Small, hard lump on scalp... any ideas?

Thanks for your reply! I appreciate it. I'll look into that shampoo, sounds like a good idea. I've been using the clinical strength version of Head & Shoulders for the last few months -- it's helped a lot with the itching, but hasn't really helped much with the overall condition, sadly.

head and shoulders have preservatives that are not good for dermatitis in it called Methylisothiazolinone and methylchloroisothiazolinone. I used to use head and shoulders and it was ok and then my dermatitis came back and I found out they had started adding these preservatives I am allergic to.

I also used to get those hard lumps, they can get quite sharp after a while and then I would pick them off and there would be a little sore bit underneath

Oh wow, that's interesting about Head & Shoulders, I wasn't aware of that. I'll have to read about those chemicals. I actually did end up ordering that shampoo you recommended on Amazon, so hopefully it'll do the trick for me as well! How long did it take the lumps you would get to get to the point of where you could pick them off? Mine just be in the beginning of forming, because it's just like some slightly raised pink skin that feels hard underneath. Maybe the beginnings of a crust or something?

It has been so long since I had them I can't remember. I remember my scalp being itchy and then scratching it and then a few days later I would get these lumps. I would try not to pick them for as long as possible but when they got sharp I would have to pick them off, possibly a week or 2, I really can't remember. Do you get dermatitis in your ear as well?

Ah, I see. I'm pretty sure I've had mine at least a week or two by this point, not even sure how long it's been there actually I just noticed it a week or so ago, so I'm not sure then why it hasn't got to that point. I haven't been to the doctor yet, but I did show it to a nurse and she said these kinds of bumps are generally caused by dermatitis and that it could either be a crust forming, an ulcer, or perhaps even acne. (I get scalp acne from time to time.) She recommended keeping an eye on it and note if it ever changes in size, gets progressively redder, becomes painful, or starts to swell, and if so, see a doctor. So I think I'm just gonna observe it for a month or two and if then go to the doctor if I feel there hasn't been enough change or something. There definitely should be by then I'd guess. Anyways, I don't think I've ever had dermatitis in my ear, is that common for you? I would imagine it is for a lot of people. Mine mostly is just on the scalp, especially around the back of my hairline, and I also will get rough patches on my face and hands if I don't take really good care of them. I have to exfoliate my face a few times a week.

The ear dermatitis came on a bit later in my life, but if you feel discomfort, burning, inflammation or itching in your ear there is a good chance you could have it. I thought it was an ear infection at first and another time it felt like a boil in my ear but it was just the seborrheic dermatitis had spread to my ear. If you get diagnosed with it ask for otomize ear spray, it smells a bit but it works.