Best Treatments For Scalp Psoriasis

Scalp psoriasis is a skin disorder that causes red patches, called plaques, to form on the scalp. These plaques are often itchy and irritated, and they cause embarrassing flaking. In mild cases, the flaking can be mistaken for dandruff. However, flaking caused by scalp psoriasis is a silvery white color, and not the yellowish flake caused by general dandruff.

Severe cases of scalp psoriasis can spread not only to large areas of the scalp, but also to the forehead, neck, and behind the ears. Scratching of the plaques can cause infection, which forms an ugly crust over the plaques. The infection can start from bacteria under the nails or bacteria getting into open skin that has been tore from the scratching.

Scalp psoriasis is thought to be an autoimmune disorder where the body attacks patches of scalp skin cells. The increase of white blood cells in the patches causes new skin cells to build up too quickly, resulting in visibly raised patches. The immune system reaction also causes redness and irritation of the plaques. Scalp psoriasis is not contagious, but there is some evidence that heredity could be a cause in determining who gets the disorder. There are several treatments available to treat the symptoms of scalp psoriasis, although there is no cure for it.

The first step in treating scalp psoriasis is removal of the plaques so that medication can be applied. The plaques must be gently removed to prevent increased irritation or infection. You should also be gentle because it is easy to damage the hair follicles, which can lead to hair loss. You should first soften the plaques using oil, such as jojoba oil, or a lotion. When the plaques are soft, they are easier to gently comb out or scrape off. You can also use a specially formulated shampoo to gently wash out the loosened plaques. After shampooing, apply an oil, cream, or lotion to keep the scalp moist.

There are several medications that can be used for treating scalp psoriasis and its symptoms, and sometimes they may be used in a combination as a particular medication may lose its effectiveness after being used for a while. Some of the most commonly used topical medications are corticosteroids. These are steroid creams, lotions, ointments, and foams that reduce inflammation of plaques and help reduce the buildup of skin cells. As corticosteroids tend to have diminished results after a period of use, they are sometimes rotated with vitamin D creams or ointments called analogues. Vitamin D analogues also help to reduce the buildup of skin cells.

Another commonly used medication is a retinoid cream or ointment. Retinoid is derived from vitamin A, and the cream or ointment is applied to plaques once daily. Products containing coal tar are other commonly used treatments for scalp psoriasis. Coal tar is available as a topical treatment, and it also comes in a shampoo form. The topical form is applied daily to the plaques, and the shampoo is used daily as well, and is gently massaged into the scalp to help reduce inflammation and remove the plaques.