Expert: Margot RN BScN GNC - 12/16/2007

Question
hello, thanks for answering my question.

i'm 20 years old and i know this sounds weird, but my hair hurts. if i flip my hair one way, the roots of the hair at the interface with my scalp hurts. do you know why that is and how i can prevent it? this only happens to me once in a while even though i do the same thing to my hair everyday. i  don't remember the last time it happened to me but i'm currently getting ready for finals now.

i've never gotten a perm and air dry my hair after washing 98% of the time. sometime's i use a steam hair straightener and recently i styled my hair at a salon for the first time. i've been putting my hair down a lot recently and noticed the pain whether i leave it down or tie it up.

i hope you can help! thanks

Answer
Hi Irene and thank for writing,

Believe it or not I think I had the exact same thing happen to me when i was in my early 20's - it came and went 2 or 3 times, then once when i under incredible stress (when my Mo was dying at home) it got quite bad, I developed a thick waxy areas on my scalp and my hair started to fall out in bunches (not completely thank God) and my doc told me it was just stress.

The only medical condition I can think of which would give these symptoms is Herpes Zoster (Shingles.)  If that's what it is, blisters will appear in the affected area in 1-3 more days.  Should that happen, please see a doctor for antibiotic treatment.

More likely, however, this is just a sensitivity related to travel, stress
and I would just treat the area gently and it will most likely clear up on its own.

I hope this helps, all my best,

Margot