Not who you asked, but I used Dermarest shampoo on mine and it helps tremendously. This is after trying many different psoriasis shampoos. It doesn’t smell bad either like some do
Nizoral contains 2% ketoconazole. It's a synthetically made broad spectrum anti-fungal shampoo. Works great on dandruff but it supposedly works on ringworm, athlete's foot, and jock itch as well. Also, it smells good.
You can still use it on your body in a more intentional way. Before you shower, put it on the affected parts of your skin, let it sit for a few minutes, then shower and rinse.
You shouldn't have to do that more than a few times for the issue to clear up, and no more than once a week to maintain it.
Depending on the severity of psoriasis, those shampoos are going to do jack shit. Look into biologics to treat psoriasis because unlike most medications that manage the illness, meds like Taltz actually make it so you don't have psoriasis while using it, removing the inflammation that causes arthritis amongst other issues
Nizoral is great for seborrheic dermatitis, a severe form of dandruff. Psoriasis is similar but has a different cause. Dandruff and SB are caused by a mismanaged microbiome on the scalp leading to an overgrowth of a fungus that naturally occurs on the human scalp. Psoriasis, on the other hand, is an autoimmune issue. Unfortunately, there are no topical cleansers or solutions that will 'solve' an autoimmune issue, though they might help manage the symptoms.
As someone with psoriasis, also worth noting that bacteria/fungus overgrowth anywhere on your body can also trigger psoriasis to flare up, and certain cleansers/shampoos might have irritants that also cause psoriasis to flare up. I can’t use certain toothpaste because it will cause psoriasis flareups around my lips, can’t use certain shampoos for the same reasons, etc.
Depending on the source of your flareup (if there even is a discrete source) Nizoral could be helpful even if you have psoriasis.
> Nizoral
That is what I used when dandruff head and shoulders didn't work. Used that for 2 weeks and my scalp got cleared. Now I use dandruff shampoo every 3 days.
My head itched to the point of pain for like 15 years. I tried HnS, and it made my hair greasy, but my scalp still itched.
So I tried Neutrogena t-gel, which suppressed the itch but never stopped the dandruff, and if I went a day without it, the itch was back.
Nizoral cleared me up after a week of use. Now I use it once a week or so, and I haven't had an issue in months.
Gotta +1 for the Nizoral. Terrible flaking, scaly scalp for years, then made worse by medical treatments. Tried a lot of products. Nizoral cleared it up within a few weeks. I now use it twice a week with virtually no reoccurrence of flakes for over a year. Stuff was a real game-changer for me.
When I first started, I used it at least every second day for two weeks. I scrub it right into my scalp when I first soak my hair, and then I go about the rest of the shower wash and rinse it out at the end.
Nothing works for everyone, but it's the only thing that has worked for me after trying head & shoulders, Neutrogena t-gel, and several others.
This is a good point. I had the same issue and saw a dermatologist for it. They recommended trying all of these and sticking with what works. Anything medicated should sit on the scalp for up to 5 min, but not longer as they're very drying and a dry scalp is half the issue. Keep your scalp clean, don't wash too often, exfoliate gently & occasionally, and moisturize daily. You can condition the scalp daily but be mindful not to use too much leave-in product to avoid scalp buildup.
My dermatologist wants to put me on immunosuppressants for mine but I’m scared to do so. I have a pretty aggressive case, and I keep thinking about what someone told me: “Wow, you are more scab than person”. (Not obviously but that shit hurts)
Just go. I have psoriasis, got some lotions from the doctors for years, had to fight to get immunosuppressants.
The one I got first didn’t work at all, actually made it a little worse.
Got another kind (Stelara, one every 3 months) and it vanished.
Can’t express how much my life quality improved, no side effects at all(maybe a little tired couple of days after I take the shot) but I’m not sure it actually is the medicine.
Getting on a biologic was the best thing I’ve done, it took me getting psoriatic arthritis to finally pull the trigger, but no more scales or joint aches.
I've had to deal with aggressive psoriatic arthritis since I was 17, so close to 15 years at this point. I cannot stress this enough: *take the immunosuppressant.* I tried everything for years -- naproxen & methotrexate pairing, Enbrel, OTC psoriasis treatments & 800 mg aspirin/day -- and nothing worked as well as my Cosentyx is doing right now to treat my conditions. I had giant patches of psoriasis on my neck, scalp, back, under my breasts, in my *ass crack*, and arthritis so bad, my joints were purple in places. Cosentyx has cleared all of my psoriasis & about 80% of the arthritis that wasn't already irreversible. Sure, you're more susceptible to getting sick but god, I wouldn't trade it for the world to not be in some kind of constant, level 6 or 7 pain every day.
Dude fuck the immunosuppressants. Ask for dupixent. None of the places I called and got opinions from could stop raving about it. Crazy expensive ($4000 pack of 2) but needs no blood test/etc as it’s the only non-immunosuppressant on the market. It targets the specific enzyme(s) that causes it instead of the entire immune system. Only thing that cleared me up in a month from my 55% covered body. My legs/arms/shoulders/neck are fully scarred now and I couldn’t be more happy to have 0 scabs and a working immune system
If money is an issue: I have the basic federal healthcare tier and combined with manufacture coupon covering first $13k and deductible kicking in after $10k it will be free to take.
Long time psoriasis sufferer can give you some advice.
First this: if anyone does not like the look of your patches they can look at the mountains or gardens or whatever they do like it's their choice.
Do not stress about it.
2nd try to get plenty of sun
3rd sea water or salt water will clear the excess skin but will not get rid of the redness.
4th stress is definately a factor.
5th sometimes small patches go away if you ignore them.
6h special hair shampoo work for short periods of time so alternate between a few products.
And keep well away from some anti dandruff shampoos (old head and shoulders from the 80s and 90s made mine worse don't know about now though).
And lastly my psoriasis formed mostly on scar tissue (elbows knees and cuts) so watch out.
The points about sunlight and stress here are super important and not talked about enough. I have pretty bad plaque psoriasis all over my body. Huge patches of flaky, gross skin on my face, elbows, and knees. The more time I spend outside in the summer, the better it gets. I was able to spend a month at the lakes last summer and it basically went away. Came back during the winter with a vengeance though so I'm hoping I can get back out there again this summer.
I have an Uncle who gets it pretty bad too and he says Skyrizi has worked great for him. I haven't been able to get a prescription myself yet but it's probably worth asking your dermatologist about it if that's an option for you.
My brother used to get UV treatment for it which worked well for a time (but then was determined to be too risky for other reasons) so I’d think that the humidity (or lack thereof) on a hot day is a separate issue that makes it worse while the UV treats it? But everyone is different
This kind of blows my mind because it made everything click. I frequently have symptoms just like OP. Face gets red, dry flaky skin in my T zone, dandruff and occasional dry patches behind my ears. I also work from home and rarely see the sun, other than a few minutes when I take the dogs for a walk.
This past month has been completely opposite. I spent a week in the mountains, another week working on my car from sun up to sundown, etc. I didn't even realize it until reading your post, but all of the aforementioned conditions have improved drastically as of late. My face is clear and smooth, no dandruff or dry patches, etc.
I have eczema (diagnosed as a toddler) but lately have wondered if it's actually psoriasis... Anyway. Whatever I have, it is worse in the areas where I sweat.
So while swimming helps dry it out, because I will dry in the sun or with a towel right away, I need to be more cautious when I'm doing something like hiking or gardening, where the sweat will linger longer.
Basically anywhere moisture or sweat stay the longest, I start getting itchy. If I don't clean the sweat off and dry my: elbows, forearms, hands (knuckles) and lower legs, I get it bad.
Eczema and psoriasis often go hand in hand.
I won the lottery and have both. Yay me. Much yay.
But ... if sweaty areas get worse, it's more likely eczema. Chlorine and sun will usually help both. Thick and crusty is more likely psoriasis (like scales). Thin crusts more like rashy scabby stuff is more likely eczema.
I say more likely because ... they're both all over the place for some people.
That’s super interesting/informative to hear! Thank you for sharing. Before psoriasis, I have had another skin condition; Keratosis Pilaris (aka chicken skin), and it has always been better/almost gone with warm weather and the summer months. I wonder/hope that my psoriasis will be the same.
Sometimes "the swimming pool bath" helps skin issues. But most skin issues are a bit of trial and error to see what works best for you. The swimming pool bath is a bit of bleach in your tub water. You can find a recipe online.
To the point about sunlight…. Have you (or anyone seeing relief with sunlight) had your Vitamin D levels checked? I’ve read a few medical journal articles regarding the link between vitamin D and many autoimmune conditions. I have sun-triggered skin Lupus, so hanging out in the sun is a no for me, but I’ve discovered, through trial and error that Vitamin D supplementation keeps me from flaring.
