Scalp psoriasis is the most common form of the disease. It does not threaten health, but spoils the appearance of the patient and becomes the cause of psychological complexes. The treatment of psoriasis of the scalp begins with the discovery of the causes of the disease and their elimination.
Psoriasis is treated in a complex, with medications, physical therapy, and spa treatment. Therapy with folk remedies is effectively supplemented.
Drug therapy
Medical treatment includes general and local therapy. Treat psoriasis at home.
General treatment is performed:
- sedatives (infusion of motherwort and valerian);
- antihistamines;
- hyposensitizing agents;
- antibiotics
- immunomodulators;
- nonspecific immunotherapy drugs (aloe, ATP);
- aromatic retinoids;
- glucocorticosteroids;
- cytostatics;
- biological medicines;
- calcified autologous blood;
- hemodesis solution (given as a drip);
- diuretics;
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- tranquilizers
- pyrogenic therapy;
- antidepressants;
- psychotropic medicines;
- fortifying agents (vitamin complexes).
Diuretics can cure the exudative form of diathesis, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can treat psoriatic arthritis. With a long process, pyrotherapy can be prescribed.
Antihistamines and sedatives can help relieve itching and anxiety on the scalp. In severe cases, tranquilizers are prescribed.
Corticosteroids and cytostatics treat the disease if it is severe and its symptoms are too pronounced. But you need to be very careful when using medications, as they can aggravate the course of psoriasis. Antibiotics are only prescribed if psoriasis is complicated by a scalp infection.
Psychotropic drugs cannot cure psoriasis, but they eliminate anxiety, relieve depression, increase resistance to stress, normalize sleep, and reduce itching. Vitamin complexes will help improve metabolism.
Unfortunately, psoriasis cannot be completely cured. But it is possible to significantly improve the patient's condition, slow down inflammatory processes and transfer the disease to the stage of remission.
Local treatment
Of the local drugs for the treatment of psoriasis of the head are used:
- keratolytic ointments (salicylic, sulfuric, sulfur-salicylic, mercury-salicylic, naphthalonic, sulfur-tar, tar, ichthyol, resorcinol);
- glucocorticoid ointments;
- lotions containing vitamin D3;
- dithranol lotions;
- shampoos
- tar soap.
The composition of ointments for the treatment of psoriasis includes tar, zinc, naphthalene, valicill. UV irradiation will help increase its effectiveness.
Non-hormonal ointments are used to treat the initial stages of psoriasis. Glucocorticoid ointments treat the disease only if it is severe, if other medications do not work. These drugs are very effective. They are able to quickly eliminate the inflammatory process. But hormonal ointments reduce the skin's immunity, and once they are canceled, the rashes reappear.
Shampoos by themselves are not capable of fighting psoriasis. But as part of complex therapy, they have an effective effect: they reduce inflammation, relieve itching.
You can treat psoriasis at home with 3 types of shampoos:
- tar;
- containing ketoconazole;
- for children.
Medicated shampoos contain tar, sulfur, zinc pyrithione, and salicylic acid. Sulfur inhibits inflammation and salicylic acid restores the stratum corneum of the epidermis. Thanks to zinc pyrithione, medicinal substances remain on the scalp even after shampooing. It is recommended to treat with shampoos twice a week for 2-3 months. It is advisable to apply the shampoo on the hair 2 times and keep it for 5 minutes.
Physiotherapy
The use of physiotherapeutic procedures provides an excellent result in the treatment of psoriasis on the head:
- hydrotherapy;
- hirudotherapy;
- cryotherapy;
- acupuncture;
- herbal medicine;
- Ultraviolet radiation;
- erbium laser irradiation;
- PUVA therapy;
- hemosorption;
- plasmapheresis;
- paraffin applications;
- vacuum therapy;
- acupressure.
spa treatment
The treatment of psoriasis of the scalp is carried out in sanatoriums.
Patients are prescribed:
- climatotherapy;
- hydrogen sulfide, sulfite, and radon baths;
- mud therapy;
- heliotherapy;
- thermal waters.
Treatment of psoriasis with traditional medicine.
Alternative methods provide an effective result in the treatment of psoriasis on the head, if used as an adjunct to drug treatment. Lotions with celandine, aloe and celery, lightening of the hair with broths of burdock, amaranth, thread, chamomile, thuja, white willow, juniper berries, blackberry leaves, celery roots, tinctures of Japanese sophora, seeds of barley or celery, sea buckthorn and viburnum, as well as birch tar and grease scalp treatment.
