Spicy Food, Itchy Scalp, and Hair Loss
Hi Doc,
Nice blog.
My question is kinda odd, but please humor me. I can tell there’s some sort of relationship of importance between cause-driven itchy scalp and hair loss.
I really think someone in the hair loss research field, such as yourself, should look further into what I’m saying. I am a statistician by background; I have a PhD in my field, and I am by no means bringing up a crazy idea here. It’s a theory. We all want a cure for baldness, and the best bet is to hear out every conceptual idea or theory. If you could learn the connection here, I believe you would not only make a lot of money, but you’d also help a lot of people.
So, here goes… I noticed about a year or two ago – when I eat something spicy, my head itches. Ok, big deal. Sometimes when I workout, my head also itched. However, the spice aspect, is more noticeable, regular and I can even predict it. When I eat something spicy, I know I’ll have an itch shortly “only in the area of my head that’s thinning or balding”. It’s really strange, and my statistics background tells me there’s got to be a connection there.
The questions I think need answering are:
-Why do humans feel itching?
-What in a spice could cause itching at distant location?
-Could it be something from the spice goes into the bloodstream right away and effects DHT?I seriously think a dermatologist should be able to answer this. I know I’m not the only one to bring this up.
I am not a dermatologist, so I will try to answer to the best of my capacity. I do know from personal experience that one of the consequence of eating spicy foods is sweating on the scalp, which can make your scalp itch. It also makes my nose run and sometimes my eyes water depending on the heat level. This may be due to a histamine reaction from the capsaicin, the chemical which makes it spicy. But I do not see how this is related to hair loss.
Most male hair loss is due to genetic causes, which is known as androgenic alopecia (AGA) or male pattern baldness (MPB). It is really not a DHT issue in and of itself. In other words, if you do NOT have the genes for hair loss, you will not go bald no matter how much DHT you have.
As far as why humans have to feel the sensation of itching, that is like asking why humans have to feel the sensation of pain. I think that is a bit beyond the scope of BaldingBlog. Sorry.
I also find the same problem with spices. And this might sound ridiculous but I find a similar correlation with any type of coffee and itchiness, even if the coffee is cold. I believe the coffee increases cortisol levels which increases stress levels in the body and the body excretes oil. I also have linked my personal acne problem to coffee.
If you’re itching after exercise and eating spicy food it’s most likely just sweat. I have the same when my scalp gets too oily after exercise. I also don’t eat spicy food but i’m still balding-i’m sure there are many others who are the same.
If humans didnt feel the sensation of pain we’d be in greater danger. Pain signifies something is wrong or damaged. You know this doc
This was my question. I should have elaborated more. Basically, I NEVER had this itch problem when I was in my 20s or prior. Now, in my early 30s, I do. I use to eat the spiciest wings you can get, with no problem. Now, I immediately have to itch my scalp. Why?
I link it to male pattern baldness. I may be mistaken, but ever since I’ve had substantial decrease in hair – In my 30s – this has become an issue.
Sometimes we need to think outside the box. I bet there’s a link here.
I have exacly the ssame symptom. ithcy scalp when exercise and spicy food…and I also think my hair loss is related to that too…but it seems nobody can answer us….
I asked a forum who gets the itchy scalp and what foods do it. A lady said bell peppers do it to her. Scalp itches and then hair falls out. I experimented and I got the same exact reaction. Turns out my sister is allergic to bell peppers. I’m not sure if other peppers do the same thing. Hope this helps.
I don’t think spicy foods can cause hair loss. It is not the direct cause. It could be something else like your genes. Our bodies are not the same. I don’t lose hair when I eat a lot of spicy foods. In fact, I do have them on a regular basis.
Bell peppers make my scalp itch like crazy and hair fall out. I first realized this after posting a question similar to yours on a gluten-free website (because gluten also makes my hair fall out). A woman described exactly what you said here and 5 other people agreed. I wonder if it is the body’s reaction to certain lectins found in the peppers – and maybe other peppers that cause the problem.
I think this is an intriguing idea. Perhaps the spicy food doesn’t necessarily cause baldness, as much as it may be a trigger in some respects for certain people. I too have the same experience with spicy foods (and I too never had the problem until early 30s). The only part of my head that itches is the area that is thinning. Perhaps I’m scratching my hair out! ; )
For two years I had a sensation that ran across my scalp from ear to ear -whenever I ate spicy food. I am 65 but did not suffer these symptoms previously. I became ill with Giant Cell Arterits (inflammation of the arteries). After several months of steroid treatment (named Prednisolone in the UK) spicy foods no longer trigger this scalp sensation.
The consultant dealing with me tells me she has had one other patient affected in the same way.
I got same problem, in fact i just had some spicy food and my scalp start itching. I used to eat spicy food and workout for hours without and problems. I am losing hair as well. I believe there is a link between hair loss and itchy scalp.
I have all the same symptoms listed above. From my late 20’s into my early 30’s, hair loss and spicy food related itching only in the areas that have hair loss. In another article, microptaprotomerase was mentioned. I am still researching what it is, how it works, and if there is a correlation.
I know the thread is old, but worth commenting on.
Yeah, there is something with spicy food that activates nerves in the scalp. I have had a meditation practice for 20 years and run a floatation therapy center, so I am very much aware of what is going on in my body. I can assure you, this is not sweat (although it may lead to sweating). I am unaware of any connection to balding, however, it does seem to occur in the balding area.
Whenever i get close to a spicy food, i feel my scalp itching, and when i touch it it gets worse. When i eat it worsens. And yea I’ve been losing hair as well.
I think the point here is we need a study to show that not all people who eat spicy food, sweat from their scalp or itch. but of those that do react this way to hot food, do they also suffer from hairloss.
not saying the spicy food causes hairloss, but perhaps those with male pattern baldness DHT, their scalp obviously loses hair, but maybe it also reacts to spicy foods differently than those who do not.
In other words, my scalp is overly sensitive to spicy food, and I also suffer from hair loss, which is a condition where DHT kills hair follicles.
Let’s find out how many people who are balding or bald, sweat from hot peppers too?
and if people who do not sweat from the scalp do not suffer from hair loss