Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the epidermis. Pathology is not infectious because it is not caused by infectious causes, but by autoimmune diseases. The disease is characterized by excessive division of skin cells, leading to the formation of dense plaques. Inflammation can affect any part of the body. Scalp psoriasis is a fairly common form of the disease. The limitation of the rash on the head lies in the complexity of the treatment. This type of psoriasis is often the cause of complex development and dissatisfaction with oneself visible to others. The components of the rash look unsightly and require prompt treatment.
Causes of disease development
The development of scalp psoriasis has the same cause as body skin lesions. Factors that promote the appearance of plaques on the skin may be:
- pressure;
- Seborrhea
- Exposed to the sun for a long time;
- Allergic reactions;
- Damage the skin;
- decrease in immunity.
Stress aggravates many diseases, including psoriasis.
Regardless of the cause of the first occurrence of the disease, psoriasis is always accompanied by excessive division of epidermal cells, which indicates the appearance of components of the rash. This is due to the body's autoimmune response causing immune attacks on skin cells.
The disease is characterized by an ups and downs process, aggravation and remission period. Because the deterioration of psoriasis is directly related to the patient's psychological and emotional state, doctors often refer to pathology as psychosomatic disease.
Stress, lack of sleep, tiredness, lack of vitamins in the body will provoke an extraordinary deterioration of the condition, and new components of the rash will appear.
Although the rash is repellent, psoriasis is not contagious at all because it is the result of an internal disease, not an infection or virus.
Although doctors have not yet determined the exact cause of the development of the disease, most people tend to think that psoriasis is the result of systemic diseases caused by hormonal imbalance, nervous system instability, and metabolic processes. , Malnutrition and cold climate.
Symptoms of psoriasis
Psoriasis on the head begins with the appearance of dense nodules that are invisible to the outside. Over time, the nodules merge with each other and form islands. The skin surrounding the rash component clusters is swollen and inflamed, and dry, crusty and scaly areas may appear.
Over time, the nodules become dense and flat, and their surface begins to peel off, forming large scales, whose shape and structure resemble dandruff.
Scalp psoriasis is most common in the temples, behind the ears, neck and hairline. Usually, flaking and plaques form during the separation process.
This disease can manifest at any age. The first episode of psoriasis usually occurs before puberty and before the age of 20 or over the age of 35.
Scalp psoriasis is classified according to the severity of symptoms. The mild form of the disease is characterized by the formation of isolated foci of inflammation and moderate desquamation. This form of rash is not noticeable and responds well to medication.
For severe psoriasis on the head, photos can be used to assess the severity of the symptoms. The entire head, hair growth area and the back of the neck are all features. The composition of the rash is large and the scales are very large and visible to the naked eye.
Scalp psoriasis can affect the scalp and the surrounding skin at the same time.
Timely diagnosis plays an important role in scalp psoriasis. An experienced dermatologist will make a diagnosis during an external examination of the patient. The difficulty is that many patients do not see a doctor, do not know what psoriasis looks like on the scalp, and mistake it for dandruff. It is important to remember that first-stage psoriasis responds well to treatment, but lack of timely treatment will inevitably lead to the progression of the disease and damage to more and more skin areas.
If you find the first symptoms of scalp damage, you should consult a doctor, because if psoriasis is diagnosed, it should be treated comprehensively and promptly.
Stage of disease
Regardless of the location of the rash, psoriasis of the scalp and psoriasis always progresses in multiple stages. The first stage is the deterioration of the disease. During this period, new papules appear on the skin and the epidermal cells divide excessively. The papules merged into large lesions and then turned into plaques, which began to peel off again. The duration of the exacerbation depends on many factors and may last for several months. During this period, the components of the rash will cover the scalp, the epidermis around the ears and neck, and may fall to the back. Scalp psoriasis is usually accompanied by focal lesions of the skin of the body.
The second stage of the disease is static. During this period, the progression of the disease stops, the number of rashes does not change, and the disease stops spreading to healthy areas of the skin. During the fixation phase, nothing actually happened-the size of the plaque did not increase, but it did not decrease either. The peeling remains the same, and the epidermis looks thick and inflamed. This stage may also take several months.
The next stage is to alleviate the disease. During this period, the inflammatory process subsides, and as the division of epidermal cells stops, peeling stops. The plaque gradually softens, decreases in size, and then disappears completely. With proper skin care, after recovering from the disease, no traces will even be left. However, in most cases, areas with impaired pigmentation will be formed in the plaque.
Then comes relief, during which the skin looks absolutely healthy. The duration of remission depends on the patient’s lifestyle and general health. It will not last forever, because psoriasis will not go away, it will only go away temporarily. Due to stress, climate change, or a decline in immunity, the next exacerbation may occur within months or years. As the next time the condition gets worse, psoriasis will start from several stages, starting from the appearance of new papules, with the ultimate goal of reducing the size of the plaques and completely restoring the skin.