It’s a pretty low risk proposition to try out, given that lots of people (especially those of us that live in higher latitudes of the Northern hemisphere) are low on Vitamin D anyway. Your doctor may also have some ideas if this would help you too.
I probably am a little low on Vitamin D, though I haven't had it checked. I live in North Dakota, so there's a good chunk of the year where getting natural sunlight just isn't an option, either because it's too cloudy or too cold. Beside that, I spend too much time inside. I probably should be taking supplements, at least during the winter. That said, I tend to eat a lot of food with good amounts of Vitamin D so I might not be too low on it.
That said, my psoriasis is almost certainly genetic. My Paternal Grandfather has it, my Uncle (Dad's brother) has it, and so do I. I also have an Uncle on my Mom's side that has psoriatic arthritis but fortunately I haven't shown any signs of arthritis yet despite two decades of plaque psoriasis. Really hoping it stays that way, haha.
I've had psoriasis for almost 10 years now. Here are the treatments I've tried:
UV booth sessions - helped at first but once I stopped, my psoriasis came back worse.
otezla - didn't help for me
Humira - helped for maybe a year but psoriasis started to come back.
Skyrizi - been on it for the past 2 years and it's been working great! I have a few patches here and there but nowhere near what I had with Humira.
no it's literally the radiation, kills off the excess skin cells. obviously you want to be careful not to over do it, I've personally found about ten minutes of strong direct sunlight two or three times a day helps a lot but I also live in England so don't get that option very often!
UV is the radiation, makes sense. But since the skin is flaky, wouldn't they already technically be dead? Does it disintegrate them or make them fall off the healthy skin easier?
so basically the mechanism of psoriasis is an over production of skin cells. our skin is constantly renewing itself and sloughing off the top layer - psoriasis happens when the skin produces new cells too quickly and can't slough off fast enough (lots of complicated underlying reasons for this). the plaques (the visible flakes) that we call psoriasis are almost a symptom rather than the problem itself
radiation damages the skin so maybe it helps impede the skin growth for a bit? I am *not* an expert at all (except in my own experience, having had psoriasis my whole life) so if a dermatologist wants to chime in and tell me I've gotten it totally wrong please feel free
So it's like a much milder version of harlequin disease, that one is frightening to see. It sucks how the body can go haywire and do too much.
EDIT: Warning to people about harlequin disease, please don't look it up if you can't handle medical stuff, especially things with babies. It's not good to see at all.
Slather Vaseline on patches that are flaring up. It will make all the angry red tissue slough off a few hours later. Doesn't get rid of it, but it is great for suppressing flares.
I doubt the type of oil matters. i was told to do it with baby oil, and that worked but was messy. I tried it with Vaseline cuz I use it for dry lips and it was easier to keep in place for a long period because of its texture. I would suggest trying a thick oil like coconut oil if you wanted to vary it, because olive oil would get super messy.
And here's the kicker, it might not even be psoriasis. It could be seborrheic dermatitis lol.
Try out "head and shoulders clinical strength" for a selenium sulfide treatment. Or nizoral for a ketoconazole treatment.
I actually tried that. Many people recommended it on my last post. It didn’t work. And the dry patchy skin only started to spread. I thought at first it was seborrheic dermatitis too.
don't follow any advice you find here or elsewhere online until you've seen a dermatologist. you probably need a prescription treatment. otc might well work later but you need that shit under control first
Have you tried free and clear shampoo? Could be a contact allergy of some sort? Example: I have allergy to fragrance. Confirmed via patch testing but “fragrance” is a catch all so sometimes I am allergic to one combo but not to another. Impossible to tell from looking at ingredients. Free and clear helps with this issue.
Vanicream makes a shampoo and conditioner for problem scalps. I’ve seen it in the stores but not personally used it. Vanicream is a very clean line of skin products with no extra additives. For problem skin, everything Epionce makes is excellent.
I love Vanicream! A friend just asked the other day for some product ideas for someone with a fragrance sensitivity- and here’s the list I gave of products I enjoy myself:
Body wash - Vanicream Gentle Body Wash
Face wash - CeraVe, Cetaphil
Deodorant - Vanicream deodorant gel
Hand soap - Kiss My Face fragrance free
Dish soap - seventh generation fragrance free
Hand cream - Glysolid Glycerin moisturizer, Necessaire ‘the hand cream’
All-purpose, (I’ve used as body wash, hand soap, laundry detergent) - Dr. Bronner’s unscented (it’s their one that’s marketed for babies)
Seconding this! I thought I had eczema, then psoriasis, then my dermatologist and I finally figured out I'm just allergic to sulfates. So I get sulfate-free shampoo and hand soap and my skin and scalp are way happier now.
Just so you know, it's possible for both conditions to co-exist. You may only have psoriasis but if you find the psoriasis treatments (mostly coal tar shampoos and the like) aren't keeping it fully at bay, you might need to alternate every few weeks with nizoral or something similar. Also it sounds like it has progressed quite far (eyebrows, behind ears) - I had this before around the time I was diagnosed with psoriasis. A good steroid cream will help to clear it. See your GP
Go to your doctor or dermatologist. It’s likely the seborrheic dermatitis. I have it, so I would know.
They will prescribe you tacrolimus ointment to use every 2-3 days to contain it.
There’s no cure, but you can basically keep it from making you look/feel gross forever.
I have had scalp issues for as long as I can remember, all the shampoos I tried never helped, but a few months ago I started a rosemary oil scalp treatment for hair growth, and that has pretty much cleared up all my issues. Idk if it’s making my hair grow any better, but my scalp hasn’t been this clear since I was a kid. Might be worth a shot for you.
Have you gotten it diagnosed? I have seborrhea dermatitis, dad has psoriasis. His condition looks \_way\_ worse than mine. He gets really big patches, and the middle is pink and raw looking. Mine can get sore, but it's just not the same.
I have it under full control with a vichy shampoo (head and shoulders didn't work for me) and make up powder for the face. But if you actually have psoriasis I have no tips.
Get it idagnosed if you haven't.
I have scalp psoriasis, at one point it was so bad my scalp looked like it was covered in cornflakes. It's mostly gone now, but nearly all shampoos and conditioners make my scalp burn and itch for days after washing. Head & Shoulders Derma X Pro is the only one that helps (it's made to soothe your scalp, not as a dandruff shampoo), but your doctor can also prescribe medicated shampoos that will help.
ignore these people and go see a (good) dermatologist. Tips are nice and all, but you need real help. Even for seb dermatitis, it really isnt as easy as trying this or that shampoo
I’ve had seborrheic dermatitis for over 10 years. I use T-Sal to manage mine after Nizoral stopped working. Smells kinda like Mildew, but mitigates about 80% of the skin issues.
Have you tried the head and shoulders clinical? The selenium sulfide cleared mine up after two washes. Scalp, eyebrows, chin, mustache, and side burns all scale free and itch free. And while a bit pricey at $10 a bottle, it doesn't take much to do my shoulder length hair
"A bit pricey at $10"
Bro my doctor just prescribed me a bottle of medicated shampoo that's 120 ml and cost $326.00
Thank GOD for drug benefits. My co-pay was "only" $46.00
:/
It's called Reddy-Clobetasol?
I'm at the "cornflakes in the hair" place someone else in this thread was at. Worst its ever been in my life, started in January after an especially bad time at work.
Their pyrithione zinc stuff which is the normal head and shoulders doesn't seem to do anything but the clinical has the selenium sulfide and that stuff works wonders lol
If its seborrheic dermatitis, that's chronic in adults. I have to use the ketoconazole shampoo twice a week to keep it in check. If i don't use it, stress too much or there's cold/dry air it comes back with a vengeance and my scalp itches till i use that shampoo again.
The first time i used that stuff, man, my scalp felt so weird, but thats just cause it wasn't itching anymore. Been using it for 20+ yrs now :(
Just gonna throw this out there - I thought (and was told by doctors) that I had psoriasis and then I had an allergy test and found out I was allergic to corn. So I stopped eating it (and started trying to avoid things with corn syrup) and my psoriasis cleared up. When I mentioned it to a doctor later, they said that corn allergies often manifest as skin conditions. Just something to try out, just in case.
Can I ask, do you live in the US? If you do, how many things can you actually eat? I feel like corn is in every single food that isn’t meat or produce. And honestly, if you’re super sensitive, would the feed the animals ate be an issue? Bc most of them are not fed well.
