The Symptoms And Treatment For Scalp Psoriasis

Introducing The Skin Condition Called Psoriasis

Making raised, reddish, often scaly patches is scalp psoriasis, a common skin disorder. Affecting your entire scalp, it can pop up as a single patch or several. Thereby it is found to be spreading to your forehead, the back of your neck, or behind and inside your ears. 

From another person, you can’t catch scalp psoriasis. We don’t know what causes it as with other types. Causing skin cells to grow too quickly and build up into patches, doctors believe it comes from something wrong with your immune system. If it runs in your family, you may be more likely to get scalp psoriasis. 

Having it on their scalp is about half of the estimated 7.5 million Americans with psoriasis that affects any skin surface. It is uncommon as sometimes the scalp is the only place they have it. 

Being mild and almost unnoticeable is scalp psoriasis. Causing thick-crusted sores, it can also be severe lasting a long time. Scratching a lot can lead to skin infections and hair loss whereas intense itching can affect your sleep and everyday life. 

Symptoms

Including only slight fine scaling are symptoms of mild scalp psoriasis.

Here we have included symptoms of moderate to severe scalp psoriasis. 

Scaly, red, bumpy patches

Silvery-white scales

Dandruff-like flaking

Dry scalp

Itching

Burning or soreness

Hair loss

It is found that when they scratch a lot or very hard, also picking at the scaly spots, the harsh treatments, as well as stress that goes along with the condition can thereby lead to temporary hair loss whereas scalp psoriasis itself doesn’t cause hair loss. After your skin clears, fortunately, your hair usually grows back. 

See your doctor or dermatologist if you have any of these symptoms. To rule out similar conditions like seborrheic dermatitis they may simply take a look or do a skin biopsy. 

Topical Treatments

That which you use directly on your skin, the first line of defence is the following treatment you use: those medicated shampoos, creams, gels, lotions, foams as well as oils, ointments, and soaps. Stronger ones require a prescription as you can get some of these products over the counter. 

Two medications approved by the FDA for psoriasis are often contained in over-the-counter products:

Salicylic acid

Coal tar

As well as the other FDA approved medications listed below, prescription products for scalp psoriasis may have higher concentrations of either or both of these. 

an older prescription medication called Anthralin,

coming with scalp psoriasis, antimicrobials that treat bacterial or yeast infections. 

A strong derivative or different form of vitamin D, calcipotriene

A vitamin D derivative combined with a strong steroid like calcipotriene and betamethasone dipropionate.

Other topical steroids

Tazarotene, a derivative of vitamin A

Not just your hair, but to work, these treatments must be put on your scalp. Which can take 8 weeks or more, follow the directions exactly until your skin heals. You can help keep it from coming back by shampooing regularly or twice-weekly with a product that has coal tar or other medications once your psoriasis has cleared. 

Office Treatments

Your doctor or dermatologist may consider injecting steroids directly into those areas if you have mild scalp psoriasis on a few areas. 

Phototherapy with a laser or non-laser light source may help if your symptoms don’t respond to topical treatments. Therefore with an excimer laser that focuses the high-intensity light on those affected areas also avoids the surrounding healthy skin for example. Used to treat the entire scalp is ultraviolet light sometimes delivered with a hand-held device called a UV comb. Your doctor may recommend that you go out in natural sunlight for brief periods if you have very thin hair or a shaved head. 

Medications for Severe Scalp Psoriasis

Your doctor may prescribe a drug you take by mouth or one that’s injected or pumped through a needle into a vein if you have moderate to severe scalp psoriasis. Including the following are oral medications; 

Corticosteroids

cyclosporine (Sandimmune)

methotrexate (Rheumatrex)

a derivative called (Soriatane) which is a strong form of vitamin A

a small molecule inhibitor taken twice daily is apremilast (Otezla), 

They require a doctor’s close eye since these medications can cause serious side effects including liver damage. Different from and more powerful than vitamin supplements bought over the counter, it is also important to know that oral vitamin derivatives are. Not helping are ordinary vitamin A and D supplements. 

Called biologics are the latest class of FDA-approved medications.

Keeping your skin from making too many cells are these drugs which you get by injection or IV. 11 biologics may work according to the

American Academy of Dermatology: 

adalimumab (Humira)

brodalumab (Siliq)

certolizumab peg (Cimzia)

etanercept (Enbrel)

guselkumab (Tremfya)

infliximab (Remicade)

ixekizumab (Talz)

risankizumab-rzaa (Skyrizi)

secukinumab (Cosentyx)

tildrakizumab-asmn (Ilumya)

ustekinumab (Stelara)

Living With Scalp Psoriasis

Many treatments can help symptoms, control flare-ups, and prevent it from coming back as there is no cure. Rarely having to endure severe scalp psoriasis for long are people who follow their treatment plan. 

To help medical treatments work better and ease the stress and sadness that this common condition causes is psoriasis support groups also offering valuable tips.