Skin diseases not only have a negative effect on human health, but also not in the best way affect their self-esteem and psychological state. Psoriasis on the head also refers to similar diseases. According to statistics, this ailment develops in one out of a hundred people and can affect both the entire scalp and spread to other parts of the body.

Symptoms of psoriasis on the head

Even 200-300 years ago, doctors did not understand the differences between psoriasis, scabies, leprosy and other dermatoses. Such patients were considered completely contagious, allowing them to live only in isolation from the rest of society.

Now the symptoms of psoriasis are known to every qualified dermatologist:

  • peeling of the scalp, similar to dandruff;
  • intolerable itching;
  • severe inflammatory process;
  • the appearance of plaques with translucent contents of a reddish or purple hue;
  • the appearance of skin lesions as a result of combing - cracks, wounds, abrasions;
  • thickening and roughening of the skin.

Plaques have one bad property: over time, they grow, forming vast painful areas. Such large formations are very itchy, and it is very difficult for the patient to resist combing. If the upper layer is damaged, the skin begins to bleed.

Often there is hair loss. However, this is not due to the disease, but because of the intensive combing of the affected areas against stress.As soon as the skin is cleansed, the hair begins to grow back.

Stages of the development of the disease

A disease (also called scaly lichen) can occur in different ways. Sometimes the course of psoriasis is quite mild, so it can be considered a minor cosmetic defect. But in many cases, the disease causes a person many unpleasant sensations and interferes with a full life.

It must be remembered that the disease is not contagious.

There are three forms of the disease:

  1. Easy. Manifestations are very weak, skin lesions are insignificant, rashes are punctate. The patient does not feel any discomfort.
  2. Moderate. Plaques spread to a significant part of the head, the patient complains of itching and peeling.
  3. Heavy. Affected areas come together to form large spots. The itching becomes unbearable, when combing, bleeding occurs. Hair begins to fall out.

Pathology proceeds in waves that pass through such stages every time:

  1. Progression. New rashes intensively appear on the skin integument. Over time, they merge with each other. Strong peeling is noted. This phase is observed at the onset of the disease and at each relapse.
  2. Preservation. The pathological process is still ongoing, but a new rash does not appear. Plaque growth slows down, inflammation subsides.
  3. Regression. The volume of rashes decreases, peeling disappears. Around the affected skin, skin folds form.

It is important for the doctor and his patient to achieve a long period of remission.

Diagnostic Methods

Most patients are embarrassed by their pathology and do not rush to see a doctor, hoping that over time the problem will go away by itself. But it is better at the very first manifestations to consult a specialist and begin treatment. This will help prevent the transition of the disease to a severe stage.

An experienced doctor can immediately make an accurate diagnosis during a physical examination and medical history.

Often used diagnostics called "psoriatic triad":

  • after combing, the surface of the papules becomes whitish, and the stearic scales begin to separate;
  • the skin after removal of the scales looks red and shiny;
  • scraping of the affected areas is necessarily accompanied by point bleeding.

In rare cases, the picture of the disease is confused, so the patient needs to have a blood test and a biopsy. This will help to accurately differentiate the disease, since eczema and seborrheic dermatitis have similar manifestations.

Head psoriasis treatment

There is still no reliable method of treatment, so getting rid of the disease once and for all will not work. However, modern methods can significantly improve the quality of life and prolong remission. But psoriasis on the head should be treated comprehensively, following all the doctor’s prescriptions and dieting.

Drug treatment

The patient should be prepared for the fact that the medications prescribed by the dermatologist may be ineffective. It is quite difficult to choose the optimal treatment, since a drug that is effective for one person can be completely powerless in helping another.

