Q: I’ve been diagnosed with scalp psoriasis, what treatments can I use?
A: It is very common for psoriasis to occur on the scalp and can be prone to quite a thick build-up of scaly skin, which may cause dandruff-like flakes to fall.
It can be very uncomfortable to live with and can make the scalp feel itchy and tight.
In severe cases, the thickness of the scale can cause thinning of the hair, but usually this is temporary and goes back to normal with effective treatment of the psoriasis.
The good news is that it is treatable and there are lots of things that can help from moisturisers to prescribed treatments.
Moisturisers make the skin much more comfortable – they decrease the dryness, scaling, cracking and soreness, and itching.
Good moisturisers that can help include coconut oil and olive oil. As the dryness improves and the scale decreases this will allow more active treatments which have been prescribed to work more effectively.
Treatments that can be prescribed include coal tar, salicylic acid, steroid creams and ointments and Vitamin D based treatments.
It is important to get the method of applying scalp treatment right – the treatment needs to be on the scalp rather than on the hair. It might be best to part the hair in sections and apply the treatment on the exposed areas of scalp.
You may need someone to help you to reach the top and back of your head properly. Do follow the instructions that come with the product or the advice of your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Steroids you apply to your skin are one of the first treatment options for people whose psoriasis covers 5% or less of their body or is currently flaring.
They are easy to apply and can have positive results in a short period of time. However, steroid treatments should not be used for too long a period of time, as they can cause side effects such as skin thinning, and can cause psoriasis to become ‘unstable’ (prone to flaring).
Vitamin D treatments act by slowing down the production of skin cells and having an anti-inflammatory effect. This leads to an improvement in psoriasis symptoms for some people. Vitamin D treatments are only available on prescription.
You should continue to brush or comb your hair gently and regularly. It may take time for you to find the right treatment for you, so give treatments a chance to work: weeks, rather than days. For more information on psoriasis, visit https://www.psoriasis-association.org.uk/.
In severe cases, the thickness of the scale can cause thinning of the hair, but usually this is temporary and goes back to normal with effective treatment of the psoriasis.
The good news is that it is treatable and there are lots of things that can help from moisturisers to prescribed treatments.
Moisturisers make the skin much more comfortable – they decrease the dryness, scaling, cracking and soreness, and itching.
Good moisturisers that can help include coconut oil and olive oil. As the dryness improves and the scale decreases this will allow more active treatments which have been prescribed to work more effectively.
Treatments that can be prescribed include coal tar, salicylic acid, steroid creams and ointments and Vitamin D based treatments.
It is important to get the method of applying scalp treatment right – the treatment needs to be on the scalp rather than on the hair. It might be best to part the hair in sections and apply the treatment on the exposed areas of scalp.
You may need someone to help you to reach the top and back of your head properly. Do follow the instructions that come with the product or the advice of your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Steroids you apply to your skin are one of the first treatment options for people whose psoriasis covers 5% or less of their body or is currently flaring.
They are easy to apply and can have positive results in a short period of time. However, steroid treatments should not be used for too long a period of time, as they can cause side effects such as skin thinning, and can cause psoriasis to become ‘unstable’ (prone to flaring).
Vitamin D treatments act by slowing down the production of skin cells and having an anti-inflammatory effect. This leads to an improvement in psoriasis symptoms for some people. Vitamin D treatments are only available on prescription.
You should continue to brush or comb your hair gently and regularly. It may take time for you to find the right treatment for you, so give treatments a chance to work: weeks, rather than days. For more information on psoriasis, visit https://www.psoriasis-association.org.uk/.
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