"They appear as small, red, painful or itchy bumps that can develop pus-filled heads," says the expert. This scalp condition is typically benign, according to research published in StatPearls in 2023.

While scalp acne might just seem like an inconvenient condition to manage, it could be key to preventing future hair loss.

Board-certified dermatologist Ellen Marmur, MD, says that in 99% of cases, breakouts are actually acneiform scalp rashes: small bumps that resemble acne and are technically considered folliculitis.