In the mild form, psoriasis is easily confused with dandruff.
Disease diagnosis
Head psoriasis rashes can occur in both adults and children, because psoriasis in children is not uncommon. It is important to detect the onset of the pathological process in time and go to a dermatologist.
The scraping method is used to diagnose diseases. The affected epidermis has many specific signs of local damage that are only characteristic of psoriasis.
When scratching, the scales will fall off with the dandruff without causing pain, itching or discomfort. Due to prolonged exposure and cleansing of the plaques on the keratinized particles, a skin film was found under the scales. It is inflamed, faintly pink, and shiny like a stearin stain. If the membrane is damaged, tiny drops of blood will appear on the surface of the plaque, indicating damage to the capillaries that are too close under the skin.
This reaction of the epidermis is called the "triad of psoriasis", which is a unique symptom of the disease and can be accurately diagnosed without laboratory tests.
Treatment principles
The dermatologist will consult in detail how to treat psoriasis of the head. The fact is that everyone’s disease manifests itself in its own way, so there is no universally applicable treatment plan that is suitable for all patients without exception.
The goal of psoriasis treatment is to stop the progression of the disease, improve the appearance of the skin and achieve lasting relief. As the practice of doctors has shown, the correct choice of treatment can make you forget this disease for several years.
A comprehensive treatment of psoriasis was practiced, including:
- Use hormonal ointment to relieve inflammation;
- Use non-hormonal drugs to relieve symptoms;
- Physiotherapy to promote skin recovery;
- Diet changes and spa procedures.
The basis of treatment consists of topical drugs, which can be used for inflammatory foci. In some cases, the treatment can be supplemented by taking pills used to treat psoriasis, with preference for immune stimulating drugs and vitamin drugs.
It is impossible to cure psoriasis, but it is possible to get rid of it for a long time
Conservative treatment
Traditionally, dermatologists prescribe two types of skin treatments-non-hormonal ointments and glucocorticoid preparations.
Glucocorticoid ointment is used for short-term treatment during the exacerbation stage. They help stop inflammation and reduce the rate of disease progression, allowing you to quickly stop the disease from getting worse. However, these drugs are not safe. They penetrate into the blood of the whole body and exert a systemic effect on the body, leading to the destruction of the functions of the liver, kidneys and adrenal glands. Hormone ointment can only be chosen by a dermatologist. Today, many doctors no longer use glucocorticoids to treat psoriasis, but instead notice their short-term effects.
The main methods of fighting diseases are physical therapy, non-hormonal ointments and lifestyle changes.
Non-hormonal drugs are divided into several categories:
- Naftalan and sterol preparations;
- Tar ointment;
- Sulfur-containing preparations;
- Zinc-based cream.
Such ointments have keratolytic properties, that is, they help exfoliate the keratinized particles of the epidermis. All ointments do not have a systemic effect on the body and have a fat base, so they can quickly soften plaques.
For patients with oily scalp, an ointment based on birch wood and coal tar is recommended. These funds can stop the inflammatory process and enhance local immunity, thereby preventing further cell division in the affected area.
Ointment with naphthalene and solid oil is used for very dry patches with a large amount of separable scale. Their main goal is to prevent the pathological process from spreading to healthy skin. They effectively soften the affected area and improve the overall appearance of the epidermis, while providing an anti-inflammatory effect.
Zinc-containing preparations can exfoliate skin and prevent secondary infections. They act quickly and delicately, and can be used for any form of scalp psoriasis. Sulfur tar ointment, sulfur and zinc ointment-these drugs are suitable for most patients, and quickly have obvious therapeutic effects.
The advantage of non-hormonal drugs lies in their natural ingredients, without contraindications and side effects. Such drugs can even be used to treat children because they have no systemic effect on the body.
The benefits of natural ointments are harmless
The course of treatment takes an average of 20 days, and the ointment is used up to 3 times a day. The disadvantage of using ointment to treat the scalp is that the appearance of the hair is untidy, because all medicines are oily and can quickly dye the hair. An alternative method is a special medicinal shampoo, but, as practice shows, the best treatment effect can be obtained by using shampoo and ointment at the same time.
Ordinary Therapy
When treating psoriasis on the head at home, general intensive treatment plays an important role. The dermatologist said that the psoriasis ointment on the head is not enough and measures need to be taken to strengthen the whole body.
Comprehensive treatments include:
- sedative
- Antidepressants and tranquilizers;
- Immunostimulant
- Vitamins
- tonic;
- Cytostatics
- Retinoids;
- Antihistamines.
Since the aggravation of psoriasis is always accompanied by stress and destruction of the nervous system, sedatives and tranquilizers play an important role. The purpose of this treatment is to minimize the damaging effects of stress, improve sleep, restore the normal function of the nervous system, and normalize mood. Sedatives include drugs, alcohol tinctures of valerian, peony, and motherwort. Medications are available without a prescription. These are mild medications that can help normalize sleep and relieve stress. For depression, neurosis and other mental illnesses that occur in the context of psoriasis, you should consult a neurologist for the appointment of effective drugs (such as sedatives and antidepressants).
