Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCauseDiagnosisTreatmentsComplicationsPrognosisPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Cause
Diagnosis
Treatments
Complications
Prognosis
Prevention
Shingles is a viral infection that causes blistery, itchy, and painful rashes. These outbreaks can occur anywhere on the body, including the scalp. In addition to pain and itching, symptoms of shingles on the scalp may include facial drooping (due to weakened muscles) and headaches.
A head shingles rash usually lasts for a few weeks or months, but unfortunately, the pain can remain for long afterward. Antiviral medications and home remedies can help manage and treat your symptoms.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoReproduced with permission from ©DermNet NZ www.dermnetnz.org 2022.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Photo
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
Reproduced with permission from ©DermNet NZ www.dermnetnz.org 2022.
The earliestsigns of shinglesare burning, tingling, numbness, and sharp pain on the skin on one side of the body or the face.
A few days after initial symptoms, ablistery rashwill appear and the affected area(s) will often be painful. Shingles rashes usually affect nerve paths, so blisters typically appear in a line.Rashes might also appear on one side of the body.
In addition to painful blisters, shingles on the scalp might also cause headaches or weakness on one side of the face (which can cause the affected side to look droopy.)
Additional symptoms of shingles may include:
Anyone who has ever had chickenpox is at risk of shingles later in life, usually as an older adult. Shingles is more common in people older than age 50, and the risk increases with age.
Other factors that increase a person’s risk of shingles include:
You cannot get shingles from someone who has the virus, but you can get chickenpox. People who never had chickenpox or weren’t vaccinated for chickenpox can become infected with the varicella-zoster virus from someone who has shingles. This can happen either through direct contact with the fluid from a blister or breathing virus particles from blisters.
Shingles on the scalp may be mistaken for another condition, such aseczema, psoriasis, ringworm, folliculitis, measles, chickenpox, andallergic contact dermatitis. That’s why it’s important to see a healthcare provider for a diagnosis. Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you suspect you might have shingles, especially if you are older than age 60.`
Shingles is often diagnosed solely from the appearance and feel of the rash. Your healthcare provider will also want to know about other symptoms you might be experiencing, such as fever, chills, and headache.
If an initial examination doesn’t confirm a diagnosis, a laboratory test of either blood from a vein or fluid from a blister can determine if a person has been infected with the varicella-zoster virus.
There is no cure for shingles, but treatment with antiviral medications and self-care can help manage symptoms, speed up healing, and reduce the risk of complications.
Medical Treatments
Your healthcare provider may recommend one or more of the following treatments for shingles on the scalp:
If you continue to have severe pain after the rash clears up, your healthcare provider can prescribe treatments to help. These might include:
Home Care
If you have shingles on the scalp, be careful when brushing or combing your hair to avoid scraping the rash or popping a blister. Scratching the scalp too hard can cause scars that destroy hair follicles.
Other ways to manage scalp pain and itching and prevent permanent damage include:
Should You Wash Your Hair?Yes, you can wash your hair if you have shingles on your scalp. To prevent irritation, use a gentle, fragrance-free shampoo and avoid scrubbing. Rinse your hair thoroughly with lukewarm water and then gently pat it with a towel (instead of blow-drying.)
Should You Wash Your Hair?
Yes, you can wash your hair if you have shingles on your scalp. To prevent irritation, use a gentle, fragrance-free shampoo and avoid scrubbing. Rinse your hair thoroughly with lukewarm water and then gently pat it with a towel (instead of blow-drying.)
Shingles on the scalp can lead to hair loss from scratching or combing too hard during an outbreak. It can also lead to a hair-loss condition calledcicatricial alopeciaor scarring alopecia.This occurs when the shingles rash destroys cells in hair follicles responsible for new hair growth, resulting in permanent hair loss.
Shingles might lead to other serious complications, including those of the eyes, such as vision loss. In rare cases, shingles can lead topneumonia, hearing problems,encephalitis(brain inflammation), or death.