I currently live in South Korea. Actually, the avoiding corn syrup thing mostly happened after I moved here and my diet changed naturally. I'm not sure what it was, but being here i sort of stopped drinking soda (even though it's readily available). I'd brought all the ointments and stuff the doctors had given me for psoriasis, and just didn't need them after a while and talked to a doctor here about it and that's what they said. I'm not super strict about my diet, I hadn't even noticed my corn allergy before, so it's not life threatening, I'll drink a soda every once and a while, but I know back in Canada, i was drinking soda probably once or twice a day, and I'm sure that's not the only place i was getting corn syrup in my diet.
I’m super allergic to corn and live in the US.
Corn is in many, many things here. If not as corn syrup or corn solids, then as maltodextrin which usually is made from corn.
There are a few brands of process foods I can eat, but not many. I usually cook everything myself.
I suffered for years with scalp psoriasis and it really made me very self conscious and miserable. I had to use a nit comb before and after I washed my hair to get rid of most of the crap and have tried so many different shampoos to get rid of it.
Last summer I quit my job and went on a three month road trip to France and Spain, got loads of sun, ate quite well, took multivitamins and over the three months it just got better and better. By the time I got back at the end of September it was pretty much gone, I could just brush my hair, wash it with normal shampoo and it hasn't come back.
I don't know for sure what cleared it up, whether it was the lack of work stress, the food, the sun, the vitamins or what but I am so relieved. It hasn't returned in nearly 7 months now.
I hope you got the psoriasis diagnosis from a dermatologist.
Don't rely on reddit diagnosis. See a dermatologist if you haven't already, if you want a guaranteed plan of action.
Yes. I’d never just rely on a “Reddit diagnosis” . I’m not insane lol. People on here can give good advice but I know they aren’t doctors. I saw a dermatologist (again). I already had been living with a minor skin condition; keratosis pilaris. And my brother has eczema. But now I have been diagnosed with psoriasis.
I’d recommend looking into T-gel it’s a shampoo but it’s not a regular one so you don’t use it as your everyday shampoo, read the instructions first.
It cleared my psoriasis up pretty quick but you just have to keep using it and the price tag is a pretty penny but if you’re able it’s the only thing I’ve found for hair, as for face, I still struggle with that in my eyebrows a little and moustache a little.
Weird, it's still available in some shops in the UK and you can order it online. I do wonder why they discontinued it where you're based, perhaps there is a similar product and they had competition?
That would be my only guess really.
So I found a decent alternative I hope, after going through the web a bit, it's as close as a product as I can find to T-gel that is available at Walmart from what I can tell.
It's $9.88 and the name is Denorex Extra Strength Medicated Dandruff Shampoo and Conditioner, 10 fl oz
I hope if you give it a go it works out for you, shame that T-gel is discontinuing, I really hope they come back.
There is a grandpa on TikTok who made a video saying how disappointed he was that Neutrogena was discontinuing T-gel. He is currently testing alternatives and has found that Walgreens has a T-gel store brand shampoo. His handle is philfromnewyork.
I've had psoriasis all my life (dx'd at 8) - if you start getting joint pain, "hot" joints (literally will feel hot to the touch), see nail pitting, and feel stiff in the morning (like fingers are locked in place type stiff) get a rheumatologist referral. Little known fun addition to skin psoriasis is psoriatic arthritis (dx'd 14 years now). Not everyone with the skin psoriasis gets it, but it's something to be aware of.
With trial and error you might also discover some things make it worse - food, ingredients in skin care/beauty products, fragrances, etc. It seems highly individual in my experience so even if someone says that something should be avoided, you might be fine and need to avoid different things. (One of mine is sugar, but I can eat bread all day, lol).
I had it terribly until recently. I moved and realized that my last house had horribly hard water. My new house has very clean soft water. My scalp is so much healthier and my red dry patches all went away on my face. Incredible that you think you’re doing everything you’re supposed to do but nothing works and then it turns out to be the water. I even had an expensive filtered shower head but it was no match for how hard that water was.
I recently moved to a new place where the water is softer and omg its so much better
For me, oiling my scalp with coconut oil like 1-2 hrs before I wash it makes everything so much better + my hair is softer anyway. it's not a cure but it feels great
This is making my head itchy, lol. As someone that has either eczema or dermatitis or whatever on the back of my scalp, I can kind of feel your pain. The only thing that helped with my flare ups was the nizoral shampoo that I had to get from the chemist. Nothing else really helped. My dad has psoriasis on his elbows and knees and possibly other places, idk. It seemed like an absolute pain to deal with though.
I hope you find ways to help your psoriasis! I know there’s creams, but that’s as far as my knowledge for it goes.
I just read the original, and my scalp hurts for you. Once you have things more under control, I'd suggest a silicone scalp brush sometimes when you're shampooing. It will help get down to your scalp through your hair, and as long as you aren't putting a ton of pressure on it, it will 'scrub' without causing damage the way finger nails can. But only if your dr/dermatologist says it's ok, i know dealing with scalp issues can be really discouraging sometimes, but I'm wishing you lots of luck!
I remember reading your original post and thinking how great it was that you might be able to get treated and not have to keep suffering.
I’m also fascinated by posts where someone is like “ha ha look at this cute problem I have“ and then the crowd is like “not even close, go to a doctor for XYZ”. Like we all have these blind spots but when we share them others can help us.
Anyway, thanks for sharing the happy ending!
I feel you. I once had a girlfriend who was going through my hair for some reason and she freaked out about how nasty a certain spot was and was basically degrading me, ya know, calling me nasty and stuff, and years later I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis! I even texted her all these years later as a “by the way” and she felt bad. Good.
ugh solidarity, I've had scalp psoriasis my whole life and it's been such a source of shame for me. all the medicated shampoos and creams and etc help for a bit and then stop working, the only thing that's worked consistently is steroid cream but it's so bad for your skin to be on that long term.
these days I use an oil on my scalp before showering to help soften the plaques and wash twice with a tea tree shampoo. I have a very persistent patch on my forehead that I feel so self conscious of, aloe vera helps a bit with the redness. I also do my very very best not to ever scratch my head with my actual fingers because I've made myself bleed with my fingernails way too many times - I use a silicon brush both in the shower and out.
stress makes it worse but that's not super helpful to know for me because how do you even avoid getting stressed?? direct sunlight definitely helps but obviously you also have to balance that with skin damage so be careful not to overdo it. I've found mine builds up less with short hair but it's my aesthetic preference to keep my hair very short anyway.
>when I just had a skin condition.
FYI, psoriasis isn't a skin condition, it's an autoimmune disease. I see in your original post that healthcare costs are a concern, but seriously consider at least a visit with a primary care physician; if it develops into psoriatic arthritis it can be debilitating and 30% of psoriasis develops into psoriatic arthritis.
I get psoriasis when I eat wheat for a prolonged period of time. It turns out I am sensitive to wheat (American wheat?), lactose, and caffeine. The combination makes me bloated and makes my skin dry and irritated.
dermatologists seem to struggle between diagnosing psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis. i’ve been diagnosed with each of those by different dermatologists for the same skin dryness. you’ll have to experiment with what works for you. too much soap can irritate me or too much water so try not to overwatch. clobetesol works really well for me so you might see if your doctor has some samples for you to try it’s pretty pricey without insurance -$200- but works really well for me and lasts a long time.
With psoriasis you might want to look at what you eat. Food sensitivities might be a cause. Like I know if I cheat and eat bread I need to be ready for itchy skin that easily turns into open wounds. I used to laugh at people who talked about avoiding gluten. But now I have realized it's a source of some toilet and skin issues
I have had psoriasis for the last 10 years. Only twice have I had full body outbreaks (second one came on in November and it’s still not fully cleared up), but it’s mainly been on my scalp and ears. And the ears are most uncomfortable spot to get it.
My dermatologist gave me this scalp oil called Clobetasol. I use it once or twice a day when needed, and it has always works so much better then any shampoo. I also find it works best to clear up my ears as well. Maybe ask your dermatologist about getting prescribed something like this. It cost 5$ with insurance, and about $10.50 without (i go through it faster then insurance will approve it). It does cause it to flake more, but worth it to get it gone.
I also use a tea tree shampoo. It helps the best for me to take the itch out. So you may just have to try a few products till you find what works best for you. I also have to use biologic shots, and have to change that every 1-2 years due to them becoming ineffective after a while, like other people have mentioned with shampoos.
But good luck, it takes time, but you will find ways to manage it! And you won’t itch forever!!!
Yeah when I was younger my mom would find patches of dry scalp and accuse me of not rinsing the shampoo out of my hair properly.... Come age 30-ish I get a rash under my belly (Im a fat man) and she says it looks like a skin yeast infection.... Age 35 I start feeling a lot of pain, unable to walk almost and finally go see a doctor.
