Psoriasis Shampoo and Scalp Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a widespread condition of the skin that is non-contagious. What it does is trigger the accelerated growth of skin cells, which ultimately result in red, scaly patches of thickened skin. When the skin cells start to accumulate on top of each other, that’s when the skin starts to flake. Psoriasis can affect any part of the body, however, it seems to be more commonly found on the skin of the knees, elbows, ears and scalp. Although people with scalp psoriasis may not be so bothered since the hair may be able to cover it, in worse cases, symptoms can show slightly past the hairline. Also, the dryness and flakes can get so bad they start to fall off the scalp and cause a lot of embarrassment. For these reasons, many look for a special type of psoriasis shampoo. Psoriasis shampoos and other similar products do exist everywhere simply because many people (millions) suffer from psoriasis.

Psoriasis is known to be a long-term, or chronic skin disease. This means it can affect a person for several years to an entire lifetime. It may be so mild that it is barely noticeable, and the next day it could cause sudden flare-ups. Psoriasis can actually go into remission and never come back, or lay “dormant” for a while and come back at certain times, with certain conditions, or with no clear explanation. This is why some patients need to use a psoriasis shampoo for maintenance and control over psoriasis rather than as a one-time treatment.

Best Psoriasis Shampoo

The thing about finding the best psoriasis shampoo is that there is no “best” psoriasis shampoo. The risk factors of psoriasis include environmental factors, genetic predisposition and a malfunctioning immune system. One person may carry one of these risk factors, and the next may carry another risk factor. Thus, it takes some trial and error before you can find the most suitable psoriasis shampoo for you.

Most people with psoriasis obtain some relief from either a medicated or over-the-counter psoriasis shampoo. However, about one third of those with moderate to severe psoriasis are much better off with prescription treatments such as corticosteroids. Those who have just been diagnosed with psoriasis are usually advised by their doctors to start with over-the-counter products like medicated shampoos. The better ones contain ingredients such as salicylic acid (reduces scaling), coal tar (slows the reproduction of skin cells), pyrithione zinc and selenium sulfide. Some recent ingredients include anti-fungal components such as bifonazole and fluconazole.

So what’s in a psoriasis shampoo? This is a very important question to ask. It might be simpler to just avoid ingredients that are useless and will only worsen your psoriasis. It’s not a good idea to buy a shampoo that contains foam-enhancers and perfumes, because they are potentially irritating. Consider pH levels as well—skin usually has a pH of about 5, shampoos about 8 and conditioners about 4 (the lower the number, the more acidic). So as you might have guessed, it’s a good idea to either use shampoo and conditioner equally or avoid conditioning too often. Moreover, avoid styling products and using a blow dryer, or use them infrequently. You need to provide your skin with enough moisture and blow-drying for instance will only further dry your skin.