Scalp Acne & Scalp Acne Treatment

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Scalp acne, scalp folliculitis, proprionibacterium folliculitis or acne necrotica miliaris involves the inflammation of hair follicles found on the scalp.  It is a condition that is mainly suffered by men, but women and children can get it, too.  There are different severities of the condition, but scalp acne treatments can help.

Scalp acne sufferers must first get a dermatologist to diagnose the type they have, the severity of the condition, analyze the possible causes and triggers, and determine what type of treatment is necessary.  The first part of this process is learning what scalp acne actually is.

Scalp acne usually has pimples, whiteheads, blackheads, cysts or nodules that are situated at the base of the hair, mainly along the front hairline.  These usually come in clusters, but can be very bothersome because they are extremely itchy, can be sore and may even burst and crust over.

Despite modern science, dermatologists are not quite sure exactly what causes or triggers scalp acne, but they have suspected that it may have something to do with the bacterium that naturally exists in and around the hair follicles.  Other possible causes, they believe, can include propionibacterium, malassezia yeast, mites and the staphylococcus aureus bacterium.

A scalp acne treatment can be as simple as changing to a milder shampoo or using antidandruff versions containing antifungal medicines like ciclopirox or ketoconazole.  However, dermatologists may prescribe special medications such as liquid erythromycin or clindamycin, fucidin gel, steroid creams/lotions, antihistamines, tetracycline, or Isotretinoin.

Usually these medicines can treat scalp acne, but in some cases, the acne is more severe or more resistant to regular medications.  Acne necrotica, acne frontalis or acne varioliformis are specifically characterized by considerably larger pimples or cysts that when crusted over, turn black and will scar.  In fact, these can spread beyond the scalp to other areas of the face.   In this case, a multiple of medications are used in combination to combat it.

The most difficult acne on the scalp is dissecting cellulitis, perifolliculitis capitis abscedens et suffodiens, dissecting folliculitis or perifolliculitis capitis.  A normal scalp acne treatment will not affect this resistant version.  It is sometimes a complication found with people suffering from spondyloarthropathy, but is mainly found in adult dark-skinned males.

This version of scalp acne consists of huge cysts and smaller pimples which are full of infected pus.  They are the most painful because they are deep within the scalp’s thin layers.  The resulting affects of this acne can be balding and/or long-term scarring.  Medications like Isotretinoin pills, steroids and dapsone are considered the best treatments.  However, the most severe form of this scalp acne can, under extremely rare circumstances, involve osteomyelitis of the skull.  The scarring can become so bad that the skull bone can become exposed.  In this case the only scalp acne treatment involves x-rays, bone biopsies and testing for staphylococcus aureus bacterium.  Patients undergo antibiotic treatments via intravenous drip, scalp debridgements, enteral hyperalimentation and skin grafts.  When the wounds are closed, the condition is completely eradicated.

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