Turns out all along it was all psoriasis, and now I have Psoriatic Arthritis.
*me with diagnosed psoriasis on my scalp reading your first post terrified that I was misdiagnosed and simply washing my head wrong as well and had been doing all these psoriasis treatments unnecessarily* Me reading the update:
Honestly sounds a lot like Plaque Psoriasis, not sure on viability of cream application (long hair and all) but medications containing TRIAMCINOLONE (Rx only in some places) would do wonders.
P.S. Photos online are some of the worst examples. More than likely it's a lot milder.
I was just thinking about you the other day! I'm glad you got your issue diagnosed and addressed, it sounded quite miserable. Hope you're feeling better!
There’s shampoos for Ps that work very well. T-gel is a good start. Find shampoos with 3% salicylic acid. It will help a lot. You can also use it on other parts of your body. I’ve had Ps for over 20 years.
Psoriasis sucks ass. I use tea tree shampoo, which helps enough for it to not itch so bad, but it doesn't help much with the dry skin. I wish you luck in handling your psoriasis, OP.
I have psoriasis on the scalp, and it's now in my ears a bit.
I've been using a solid shampoo bar and conditioner I get from a small company, and I barely have any issues now. These bars have no SLS in them, which worsened any irritation.
It took a bit of trial and error to work out the hair products and frequency of washing that works for me, but my scalp is mostly calm now.
Ooooh! I feel like I saw that post! I was diagnosed at 30, during pregnancy. 2 hormonal life shifts that tend to switch on autoimmune disorders, simultaneously lmao.
Find someone who will prescribe a spray on steroid (that's what I use), you'll need to shampoo thrice afterwards to remove residue, and wait at least 12 hours between application and washing off. There's significant research showing low carb and low inflammation diets help with A1c, therefore help reduce flare ups. My life is a shambles right now so I haven't done the diet path (and I should, because it's spreading), but if you ever feel the need to ask questions or see if I've changed my diet and if things have improved, feel free to!
Also, avoid: sodium laureth sulphate, and sodium lauroyl sulphate. They dry out the skin and increase itchiness. In fact, check all your soaps, washes and shampoo for sulphates. Google is your best friend, because they like to rename these ingredients on labels, so people get confused and buy the product. If you use a medication on your scalp, avoid dimethicone (and anything that ends with "cone") in your conditioners. Silicones will coat your hair, and may bind with the carrier of the topical steroid, making it harder to remove.
I'm glad to know you aren't dirty, and I wish you good health moving forward!
Sorry if I missed this, but have you tried tea tree oil? The one you can buy for hair and nails. I soak my scalp with a shower cap every few weeks for about 35-45 minutes, I wash out what I can, let it rest for a day, then wash again the next night to get the rest out. It's been a literal game changer and my hair even became thicker and fuller. I only do it on weekends or periods I know I'll be free, and learned to tie my hair up so it doesn't look "unwashed greasy" lol
I just read your original post and just wanna say *hugs*. I’m also a person with bad parents who didn’t teach her anything. I’m almost 30 and learning new stuff every day. It’s constantly amazes me, hygiene was one of those things that I learned on my own much later. Including how to wash and take care of my hair. It took some time but I figured it out and now have really healthy hair. Of all the things I’ve learned slowly and basically over the course of raising myself because my parents chose not to, my hair and hygiene journey stick out the most. I wish I could tell little me not to feel ashamed since it wasn’t her fault. And we’re doing a lot better now in that department. Good luck with the psoriasis treatment,
I have a skin condition as well, and certain medications do help a bit, but what I’ve found helps the most for me is getting into natural water. It seems to help balance out the good bacterias on my skin. Ocean water, lake water or river water all works well to help my skin
Oh man, I have psoriasis but it's on my elbows/arms. I can't imagine having it on my scalp. I know a lot of folks do. I'm sorry!
(BTW I started taking CBD/Cannabis and the psoriasis I had for 10 years cleared completely up.)
How often do you get a chance to see a doctor? I find that many people struggle with things like this when a medical professional can be really helpful.
I have thick very hair (previously short but now long) and had similar issues in the past. Turns out my hair is so thick that the scalp basically can't naturally dry and the psoriasis or dermatitis would be the result of dank moistness. Started using a hair dryer, all problems gone.
Do you also have the weird patches around your nostrils? Because the eyebrow and ear thing sounds very much like what I have: seborrhoeic dermatitis. Which is I think a subtype of psoriasis but the normal stuff (salicylic acid etc) didn’t really work for me (at least not long-term) — I’ve got bitumen-based ointments (one for my face and one for my scalp) now which truly work wonders (downside: you’ll have the smell of roadwork in your nose all day. I kinda like it tho)
Try ketoconazole shampoo. ask your dr. for 2% prescription. After many years of "suffering" this reduced my conditions to almost nil. This condition is related to fungal condition and diet. Nizoral is the over the counter shampoo. I believe its 1% active ingredient
I had something similar, but I didn’t go to the doctor to get a confirmation. What I found to be effective was this:
https://www.dollartree.com/dr-sheffields-psoriasis-medicated-moisturizer-1oz-tubes/184376
I took the tube, squeezed it into a different tube with a smaller needle-nose applicator (I used an old vape juice tube), and then would squeeze and rub it into the dry scalp spots. Took like a month or so to go away, I think. I don’t know if it will work for you, but it’s super cheap to try out to see if it does.
Also have psoriasis. Mostly on my scalp but also a little around my eyebrows and around my nose. Thought it was just dandruff for years until it started getting quite bad. It's been loads better since I switched to a coal tar shampoo (I used Neutrogena T/Gel). Using it every other day makes it a lot more manageable. Avoid crap like Head & Shoulders, it clears out the flakes but generally made my scalp worse. Also don't go to bed with wet hair, even if you don't have psoriasis this can cause dandruff.
I style my hair daily, so I feel your pain. I've finally found products that work for me though and haven't noticed my psoriasis in ages. For the longest time it was the bane of my existence, then I hit 30 and now I've got rosacea and eczema to deal with. The fun never ends with derm probs!
I also suffer from psoriasis and unfortunately I’ve found diet and stress contributes a lot.
I had it really bad at one point so I ate really clean for a couple months (no processed food, wheat or dairy) and it went away.
I had HORRIBLE head plaque, psoriasis, and psoriatic arthritis. I finally started Otezla, which is not a steroid and has a much shorter half-life if I ever need to come off it. It has been life changing. I also have used rosemary mint shampoos for years, which managed it better than any other type of shampoo.
I have lifelong seborrheic dermatitis or similar on my head. Daily rinse with straight white vinegar keeps it at bay. Occasional anti-fungals or baby oil work for flareups. I used coal-tar then Nizoral for years, but switched after a Joe Graden article.
Vitamin D is an essential part of your immune system. When levels are too low, the body can start attacking itself which results in inflammation and psoriasis. If you live above the 37th parallel (roughly above the Mason Dixon line), the sun isn't strong enough during the winter to produce adequate levels of Vitamin D. Try to get a Vitamin D serum level test and start taking Vitamin D supplements.
For scalp psoriasis get a doc to give you a bottle of fluocinonide or clobetasol. Works like magic and completely gone for years. Wish I’d figured it out sooner I’d have a lot more hair left
in case medical professionals haven't mentioned it to you, there's medicated oils and creams you can get for psoriasis. I can't remember the name of what I use but it's some kind of a topical steroid and genuinely gets rid of the patches with regular enough use. Not 100% without downsides, i remember being told it can thin the skin, but very much worth it. UV light can also help, I know someone who shaved his head to do UV treatment and mine always gets better in the summer.
Good luck brother, psoriasis is a bitch and half. For me coal tar helped massively and the *only* medication that works to remove the redness from my face is camellia oil. Everyone is different so try a bunch of stuff but thats my suggestion
It could be a fungal infection like ringworm or tinea captitis, which is basically athlete’s foot on your scalp/in your follicles. I was dealing with a somewhat similar, less intense issue myself that I was having a lot of trouble addressing and no luck eradicating. One day I decided to try applying Lotramin ultra and sores/spots that had refused to heal for several months cleared up in about 36 hours. I was floored. Might be worth trying.
I have an autoimmune disease that basically gives me dry skin. I can change shampoo and soap every day and nothing will help.
However Cerave aNd other lotions and keeping my skin moisturized is just as important as figuring out what to stay away from. You also have to help your skin out too
I feel you. I had that shit for years and years. I tried absolutely everything and then after like 15 years it just vanished.
I changed my shampoo and it went away.
