Scalp psoriasis is a common skin disorder that makes raised, reddish, often scaly patches. It can pop up as a single patch or several, and can even affect your entire scalp. It can also spread to your forehead, the back of your neck, or behind your ears. Scalp psoriasis symptoms may include only slight, fine scaling. Moderate to severe scalp psoriasis symptoms may include dandruff-like flaking, dry scalp, and hair loss.
Scalp Psoriasis Causes
The exact cause of scalp psoriasis is unknown. Researchers believe it’s a combination of genetic and immune system factors. For example, infections, injury to the skin, stress and taking certain medicines can trigger a flare-up in people who are genetically predisposed to psoriasis.
Scalp Psoriasis Treatment
The goal of treatment is to stop the skin cells from growing so quickly. Most treatments for scalp psoriasis try to slow down cell turnover in the skin and reduce inflammation. Some treatments for scalp psoriasis include:
Scalp psoriasis is a common skin disorder that makes raised, reddish, often scaly patches. It can pop up as a single patch or several, and can even affect your entire scalp. It can also spread to your forehead, the back of your neck, or behind and inside your ears.
Scalp psoriasis may look like severe dandruff with dry flakes and red areas of skin. It can be itchy or sore. The condition isn’t contagious or life-threatening. But it can be embarrassing and sometimes tricky to treat. You should see your doctor if you think you might have it.
Treatment options include medicated shampoos, creams, gels, oils, ointments, and soaps; light therapy; and oral medications, such as retinoids, methotrexate (Rheumatrex), cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), biologics, and other immunomodulators. Because the scalp has many oil glands that produce sebum–an oily substance–scalp psoriasis can be hard to treat.
A variety of medicines are available to help control inflammation and scale buildup on the scalp:
* Anthralin (Dritho
Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition that causes patches of itchy, inflamed, red, and scaly skin to develop. Many people experience psoriasis on the scalp. Scalp psoriasis can be painful, cause itching, and even lead to hair loss. In this article, we provide an overview of scalp psoriasis, including what it looks like and how it can be treated.
What does scalp psoriasis look like?
Scalp psoriasis can cause thickened plaques of skin with silvery scales to develop on the scalp. The affected area may have large or small patches of redness and inflammation. These patches are usually painful and itchy.
Psoriasis can also affect the forehead, back of the neck, and around the ears. The area behind the ears is often referred to as a psoriatic triangle.
Several factors may contribute to the development of scalp psoriasis, such as:
Inherited genes: Psoriasis is often inherited, meaning that the condition can be passed on from parents to their children.
Stress: Emotional stress can cause psoriasis to appear for the first time or worsen existing symptoms.
Smoking: Smokers have a higher risk of developing severe psoriasis compared with non-smokers.
Alcohol: Consuming alcohol can also trigger or worsen scalp psoriasis.
Psoriasis is a very common, non-contagious skin condition which can occur at any age but is more commonly first seen in adults between the ages of 15 and 35 years. It can affect any part of the body, but most commonly affects the elbows, knees and scalp.
The exact cause of psoriasis is unknown, but it is known to be an immune system problem. Psoriasis occurs when new skin cells (which are made deep in the skin) rise too rapidly to the surface of the skin where they pile up. Normally, this process takes about one month. In people with psoriasis, however, this process may take only a few days. The extra skin cells form thick scales and red patches that are itchy and sometimes painful.
It is important to understand that there is no cure for psoriasis; however, there are many effective treatments available to control or clear psoriasis outbreaks. Treatments will vary depending on the severity of your condition and your level of discomfort. Some people may have a mild form of disease which only needs to be treated intermittently while others may need regular treatment over a period of years.
One treatment option has been shown to be as effective as corticosteroids: Coal tar.
Psoriasis is a condition that causes areas of red, flaky, crusty skin covered with silvery scales. It usually affects the scalp but may also affect the ears and face.
Psoriasis is not contagious. The cause is unknown, although there are many theories and it is believed to be an autoimmune condition.
There is no cure for psoriasis. However, there are some treatments that can help reduce the symptoms and prevent it from getting worse.
Treatments include:
Topical treatments – these are creams, lotions or ointments that are applied to the affected area of skin. These are usually sufficient for mild scalp psoriasis but may not be effective for more severe cases
Ultraviolet light therapy – this involves using ultraviolet (UV) light either alone or in combination with topical treatments to slow down the production of skin cells and reduce inflammation
Systemic treatments – these involve taking medicines orally or by injection which can help to reduce inflammation throughout the body
Immunosuppressive agents – these medications suppress the immune system and can help to treat more severe cases of psoriasis where other treatments have been ineffective
Living with psoriasis can be a challenge. You may feel self-conscious about how your skin looks. You may worry that people judge you. And you may be frustrated by treatments that don’t seem to work or have side effects that make you feel even worse.
But it’s important to remember that there are many effective ways to treat psoriasis, and many of them don’t have the side effects common to some prescription drugs. One of the best places to start is by making changes in your everyday habits, adopting what doctors call “lifestyle” changes. These simple steps may not provide a cure, but they can help you better manage your psoriasis and improve the quality of your life.
Get more exercise
Exercise is good for both your body and mind: It can help ease stress and anxiety, which are known triggers of psoriasis flare-ups, and it also helps protect against obesity, which is linked to an increased risk of developing psoriasis.
Exercise doesn’t mean you need to join a gym or start training for marathons. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise (or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity). Thirty