Any ideas what this sore red patch is on my scalp?

[newnamenellie]

At the beginning of the week, I noticed that I had a pain in the back of my head when I got up, thought it was a bit of a headache or I’d maybe slept awkwardly.

Mid week, I noticed that the area at the base of my head was painful to touch on one side (I believe the area where the occipital lymph nodes are). I then noticed a firm raised area kind of in the centre back of my scalp but more on the side with the painful lymph nodes.

I’m thinking I’ve probably got some sort of skin infection as the lump is red and sore, almost feels like it’s burning sometimes. I’ll get a GP appointment next week if it’s still the same, but just wondered if anyone recognises it? My head in that area is just generally uncomfortable with the tender lymph nodes and the lump itself.

My husband took a photo this morning

I had something very similar to this last year, the gp gave me an antibiotic scalp treatment and oral antibiotics. My glands came up quite dramatically. It all cleared up after a week. Don’t know what it was but I work in a school and I put it down to one of my lovelies passing something on to me.

DS has similar but says it's not sore. I had something similar a long while ago and cleared it up with dead sea mud conditioner and shampoo. Spa magik it's called.

I think previous poster is probably right. You should check with pharmacist maybe.

Shingles??

Thanks @RamsayBoltonsConscience that’s helpful. It has to be some sort of infection I think

I guess it’s possible, hadn’t considered that. Thank you @Jaffaisitacakeorbiscuit

I currently have a skin infection at the back of my neck in my hairline it looks very similar to this and I have been trying to clear it up without resorting to antibiotics but getting nowhere, I had a skin infection in the same place a few years ago and it did clear up very quickly with antibiotics that time

@TheOliveFinch thank you. Sorry to hear you have similar.

My teen daughter had something very similar, although perhaps less of a lump than you are describing. We tried all the creams from the GP and dermatologist, nothing worked. Got this Head & Shoulders Derma XPro itchy scalp shampoo and conditioner and I am not exaggerating it cleared it in a few washes. BIZARRE.

www.amazon.co.uk/Head-Shoulders-DERMAXPRO-Clinically-Dermatologically/dp/B0BRCXJHNM

Ringworm?

scalp psoriasis ?

Coal tar shampoo deals with a lot of scalp infections

Hi all,

Just to update, I went to the GP on Monday as I was in quite a bit of pain with the different aspects of it. Tender area at base of head, sore burning red area in middle and then pain when moving my head to the right.

The GP concluded that it was most likely shingles and prescribed aciclovir. Unfortunately this was around a week after it first started.

My own googling made me think that shingles was the most likely explanation but I don’t have any blisters, just the sore red patch.

Anyway, it’s now around ten days since it started, the tender area in my lymph node has subsided, still got a sore area and some pain when moving my head. I feel fine in myself so not sure what to make of it. Latest image here

Relieved you got it sorted, but sorry it is shingles. No wonder it was so sore!