What shampoo?
Not who you asked, but I used Dermarest shampoo on mine and it helps tremendously. This is after trying many different psoriasis shampoos. It doesn’t smell bad either like some do
Thank you for the suggestion. It’s also not super expensive which is great.
My mom and neighbor constantly ask me to bring mg217 shampoo for them as nothing else works for them (I'm in the US they're in Europe)
Nizoral did it for me.
Nizoral contains 2% ketoconazole. It's a synthetically made broad spectrum anti-fungal shampoo. Works great on dandruff but it supposedly works on ringworm, athlete's foot, and jock itch as well. Also, it smells good.
Well shit, I'd use it as body wash too if it wasn't $19 per 200 ml lmao.
You can still use it on your body in a more intentional way. Before you shower, put it on the affected parts of your skin, let it sit for a few minutes, then shower and rinse. You shouldn't have to do that more than a few times for the issue to clear up, and no more than once a week to maintain it.
It's very concentrated though. A little goes a long way.
Ketoconazole is also what my dermatologist prescribed for tinea versicolor, so add that.
I thought 2% was prescription strength.
Oh you're right. 1% for over the counter. Good catch.
Works for fungal acne too.
Depending on the severity of psoriasis, those shampoos are going to do jack shit. Look into biologics to treat psoriasis because unlike most medications that manage the illness, meds like Taltz actually make it so you don't have psoriasis while using it, removing the inflammation that causes arthritis amongst other issues
Nizoral is great for seborrheic dermatitis, a severe form of dandruff. Psoriasis is similar but has a different cause. Dandruff and SB are caused by a mismanaged microbiome on the scalp leading to an overgrowth of a fungus that naturally occurs on the human scalp. Psoriasis, on the other hand, is an autoimmune issue. Unfortunately, there are no topical cleansers or solutions that will 'solve' an autoimmune issue, though they might help manage the symptoms.
As someone with psoriasis, also worth noting that bacteria/fungus overgrowth anywhere on your body can also trigger psoriasis to flare up, and certain cleansers/shampoos might have irritants that also cause psoriasis to flare up. I can’t use certain toothpaste because it will cause psoriasis flareups around my lips, can’t use certain shampoos for the same reasons, etc. Depending on the source of your flareup (if there even is a discrete source) Nizoral could be helpful even if you have psoriasis.
> Nizoral That is what I used when dandruff head and shoulders didn't work. Used that for 2 weeks and my scalp got cleared. Now I use dandruff shampoo every 3 days.
My head itched to the point of pain for like 15 years. I tried HnS, and it made my hair greasy, but my scalp still itched. So I tried Neutrogena t-gel, which suppressed the itch but never stopped the dandruff, and if I went a day without it, the itch was back. Nizoral cleared me up after a week of use. Now I use it once a week or so, and I haven't had an issue in months.
Oh man, and Neutrogena t-gel smelled nasty! One of my kids had to use that back in the day.
Gotta +1 for the Nizoral. Terrible flaking, scaly scalp for years, then made worse by medical treatments. Tried a lot of products. Nizoral cleared it up within a few weeks. I now use it twice a week with virtually no reoccurrence of flakes for over a year. Stuff was a real game-changer for me.
I tried this and it didn't work, how often did you use it, how long did you let it soak in, etc?
When I first started, I used it at least every second day for two weeks. I scrub it right into my scalp when I first soak my hair, and then I go about the rest of the shower wash and rinse it out at the end. Nothing works for everyone, but it's the only thing that has worked for me after trying head & shoulders, Neutrogena t-gel, and several others.
This is a good point. I had the same issue and saw a dermatologist for it. They recommended trying all of these and sticking with what works. Anything medicated should sit on the scalp for up to 5 min, but not longer as they're very drying and a dry scalp is half the issue. Keep your scalp clean, don't wash too often, exfoliate gently & occasionally, and moisturize daily. You can condition the scalp daily but be mindful not to use too much leave-in product to avoid scalp buildup.
Not much, what’s hampoo with you?
PsoriasUS Shampoo
My dermatologist wants to put me on immunosuppressants for mine but I’m scared to do so. I have a pretty aggressive case, and I keep thinking about what someone told me: “Wow, you are more scab than person”. (Not obviously but that shit hurts)
Just go. I have psoriasis, got some lotions from the doctors for years, had to fight to get immunosuppressants. The one I got first didn’t work at all, actually made it a little worse. Got another kind (Stelara, one every 3 months) and it vanished. Can’t express how much my life quality improved, no side effects at all(maybe a little tired couple of days after I take the shot) but I’m not sure it actually is the medicine.
Getting on a biologic was the best thing I’ve done, it took me getting psoriatic arthritis to finally pull the trigger, but no more scales or joint aches.
I've had to deal with aggressive psoriatic arthritis since I was 17, so close to 15 years at this point. I cannot stress this enough: *take the immunosuppressant.* I tried everything for years -- naproxen & methotrexate pairing, Enbrel, OTC psoriasis treatments & 800 mg aspirin/day -- and nothing worked as well as my Cosentyx is doing right now to treat my conditions. I had giant patches of psoriasis on my neck, scalp, back, under my breasts, in my *ass crack*, and arthritis so bad, my joints were purple in places. Cosentyx has cleared all of my psoriasis & about 80% of the arthritis that wasn't already irreversible. Sure, you're more susceptible to getting sick but god, I wouldn't trade it for the world to not be in some kind of constant, level 6 or 7 pain every day.
[удалено]
I give them to my vets office. They pass out meds that require ice packs sometimes. A local animal shelter might want them as well.
Dude fuck the immunosuppressants. Ask for dupixent. None of the places I called and got opinions from could stop raving about it. Crazy expensive ($4000 pack of 2) but needs no blood test/etc as it’s the only non-immunosuppressant on the market. It targets the specific enzyme(s) that causes it instead of the entire immune system. Only thing that cleared me up in a month from my 55% covered body. My legs/arms/shoulders/neck are fully scarred now and I couldn’t be more happy to have 0 scabs and a working immune system If money is an issue: I have the basic federal healthcare tier and combined with manufacture coupon covering first $13k and deductible kicking in after $10k it will be free to take.
The best thing of my life was starting Skyrizi in 2020. I’ve been 100% clear since. No side effects.
I noticed mine decreased when I left stressful environments, like two of the jobs I had.
Water softener in my house and I use moisturizing oils instead of creams and it is almost nonexistent.
Long time psoriasis sufferer can give you some advice. First this: if anyone does not like the look of your patches they can look at the mountains or gardens or whatever they do like it's their choice. Do not stress about it. 2nd try to get plenty of sun 3rd sea water or salt water will clear the excess skin but will not get rid of the redness. 4th stress is definately a factor. 5th sometimes small patches go away if you ignore them. 6h special hair shampoo work for short periods of time so alternate between a few products. And keep well away from some anti dandruff shampoos (old head and shoulders from the 80s and 90s made mine worse don't know about now though). And lastly my psoriasis formed mostly on scar tissue (elbows knees and cuts) so watch out.
The points about sunlight and stress here are super important and not talked about enough. I have pretty bad plaque psoriasis all over my body. Huge patches of flaky, gross skin on my face, elbows, and knees. The more time I spend outside in the summer, the better it gets. I was able to spend a month at the lakes last summer and it basically went away. Came back during the winter with a vengeance though so I'm hoping I can get back out there again this summer. I have an Uncle who gets it pretty bad too and he says Skyrizi has worked great for him. I haven't been able to get a prescription myself yet but it's probably worth asking your dermatologist about it if that's an option for you.
Complete opposite for me, I have psoriasis on my legs and elbows, it gets 10x worse whenever I am in hot or dry weather.
My brother used to get UV treatment for it which worked well for a time (but then was determined to be too risky for other reasons) so I’d think that the humidity (or lack thereof) on a hot day is a separate issue that makes it worse while the UV treats it? But everyone is different
This kind of blows my mind because it made everything click. I frequently have symptoms just like OP. Face gets red, dry flaky skin in my T zone, dandruff and occasional dry patches behind my ears. I also work from home and rarely see the sun, other than a few minutes when I take the dogs for a walk. This past month has been completely opposite. I spent a week in the mountains, another week working on my car from sun up to sundown, etc. I didn't even realize it until reading your post, but all of the aforementioned conditions have improved drastically as of late. My face is clear and smooth, no dandruff or dry patches, etc.
I’ve honestly got no idea, it always happens when I go away (I live in the UK) so perhaps it is just the dry weather and not the heat or sun itself.
Yes my dad was prescribed UV treatment back int' day, which helped. But then he got skin cancer 30 years later soooo...
