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Why Does My Scalp Hurt So Bad? Here’s What You Need To Know & Do

Black woman experiencing pain in her head

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Does your scalp hurt?

Do you constantly feel pain or intense throbbing on your scalp?

If this is the case, you’re not alone.

Many women experience pain in their scalp but it is not always talked about.

In this article, I am going to share with you a few reasons why your scalp may be hurting and what you can do about it.

Does your scalp have you feeling like this?

What is Scalp Pain?

Scalp pain is when you feel tenderness, irritation, tingling, or sensitivity on your scalp. If this is happening consistently to you then you'd want to pay attention to what you're feeling.

This could be a sign that something may be going on with your hair.

If your scalp has been hurting for an extended period of time, you may want to schedule an appointment with your health care provider or dermatologist.

What Might Be Causing Your Scalp Pain

Your scalp may be hurting for a number of reasons. For example, your scalp could be hurting because of folliculitis, dermatitis, hormonal changes, or other skin disorders, as well as scalp infestations such as lice or inflamed blood vessels. These are just some of the many reasons why your scalp could be in pain.

But here are three common reasons why people experience scalp pain and what you can do about it.

#1) Tight Hairstyles

Different hairstyles can cause your scalp to hurt. One hairstyle that can hurt your scalp is wearing braids too tightly or even heavy extensions. In fact, some studies suggest that hair extensions can lead to hair loss and headaches.

Your scalp can also start to hurt when you wear the same hairstyle for too long. These types of hairstyles include braids/cornrows, ponytails, and extensions (wigs and weaves). If these hairstyles are too tight and left in too long they can leave your scalp feeling tender and sore near your hair follicles.

In fact, if you wear your hair too tightly it can not only result in scalp pain but also cause traction alopecia. When you experience traction alopecia your hair follicles become damaged and you start having gradual balding.

What You Can Do:

This can be a simple fix. If your scalp is hurting because of your hairstyle, give your hair a break from that style. In other words, take the hairstyle down that is hurting your scalp. This also means that you should let your hair relax at night and should wrap it with a satin scarf and sleep on a satin pillowcase.

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#2) Headaches

Headaches can be excruciating, especially tension headaches. You typically experience tension headaches in your neck, temples, and behind the eyes. When you have a tension headache the muscles in your neck and head squeeze or contract. When this happens, it can often result in sensitivity, pain, and/or hurt in your scalp.

What You Can Do:

Again, I am not a doctor so always first consult your doctor if you’re having chronic headaches. However, some people take over-the-counter medicines like Aleve, Tylenol, or Ibuprofen. There are also some natural ways to treat headaches that cause scalp pain. These include:

Drink water (get hydrated)
Sleep
Avoid foods with lots of sodium
Use essential oils
Use a cold and hot compress
Yoga, massage, acupuncture
Exercise

#3) Too Much or too Little Hair Washing

Washing your hair is very important.

But did you know that your scalp can hurt if your hair is dirty? It's true. If you go an extended period of time without washing your hair then the sebum (natural oils) that your scalp produces accumulates around the hair shaft and can lead to an overgrowth of yeast. When that happens, it can cause inflammation, and ultimately cause your scalp to "ache."

However, it's also important to be mindful of over-washing your hair.

Your scalp can also become irritated and dry if you wash your hair too much. This happens because when you wash your too often it can deprive your scalp of sebum and interfere with the pH of your scalp health. When this happens your hair and scalp can become overly dry.

What You Can Do:

Try not to wash your hair too often or too little.

So, how often should you wash your hair?

It depends.

Well, it is important to wash and condition your hair based on how greasy or dry your hair feels, not based on how often another woman washes her hair. For most people with textured hair, you need to wash bi-weekly or weekly. Nevertheless, this will be generally determined by how you style your hair.

Using an effective hair care system. for your wash day that includes a shampoo, conditioner, leave-in cream, and hair oil is essential.

So, the key takeaway is that how often you should wash your hair will depend on how you are currently wearing your hair.

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In closing

But if your scalp is constantly itchy or flaky, this may be why. However, the reality is that some people have tender scalps. But, if you continue to experience scalp pain, reach out to a dermatologist to see what is going on.

Scalp health is essential to a healthy hair journey and experience. So, the next time that your scalp starts to hurt, try some of the steps that I listed above and see if those help you find relief.