Why the head itches, if there are no lice - the most common reasons

The appearance of an intolerable, excruciating itch makes people wonder why the head is itching - there are no lice, and hair has been thoroughly washed recently. Causes of skin irritation can be both external and internal provoking factors. Often, it is impossible to identify them yourself, so you should resort to the help of doctors with a narrow specialization - a trichologist, dermatologist, gastroenterologist, endocrinologist. They will conduct a series of laboratory studies and prescribe pharmacological drugs to eliminate the root cause of the diagnosed pathology, as well as the rapid relief of symptoms.
Itchy head

Natural causes

Natural causes include the use of hygiene products that are not suitable for the care of a particular person. For example, severe itching sometimes appears after using a clean towel washed with a new brand of powder. The scalp in this way reacts to the chemical ingredients in its composition. Especially sensitive to household chemicals are small children or people prone to allergic reactions.

Shampoos, balms, hair masks

This is the most common cause of itchy scalp. Almost every day new brands of care products appear on store shelves, and television advertising offers to radically improve the condition of the hair immediately after a single use.
Manufacturers add ingredients to shampoos and rinses that can provoke an allergic reaction:

  • essential oils;
  • plant extracts;
  • flavorings;
  • preservatives;
  • stabilizers.

A person may not even suspect that he is highly sensitive to neroli essential oil or extract from the roots of a dandelion until he washed his head. Therefore, with the development of skin itching, it is necessary to re-use proven safe means.

Many women love to experiment with their appearance. They actively use all kinds of hair masks, the recipes of which are found on the Internet. Often, they include honey, gruel from fresh onions, garlic infusion. If the woman’s scalp is sensitive, thin, then one should not be surprised at the appearance of excruciating itching, and sometimes microtrauma.

Recommendation: When buying shampoo or balm, you need to pay attention to the presence of sodium lauryl sulfate in its composition. This anionic surfactant can irritate the scalp.

Hair coloring

Even if there is an enticing inscription “No ammonia!” On the paint package, this does not guarantee its safety. Regardless of whether a woman uses a tool to give a slight shade or radical staining, an allergy can occur immediately after application or after a few hours. The head begins to itch, redness and rashes on the skin occur, after a couple of days the smallest scales are showered on the shoulders. So the aggressive chemicals that are present in almost every brand of hair dye acted.

To treat an allergic reaction, the doctor may prescribe drugs: Loratadin, Cetirizine, Tavegil, Suprastin, Zodak. In some cases, the use of ointments, creams, shampoos with antihistamine activity will be required.

Tip: If severe skin itching occurs after staining, rinse your hair with infusion of chamomile, string, sage, and marigolds. To prepare it, you just need to pour 3 tbsp. tablespoons of plant material with 2 cups boiling water and leave for an hour.

Pathological causes

The desire to comb the scalp occurs against the background of a deficiency in the body of biologically active substances - vitamins and trace elements:

  • thiamine, pyridoxine, riboflavin, cyanocobalamin, ascorbic and nicotinic acids, tocopherol;
  • magnesium, molybdenum, potassium, iron, phosphorus, calcium, manganese.

The active functioning of all human life systems depends on their presence in the tissues and bloodstream. Deterioration in general health immediately affects the scalp and hair. The pathological process begins with a violation of the blood supply to all layers of the epidermis. The lack of mineral compounds and vitamins leads to a weakening of the hair follicles, disruption of metabolic processes. The course reception of Selmevit, Complivit, Vitrum, Centrum, Supradina will help to quickly deal with itching for an adult and a child.

Pathogenic fungi

Various types of fungi living on human skin belong to opportunistic microflora. But under the influence of internal or external provoking factors, they become more active, begin to grow and multiply. The clinical manifestations of seborrhea are skin itching, severe dry or oily dandruff, and the secretion of excess secretion by the sebaceous glands. The condition of the hair also worsens significantly: they begin to fall out, quickly become dirty, exfoliate at the ends. Combing the scalp leads to the formation of scratches, ulcers, cracks, which are quickly joined by pathogenic bacteria:

  • staphylococci;
  • streptococci.

If you find painful swelling or wounds on your scalp, you should immediately consult a dermatologist. Treatment at home with folk remedies will not succeed as a result of their lack of antimycotic activity.

Recommendation: In the treatment of seborrhea, the use of shampoos with antifungal ingredients - Ketoconazole, Nizoral, Friderm with tar. And when diagnosing an infection, dermatologists prescribe antibacterial external and (or) internal drugs.

Herbs help soothe the skin.
Herbal infusions can be taken orally to treat pruritus of neurogenic origin and just rinse the scalp with them

Neurological disorders

If the head itches, but there is no lice, you should analyze your psycho-emotional state. Frequent stressful situations or prolonged depression are almost always provoke a desire to comb the scalp. Nervous exhaustion triggers a chain of negative immune, biochemical and physiological reactions. Its result is the production by the body of biologically active compounds that irritate nerve fibers. What happens next:

  • large and small blood vessels expand;
  • severe swelling occurs;
  • the production of histamine, an activator of allergic reactions, is enhanced.


The desire to itch intensifies in the evening and at night, negatively affects the appetite, upsets the sleep. If the pathological process is diagnosed at the initial stage, the doctor will prescribe mild sedatives or sedatives - Tenoten, Persen, Deprim, tinctures of valerian, motherwort, St. John's wort. And with severe depression, you will need to take antipsychotics and (or) tranquilizers.

Gastric pathology

Deficiency of vitamins, macro- and micronutrients can occur not only with their insufficient intake with food. Many diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are accompanied by impaired absorption of biologically active substances.That is, they are found in products, but may not be broken down or absorbed. This condition develops with the following pathologies:

  • disaccharidase deficiency;
  • celiac disease;
  • cystic fibrosis;
  • exudative enteropathy.

Even often diagnosed gastritis can provoke a violation of absorption due to the frequent development of processes of decay, fermentation, excessive gas formation. Gastric diseases often result from poor, unbalanced nutrition. It can directly contribute to the appearance of skin itching. The fact is that pathogenic fungi on the scalp intensively grow and multiply when a person consumes a large amount of baking, sweets. Sometimes it’s enough to make some adjustments to your diet so that the desire to comb your head disappears without a trace.

Warning: Itching of the scalp is one of the symptoms of psoriasis or ringworm. These pathologies are rapidly progressing, therefore it is urgent to contact a dermatologist.

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