What's Your Secret: Touch - Hair & Skin Sensitivity

By Holly Harding

1 min read

Known as allodynia, skin and hair follicles can become overly sensitive to the touch. This condition has a well-documented relationship with migraine. In this What’s Your Secret Video, we discuss the ways that hair and skin sensitivity and soreness can arise for migraineurs.

Migraine and sensitivity to touch

In the comment section below, please join the conversation and let us know if you experience allodynia or sensitivity to touch in general? If so, how do you handle it?

Note: Migraines often show themselves through the five senses of the human body (taste, sight, smell, and sound). Whether in the form of a prodrome or a trigger, it’s almost as if the senses are like kindling just waiting to ignite- with migraine being the match. This What’s Your Secret Video is part of a series on the Five Senses and how they interact with migraine. We hope you will join us in the comment section to share your stories and experiences of how your senses have played a role with your migraine disease. Stay tuned for more videos.

This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The Migraine.com team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

Join the conversation

Please read our rules before commenting.

1bluebird Member
This article is a blessing! I’ve struggled with feeling highly sensitive - someone brushes by my pillow or my pony tail gets caught in my hoodie - and the sensation is like nails running down a chalkboard. I feel the tenderness and gasp, but I swear I can almost HEAR it (can anyone relate?). During a migraine it’s no surprise. But it can be a prodrome too?! I’m used to light sensitivity, whirring in my head, and ringing ... but sensitivity to touch ... ? Big help!
1. Tom Picerno Moderator & Contributor
 Thanks for commenting 1Bluebird! Allodynia most certainly occur in prodrome, and wherever it shows up its a pain, literally! I know what you are going through with this as I experience similar manifestations. You are not alone...I can 'hear' my hair during an attack! Thanks for taking time to visit the <a href='https://migraine.com' target='_blank'>migraine.com</a> community! Be Well
bookish Member
How wonderful to find a group where I don't feel so odd thank you. I think this is all connected to touch, when I am in a migraine phase I have to be completely still. The slightest movement from me, or anyone around me feels like the equivalent of being shaken. A hand on me is bearable and sometimes comforting but it has to stay still, the same for my old cat but he knew just to sit very still close by me. Going into migraine or coming out I cant wear certain clothes as they are too close to me, too clingy and restricting. I cant wear a hat at any time, no matter how cold my head is I cant bear anything touching it. The only moving touch which helps is the hot water from the shower and I would stay in there all day if I could.
1. Tom Picerno Moderator & Contributor
 bookish thanks for taking time to give us your experience with allodynia. I'm glad you found us here at migraine.com! I trust you will find us to be a supportive community where you can share your migraine journey experiences. I too suffer from allodynia both in prodrome and postdrome phases of an attack. I get the wanting to stay in the shower all day thing. I can wear a hat, but also keep my hair super short to help avoid too much hair movement. Be well!
GrasHoppr Member
I have this and some ON as well! Ice can irritate. Heat is good and washing hair gently also going to bed with slightly wet hair helps. I think massage can irritate, pulling or massaging hair and too much brushing can irritate. scratching scalp can also irritate. I let my hair dread up some which helps. Posture also helps. My Electro Stem helps because it can involve neck muscles as well. Minimal neck stretching. Ubrelvy helps me when really sore. Benadryl with Advil and a muscle relaxer also help. 1 to 1 MM balm helps with sleep. Walking helps with swinging the arms.
1. Nancy Harris Bonk Moderator
 <inline-mention username="GrasHoppr" user-id="9914977"/> Thank you for joining the conversation and sharing your treatment plan with us - they're great! Living with multiple health issues can be exhausting and frankly difficult to manage. I'm a heat person as well - my head, neck and shoulders can't tolerate cold! How are you doing today? I'm sending you wishes for a low pain day, Nancy Harris Bonk, Patient Leader/Moderator (team member)