What is scalp fungus?

[DarleneH]

I've seen "fungal" mentioned as a possible scalp problem but I really don't know what that would be. Is it ringworm? Or is ringworm just one type of fungus you can have on your scalp?

I've had toenail fungus issues for years. Went through rounds of Sporonox, Lamisil, and Penlax from the dermatologist and none of it did a dang bit of good. I've kept my feet publicly presentable enough to wear sandals by grinding the nails down with a dremel tool and treating with ReClear AF as often as I can, and rinsing my feet with diluted bleach to kill anything that gets on them from all the grinding. Now I'm horrified because I think one of my fingernails has it. I tried to analyze my environment and the only thing I can think is it might have gotten onto my bath squishy thing because that could stay damp between showers, and transferred to my nails. I went to Sally Beauty and bought Barbicide to start soaking everything possible in the bathroom in, and I may just go back to wash rags and throw them in the wash with the towels. Or soak the squishy puff in Barbicide between uses. I use hydrogen peroxide, bleach, baking soda, vinegar, and various other cleaning ideas I come across regularly on my shower floor, so I don't thing anything fungal has been able to take up residence there.

So all that is to say now I'm panicking that if I do have that on my fingernail I might transfer something of it to my scalp. It's just possible that the ugly fingernail is from having bent it back recently and that just has to grow out, but I'm committing all out war on the possibility of fungus for now anyway.

So how much do I have to worry about scalp fungus? And is there anything I can do about all this and get rid of these ugly little problems?

Speaking of Barbicide and our hair utensils, are there some things that can't be soaked in it? Like boar bristle, wood handle brushes?

[Majorane]

Uh, I don't know the answer to most of your questions, but uh, if your fingernail has been hurt, then yes, there is a highened chance for it to be infected with a nail fungus. However I don't really know if going at it with bleach is the best option.... I usually just smearmearmear anti fungal cream on a nail when it's hurt, until the hurt has grown out. Because that technically should keep the fungus away from your nail. So, my toenail for instance had an unfortunate mishap a while back and I've been applying antifungal cream on it for over three months. But it's smooth as a babies bum now, so... well. I don't know if a nail fungus is transmittable to scalp skin, do you have any symptoms of a fungal infection?

[EmmaDStrange]

The common 'scalp fungus' I can think of goes by the name Malassezia furfur. It is generally the cause of dandruff and I believe most people probably have it in some quantity or another, and those that get chronic dandruff are more susceptible to it's effects. But this fungus certainly wouldn't live in your nails.

Ringworm can infect the scalp and nails, but there are many, many species of fungus, known collectively as Dermatophytes that cause ringworm and I'm not certain that they can all infect all environments. I think the most important thing is keeping you hairbrushes etc. clean and you should be okay. :) I think the fungus is unlikely to make the leap from your nail to your hair.

[lapushka]

Just to be sure, I'd leave my hair alone as much as possible until your nail is better. But I also doubt that this will get onto your scalp. If it does, please stop experimenting and go straight to a dermatologist.

[DarleneH]

lapushka, I already did the dermatologist route as I said above.

[lapushka]

lapushka, I already did the dermatologist route as I said above.

Already? With the new problem that's cropped up (nail/scalp instead of toes)?

[Nettyx]

Hello! I'm a newbie so apologies if I am spouting a load of nonsense....

Fungal infections are quite common on the body, thrush/candida and athletes foot are just a couple of familiar ones. Sometimes it can be an indicator of other general health issues (immune system deficiency or in my case sugar problems due to PCOS) so hopefully your GP/doctor has ruled these out. It may be worth using a shampoo such as Nizoral if you are worried about scalp fungus. Also I would have a look at your diet as for me sugar makes mine so much worse.

[Catatafish]

There are many types of fungus that live naturally on our bodies. It is completely normal to have them, and things like thrush, fungal dandruff, and toe fungus happen when the balance of our natural flora gets thrown off. This can happen for many reasons.

Just to let you know, I'm pretty sure that toe fungus won't do anything to your hair. I've had fungus under my toe for over ten years (icky, I know). I got a month long prescription from a doctor to get rid of it before. I was living in a foreign country, and needed three months worth. He insisted I come back for a liver function test before I could get the other two months worth, and I couldn't afford the treatment at the time, so I just didn't get it.

It doesn't really bother me, so I haven't been very proactive in getting rid of it. The fungus has lived in the top right hand corner of my big left toe since I was a young teen, and it hasn't given me any other problems.

Sooooooo many people get these type of benign fungal infections. It is only a cosmetic problem really. I have been meaning to get it sorted of course, but it hasn't done anything to me in the 15 years or so that I've had it.

[Catatafish]

Oh, also, I'm pretty sure that you shouldn't put your BBB in barbicide. Possibly wood as well. I used to work in a hairdressers when I was thirteen, and we only put plastic stuff in that. You have to be a lot more careful about how you sanitize tools made from natural materials than you do with plastics/metals.

[MadPirateBippy]

If you are having that many spread out problems with fungus (nails and hair would be different strands) you might want to look into an alkalyzing, low sugar diet, and possibly ask your doctor about going on an oral anitfungal for a while. Fungi are nature's decomposers, so if you have LOTS of them doing things to you, it could be a sign that something else is really, really out of whack.

[Ishje]

This won't answer you question but:

There is a laser treatment for fungus nails now. It is fairly new. I had a look into it because I have the same problem you have.
I have had it for about 15 years now and nothing ever helped. Recently I had my nails diagnosed and it turned out to be no fungus, so the treatment won't help me.
Maybe it is a solution for you?