This disease is a chronic, inflammatory and recurrent process that mainly affects the scalp area.
It is generally accepted that scalp psoriasis is only the initial stage of the onset of psoriasis, which leads to the development of more severe forms throughout the body.
Characteristics of manifestations and course of the disease
A disease such as psoriasis of the scalp manifests itself in the appearance of a dense "cap" on the scalp, which is then accompanied by severe itching and flaking.
There is another variant of manifestations when small single plaques form.
The 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 at all.
The scales that form in psoriasis contain a large amount of sebum, so they are easily distinguished by touch, which can not be said about the skin during seborrheic dermatitis.
The most vulnerable areas of the scalp with psoriasis include:
- The area around the ears, the earlobes.
- Partition area.
- Frontal, occipital and cervical region.
Psoriasis of the scalp is common, characterized by frequent recurrences, and is chronic.
This dermatological disease always has a chronic degree because it is impossible to completely cure.
It is the psoriatic disease on the scalp that is considered the most common.
Causes of disease development
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.
- Reduce the level of protection of the body.
- Diseases of the liver and biliary tract.
- Alcohol abuse and smoking.
- Being in a state of constant stress, lack of sleep.
- Improper nutrition.
But these are far from all the reasons why this disease can appear.
Some reasons are very rare, so try not to mention them.
Most often, this disease is registered in people who have reached the age of 40-42 years and above. If people under the age of 20 suffer, then this is usually accompanied by a weakened immune system, or hormonal disruption. Therefore, after prescribing a vitamin course and restructuring a person with a focus on an active healthy lifestyle, the irritations go away.
It is noticed that after each well-designed course of treatment, the skin is gradually cleansed, no marks remain and the inflamed papules 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 accompanied by severe itching. .
The primary stage of the disease has almost no pronounced symptoms, often patients do not know they are overcome by dermatological pathology. The patient has no complaints, external examination shows no specific symptoms.
Also, some patients notice that the initial stage is very similar to dandruff, therefore, 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, affecting the hair root system and causing hair loss.
A disease such as psoriasis of the head 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 phase. It is characterized by a relative calm, during which new inflammatory elements cease to form, but the existing symptoms do not disappear.
- Regression phase. At this stage, the main symptoms of psoriasis subside. Typical psoriatic outbreaks are replaced by foci of pigmentation.
Characteristics of treatment
A process such as the treatment of scalp psoriasis should be considered as a whole complex 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 involves prescribing the following groups of drugs that can effectively treat psoriasis:
- Soothing.
- Multivitamin tablets.
- Hyposensitizing drugs.
- Drugs with cytostatic effect.
- Corticosteroid medications.
- Antihistamines.
- Immunomodulatory agents.
- Drugs for nonspecific 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 must be used with extreme caution, otherwise they can cause a significant worsening of the disease.
Antibacterial drugs can be used only if pathogenic microflora is attached.
Topical therapy for scalp psoriasis involves the use of the following agents:
- Ointments with keratoplastic action: ichthyol ointment, naphthalene ointment, salicylic ointment, sulfur-tar ointment.
- Glucocorticoid ointment. Such an oil is used only in severe cases of the course of the disease.
- Folk remedies for local use.
Shampoo is 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 scalp psoriasis, these have proven themselves:
- Tar shampoo.
- Shampoo with zinc.
- Shampoo containing ketoconazole.
Physiotherapy is another effective medicine for treating psoriasis.
The following physiotherapeutic agents are used to treat scalp psoriasis:
- UV radiation of the skin.
- Hydrotherapy.
- Plasmapheresis method.
- Hemisorbimi.
- Laser radiation.
- Clay coverings and applications.
- Heliotherapy.
- Washing in hydrogen sulfide sources and healing baths.
A typical technique is stress relief and psychological stress. To do this, the patient is prescribed sedatives to relieve a high level of nervousness. Saturation of the patient's body with vitamins is one of the most important details in the 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 within its range. This important detail helps reduce the load on the patient's gastrointestinal tract as well as other systems of his internal organs.
As an additional method, folk remedies are used.
Methods of traditional medicine
Can scalp psoriasis be cured using traditional methods? It is impossible to answer this question unequivocally.
We can only say that as an independent method of treatment, popular methods are ineffective, only as an adjunct to the main one. Let's examine in detail the most effective alternative methods that can treat scalp psoriasis.
Method number 1. It is necessary to prepare the celandine juice by first passing the celandine grass in 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 head.
Method number 2. To lubricate the scalp, you can also use an alcoholic solution 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 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 chamomile infusion.
Method number 3. As an excellent tool for general detoxification of the body, you can use the "Monastery Tea", which cleanses the body of toxins, cleanses the liver and helps to get rid of all manifestations of psoriasis. During the treatment period, this tea can be drunk instead of regular black or green tea.
Method number 4. It is possible to treat the skin manifestations of scalp psoriasis using popular methods using the fruits and stems of rose hips.
To do this, it is necessary to burn the stems and fruits in the state of ash, after which this agent should be rubbed into the affected areas. For better absorption, pharmacy Vaseline can be added to the ash.
It is recommended to remove traces of oil on the skin and hair from folk remedies with a vinegar solution. It is usually made in a proportion of 50x50 pieces. There are many treatment options, but it is always important to choose the right one. For this, it is best to seek expert advice.
Prophylaxis
To prevent recurrence of scalp psoriasis, you should adhere to the following rules:
- Follow the rules of personal hygiene, take proper care of hair and scalp.
- Refuse alcohol and tobacco.
- Limit stressful situations as much as possible.
- Observe the way you 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 just another manifestation of such a serious disease.
From the point of view of financial costs, the treatment described can be called budgetary, while the stereotype "the more expensive, the better" is unacceptable. There is nothing in the world more valuable than your health and the health of your loved ones. And remember that it is better to prevent disease than to cure it later.
Be healthy!