What should you know about dark spots on head?

A mark on a sun-exposed scalp or hairline can be related to ultraviolet exposure, especially where hair is thin or absent. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation may follow scratching, follicle inflammation, a wound, or a rash. Melasma is more often seen on the face, while tinea versicolor usually affects the trunk and may have fine scale.

Part the hair and inspect the border, colour, texture, and size of the spot. Ask someone to help check areas you cannot see. A dark mark hidden under hair can still change, bleed, crust, or become tender, and those details are more useful than colour alone.

Use sunscreen on exposed scalp, forehead, and ears, and consider a hat with good coverage. Avoid picking scabs, vigorous scratching, and harsh hair products that burn or sting. Treating dandruff or follicle irritation with suitable medical guidance can reduce ongoing inflammation.

Have an unexplained or persistent spot examined before considering cosmetic treatment. After diagnosis, a clinician may discuss skin brightening treatment, a chemical peel for suitable non-scalp areas, or picosecond laser treatment. Hair-bearing scalp skin may need a different approach from facial skin.

Arrange prompt assessment for a spot that changes in size, outline, or colour, becomes raised, bleeds, crusts, feels painful, or develops a persistent sore. Seek advice sooner when a mark is difficult to monitor under dense hair or when several new lesions appear.

Ask whether the spot is on the scalp or hairline skin, whether dermatoscopy is appropriate, and whether irritation from scratching or hair products could explain it. Ask how to monitor the area and whether treatment should wait until the diagnosis is certain.