected part of the scalp.

Scalp Folliculitis: This is a bacterial infection where the hair follicles are attacked. In fact, the bumps due to scalp folliculitis result from inflammation of hair follicles. These bumps are quite large in size and are pus-filled. It causes reddening and inflammation in the skin around the bump. The infection causing bacteria attacks the hair follicle when it is damaged due to some external factors.

Contact Dermatitis: This occurs when the scalp skin is exposed to some kind of irritants or allergens. In this condition, the skin surface gets irritated and inflamed. This kind of skin reaction is often triggered by direct contact with some harsh chemicals or ingestion of some food or medicines. As a result, red, itchy painful blisters which appear on it. These bumps are usually quite large in size. Many a times, several small bumps on scalp cluster together and appear as large bumps.

Epidermal Cysts: These cysts can be identified as hard lumps under the skin surface that discharge white secretions. These are formed due to blockage or damage in the hair follicles. These inflamed lumps on the scalp becomes red and are tender to touch. The painful symptoms are not confined to the bumps only and can be felt on the inflamed skin surrounding it.

Other Causes: Sore bumps on the scalp which are red in color can be due to scalp psoriasis. When a person is suffering from chicken pox which is a a contagious viral disease, then blister like bumps appear on the scalp as well as other parts of the body. In some very rare cases, painful bumps that grow on the scalp and neck could be cancerous. It is a specific type of skin cancer named melanoma. A bump on the scalp which is malignant in nature has a different characteristic from non cancerous bumps. In this condition, the shape, size and color of the bumps changes from time to time.

Painful Bumps on Scalp Treatment

Bumps on the scalp have to be treated by a dermatologist. There are different options of treatment and it largely depends on the cause. Let us first discuss the treatment for ringworm infection. As it is a fungal infection, anti-fungal shampoos has to be applied on the scalp to get rid of the infection. Along with that, oral anti-fungal medicines are given to cure it from within. Then comes scalp folliculitis which happens to be a bacterial skin infection and requires oral antibiotic medicines to eliminate the bacteria. Contact dermatitis is treated externally only. Regular use of medicated shampoo and topical application of medicated ointments can reduce the skin irritation and inflammation. The treatment for epidermal cysts involves use of steroid injections to bring down the inflammation. However, if it does not work, then doctors drain out the fluid from it by surgical means. In some cases where the cyst is bothering the patient quite a lot, they may remove the cyst completely with surgery. Scalp psoriasis treatment is the most difficult and has to be continued for a long time. Topical treatments with coal tar shampoos and salicylic acid are highly effective for this purpose. Other patients may require steroid creams and oral medicines as well.