What’s WRONG WITH ME?

ITCHY SCALP

DANDRUFF is usually the culprit when you get the urge to scratch your head, caused by flakes of dead skin cells which appear when the scalp becomes dry and inflamed.

But there are other causes for an itch, such as folliculitis, which occurs when the scalp’s follicles become inflamed, causing pustules to form.

You could also have a skin condition such as eczema or dermatitis, both of which can be triggered by chemicals in hair products.

Psoriasis is another possibility, especially if you see red, flaky patches.

Less common is the fungal infection ringworm, which causes a ring-like red rash.

And, rarely, itching is due to more serious conditions such as certain types of cancer, kidney failure and hepatitis.