With scalp psoriasis, red lesions on the scalp appear when skin cells grow too fast. About half of the people with psoriasis have scalp psoriasis. In addition to the scalp, scalp psoriasis can also affect the neck, forehead, and the area around the ears. There are a variety of psoriasis scalp treatments that can be used, including tar products, topical steroids, and natural treatments.
Tar products are good as a mild psoriasis scalp treatment. For scalp psoriasis, tar products are usually in the form of shampoo. You can get them by prescription or over-the-counter. Tar shampoo needs to stay on the scalp for a few minutes before it is rinsed away to be effective. Unfortunately, the strong and unpleasant odor of tar shampoo means it is not the perfect solution. It also has the tendency to stain pillow cases. These, however, may be minor annoyances compared to steroid's side effects.
Your doctor may prescribe steroids for your psoriasis scalp treatment. These come in many forms such as gels, creams, foams, sprays, ointments, and lotions. Steroids can vary in strength and not all will be suitable for long term use so speak to your doctor about how you should use the steroid and any potential side effects.
Caution must be taken when applying any topical steroids to your scalp so you won't get any in your ears or eyes. The steroids your doctor suggests may be specifically for scalp psoriasis and can be water or alcohol based.
Natural treatments at home can be used to relieve symptoms of scalp psoriasis. One useful psoriasis scalp treatment is to massage your head with warmed olive oil.
You might also want to try photo-therapy, which exposes artificial ultraviolet light to the skin. Hair can hinder a photo-therapy session. If you do have a full head of hair, consider using many parts so that the light may get to the skin more easily. You can also choose to use a UV comb.
Although scalp psoriasis is a serious problem for many people, a combination of psoriasis scalp treatments, including tar products, topical steroids, and natural remedies can help control the lesions, scaling, and itchiness. Work closely with your doctor to find the combination that works best for you.
Tar products are good as a mild psoriasis scalp treatment. For scalp psoriasis, tar products are usually in the form of shampoo. You can get them by prescription or over-the-counter. Tar shampoo needs to stay on the scalp for a few minutes before it is rinsed away to be effective. Unfortunately, the strong and unpleasant odor of tar shampoo means it is not the perfect solution. It also has the tendency to stain pillow cases. These, however, may be minor annoyances compared to steroid's side effects.
Your doctor may prescribe steroids for your psoriasis scalp treatment. These come in many forms such as gels, creams, foams, sprays, ointments, and lotions. Steroids can vary in strength and not all will be suitable for long term use so speak to your doctor about how you should use the steroid and any potential side effects.
Caution must be taken when applying any topical steroids to your scalp so you won't get any in your ears or eyes. The steroids your doctor suggests may be specifically for scalp psoriasis and can be water or alcohol based.
Natural treatments at home can be used to relieve symptoms of scalp psoriasis. One useful psoriasis scalp treatment is to massage your head with warmed olive oil.
You might also want to try photo-therapy, which exposes artificial ultraviolet light to the skin. Hair can hinder a photo-therapy session. If you do have a full head of hair, consider using many parts so that the light may get to the skin more easily. You can also choose to use a UV comb.
Although scalp psoriasis is a serious problem for many people, a combination of psoriasis scalp treatments, including tar products, topical steroids, and natural remedies can help control the lesions, scaling, and itchiness. Work closely with your doctor to find the combination that works best for you.
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