Scalp Acne: How to Prevent and Treat Breakouts on Your Head

glamour.com:

on my head. And I’m not talking about little along the hairline; I'm talking about tender bumps on my crown, inflamed pustules near my temples, and painful on the nape of my neck.Throughout my early 20s, a portion of my closet was a designated graveyard of failed formulas—full of drugstore and prestige brands alike.

Whenever a hairstylist would point out that I had bumps on my scalp when I went to get a haircut and blow out, I would have to swallow down the wave of embarrassment that rose in my throat before explaining that I had scalp acne.Worst of all, whenever I asked hairstylists for advice, they rarely offered anything helpful.

They suggested I use dry shampoo to help soak up my excess oil and stop breakouts (dry shampoo did not stop the breakouts—in fact, they made them worse.) Even though my scalp acne isn't immediately visible, it certainly felt like there was an embarrassing and isolating spotlight on me.I was grateful to find out that scalp acne isn't a me-problem—or a you-problem. “Scalp acne is relatively common, especially in individuals with oil or acne-prone skin,” says , hair specialist and founder of scalp care brand . “It often goes underreported because it is less visible than facial or body acne."Luckily, the scalp care category has grown so much over the past few years that scalp acne products are easier to find than ever before.

Whether you want to find your scalp type or if you’ve tried every product under the sun and still have breakouts, you’re in the right place.