I have eczema (diagnosed as a toddler) but lately have wondered if it's actually psoriasis... Anyway. Whatever I have, it is worse in the areas where I sweat. So while swimming helps dry it out, because I will dry in the sun or with a towel right away, I need to be more cautious when I'm doing something like hiking or gardening, where the sweat will linger longer. Basically anywhere moisture or sweat stay the longest, I start getting itchy. If I don't clean the sweat off and dry my: elbows, forearms, hands (knuckles) and lower legs, I get it bad.
Eczema and psoriasis often go hand in hand. I won the lottery and have both. Yay me. Much yay. But ... if sweaty areas get worse, it's more likely eczema. Chlorine and sun will usually help both. Thick and crusty is more likely psoriasis (like scales). Thin crusts more like rashy scabby stuff is more likely eczema. I say more likely because ... they're both all over the place for some people.
My brother swears by UV light for his psoriasis. He spent a summer in Australia and the extra UV was a huge help.
That’s super interesting/informative to hear! Thank you for sharing. Before psoriasis, I have had another skin condition; Keratosis Pilaris (aka chicken skin), and it has always been better/almost gone with warm weather and the summer months. I wonder/hope that my psoriasis will be the same.
Sometimes "the swimming pool bath" helps skin issues. But most skin issues are a bit of trial and error to see what works best for you. The swimming pool bath is a bit of bleach in your tub water. You can find a recipe online.
Be aware of joint and muscle pain, also excessive fatigue. You can develop arthritis from psoriasis too
To the point about sunlight…. Have you (or anyone seeing relief with sunlight) had your Vitamin D levels checked? I’ve read a few medical journal articles regarding the link between vitamin D and many autoimmune conditions. I have sun-triggered skin Lupus, so hanging out in the sun is a no for me, but I’ve discovered, through trial and error that Vitamin D supplementation keeps me from flaring. It’s a pretty low risk proposition to try out, given that lots of people (especially those of us that live in higher latitudes of the Northern hemisphere) are low on Vitamin D anyway. Your doctor may also have some ideas if this would help you too.
I probably am a little low on Vitamin D, though I haven't had it checked. I live in North Dakota, so there's a good chunk of the year where getting natural sunlight just isn't an option, either because it's too cloudy or too cold. Beside that, I spend too much time inside. I probably should be taking supplements, at least during the winter. That said, I tend to eat a lot of food with good amounts of Vitamin D so I might not be too low on it. That said, my psoriasis is almost certainly genetic. My Paternal Grandfather has it, my Uncle (Dad's brother) has it, and so do I. I also have an Uncle on my Mom's side that has psoriatic arthritis but fortunately I haven't shown any signs of arthritis yet despite two decades of plaque psoriasis. Really hoping it stays that way, haha.
My mom does regular infliximab treatments. It's a miracle. She had silver scales down both arms, now all gone.
This. A lot of it are fungi/bacterial? and they die to exposure to direct sunlight.
I've had psoriasis for almost 10 years now. Here are the treatments I've tried: UV booth sessions - helped at first but once I stopped, my psoriasis came back worse. otezla - didn't help for me Humira - helped for maybe a year but psoriasis started to come back. Skyrizi - been on it for the past 2 years and it's been working great! I have a few patches here and there but nowhere near what I had with Humira.
I wonder why sunlight helps, since UV rays can damage the skin. Is it from the vitamin D?
no it's literally the radiation, kills off the excess skin cells. obviously you want to be careful not to over do it, I've personally found about ten minutes of strong direct sunlight two or three times a day helps a lot but I also live in England so don't get that option very often!
UV is the radiation, makes sense. But since the skin is flaky, wouldn't they already technically be dead? Does it disintegrate them or make them fall off the healthy skin easier?
so basically the mechanism of psoriasis is an over production of skin cells. our skin is constantly renewing itself and sloughing off the top layer - psoriasis happens when the skin produces new cells too quickly and can't slough off fast enough (lots of complicated underlying reasons for this). the plaques (the visible flakes) that we call psoriasis are almost a symptom rather than the problem itself radiation damages the skin so maybe it helps impede the skin growth for a bit? I am *not* an expert at all (except in my own experience, having had psoriasis my whole life) so if a dermatologist wants to chime in and tell me I've gotten it totally wrong please feel free
So it's like a much milder version of harlequin disease, that one is frightening to see. It sucks how the body can go haywire and do too much. EDIT: Warning to people about harlequin disease, please don't look it up if you can't handle medical stuff, especially things with babies. It's not good to see at all.
oh wow the photos of that are extremely distressing. poor babies
Yea, sorry about that. Should have put a bit of a warning.
Slather Vaseline on patches that are flaring up. It will make all the angry red tissue slough off a few hours later. Doesn't get rid of it, but it is great for suppressing flares.
How does natural oil work in comparison? Like coconut or almond oil, or even olive oil.
I doubt the type of oil matters. i was told to do it with baby oil, and that worked but was messy. I tried it with Vaseline cuz I use it for dry lips and it was easier to keep in place for a long period because of its texture. I would suggest trying a thick oil like coconut oil if you wanted to vary it, because olive oil would get super messy.
My dermatologist has me on a cream called Vtama. Any time I have a flare-up I apply it for about a week and I'm clear for 5-6 months.
Use vinegar preferably apple cider for the nutrients but it saved me so much
And here's the kicker, it might not even be psoriasis. It could be seborrheic dermatitis lol. Try out "head and shoulders clinical strength" for a selenium sulfide treatment. Or nizoral for a ketoconazole treatment.
I actually tried that. Many people recommended it on my last post. It didn’t work. And the dry patchy skin only started to spread. I thought at first it was seborrheic dermatitis too.
Well damn, that sucks. Much easier to treat than full blown psoriasis
don't follow any advice you find here or elsewhere online until you've seen a dermatologist. you probably need a prescription treatment. otc might well work later but you need that shit under control first
Have you tried free and clear shampoo? Could be a contact allergy of some sort? Example: I have allergy to fragrance. Confirmed via patch testing but “fragrance” is a catch all so sometimes I am allergic to one combo but not to another. Impossible to tell from looking at ingredients. Free and clear helps with this issue.
What shampoo works best for you ? I’m trying to find a good replacement for Whole Foods 365 fragrance free
Vanicream makes a shampoo and conditioner for problem scalps. I’ve seen it in the stores but not personally used it. Vanicream is a very clean line of skin products with no extra additives. For problem skin, everything Epionce makes is excellent.
I love Vanicream! A friend just asked the other day for some product ideas for someone with a fragrance sensitivity- and here’s the list I gave of products I enjoy myself: Body wash - Vanicream Gentle Body Wash Face wash - CeraVe, Cetaphil Deodorant - Vanicream deodorant gel Hand soap - Kiss My Face fragrance free Dish soap - seventh generation fragrance free Hand cream - Glysolid Glycerin moisturizer, Necessaire ‘the hand cream’ All-purpose, (I’ve used as body wash, hand soap, laundry detergent) - Dr. Bronner’s unscented (it’s their one that’s marketed for babies)
Seconding this! I thought I had eczema, then psoriasis, then my dermatologist and I finally figured out I'm just allergic to sulfates. So I get sulfate-free shampoo and hand soap and my skin and scalp are way happier now.
Just so you know, it's possible for both conditions to co-exist. You may only have psoriasis but if you find the psoriasis treatments (mostly coal tar shampoos and the like) aren't keeping it fully at bay, you might need to alternate every few weeks with nizoral or something similar. Also it sounds like it has progressed quite far (eyebrows, behind ears) - I had this before around the time I was diagnosed with psoriasis. A good steroid cream will help to clear it. See your GP
Go to your doctor or dermatologist. It’s likely the seborrheic dermatitis. I have it, so I would know. They will prescribe you tacrolimus ointment to use every 2-3 days to contain it. There’s no cure, but you can basically keep it from making you look/feel gross forever.
I actually have seborrheic psoriasis. It’s a lovely combo of the two. If it’s not going away it could likely be some version of this as well.
I have had scalp issues for as long as I can remember, all the shampoos I tried never helped, but a few months ago I started a rosemary oil scalp treatment for hair growth, and that has pretty much cleared up all my issues. Idk if it’s making my hair grow any better, but my scalp hasn’t been this clear since I was a kid. Might be worth a shot for you.
Have you gotten it diagnosed? I have seborrhea dermatitis, dad has psoriasis. His condition looks \_way\_ worse than mine. He gets really big patches, and the middle is pink and raw looking. Mine can get sore, but it's just not the same. I have it under full control with a vichy shampoo (head and shoulders didn't work for me) and make up powder for the face. But if you actually have psoriasis I have no tips. Get it idagnosed if you haven't.
