Dissecting Cellulitis of the Scalp
When you suffer from dissecting cellulitis of the scalp, the skin on your head becomes inflamed and covered in pustules. The hair follicles become blocked, which causes bald patches that start at the top of your head and move down unless treated. While there’s no cure for this medical condition, you can manage the symptoms. Call the expert medical team at Linkov Hair Surgery for treatment for dissecting cellulitis of the scalp as soon as you notice a problem. Early diagnosis and treatment is the best way to keep the condition in check.
What Is Dissecting Cellulitis of the Scalp?
A chronic inflammatory disorder of the scalp, dissecting cellulitis causes scarring and permanent hair loss. The condition — also called dissecting folliculitis, perifolliculitis or Hoffmann disease — mostly affects African Americans and others with curly hair. This is a rare medical condition, and it causes uncomfortable symptoms on the head, resulting in the need for hair loss treatment.
Hair loss resulting from dissecting cellulitis of the scalp affects how you look. The condition appears as bald spots, visible cysts and pus formations on your scalp, making you feel self-conscious about your hair while affecting your social life. The emotional distress is a common side effect of the disorder.
Treatment for dissecting cellulitis of the scalp can be difficult and invasive, depending on how early you get treatment. An early diagnosis makes a big difference. If you notice uncomfortable symptoms on your scalp, visit Dr. Gary Linkov, a double board certified surgeon at Linkov Hair Surgery in the heart of Manhattan. He and his team offer treatment for multiple reasons for hair loss, including dissecting cellulitis of the scalp.
Am I Suffering from Dissecting Cellulitis of the Scalp?
The symptoms of dissecting cellulitis of the scalp start at the top of your head. If left untreated, the symptoms spread to the back of your head. The nodules and scarring eventually may extend over your whole scalp, resulting in scarring alopecia. The physical symptoms of dissecting cellulitis include:
- Blocked hair follicles, which you notice as tiny but painful bumps on your head
- One or a few pustules develop and multiply to cluster into painful lumps
- The development of abscesses, which are infectious scabs and pus
- Patchy areas of hair loss on your scalp
- A recurrent foul-smelling discharge
- Bleeding from painful nodules on your scalp
- Visible tracts or channels between the lesions on your scalp
- Tenderness on your scalp, especially around the lymph nodes
- Fever, in some severe cases
- Scalp scarring
Dissecting cellulitis of the scalp is an inflammatory condition, and its debilitating symptoms are both physical and emotional. If you suffer from this hair loss condition, you may feel:
- Emotional trauma caused by the lack of hair growth
- Low self-esteem caused by the disfiguration of your scalp
- A lack of self-confidence caused by a poor body image
- Pain during acute inflammatory flares
- A smelly pus discharge on your head that causes distress
- The severe and visible symptoms that affect your social life
- The difficulties of managing your hair loss
The specific symptoms of dissecting cellulitis differ from person to person. They can also mimic other conditions, which is why you need an accurate diagnosis from a trained medical professional. The hair loss doctors at Linkov Hair Surgery know how to reach a correct diagnosis, and that forms the basis of an individualized treatment plan.
How Does Dissecting Cellulitis of the Scalp Occur?
Doctors haven’t identified a definite cause of dissecting cellulitis of the scalp, but studies indicate the condition targets hair follicles. Possible explanations for the inflammatory condition include:
- Bursting follicles caused by an accumulation of sebaceous fat, oil or skin protein materials, such as keratin
- An inflammatory destruction of the follicle
- The formation of an abscess caused by damaged follicles
The combination of the severe symptoms and psychological effects from your physical appearance can be debilitating. Dr. Linkov and his team provide advanced hair loss treatments for men and for women, including a treatment for dissecting cellulitis of the scalp. The NYC hair transplant specialists have the experience and the facilities to treat a wide variety of hair loss conditions.
What’s the Best Treatment for Dissecting Cellulitis of the Scalp?
Dissecting cellulitis of the scalp has no cure, but advances in hair loss treatments can help control and manage the symptoms of this inflammatory condition. Your treatment plan may include:
Doctor’s consultation. When you visit the Manhattan office of Linkov Hair Surgery, your doctor examines you, takes a medical history and runs any necessary tests. Sometimes, to reach a diagnosis of dissecting cellulitis of the scalp, the specialist has to rule out other underlying medical issues, such as:
- Alopecia areata
- Anagen effluvium
- Androgenetic alopecia
- Discoid lupus erythematosus
- Folliculitis decalvans
- Lichen planopilaris
- Telogen effluvium
- Tinea capitis
Conservative treatment approaches. Treatment for dissecting cellulitis of the scalp depends on the severity of your symptoms. The earlier you seek treatment, the more successful it may be. Conservative, minimally invasive treatments may include:
- Orally administered isotretinoin
- Prescription antibacterial shampoo
- Antibiotics
- Analgesia
- Topical antiseptic cleansers
- Zinc supplements
- Scalp micropigmentation
- Hair replacement systems
Surgical treatments. Your hair restoration specialist may prescribe a more advanced treatment for dissecting cellulitis of the scalp if the conservative treatments yield unsatisfactory results. These procedures may include:
- An incision to drain the abscesses
- Corticosteroid injections
- Hair cloning
- Platelet-rich plasma therapy
- Laser therapies
- A scalp excision
- Microneedling
- Exosome therapy
- Stem cell therapy
- A hair transplant
Dr. Linkov has built a reputation for innovative approaches to hair loss procedures. He uses a multi-disciplinary approach to hair loss treatment to give you the best results possible.
What Can I Do about Dissecting Cellulitis of the Scalp?
Tips for managing the debilitating symptoms at home can help reduce the flare-ups of pain and other symptoms. Your doctor may recommend:
- Leaving the lesions alone to avoid aggravation
- Avoiding oil-based products on your scalp and instead sticking to an antiseptic wash or shampoo
- Taking the medication your doctor has prescribed
If you’ve noticed lesions and painful cysts on your scalp, seek medical attention. The doctors at Linkov Hair Surgery have the experience and technology to handle the most complex types of hair loss. Contact the best hair loss treatment doctors in New York City today.
