Itchy scalp and hair loss

Hello,

I've got some issues with my scalp. It all started around June.
I noticed extensive hair loss in the front part of my head, which I haven't seen before. I thought its normal congenital hair loss (I'm 26, my father didn't lose hair that early), so I decided to start using Precerin (I'm still taking these pills). ThenIi realized that my scalp is constantly itchy and i observed oily, crusty-like dandruff around the head's crown and in the front.
I went to GP and was prescribed a shampoo with 2% ketoconazole for every day use. It helped removing most of a dandruff (there are still some very small particles, mostly at the bottom of hair), mitigated itchiness and hair loss, but didn't remove.
My scalp was still itchy and whenever I used different shampoo it got even worse. After a month without any other progress I went back to GP and was told to carry on using ketoconazole shampoo and was also prescribed betamethasone valerate 0.1%. I started using it, but itchiness and hair loss seems to be even more extensive. I'm using ketoconazole shampoo for 2 months already (mostly every day) and it seems it doesn't help any longer. My scalp around the crown and in the front is still reddish, there are some red marks and I keep losing hair from that parts.
Please any suggestions what to do next? My GP didn't even look on my head when she prescribed all these medicines.

Regards

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
It can be due to tinea capitis or seborrheic dermatitis. The symptoms of Tinea Capitis include a dry itchy scalp, scaling, crusting, inflamed nodules, hair loss and tender enlarged lymph nodes on the neck. I suggest you to consult a dermatologist and get it ruled out. You can get a KOH examination of the skin scrapings done to confirm the diagnosis.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.