In addition, vitamins (groups A, C, E, and B) are prescribed. Their goal is to normalize nervous system activity, anti-oxidant, accelerate skin regeneration and normalize immunity. The antioxidant-containing preparations in the composition help remove toxins from the body, restore skin regeneration and protect cells from negative effects.
Vitamins are essential for treatment.
Immune stimulants must be used, but only under the guidance of a doctor. Self-management of such drugs can have a negative impact on health and aggravate the course of the disease.
Cytostatic agents and retinoids prevent excessive division of epidermal cells from the inside. Due to many contraindications and side effects, dermatologists prescribed such drugs after a thorough examination.
Psoriasis shampoo
Despite the fact that the first-line treatment consists of psoriasis ointment on the head, a special shampoo must still be used. They can treat psoriasis on the scalp and clean the epidermis without excessive drying.
You can use hypoallergenic baby shampoo for scalp cleansing.
Shampoo can be used up to 3 times a week. The course of treatment is 30-40 days, depending on the form of the disease. Shampoo is applied to wet hair, lathers and rinses off immediately-this is necessary to clean the accumulated skin dandruff on the scalp. Then the product is reapplied, lathered with a massage motion and left for five minutes, then the medicine must be washed off. Therefore, shampoos have both cleansing skin and therapeutic effects.
Between the use of medicinal shampoos, you need to wash your hair frequently. Because of the oily ointment, the hair looks untidy. For daily shampoos for psoriasis, it is recommended to use baby shampoo and ingredients from chamomile, calendula, and sage. From the first day of birth, priority should be given to products prepared for children, because the ingredients of this type of shampoo are the most natural and safest.
Physiotherapy for psoriasis
Physical therapy helps to increase the effectiveness of medications. For scalp psoriasis, darsonvalization and PUVA treatment are considered the most effective and safest methods.
The first method is based on exposure to low-frequency currents. The process is performed using special equipment with comb-shaped electrodes. Within 10 minutes, simply comb your hair with the accompanying preparations. This effect improves metabolism and accelerates skin regeneration. Usually, the treatment process includes 25 procedures.
One of the most popular treatments for psoriasis is PUVA treatment. This is a type of ultraviolet radiation. The result is improved skin nutrition, increased local immunity and stimulated regeneration. The duration of treatment also includes 20-25 procedures.
Folk remedies
Traditional medicine knows how to get rid of psoriasis on the head as quickly as possible, but dermatologists warn that this therapy can only be used in addition to medication and physical therapy.
Folk remedies will supplement traditional remedies, but will not replace traditional remedies.
Traditional treatments for scalp psoriasis are mouthwashes and masks based on natural ingredients. The following are the most effective recipes.
- Sea buckthorn oil with egg yolk can improve the metabolic process and accelerate recovery. This remedy can only be used during the plaque healing stage, as sea buckthorn oil will greatly speed up the process. Another unique feature of the oil is that it prevents pigmentation in the diseased area of the skin. To prepare the mask, heat the oil slightly to the right temperature, mix it with an egg yolk and a spoonful of honey, and apply it on the scalp for 40 minutes.
- Another effective and safe remedy is to use a blue or green clay mask. Clay is rich in valuable trace elements and macro elements, which can improve the metabolic process, fill skin cells with useful substances and accelerate recovery. To prepare the mask, pour the clay with warm water, mix and apply it on the skin under the plastic cover for half an hour.
- Put 4 tablespoons of fresh celandine in a meat grinder and squeeze it through cheesecloth. Mix the resulting juice with half a glass of red wine and apply it to the plaque with a cotton swab for 15 minutes, then rinse with water. Fresh onion juice can be used in the same way.
- Pour 150 ml of medical alcohol into two tablespoons of dried celandine flowers, pour it into a glass container with a lid, and leave it for 10 days. The medicine is then used to treat the plaque. After applying the product, it should be washed off after 10 minutes. If celandine tin is overexposed, it may burn the skin.
This folk remedy for psoriasis on the head will help speed up recovery. Simultaneous use of medicines, folk remedies and tonic therapies have shown good results.
Lifestyle and prognosis
For psoriasis, you should reconsider your lifestyle and change your diet. The consumption of allergic foods must be reduced, and fast food, smoked and high-fat foods must be abandoned. It is important to avoid stress and normalize sleep and work schedules. For psoriasis, hydrotherapy and climate change treatments are recommended. Mud baths and mineral salts help improve skin conditions.
The prognosis depends on the form of the disease and the method of treatment. It is impossible to get rid of psoriasis completely, but the right choice of treatment can give you long-term relief.
The preventive measures are to strengthen the nervous system and immunity, fight stress and live a healthy lifestyle in time.