This disease is a chronic, inflammatory and recurrent process that predominantly affects the scalp area.
It is generally accepted that scalp psoriasis is only the initial stage of psoriasis onset, which involves the development of more severe forms throughout the body.
Characteristics of the manifestations and course of the disease.
A disease such as psoriasis of the scalp manifests itself as a dense "cap" on the scalp, which is subsequently accompanied by severe itching and scaling.
There is another variant of manifestations when single small plaques are formed.
Symptoms of psoriasis differ from seborrheic dermatitis, the complete absence of violations of the structure of the hair roots.
With scalp psoriasis, there are no symptoms of hair loss.
The scales that form in psoriasis contain a large amount of sebum, so they are easily identifiable by touch, which cannot be said about the peeling during seborrheic dermatitis.
The most vulnerable areas of the head with psoriasis include:
- The area around the ears, earlobes.
- Farewell area.
- Frontal, occipital and cervical region.
Scalp psoriasis is common, characterized by frequent relapses, and is chronic.
This dermatological disease always has a chronic degree, because it is impossible to recover completely.
It is psoriatic disease of the scalp that is considered the most common.
The reasons for the development of the disease
The main cause of this condition is hereditary predisposition.
If a person's close relatives have this disease, then the probability of its hereditary transmission is at least 70%.
Secondary causes of psoriasis include:
- Hormonal imbalance
- Decreased level of the body's defenses.
- Diseases of the liver and bile ducts.
- Alcohol abuse and smoking.
- Being in a state of constant stress, lack of sleep.
- Inadequate nutrition.
But these are far from all the reasons why this ailment can occur.
Some reasons are too rare, so they try not to mention them.
Most often, this disease is registered in people who have reached the age of 40 to 42 years or more. If people under the age of 20 suffer, this is usually associated with a weakened immune system or hormonal disturbances. Therefore, after prescribing a course of vitamins and restructuring a person with a focus on an active and healthy lifestyle, the irritations disappear.
It is observed that after well-designed treatment, the skin gradually clears up, no scars remain, and the inflamed papules no longer return.
The main symptoms
In any of the areas described above, psoriasis of the scalp develops, it will always be accompanied by the appearance of single or multiple foci of inflammation, which will be complemented by the appearance of characteristic dense scales, and will be accompanied by intense itching.
The primary stage of the disease has almost no pronounced symptoms, often patients do not know that they are overcome by a dermatological pathology. The patient has no complaints, the external examination shows no specific symptoms.
Also, some patients note that the initial stage is very similar to dandruff, therefore a long treatment with shampoos is possible to eliminate the erroneous pathology.
If the process is neglected, it can spread deep into the skin, affecting the hair's root system and causing hair loss.
A disease such as psoriasis of the scalp has its own course stages, including:
- Stage of progression. New symptoms of inflammation appear. This process takes place in the direction of the center to the periphery.
- Stationary stage. It is characterized by relative calm, during which new inflammatory elements cease to form, but existing symptoms do not disappear.
- Regression stage. At this stage, the main symptoms of psoriasis disappear. The typical psoriatic eruptions are replaced by foci of pigmentation.
Treatment characteristics
A process such as the treatment of psoriasis of the scalp should be considered as a set of measures. This set of measures can be roughly divided into:
- General therapy.
- Local therapy.
- Physiotherapy treatment.
- Spa treatment.
- Traditional methods.
General or drug therapy includes the appointment of the following groups of drugs that can effectively treat psoriasis:
- Sedatives
- Multivitamin tablets.
- Hyposensitizing drugs.
- Drugs with cytostatic effect.
- Corticosteroid medications.
- Antihistamines.
- Immunomodulating agents.
- Drugs for nonspecific pharmacotherapy (ATP).
It is important to remember that the use of drugs with a cytostatic effect and corticosteroids is possible only if the disease is severe. They should be used with extreme caution, otherwise they can cause a significant exacerbation of the disease.
Antibacterial drugs can only be used if a pathogenic microflora is attached.
