Scalp Pimples: What Causes Scalp Acne & What To Do About It

If you do get scalp acne, are there special precautions you must take in order to treat and prevent them? Turns out, the answer is both. 

And depending where you get your zits, each area may have unique triggers. For the scalp: "Most people experience them closer to the hairline for two reasons: Your face cream or makeup may not get washed off properly and still remain in your hairline. And the hairline is often neglected when shampooing, thus leaving natural hair oil on the scalp," says certified trichologist Shab Reslan. 

Given that the breakouts may be caused by the simple fact that you're not effectively cleansing the area, the first thing to do is evaluate your cleansing habits. Listen: It's a weird in-between space, and so it is entirely understandable if sometimes you forget to diligently scrub your hairline. It happens to the best of us. Simply consider budding zits a wake-up call to spend a little more time and attention on the area. After a few more diligent washes, ideally the situation should start to subside. 

You can also spot-treat the areas, in the same way you might on the face. Just take your favorite natural acne spot treatment or blackhead remover and dab it on the area. Just, perhaps, avoid thick, rinse-off products (like clay masks) as they will be harder to remove: Getting a dense mask stuck on your scalp may worsen the issue, as it will stick around, causing buildup. 

The problem, of course, is that picking leads to acne scars. These scars pose a special problem along the hairline, especially. When you damage a hair follicle, it will weaken regrowth. If the damage is severe enough, it may cause the hair to shed entirely and (gulp) never grow back1. So acne scars in the area could cause an uneven hairline if bad enough. 

If skipping your styling routine is nonnegotiable, just be sure you are properly rinsing out the products regularly. If you don't know how often you should be shampooing, consult our guide to shampooing your hair. 

For frequent cases of scalp acne, it might be a sign that your scalp isn't getting cleansed properly. "The only way to treat them is to keep your scalp clean. If you're prone to them, I would suggest a scalp cleaner that acts like an exfoliant, like you would exfoliate acne on your face," says Reslan. And, like the face, there are two kinds of scalp exfoliants: chemical and physical. Chemical exfoliants dissolve oil and skin cell buildup with acids and enzymes, while physical exfoliants help manually lift off the grime and dirt. If you need help deciding which one is for you, read our scalp scrub guide and check out our favorites. 

If you're breaking out along the hairline or into the scalp, take a second to think about the culprits. Are you thoroughly washing the area, or could it use more tending to? Do you need to upgrade your shampoo, or even go for a scrub? Regardless, there are plenty of easy fixes for you to try.