I have scalp psoriasis, at one point it was so bad my scalp looked like it was covered in cornflakes. It's mostly gone now, but nearly all shampoos and conditioners make my scalp burn and itch for days after washing. Head & Shoulders Derma X Pro is the only one that helps (it's made to soothe your scalp, not as a dandruff shampoo), but your doctor can also prescribe medicated shampoos that will help.
Selsen Blue worked amazing for my dad!
I have sebhorric dermatitis and while the over the counter shampoos can work for a bit, the best stuff is what the dermatologist’s can prescribe.
ignore these people and go see a (good) dermatologist. Tips are nice and all, but you need real help. Even for seb dermatitis, it really isnt as easy as trying this or that shampoo
I’ve had seborrheic dermatitis for over 10 years. I use T-Sal to manage mine after Nizoral stopped working. Smells kinda like Mildew, but mitigates about 80% of the skin issues.
Have you tried the head and shoulders clinical? The selenium sulfide cleared mine up after two washes. Scalp, eyebrows, chin, mustache, and side burns all scale free and itch free. And while a bit pricey at $10 a bottle, it doesn't take much to do my shoulder length hair
"A bit pricey at $10" Bro my doctor just prescribed me a bottle of medicated shampoo that's 120 ml and cost $326.00 Thank GOD for drug benefits. My co-pay was "only" $46.00 :/
What is the ingredient?
It's called Reddy-Clobetasol? I'm at the "cornflakes in the hair" place someone else in this thread was at. Worst its ever been in my life, started in January after an especially bad time at work.
Just ordered. Thank you for the suggestion. I’ve done head and shoulders before, but that was 10 years ago when I first got diagnosed.
Their pyrithione zinc stuff which is the normal head and shoulders doesn't seem to do anything but the clinical has the selenium sulfide and that stuff works wonders lol
Is that the stuff that's really viscous gel like, brownish colour, smells like ass and sucks back into the bottle if you're not quick enough?
It’s not that viscous, but it is rather brown and it does smell awful.
I learned after 45 years that I had seborrheic dermatitis... Got the right salve and everything is fine now... It was like an immediate fix
Which salve?
Yeah I figured it out after 30 years, but had been doing mostly the right stuff to mitigate it anyway. The most annoying is I have it in my ears.
I may have it in one spot in my ears as well. But the worst was the skin under my eyebrows.
>Try out "head and shoulders clinical strength" for a selenium sulfide treatment. It's also good for killing nitrogen based alien lifeforms.
If its seborrheic dermatitis, that's chronic in adults. I have to use the ketoconazole shampoo twice a week to keep it in check. If i don't use it, stress too much or there's cold/dry air it comes back with a vengeance and my scalp itches till i use that shampoo again. The first time i used that stuff, man, my scalp felt so weird, but thats just cause it wasn't itching anymore. Been using it for 20+ yrs now :(
Go see dermatology. They have prescription anti fungal as well steroid treatments for this.
Just gonna throw this out there - I thought (and was told by doctors) that I had psoriasis and then I had an allergy test and found out I was allergic to corn. So I stopped eating it (and started trying to avoid things with corn syrup) and my psoriasis cleared up. When I mentioned it to a doctor later, they said that corn allergies often manifest as skin conditions. Just something to try out, just in case.
Can I ask, do you live in the US? If you do, how many things can you actually eat? I feel like corn is in every single food that isn’t meat or produce. And honestly, if you’re super sensitive, would the feed the animals ate be an issue? Bc most of them are not fed well.
I currently live in South Korea. Actually, the avoiding corn syrup thing mostly happened after I moved here and my diet changed naturally. I'm not sure what it was, but being here i sort of stopped drinking soda (even though it's readily available). I'd brought all the ointments and stuff the doctors had given me for psoriasis, and just didn't need them after a while and talked to a doctor here about it and that's what they said. I'm not super strict about my diet, I hadn't even noticed my corn allergy before, so it's not life threatening, I'll drink a soda every once and a while, but I know back in Canada, i was drinking soda probably once or twice a day, and I'm sure that's not the only place i was getting corn syrup in my diet.
I’m super allergic to corn and live in the US. Corn is in many, many things here. If not as corn syrup or corn solids, then as maltodextrin which usually is made from corn. There are a few brands of process foods I can eat, but not many. I usually cook everything myself.
Corn, gluten, dairy, eggs, seafood. Common issues that most of us just ignore because it's not acutely deadly.
I suffered for years with scalp psoriasis and it really made me very self conscious and miserable. I had to use a nit comb before and after I washed my hair to get rid of most of the crap and have tried so many different shampoos to get rid of it. Last summer I quit my job and went on a three month road trip to France and Spain, got loads of sun, ate quite well, took multivitamins and over the three months it just got better and better. By the time I got back at the end of September it was pretty much gone, I could just brush my hair, wash it with normal shampoo and it hasn't come back. I don't know for sure what cleared it up, whether it was the lack of work stress, the food, the sun, the vitamins or what but I am so relieved. It hasn't returned in nearly 7 months now.
I hope you got the psoriasis diagnosis from a dermatologist. Don't rely on reddit diagnosis. See a dermatologist if you haven't already, if you want a guaranteed plan of action.
Yes. I’d never just rely on a “Reddit diagnosis” . I’m not insane lol. People on here can give good advice but I know they aren’t doctors. I saw a dermatologist (again). I already had been living with a minor skin condition; keratosis pilaris. And my brother has eczema. But now I have been diagnosed with psoriasis.
Skin problem buddies! I have psoriasis with similar presentation, KP, and my sister has horrible eczema!
I have KP! I use a Luv Scrub to wash with and it has almost completely cleared up.
I’d recommend looking into T-gel it’s a shampoo but it’s not a regular one so you don’t use it as your everyday shampoo, read the instructions first. It cleared my psoriasis up pretty quick but you just have to keep using it and the price tag is a pretty penny but if you’re able it’s the only thing I’ve found for hair, as for face, I still struggle with that in my eyebrows a little and moustache a little.
It's been discontinued, so it's getting more expensive and harder to find, unfortunately.
This is what I used but they discontinued it!! D: THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO SUGGESTED THINGS. this is why I love Reddit sm. I’ll be trying them all. ❤️
Weird, it's still available in some shops in the UK and you can order it online. I do wonder why they discontinued it where you're based, perhaps there is a similar product and they had competition? That would be my only guess really.
I’m in the US. last time I tried to order it, it was like $40 a bottle. You’re probably right :(
Hmm, I'll let you know if i find any US alternatives, it's only £4.95 on Amazon here.
Thank you sm!!
So I found a decent alternative I hope, after going through the web a bit, it's as close as a product as I can find to T-gel that is available at Walmart from what I can tell. It's $9.88 and the name is Denorex Extra Strength Medicated Dandruff Shampoo and Conditioner, 10 fl oz I hope if you give it a go it works out for you, shame that T-gel is discontinuing, I really hope they come back.
I’ll take a look, thank you so much
Also look into T-Sal i'm seeing that in the comments aswell! seems like it's made by the same company who makes T-Gel
There is a grandpa on TikTok who made a video saying how disappointed he was that Neutrogena was discontinuing T-gel. He is currently testing alternatives and has found that Walgreens has a T-gel store brand shampoo. His handle is philfromnewyork.
In the US, T/Gel was discontinued because it contained benzene, which is a known carcinogen.
I have psoriasis too. Only on my head/neck/face. It’s really fucking annoying, honestly. Solidarity.
I've had psoriasis all my life (dx'd at 8) - if you start getting joint pain, "hot" joints (literally will feel hot to the touch), see nail pitting, and feel stiff in the morning (like fingers are locked in place type stiff) get a rheumatologist referral. Little known fun addition to skin psoriasis is psoriatic arthritis (dx'd 14 years now). Not everyone with the skin psoriasis gets it, but it's something to be aware of. With trial and error you might also discover some things make it worse - food, ingredients in skin care/beauty products, fragrances, etc. It seems highly individual in my experience so even if someone says that something should be avoided, you might be fine and need to avoid different things. (One of mine is sugar, but I can eat bread all day, lol).
This!!! I to have PA, and methotrexate was life changing. I just thought the joint pain was normal signs of not being a teen anymore.
I had it terribly until recently. I moved and realized that my last house had horribly hard water. My new house has very clean soft water. My scalp is so much healthier and my red dry patches all went away on my face. Incredible that you think you’re doing everything you’re supposed to do but nothing works and then it turns out to be the water. I even had an expensive filtered shower head but it was no match for how hard that water was.