Shingles pain can last for weeks, months, or even years—often long after skin symptoms have healed.This long-term pain is calledpostherpetic neuralgia(PHN). PHN occurs in the places where the shingles rash was, even after the skin has cleared. This pain can sometimes be so severe that it affects a person’s quality of life.
Symptoms of shingles on the scalp—or anywhere else on the body—can take up to five weeks to heal.For most people, the pain subsides as the lesions heal and the blisters don’t leave scarring. However, people who have compromised immune systems might find that it takes longer to heal or might have lingering pain long after the rash has cleared.
Summary
Shingles is a virus that triggers a painful rash. Treatments for shingles on the scalp are similar to those for outbreaks on other areas of the body and may include: antiviral medications, over-the-counter pain relievers, and topical medications.
Vaccination is the only way to prevent shingles. If you have the virus, the best way to improve your prognosis is to get diagnosed and begin treatment as soon as you experience symptoms.
15 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles Symptoms and Complications.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical overview of shingles.University of Texas at Austin.Shingles (herpes zoster).National Library of Medicine.Shingles.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles causes and spread.National Institute on Aging.Shingles.National Library of Medicine.Chickenpox and shingles tests.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Shingles: diagnosis and treatment.Saguil A, Kane S, Mercado M, Lauters R.Herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia: Prevention and management.American Family Physician. 2017;96(10):656-663.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles treatment and recovery.Hayderi LE, Nikkels-Tassoudji N, Nikkels AF.Hair loss after varicella zoster virus infection.Case Rep Dermatol. 2013;5(1):43-47. doi:10.1159/000348648Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles symptoms and complications.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Shingles.Cleveland Clinic.Shingles.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles (Herpes Zoster) Vaccination.
15 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles Symptoms and Complications.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical overview of shingles.University of Texas at Austin.Shingles (herpes zoster).National Library of Medicine.Shingles.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles causes and spread.National Institute on Aging.Shingles.National Library of Medicine.Chickenpox and shingles tests.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Shingles: diagnosis and treatment.Saguil A, Kane S, Mercado M, Lauters R.Herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia: Prevention and management.American Family Physician. 2017;96(10):656-663.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles treatment and recovery.Hayderi LE, Nikkels-Tassoudji N, Nikkels AF.Hair loss after varicella zoster virus infection.Case Rep Dermatol. 2013;5(1):43-47. doi:10.1159/000348648Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles symptoms and complications.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Shingles.Cleveland Clinic.Shingles.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles (Herpes Zoster) Vaccination.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles Symptoms and Complications.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical overview of shingles.University of Texas at Austin.Shingles (herpes zoster).National Library of Medicine.Shingles.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles causes and spread.National Institute on Aging.Shingles.National Library of Medicine.Chickenpox and shingles tests.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Shingles: diagnosis and treatment.Saguil A, Kane S, Mercado M, Lauters R.Herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia: Prevention and management.American Family Physician. 2017;96(10):656-663.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles treatment and recovery.Hayderi LE, Nikkels-Tassoudji N, Nikkels AF.Hair loss after varicella zoster virus infection.Case Rep Dermatol. 2013;5(1):43-47. doi:10.1159/000348648Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles symptoms and complications.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Shingles.Cleveland Clinic.Shingles.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles (Herpes Zoster) Vaccination.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles Symptoms and Complications.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical overview of shingles.
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National Library of Medicine.Shingles.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles causes and spread.
National Institute on Aging.Shingles.
National Library of Medicine.Chickenpox and shingles tests.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Shingles: diagnosis and treatment.
Saguil A, Kane S, Mercado M, Lauters R.Herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia: Prevention and management.American Family Physician. 2017;96(10):656-663.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles treatment and recovery.
Hayderi LE, Nikkels-Tassoudji N, Nikkels AF.Hair loss after varicella zoster virus infection.Case Rep Dermatol. 2013;5(1):43-47. doi:10.1159/000348648
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles symptoms and complications.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Shingles.
Cleveland Clinic.Shingles.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles (Herpes Zoster) Vaccination.
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