This disease is a chronic, inflammatory and recurrent process that mainly affects the scalp.
It is generally accepted that scalp psoriasis is only the initial stage of the onset of psoriasis, leading to the development of more severe forms throughout the body.
Characteristics of the manifestations and course of the disease
Disease such as scalp psoriasis is manifested by the appearance of a thick "cap" in the scalp, which is subsequently accompanied by severe itching and flaking.
There is another variant of manifestations, when single small plaques are formed.
The symptoms of psoriasis differ from seborrheic dermatitis, the complete absence of disorders of the structure of the hair roots.
With scalp psoriasis, there are no symptoms of hair loss at all.
The scales that form in psoriasis contain a large amount of sebum, so they are easily identifiable by touch, which cannot be said of peeling during seborrheic dermatitis.
The most vulnerable areas of the head with psoriasis include:
- The area around the ears, the earlobes.
- Separation area.
- Frontal, occipital and cervical area.
Scalp psoriasis is common, characterized by frequent recurrences and is chronic.
This dermatological disease is always chronic, as it is impossible to fully recover.
It is psoriatic scalp disease that is considered to be the most common.
The reasons for the development of the disease
The main reason for this condition is hereditary predisposition.
If close relatives of a person have this disease, then the probability of hereditary transmission is at least 70%.
Secondary causes of psoriasis include:
- Hormonal imbalance.
- Reducing the 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.
- Improper nutrition.
But these are not all the reasons why this disease can occur.
Some reasons are too rare, so try not to mention them.
Most often this disease is registered in persons who have reached the age of 40-42 years and older. If people under the age of 20 suffer, it is usually associated with a weakened immune system or hormonal disorders. Therefore, after prescribing a course of vitamins and restructuring a person with a focus on an active healthy lifestyle, the irritation disappears.
It is noticed that after each well-developed course of treatment the skin is gradually cleared, no scars remain, and the papules with inflammation do not 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 accompanied by severe itching.
The primary stage of the disease has almost no symptoms, often patients do not know that they are affected by dermatological pathology. The patient has no complaints, the external examination does not show specific symptoms.
Also, some patients note that the initial stage is very similar to dandruff, which is why long courses of shampoo treatment are possible to eliminate the wrong pathology.
If the process is neglected, then it can spread deep into the skin, affect the root system of the hair and cause hair loss.
Disease such as scalp psoriasis has its own stages of course, which include:
- Stage of progression. New symptoms of inflammation appear. This process takes place in the direction from the center to the periphery.
- Stationary stage. It is characterized by relative calm, during which new inflammatory elements cease to form, but the existing symptoms do not disappear.
- Regression stage. At this stage, the main symptoms of psoriasis disappear. Typical psoriatic eruptions are replaced by foci of pigmentation.
Characteristics of treatment
A process such as treating scalp psoriasis should be considered as a whole set of measures. This set of measures can be roughly divided into:
- General therapy.
- Local therapy.
- Physiotherapeutic treatment.
- Spa treatment.
- Traditional methods.
General or drug therapy involves the administration of the following groups of drugs that can effectively treat psoriasis:
- Soothing.
- Multivitamin tablets.
- Hyposensitizing drugs.
- Drugs with cytostatic effect.
- Corticosteroid drugs.
- Antihistamines.
- Immunomodulatory agents.
- Drugs for non-specific drug therapy (ATP).
It is important to remember that the use of drugs with cytostatic effect and corticosteroids is possible only if the disease is severe. They should be used with extreme caution, otherwise they can cause significant exacerbation of the disease.
Antibacterial drugs can be used only if pathogenic microflora is attached.
Topical therapy for psoriasis of the scalp involves the use of the following means:
- Ointments with keratoplastic action: ichthyol ointment, naphthalene ointment, salicylic ointment, sulfur-tar ointment.
- Glucocorticoid ointments. Such an ointment is used only in severe cases during the course of the disease.
- Folk remedies for local application.
Shampoos are used as another effective treatment. The only caveat is that this tool will only be effective in combination with other methods.
The following have been shown to be effective in the treatment of scalp psoriasis:
- Tar shampoo.
- Zinc shampoo.
- Shampoo containing ketoconazole.
Physiotherapy is another effective topical treatment for psoriasis.
The following physiotherapeutic agents are used to treat psoriasis of the head:
- UV irradiation of the skin.
- Hydrotherapy.
- Plasmapheresis method.
- Hemisorption.
- Laser radiation.
- Mud covers and applications.
- Heliotherapy.
- Bathing in hydrogen sulfide springs and healing baths.
A typical technique is to relieve stress and psychological stress. To do this, the patient is prescribed sedatives to relieve high levels of nervous irritability. Saturating the patient's body with vitamins is one of the most important details in treatment.
When determining which diet is best for a patient, attention is always paid to the compatibility of food and medication, as well as the food itself in its range. This important detail helps to reduce the load on the patient's gastrointestinal tract and other internal organs.
Folk remedies are used as additional methods.
Methods of traditional medicine
Can scalp psoriasis be cured by traditional methods? It is impossible to answer this question unequivocally.
We can only say that as an independent method of treatment, folk methods are ineffective only in addition to the basic. Let's look in detail at the most effective alternative methods that can treat scalp psoriasis.
Method number 1. It is necessary to prepare 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 can be applied in the form of lotions on the affected areas of the scalp.
Method number 2. To lubricate the scalp you can also use an alcoholic tincture of celandine. To prepare it, you need to pour half a cup of dried herbs with 0, 5 liters of 70% medical alcohol (you can use vodka).
This drug should be insisted for 7 days, after which it can be used to wipe the affected areas. Also, after applying the tincture, you can rinse your hair with a strong infusion of chamomile.
Method number 3. As an excellent means of general detoxification of the body, you can use "Monastery Tea", which cleanses the body of toxins, cleanses the liver and helps get rid of 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 cutaneous manifestations of psoriasis of the scalp, using folk methods using the fruits and stems of rose hips.
To do this, it is necessary to burn the stems and fruits to ash, after which this agent should be rubbed into the affected areas. Vaseline can also be added to the ash for better absorption.
It is recommended to remove oily marks on the skin and hair from folk remedies with vinegar solution. It is usually made in a proportion of 50x50 parts. There are many treatment options, but it is always important to choose the right one. It is best to seek expert advice.
Prevention
To prevent the recurrence of psoriasis on the scalp, you must adhere to the following rules:
- Follow the rules of personal hygiene, properly care for hair and scalp.
- Quit alcohol and smoking.
- Limit stressful situations as much as possible.
- Observe the regime of work and rest.
- Follow a special diet.
- Take multivitamins every six months.
- You need to dye your hair only with hypoallergenic dye or not 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 a disease in itself, but simply another manifestation of such a serious disease.
From the point of view of financial costs, the described treatment can be called budget, while the stereotype "the more expensive, the better" is unacceptable. There is nothing more valuable in the world than your own health and the health of your loved ones. remember that it is better to prevent the disease than to cure it later.
Be healthy!