The standard treatment regimen looks like this:

  1. Taking special medications. This helps to combat the cause of the disease. Drugs can suppress immunity, slow down metabolism, for example, Methotrexate, Cyclosporin. These funds have many side effects and contraindications, therefore, without the supervision of a doctor, you should not take them.
  2. The use of hormonal drugs. These funds help to quickly remove the inflammatory process and relieve itching. They do not have a harmful effect on the body, but they must be used correctly. Excessive use of hormonal drugs adversely affects the condition of the skin: it becomes very fragile, thin and susceptible to various negative influences from the outside. Therefore, it is impossible to use these drugs for longer than 5 days.The most common are Vipsogal, Soderm, Belosalik.
  3. Physiotherapy. Sessions of ultraviolet radiation in most cases help alleviate the condition of patients. Plasma exchange, hydrotherapy, and laser irradiation are also used.
  4. The use of non-hormonal ointments and creams. To improve the condition of the skin are also used products based on zinc, tar, salicylic acid - Skin-cap, Friderm tar. These substances have strong moisturizing, healing and anti-inflammatory effects, which helps to remove itching, inflammation, peeling, and slow down the rate of plaque formation.
  5. The use of therapeutic shampoos for psoriasis. Tar, baby and means with ketoconazole have proven themselves well.

Also, often patients turn to cosmetics that do not have a medicinal effect, but still help soften the skin and remove irritation. However, it is difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of their use against the background of drug therapy.

Folk remedies

Psoriasis of the scalp is often treated with folk remedies:

  • Celandine. Preparing such a mask at home is easy. You need to take 300 g of freshly picked raw materials, pass it through a meat grinder and squeeze the juice. Add 30 ml of dry red wine and mix. Apply to the scalp for a quarter of an hour, rinse.
  • Honey with egg white. Take 1 tbsp. l honey, add protein and some baby shampoo. Apply to the affected area for 15 minutes, rinse thoroughly.
  • Rosehip. Dry the cut stems, burn and collect the ash. Mix the raw materials with petroleum jelly in the same ratio. Use as an ointment for psoriasis. Ash strongly pollutes the hair, so every day after the procedure, you need to wash your hair with tar soap. Effective method: after a week of use, the first results are visible.

Well and decoctions of medicinal plants. One of the most popular remedies is black elderberry. 1 tbsp. l flowers are poured 2 tbsp. boiling water and insist 90 minutes Infusion is used an hour after eating 100 ml.

Diet for Psoriasis

The patient must exclude from the diet such products:

  • sweets;
  • fried and spicy dishes;
  • marinades and preservation;
  • fatty meats;
  • high fat dairy products;
  • spices and seasonings.

The main emphasis should be placed on low-fat foods and steamed dishes or by cooking. The drinking regimen is also important: at least 2 liters of clean water should be drunk per day.

Possible complications and predictions

With timely treatment, the patient can significantly improve the quality of his life and achieve long-term regression, therefore, in this case, the prognosis is favorable.

If the disease is not treated, then the consequences can be very deplorable:

  • psoriatic arthritis - deep damage to the joints, leading to disability;
  • serious metabolic disorders;
  • psoriatic glomerulonephritis - damage to the glomeruli of the kidneys;
  • psoriatic hepatitis - liver problems.

It is very difficult to eliminate the consequences of deep damage to internal organs.

Hair Care and Prevention

With this disease, hair requires special care:

  1. Every day, handle hygiene items in contact with the scalp with disinfectants.
  2. Use combs with soft natural bristles.
  3. Wash your hair only with medical shampoos.
  4. Gently and carefully comb your hair, trying not to touch the plaques.
  5. Exclude the use of hair dryers, curlers, curling irons.
  6. Give preference to a short haircut. The constant use of ointments and creams strongly pollutes the head, which is why it needs to be washed every day, and with long hair it is problematic.

In order to prevent relapse and delay its appearance, the patient must follow all the rules of personal hygiene, abandon bad habits, take vitamins, and follow a diet. Be sure to establish a regimen of sleep, rest and work, avoiding stressful situations.

Unfortunately, while there is no fundamental scientific research that could accurately establish the root causes of the development of the disease. Therefore, it is very difficult to determine the predisposition to the disease, with the exception of cases when one of the relatives had psoriasis.

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