I Pick off the Scabs from My Severe Scalp Flakes, Now I see Hair Loss

Hi,

I have a problem of severe flaking, scabs, and an itching scalp. I am a picker so i often pick off the scabs, thinking that the dandruff will go away. Now I have a bald spot where I’ve been constantly scratching my head. It also seems I have hair loss in other areas as well. I’ve also moved from Canada, US to Jamaica. I am also under a lot of stress.

THe last time I was under severe stress and I had relaxed my hair and put a weave in I had extreme hair loss and extreme large flakes. Although my hair has grown back and my dandruff was under control and almost gone, I have had permanent hair loss around my hair line. I used to have braids in my hair for 7 years..so i think it was from that. That hair loss incident happened when i was 19. Since then I have worn my hair natural without any processing. I am 25 now. I am concerned.

The bald spot at the back center of my head – is it permanent? HOw can I stop scabs? how can I stop dandruff? If it is a stress trigger from high cortisone levels in my body what can I do to normalize this? Is it my diet, exercise? Please help? What can I do to restore hair loss?

Picking skin flakes is an OCD-like condition called dermatillomania (for pulling hair it is called trichotillomania). This picking produces traction alopecia, so there is little doubt that this is what is happening to you. If you stop picking and the hair returns, then you’re lucky… but if you continue to pick at it, the hair loss you are experiencing may become permanent. Braids can also cause traction alopecia. The solution may be simply get rid of the braids and stop picking (that might be easier said than done, though).