Why is part of my head soft? Unraveling the Causes and Concerns

September 28, 2025 •

5 min read

While it is completely normal for a newborn baby's head to have soft spots (fontanelles), the appearance of a soft area in an adult is unusual and may indicate a medical concern. Understanding why is part of my head soft can help determine if it is a harmless variation or a symptom requiring medical evaluation.

Quick Summary

A soft spot on an adult's head is not normal and can be caused by congenital conditions where skull bones never fully fused, head trauma resulting in a depressed fracture or hematoma, or underlying medical diseases like Paget's or osteodystrophy. Other causes may include scalp-specific issues like lipedematous scalp or benign cysts. It warrants medical evaluation, especially if it is new, painful, or accompanied by other symptoms.

Key Points

Infant vs. Adult Soft Spot: In infants, soft spots are normal developmental features that allow for brain growth, while in adults, they are abnormal and indicate an underlying issue.
Potential Causes Are Diverse: An adult soft spot can result from head trauma, incomplete bone fusion from birth, systemic bone diseases, or benign scalp growths like cysts.
Seek Medical Attention for New or Changing Symptoms: If you notice a new, growing, or painful soft spot, or experience neurological symptoms like headaches or dizziness, consult a doctor immediately.
Diagnosis Involves Imaging: Doctors may use physical exams and imaging techniques like CT or MRI scans to diagnose the cause of a soft spot, especially if bone abnormalities are suspected.
Treatment is Cause-Dependent: The treatment strategy will vary based on the diagnosis, ranging from monitoring for benign cases to surgical intervention for fractures, tumors, or complex congenital defects.
Do Not Manipulate the Area: Avoid pressing or prodding the soft spot, as this may worsen the underlying issue or cause additional harm.

From Fontanelles to Fused Skulls

In newborns, a soft spot, or fontanelle, is a normal and necessary feature of the skull, allowing the brain to grow rapidly and facilitating passage through the birth canal. These gaps in the skull bones typically fuse and harden by the time a child is two years old. For an adult to have a soft spot, where the underlying bone feels less rigid or absent, is rare and should not be dismissed as benign without a proper medical assessment. This distinction is critical for understanding the seriousness of the issue.

Possible Medical Conditions

Several medical conditions can prevent proper bone fusion or cause bone loss, leading to a soft spot on an adult's head. These range from inherited disorders to acquired diseases.

Congenital and Developmental Issues

Some individuals may have a soft spot due to a condition they were born with, where the skull bones never fully closed. These can include:

Persistent Fontanelle: In rare instances, one of the fontanelles simply fails to close during childhood and remains an unossified area into adulthood. This is often benign but still makes the area more vulnerable to injury.
Craniosynostosis Syndromes: Conditions like craniosynostosis, where skull sutures fuse too early, can sometimes be associated with a persistent or improperly formed skull area, which may affect its structural integrity.
Cleidocranial Dysplasia: A rare genetic condition that impacts bone and dental development and can result in delayed or incomplete closure of the fontanelles.

Head Trauma and Injury

Blunt force trauma to the head, even if seemingly minor, can cause lasting changes. More severe injuries can cause immediate and serious harm.

Depressed Skull Fracture: A direct impact can cause a depressed skull fracture, where a piece of the skull is pushed inward. This can feel like a dent or soft spot and is a catastrophic injury requiring immediate medical attention.
Scalp Hematoma: A less severe blow can cause a collection of blood to form under the scalp, often colloquially called a “goose egg.” While this is usually a bump, in some cases, it may resolve in a way that leaves a softer, fluid-filled area.
Meningeal Tear: Severe head trauma can tear the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, causing cerebrospinal fluid to leak. This can create a hole or soft spot and is a serious complication.

Other Systemic Diseases

Some diseases that affect bone density or structure can manifest as a soft spot on the head.

Paget's Disease: This condition causes excessive bone turnover and can affect the skull, leading to irregularities or softer areas.
Osteodystrophy: Often associated with kidney disease or osteoporosis, this can cause thinning of the skull bones, potentially creating soft spots.
Gorham-Stout Syndrome: Also known as “vanishing bone disease,” this extremely rare condition causes progressive bone destruction.
Lupus: As an autoimmune disorder, lupus can cause bone inflammation (osteomyelitis) or bone death (avascular osteonecrosis) in the skull.