Local therapy for psoriasis of the scalp involves the use of the following agents:
- Ointments with keratoplastic action: ichthyol ointment, naphthalene ointment, salicylic ointment, sulfur tar ointment.
- Glucocorticoid ointments. Such an ointment is used only in severe cases of the course of the disease.
- Folk remedies for topical use.
Shampoos are used as another effective treatment. The only caveat is that this tool will only be effective in combination with other methods.
As an effective remedy for treating psoriasis of the scalp, the following have been tried:
- Tar shampoo.
- Zinc shampoo.
- Shampoo containing ketoconazole.
Physical therapy is another effective topical remedy for treating psoriasis.
For the treatment of psoriasis of the head, the following physiotherapeutic agents are used:
- UV irradiation of the skin.
- Hydrotherapy.
- Plasmapheresis method.
- Hemisorption.
- Laser irradiation.
- Mud wraps and applications.
- Heliotherapy.
- Bathing in hydrogen sulfide springs and healing baths.
A typical technique is stress relief and psychological stress relief. To do this, the patient is prescribed sedatives to relieve a high level of nervous irritability. The saturation of the patient's body with vitamins is one of the most important details of the treatment.
When determining which diet is best for a patient, attention is always paid to the compatibility of foods and medications, as well as the foods themselves within their range. This important detail helps reduce the load on the patient's gastrointestinal tract, as well as their other internal organ systems.
As additional methods, folk remedies are used.
Traditional medicine methods
Can scalp psoriasis be cured with traditional methods? It is impossible to answer this question unambiguously.
We can only say that, as an independent method of treatment, folk methods are ineffective, only as an addition to the main one. Let us consider in detail the most effective alternative methods that can treat scalp psoriasis.
Method number 1. You need to prepare the celandine juice by first passing the celandine herb through a meat grinder and then squeezing it. This product can be supplemented by adding 40 ml of dry red wine, and then it can be applied in the form of lotions to the affected areas of the scalp.
Method number 2. To lubricate the scalp, you can also use an alcoholic tincture of celandine herb. To prepare it, you need to pour half a glass of dried herbs with 0. 5 liters of 70% medical alcohol (you can use vodka).
This remedy should be insisted on for 7 days, after which it can be used to cleanse the affected areas. Also, after applying the dye, you can rinse your hair with a strong infusion of chamomile.
Method number 3. As an excellent tool for general detoxification of the body, you can use "Monastery tea", which cleanses the body of toxins, cleanses the liver and helps to eliminate all manifestations of psoriasis. During the treatment period, this tea can be drunk instead of the usual black or green tea.
Method number 4. It is possible to treat the skin manifestations of psoriasis of the scalp using folk methods using rose hip fruits and stems.
To do this, it is necessary to burn the stems and fruits to the state of ash, after which this agent should be rubbed into the affected areas. For better absorption, pharmacy petroleum jelly can be added to the ash.
It is recommended to remove traces of oil on the skin and hair from home remedies with a vinegar solution. It is usually made in a ratio of 50x50 parts. There are many treatment options, but choosing the right one is always important. To do this, it is best to seek the advice of experts.
Prophylaxis
To prevent the recurrence of psoriasis of the scalp, you must adhere to the following rules:
- Observe the rules of personal hygiene, take proper care of your hair and scalp.
- Refuse the consumption of alcohol and tobacco.
- Limit stressful situations as much as possible.
- Observe the mode of work and rest.
- Follow a special diet.
- Take multivitamin preparations every six months.
- It is necessary to dye your hair only with hypoallergenic dye, or not to dye it at all.
- Treat all existing diseases in a timely manner.
- For the general strengthening of the body, it is necessary to use folk methods.
From all the above, we can conclude that scalp psoriasis is not an independent disease, but one more manifestation of such a serious disease.
From the point of view of economic costs, the described treatment can be called budgetary, while the stereotype "the more expensive the better" is unacceptable. There is nothing in the world more valuable than your own health and the health of your loved ones. And remember that it is better to prevent the disease than to cure it later.
Be healthy!