A scalp that hurts when you move your hair is often caused by tight hairstyles, tension, or inflammation of hair follicles.
Common causes
- Tight hairstyles (traction).
- Muscle tension.
- Hair product irritation.
- Folliculitis.
- Seborrheic dermatitis.
- Dandruff.
- Shingles.
Name
Scalp tenderness is sometimes called trichodynia.
What helps
Loosen your hair, use gentle shampoo, and avoid harsh products.
See a doctor
If you have a rash, hair loss or fever.
Name of the condition
Scalp pain when moving or touching hair is called trichodynia or scalp dysesthesia. It describes pain, burning, tingling or soreness of the scalp without a visible cause.
Common causes
- Tension in the muscles of the scalp, neck and head, often from stress or tight hairstyles (ponytails, braids, buns, extensions), causing traction.
- Tension headaches and migraines, which can cause scalp tenderness (allodynia).
- Seborrheic dermatitis, dandruff and psoriasis.
- Folliculitis, which is infection of hair follicles with tender bumps.
- Hair loss conditions such as telogen effluvium and alopecia areata, where scalp tenderness precedes shedding.
- Sunburn.
- Allergic reactions to hair dye or products.
- Contact dermatitis.
- Lice or scabies.
- Shingles, with burning pain and rash on one side of the scalp.
- Occipital neuralgia, with shooting pain from the base of the skull.
- Temporal arteritis, a serious condition in people over 50, with scalp tenderness, jaw pain and headache. It can cause blindness if untreated.
What helps
- Loosen hairstyles and give the scalp a break.
- Use a gentle shampoo and avoid harsh products.
- Use medicated shampoo with ketoconazole, selenium sulfide or salicylic acid for dandruff.
- Apply cool compresses.
- Manage stress, sleep and tension.
- Over the counter pain relievers.
- Scalp massage if muscle tension.
See a doctor if
Pain lasts more than a couple of weeks, with hair loss, rash, blisters, fever, jaw pain when chewing or vision changes. Seek urgent care for sudden severe headache with scalp tenderness in people over 50.
Tender scalp explained
Pain when moving the hair is called trichodynia or scalp tenderness. It is associated with tension headaches, hair loss conditions such as telogen effluvium, seborrheic dermatitis, folliculitis, tight hairstyles (traction), sunburn and stress. A study found that scalp pain was common in people with hair shedding conditions.
Care
Avoid tight ponytails and harsh products, use gentle shampoo, and treat dandruff with ketoconazole shampoo. See a dermatologist if there are bumps, pus, patches of hair loss, or if pain is persistent or severe. Sudden scalp pain with headache and jaw pain in people over 50 may be giant cell arteritis, which is urgent.
Based on data from the American Academy of Dermatology and the Mayo Clinic
