Head Pimples

Pimples occur on the various areas of the body such as the face, back, neck, shoulders and scalp, when the skin pores get blocked, causing inflammation of the hair follicles and the sebaceous glands. Pimples, a form of acne, present themselves on the body due to a number of reasons such as a deficient diet, poor hygiene, certain hereditary factors, stress and anxiety, hormonal imbalances, too much caffeine in diet, eating spicy foods, extremely hot weather conditions, exposure to sunlight and changes in weather conditions.

Head pimples, also referred to as scalp acne, unlike the pimples on other body areas, is much more difficult to treat because of the hair on the head. However, unlike acne on other body areas, it is not visible and thus is not much of an embarrassment for the person experiencing it. If they appear occasionally and do not bother the person much, the best treatment would be to leave them alone and give them time to heal. Usually they will go away on their own in a week's time. However, if the entire head is covered with pimples and sores have also developed, then a person needs to take a number of preventive measures along with treatments to get rid of them.

Cleanliness
It is very important to maintain hygiene by keeping the scalp clean, especially if the hair is very oily. For an extremely oily hair and scalp, which is prone to pimples, washing the hair everyday with a mild shampoo or with an oil control shampoo to maintain cleanliness, is very important.

Benzoyl Peroxide Solution
The scalp and the hair should be washed with a benzoyl peroxide solution. Benzoyl peroxide solution is especially beneficial for curing white head pimples, i.e. pimples with pus inside and which appear white on the surface due to it. Such pimples should be left untouched and only the benzoyl peroxide solution should be applied on them to bring down the swelling as bursting them may lead to an infection. However, one should be cautious about the amount of the solution used, because if used in excess, it can change the hair color and make it light.

Salicylic Acid
Just like acne on the face, head pimples can be treated with application of salicylic acid. Simply take a cotton ball, dip it in salicylic acid and apply on the affected area. Follow this treatment for a month or till the acne clears off completely.

Anti-dandruff Shampoo
As dandruff can aggravate the acne, so to avoid that, hair should be washed with an effective anti dandruff shampoo to get rid of pimples on the scalp. Most of the anti dandruff shampoos contain zinc which helps in curing acne.

Medication
If the scalp acne becomes severe, then a doctor should be consulted. Doctors generally prescribe oral antibiotics, topical antibiotics, anti-itch medicines and certain oral topical antibiotics for eliminating the symptoms. A person suffering from scalp folliculitis, a condition which is caused due to a bacterial or yeast infection, resulting in pimples along the hairline, is prescribed antibiotics, antihistamines, and antifungal medication.

Cinnamon, Honey, Turmeric and Mint
One of the most effective natural acne cures is to apply a paste made from honey and cinnamon powder on the pimples every night, leave it on and wash it with lukewarm water in the morning. Another acne home remedy is to apply mint juice on them to which a pinch of turmeric powder has been added. Leave it on for twenty minutes and then wash off with warm water.

A person prone to getting scalp acne should avoid using cosmetics which contain oils, such as hair styling products. Certain conditioners may contain humectants, so avoiding conditioners for a while is recommended too. Lastly, maintaining hygiene is equally important to prevent the spread of infection, so spas, hot tubs, sharing toiletries such as towels, combs, etc. should be avoided.