Scalp Yeast Infection: Causes, Symptoms, and Remedies

Everyone talks about the importance of keeping your body healthy and your organs in top performance. But too often, we ignore our largest organ: the skin. More specifically, the scalp. So if you haven’t been thinking about your scalp’s health, it’s better late than never, right? 

Our scalp is home to 100,000 follicles that grow hair and produce sebum to moisturize the scalp. When something is amiss, scalp problems, such as dandruff or dryness, can creep in. Sometimes, an infection can appear and wreak havoc on our heads. 

A scalp yeast infection is a bothersome but common condition accompanied by itching, flaky skin, and patchiness. 

In this guide, you’ll find the causes, symptoms, and remedies for a scalp yeast infection.

If you’ve had a scalp infection, we doubt you’d want another one. 

Here’s how to avoid it:

Good nutrition and hygiene should always be a priority. But you should especially take care not to feed another infection with excess sugar consumption or a generally unbalanced diet. That means that eating one piece of fruit isn’t going to balance out three fun-size bags of chips (bummer, we know). 

You should also ensure you get all the necessary vitamins and minerals to keep your body in top performance. Vitamins and minerals that benefit hair and skin directly also benefit your scalp, such as vitamin B, zinc, omega-3s, probiotics, and antioxidants. Take a daily supplement that will ensure you’re getting the vitamins and nutrients you need to maintain a healthy, balanced scalp. We’ve formulated our Daily Scalp Essential with key ingredients like vitamin B7 (biotin), zinc, and aminos to promote a healthy scalp. Below we detail some of the most important nutrients for scalp health:

Vitamin B, especially B7 (also called biotin), is responsible for creating healthy red blood cells that deliver nutrients and oxygen directly to the scalp. We’ve included it as a key ingredient in our Daily Scalp Essential. It can also be found in rice, eggs, sweet potatoes, and almonds.

Zinc is found in many breakfast cereals (especially whole grain and low or no sugar varieties), dairy products, shellfish like oysters and lobster, red meat, and beans. If you have dietary restrictions, zinc can also be found as a dietary supplement or in certain topical products. 

Omega-3 Fatty Acids are found in plant oils (soybean and flaxseed oil), nuts and seeds (walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseed), and fish (mackerel, salmon, sardines, and tuna). You can also find them as an oral supplement. 

Probiotics can be taken as a supplement or found in foods like tempeh, kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, and yogurt. Remember that the best yogurt is free or low in sugar and contains plenty of active cultures. Not all yogurts are made the same, so check the nutritional facts before purchasing.

Want plenty of antioxidants? Fill your diet with delicious fruits and veggies. Whether you eat them plain or as a part of a meal, you can never go wrong with eating fresh produce. 

Staying hydrated helps the entire body, so never underestimate the power of proper hydration for your scalp. If you frequently have a dry scalp, it could be because your body lacks enough water to moisturize it.

Time to do some math. You should drink at least an ounce of water for every pound you weigh. Calculate how much water you should be drinking. Keep an eye on your water intake and adjust as necessary. 

If you’re able to, only wear a hat or scarf occasionally. If it’s a necessary part of your wardrobe, remember to wash them properly and give your head some time to air out to prevent excess moisture from making an appearance. All hats and scarves should be completely dry before wearing them again. 

Everyone is different, and that includes their hair and scalp type. Could you be over-washing or under-washing your hair? If it gets oily quickly, that could mean you need to wash it more often. If it is naturally dryer, you may be over-washing it and stripping it of the natural oils it needs to stay moisturized. 

You may also be too rough on your scalp when washing it. During a shower, gentle massaging of the scalp is important to avoid tiny scratches that leave it vulnerable to infections. A specially designed scalp brush is a helpful tool to safely massage your shampoo and conditioner into your scalp. 

Your shower’s temperature also matters. We know people love either extremely hot or cold showers, but the best option for your skin and hair strands is a lukewarm temperature.

If you’re already prone to issues and have been diagnosed with a skin condition, you are more likely to develop a scalp yeast infection. This can include eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, or follicular occlusion syndrome.  

Consulting with a dermatologist can help you keep other skin conditions under control so that you don’t see flare-ups of symptoms or develop other issues. They may prescribe medication to help you manage your condition. 

Stress doesn’t just affect you mentally. The truth is that the more stress you allow, the more likely your whole body will suffer the consequences of it. When stressed, your body cannot effectively protect itself from pathogens and other bad things that can disrupt your health. 

The more stress you have, the more androgen your scalp produces, making it overly oily. These oils attract bacteria like yeast to grow. From there, you can expect more flakiness and itching. 

Managing your stress means eating healthy, creating healthy boundaries in your life, and including meditative practices and exercises to keep your mental state in balance. If your stress is unmanageable with routine changes, consider talking with your doctor and a mental health professional about a regimen that can work.

You should also invest in quality scalp health products that won’t irritate your scalp or disrupt its fragile ecosystem. The scalp’s microbiome is a big part of hair health, so keeping it healthy means healthier hair. 

While plenty of products exist to support a healthier scalp, not all of them are built the same. Some have harsh ingredients and unhealthy chemicals. Avoid sulfates, parabens, phthalates, and formaldehyde, which can irritate sensitive skin and strip hair of oils. 

Instead, look for shampoos, conditioners, and other scalp care products with safe active ingredients such as Zinc Pyrithione paired with natural, nutrient-rich ingredients to support scalp health.

Zinc Pyrithione actively targets the fungus Malassezia to ensure your scalp remains balanced and flake free. That’s why we’ve included it in our Balancing Shampoo to help fight dandruff, and our Restoring Serum to control oil production between washes.

Our scalp quiz can help you gain insight into which Jupiter products will work best for you. Check it out!