White Scabs/Thinning Hair

Dear Doctor,

   I'm 44 yrs/old and I have never colored my hair. It's always been thin and very straight. About 9 months ago, I used an OTC hair lightening kit to "lift out" my natural color. It felt like it was burning my scalp. A couple months later I started feeling these scabs on my scalp. They don't itch and they look like white paper that's been plastered to my head. I have pulled them off, my hair comes with them, and they leave a red raw spot behind. They just keep coming back, over and over. Now it seems like my hair is getting thinner. Especially around my hair line and I can see a diffenate line where my hair line used to be, there is about a 1" difference now. Is this Psoriasis on my scalp? Would that also cause my thinning hair? Is there anything I can do to make my hair grown back in thicker? Just for the record, I did have 2 babies in my 40's and I have hep c, and am on methadone, (if any of that matters).

Thank you for your time,

SnowAngel

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Cheicals like the ones you describe can't cause permanent hair loss.  They may have irritated your scalp, and the scabs which resulted can take hair with them (if you pull on them), but not the roots, so hair will grow back.  My advice is to see a doctor as soon as you can for diagnosis, ressurance, and tretament for the irritation.  Unless there's something else going on too, you should be fine in a while.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[Tianne2003]

A related discussion, 4 yr Old Scabbing on Scalp (Afro Hair) was started.