These comments are made for the purpose of discussion and should NOT be used as recommendations for or against therapies or other treatments. An individual patient is always advised to consult their own physician.
Scalp Problem
Question: I have small red sores on my head. I have had this condition for years.
I have been to numerous doctors, but no one seems to know what it is.
These sores have caused bald spots in two areas on my head. The
hair is broken about 1/8″ from the root of the hair. It grows back some, but
not enough to cover the spot. Do you have any suggestions?
Answer: See a dermatologist for a biopsy.
Scalp/Head pain
Question: I have a spot on my scalp that is sore. It is similar but different from a bruise. It is sore to the touch or even to the movement of my hair. There is also a sharp pain that shoots through that spot approximately 2 to 3 times per minute. This has lasted now for 4 days. What could it be and should I have it checked by a doctor? There is no rash, or bump, or redness at the spot.
Answer: There are many causes of pain in the scalp region. First and foremost is injury, and so a careful
review of any possible trauma (be it laceration, blunt injury, or burn) to the area is important in
determining whether injury is the cause. Other possible causes include infection of the skin or
tissue just below the skin, sunburn, as well as nerve related pain. This latter cause is often due
to irritation of the nerve that supplies the painful area, as it exits the spine in the neck, and can
be due to disease of the vertebral disk, or degenerative disease of the spine bones and/or
ligaments (degenerative disease here refers to the changes that occur in the spine merely as a
function of aging and time). Since your pain has not improved after 4 days now, a visit to your
physician is warranted. A careful review of the nature and location of the pain, as well as a
careful examination is the first important step in determining the cause of your symptom.
