Psoriasis on the hairline and on the scalp

Psoriasis isn’t something that affects only feet and hands-Red, scaly and bumpy skin plaques can appear almost anywhere on the body and even in the scalp. Fortunately the problem here is almost unnoticeable if you have thick hair, but it still needs treatment to keep it under control.

One of the most common ways to treat your scalp Psoriasis is by using a specialized shampoo designed to decrease the painful scaly plagues on your skin surface. These type of shampoos most probably contain:

  • Tar or salicylic acid which are chemicals derived from natural sources that help exfoliate the skin and make it heal faster.
  • Some essential oils or carrier oils like Rosemary, Tea tree oil and Jojoba can also be mixed with your regular shampoo for milder skin conditions.
  • Menthol is also a common ingredient in these type of shampoos because it helps reduce scalp itching.

It is important to choose a mild shampoo that doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals or sulfates that strip the hair from its natural oils hair because you may cause more problems in the long run. Shampoos are most commonly available in liquid form but we have found that soap bars containing any of these ingredients are also found in the market and work just as good to keep scalp psoriasis under control. Unfortunately most of these kinds of shampoos are only designed for scalp use and not for your hair so in order to keep your hair healthy also, you can use a moisturizing or repairing treatment weekly on your hair tips.

However, in most severe cases Shampoo will probably have little to no effect at treating the skin and some more drastic improvements are suggested. Dermatologists often treat the problem with topical steroid injections although these are not totally safe and are used only in severe cases that fail to respond in other types of treatments. Some psoriasis symptoms are also accompanied with Fungal infections and irritation of lymph nodes so your doctor will most probably prescribe an anti-fungal or cortisone to treat these problems individually.

If you are in a doubt on how severe your case is or how to treat your symptoms you should definitely consult your doctor and avoid making experiments on your own. Your doctor will be able to diagnose the condition properly and discuss the right treatment options for your individual symptoms.