But before you start treating psoriasis with home remedies, you should consult with your doctor.
Oil compress
Treating psoriasis of the scalp with home remedies generally involves the use of oil compresses. Add equal amounts of peanuts and olive oil. The mixture is heated and the affected parts of the scalp are rubbed with massaging movements. Insulate with a shower cap. Leave until morning. Remove with apple cider vinegar, listerine or glycotimoline (dissolve 60 milliliters of the product in 500 milliliters of water).
Onion compress
Most often, scalp psoriasis is treated with home remedies using onions. Chop the onion with a fine grater and apply it to damp hair, rubbing it into the scalp. Isolate with a plastic bag. After 15-20 minutes, the head is washed with tar soap. During the onion treatment, you will have to stop using shampoo.
Celandine in the fight against psoriasis.
Celandine will help cure psoriasis at home.
To prepare the infusion, dry celandine herb (60 grams) is poured with medical alcohol (500 milliliters) and allowed to infuse for several hours. Then the areas of the scalp affected by psoriasis are gently lubricated.
The infusion is very effective but can irritate the scalp. If unpleasant sensations arise, the head is washed and rinsed with chamomile infusion.
Sunflower basket tincture
For the treatment of psoriasis with folk remedies, sunflower baskets are often used. The baskets (2 pieces) are finely cut, poured with white wine (100 milliliters) and left for 2 days. The juice is then squeezed out and used as a compress.
The tincture is recommended for use in the presence of infectious lesions of the scalp. It is capable of inhibiting the multiplication of bacteria.
Homemade ointments
The solid oil ointment will be more effective in treating the disease if herbs are added to it. It is combined with tincture of eleutherococcus, celandine or western thuja in a ratio of 5: 1.
Homemade ointments are not inferior in effectiveness to store-bought ones. They will help you to quickly beat psoriasis on the scalp.
There are several recipes for making ointments using folk methods:
- Solid oil or petroleum jelly (300 grams) is mixed with egg whites (2 pieces), lime honey (20 grams) and crushed celandine grass (20 grams).
- Rosehip branches dry out and burn. Ash is mixed with petroleum jelly in equal proportions. In a week, the psoriasis plaques will disappear from the skin.
- A raw egg is placed in a 200 gram jar and poured with vinegar essence. The jar is closed with a lid and left for a day. Then the egg with the shell is completely ground and mixed with unsalted pork fat (20 grams). The ointment is used to treat the affected areas of the scalp, avoiding healthy areas (burns will appear on them under the influence of the ointment). After an hour, the remnants of the ointment are wiped off with a cloth, and the plates are smeared with baby cream. After several treatments, the psoriasis plaques will peel off the skin.
- Eucalyptus oil (30 grams), freshly squeezed Kalanchoe juice (10 milliliters) and honey (10 grams) are mixed.
- The blue clay is diluted with water to a thick sour cream and combined with sea salt. It is used to lubricate the affected skin.
- Pharmacy birch tar (50 grams) is thoroughly mixed with crushed ascorutin tablets (50 pieces).
Homemade shampoo
Honey (20 grams) is mixed with egg white and baby shampoo. Apply to the affected hair area for 15 minutes.
Fees for internal use
Decoctions and infusions for internal use, prepared at home, effectively help in the treatment of psoriasis of the scalp:
- Elderberry flowers (20 grams) are brewed with boiling water (450 milliliters) and infused for 1. 5 hours. Drink 120 milliliters one hour after eating.
- Hellenium and calamus roots, black elderberry flowers, lingonberry leaves, horsetail, St. John's wort, and celandine are combined in equal amounts. The resulting mixture (10 grams) is poured with boiling water (250 milliliters). Consume 120 milliliters.
Home remedies effectively treat psoriasis.
Diet for psoriasis
Diet is also important for the treatment of psoriasis of the scalp.
To successfully cure psoriasis, you need to give up fried, smoked, hot and spicy foods, seasonings, preservation, limit the consumption of sugar, carbohydrates and fats. At the same time, it is necessary to increase the content of vegetable and dairy products in the diet.
Flaxseed oil (20 milliliters), fish oil (12 milliliters) or vitamin A (the dose must be indicated by the doctor) will help to cure the disease.