Localized Scalp Conditions

Sometimes, the issue isn't with the skull bone but with the tissue layers of the scalp itself.

Lipedematous Scalp: This is a rare condition characterized by a soft, spongy, or doughy consistency of the scalp due to thickening of the subcutaneous fat layer. It may or may not be associated with hair loss.
Cysts and Lipomas: Benign, non-cancerous lumps like pilar cysts or lipomas can feel soft and are located just beneath the skin. Cysts contain keratin, while lipomas are fatty growths.

When to Seek Medical Attention

Any new, painful, or changing soft spot on the head should be evaluated by a healthcare professional. You should seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of the following symptoms accompanying a soft spot, as they may indicate a more serious neurological issue:

Severe or persistent headaches
Dizziness or confusion
Visual disturbances
Changes in cognitive function or memory
Loss of consciousness
Nausea or vomiting
Balance or walking difficulties

Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosing the cause of a soft spot involves a thorough physical exam by a doctor. Based on this, imaging tests may be ordered to get a better look at the underlying structures. These can include:

X-rays: To visualize the skull bone structure.
CT Scan: Provides detailed cross-sectional images of the skull and brain.
MRI: Offers high-resolution images of soft tissues, including the brain.

The appropriate treatment depends entirely on the underlying cause. For some, like a stable congenital variation, no treatment may be necessary, and monitoring may be sufficient. For others, such as fractures or tumors, more aggressive intervention may be required, including surgery or targeted therapies.

Taking Next Steps

If you have noticed a soft spot on your head, it's vital to remain calm but proactive. Do not manipulate or press on the area. Gather information about when you first noticed it, if it has changed, and any associated symptoms. A consultation with a healthcare provider is the best course of action to ensure an accurate diagnosis and rule out any serious conditions.


Feature	Soft Spot in Infants (Fontanelle)	Soft Spot in Adults (Abnormal)
Timing	Present at birth	Develops in adulthood or is a persistent congenital issue
Cause	Unfused skull bones, normal development	Trauma, systemic disease, congenital defect, tumor, localized scalp condition
Significance	Normal and essential for growth	Requires medical evaluation, potentially serious
Protection	Covered by fibrous membrane, robust	Area is vulnerable, may have reduced protective capacity
Associated Symptoms	Typically none, unless signs of dehydration or pressure	Pain, swelling, headaches, neurological symptoms

It is important to understand the significant difference between a normal developmental stage in an infant and a potential medical red flag in an adult. For more information on cranial structures, consult a reputable medical encyclopedia like that provided by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which offers extensive resources on the human body's anatomy and physiology.

Conclusion

A soft spot on an adult's head is an abnormal finding that warrants attention. While some cases may be benign, others can indicate serious conditions ranging from trauma to rare bone diseases. The key is not to panic, but to take the symptom seriously by seeking professional medical advice. Early diagnosis is crucial for identifying the root cause and determining the best course of action, ensuring your continued health and peace of mind.

Frequently Asked Questions

Not always, but they are a cause for concern and should be medically evaluated. While some people may have a harmless congenital variation, a soft spot can also signal a serious condition like a head injury, bone disease, or tumor.

Yes, head trauma can cause a soft spot, often due to a depressed skull fracture or a hematoma (a collection of blood) under the scalp. Seeking immediate medical attention after a head injury is critical.

A fontanelle is a soft spot where the skull bones of an infant have not yet fused. They are vital for allowing the skull to compress during birth and the brain to expand rapidly during early development.

A lipoma is a benign, soft, fatty growth that develops under the skin and can be found anywhere on the body, including the head. It is a possible, and often harmless, cause of a soft feeling area on the scalp.

A doctor will typically begin with a physical exam and medical history. If necessary, they may order imaging tests such as an X-ray, CT scan, or MRI to get a clearer picture of the skull's bone structure and underlying tissue.

You should seek immediate emergency medical attention if a soft spot is new, grows rapidly, is associated with a head injury, or is accompanied by symptoms such as severe headache, confusion, vision problems, vomiting, or loss of consciousness.

In some cases, a severe deficiency in certain vitamins, such as Vitamin D, can weaken bone density over time and potentially contribute to conditions that affect the skull, though this is a less common cause than trauma or congenital defects.