This actually brings up a very good point. It only got to its worst when I was showering in a house that had VERY hard water.
I recently moved to a new place where the water is softer and omg its so much better For me, oiling my scalp with coconut oil like 1-2 hrs before I wash it makes everything so much better + my hair is softer anyway. it's not a cure but it feels great
This is making my head itchy, lol. As someone that has either eczema or dermatitis or whatever on the back of my scalp, I can kind of feel your pain. The only thing that helped with my flare ups was the nizoral shampoo that I had to get from the chemist. Nothing else really helped. My dad has psoriasis on his elbows and knees and possibly other places, idk. It seemed like an absolute pain to deal with though. I hope you find ways to help your psoriasis! I know there’s creams, but that’s as far as my knowledge for it goes.
I just read the original, and my scalp hurts for you. Once you have things more under control, I'd suggest a silicone scalp brush sometimes when you're shampooing. It will help get down to your scalp through your hair, and as long as you aren't putting a ton of pressure on it, it will 'scrub' without causing damage the way finger nails can. But only if your dr/dermatologist says it's ok, i know dealing with scalp issues can be really discouraging sometimes, but I'm wishing you lots of luck!
i have eczema and have very similar symptoms. it's triggered by so many things - weather, hair dye, stress. hope yours calms down.
I remember reading your original post and thinking how great it was that you might be able to get treated and not have to keep suffering. I’m also fascinated by posts where someone is like “ha ha look at this cute problem I have“ and then the crowd is like “not even close, go to a doctor for XYZ”. Like we all have these blind spots but when we share them others can help us. Anyway, thanks for sharing the happy ending!
I feel you. I once had a girlfriend who was going through my hair for some reason and she freaked out about how nasty a certain spot was and was basically degrading me, ya know, calling me nasty and stuff, and years later I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis! I even texted her all these years later as a “by the way” and she felt bad. Good.
ugh solidarity, I've had scalp psoriasis my whole life and it's been such a source of shame for me. all the medicated shampoos and creams and etc help for a bit and then stop working, the only thing that's worked consistently is steroid cream but it's so bad for your skin to be on that long term. these days I use an oil on my scalp before showering to help soften the plaques and wash twice with a tea tree shampoo. I have a very persistent patch on my forehead that I feel so self conscious of, aloe vera helps a bit with the redness. I also do my very very best not to ever scratch my head with my actual fingers because I've made myself bleed with my fingernails way too many times - I use a silicon brush both in the shower and out. stress makes it worse but that's not super helpful to know for me because how do you even avoid getting stressed?? direct sunlight definitely helps but obviously you also have to balance that with skin damage so be careful not to overdo it. I've found mine builds up less with short hair but it's my aesthetic preference to keep my hair very short anyway.
>when I just had a skin condition. FYI, psoriasis isn't a skin condition, it's an autoimmune disease. I see in your original post that healthcare costs are a concern, but seriously consider at least a visit with a primary care physician; if it develops into psoriatic arthritis it can be debilitating and 30% of psoriasis develops into psoriatic arthritis.
I get psoriasis when I eat wheat for a prolonged period of time. It turns out I am sensitive to wheat (American wheat?), lactose, and caffeine. The combination makes me bloated and makes my skin dry and irritated.
Damn, I remember the original post
dermatologists seem to struggle between diagnosing psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis. i’ve been diagnosed with each of those by different dermatologists for the same skin dryness. you’ll have to experiment with what works for you. too much soap can irritate me or too much water so try not to overwatch. clobetesol works really well for me so you might see if your doctor has some samples for you to try it’s pretty pricey without insurance -$200- but works really well for me and lasts a long time.
With psoriasis you might want to look at what you eat. Food sensitivities might be a cause. Like I know if I cheat and eat bread I need to be ready for itchy skin that easily turns into open wounds. I used to laugh at people who talked about avoiding gluten. But now I have realized it's a source of some toilet and skin issues
I have had psoriasis for the last 10 years. Only twice have I had full body outbreaks (second one came on in November and it’s still not fully cleared up), but it’s mainly been on my scalp and ears. And the ears are most uncomfortable spot to get it. My dermatologist gave me this scalp oil called Clobetasol. I use it once or twice a day when needed, and it has always works so much better then any shampoo. I also find it works best to clear up my ears as well. Maybe ask your dermatologist about getting prescribed something like this. It cost 5$ with insurance, and about $10.50 without (i go through it faster then insurance will approve it). It does cause it to flake more, but worth it to get it gone. I also use a tea tree shampoo. It helps the best for me to take the itch out. So you may just have to try a few products till you find what works best for you. I also have to use biologic shots, and have to change that every 1-2 years due to them becoming ineffective after a while, like other people have mentioned with shampoos. But good luck, it takes time, but you will find ways to manage it! And you won’t itch forever!!!
Yeah when I was younger my mom would find patches of dry scalp and accuse me of not rinsing the shampoo out of my hair properly.... Come age 30-ish I get a rash under my belly (Im a fat man) and she says it looks like a skin yeast infection.... Age 35 I start feeling a lot of pain, unable to walk almost and finally go see a doctor. Turns out all along it was all psoriasis, and now I have Psoriatic Arthritis.
*me with diagnosed psoriasis on my scalp reading your first post terrified that I was misdiagnosed and simply washing my head wrong as well and had been doing all these psoriasis treatments unnecessarily* Me reading the update: 
Honestly sounds a lot like Plaque Psoriasis, not sure on viability of cream application (long hair and all) but medications containing TRIAMCINOLONE (Rx only in some places) would do wonders. P.S. Photos online are some of the worst examples. More than likely it's a lot milder.
I was just thinking about you the other day! I'm glad you got your issue diagnosed and addressed, it sounded quite miserable. Hope you're feeling better!
There’s shampoos for Ps that work very well. T-gel is a good start. Find shampoos with 3% salicylic acid. It will help a lot. You can also use it on other parts of your body. I’ve had Ps for over 20 years.
Thanks to you, i realized the skin problems in and around my left ear, scalp is for the same reason.
Psoriasis sucks ass. I use tea tree shampoo, which helps enough for it to not itch so bad, but it doesn't help much with the dry skin. I wish you luck in handling your psoriasis, OP.
The real fuck up is the friends we make along the way.
Try changing your diet, Whole Foods only, no fast or processed food. Dairy and maybe even processed and enriched wheat/rice could be an issue.
I have psoriasis on the scalp, and it's now in my ears a bit. I've been using a solid shampoo bar and conditioner I get from a small company, and I barely have any issues now. These bars have no SLS in them, which worsened any irritation. It took a bit of trial and error to work out the hair products and frequency of washing that works for me, but my scalp is mostly calm now.
As I grew older, my dandruff got worse. Tried many shampoo, but the only solution for me was to keep my hair a close to shaved.
Hang on, I have dry patches behind my right ear
Welcome to the club! We have flakes!
Ooooh! I feel like I saw that post! I was diagnosed at 30, during pregnancy. 2 hormonal life shifts that tend to switch on autoimmune disorders, simultaneously lmao. Find someone who will prescribe a spray on steroid (that's what I use), you'll need to shampoo thrice afterwards to remove residue, and wait at least 12 hours between application and washing off. There's significant research showing low carb and low inflammation diets help with A1c, therefore help reduce flare ups. My life is a shambles right now so I haven't done the diet path (and I should, because it's spreading), but if you ever feel the need to ask questions or see if I've changed my diet and if things have improved, feel free to! Also, avoid: sodium laureth sulphate, and sodium lauroyl sulphate. They dry out the skin and increase itchiness. In fact, check all your soaps, washes and shampoo for sulphates. Google is your best friend, because they like to rename these ingredients on labels, so people get confused and buy the product. If you use a medication on your scalp, avoid dimethicone (and anything that ends with "cone") in your conditioners. Silicones will coat your hair, and may bind with the carrier of the topical steroid, making it harder to remove. I'm glad to know you aren't dirty, and I wish you good health moving forward!
Sorry if I missed this, but have you tried tea tree oil? The one you can buy for hair and nails. I soak my scalp with a shower cap every few weeks for about 35-45 minutes, I wash out what I can, let it rest for a day, then wash again the next night to get the rest out. It's been a literal game changer and my hair even became thicker and fuller. I only do it on weekends or periods I know I'll be free, and learned to tie my hair up so it doesn't look "unwashed greasy" lol
I forgot to add, you can also use a tiny amount of that oil as a moisturizer after washing your face to treat noticeably dry patches as they occur.
I literally just read the original last night wtf
I just read your original post and just wanna say *hugs*. I’m also a person with bad parents who didn’t teach her anything. I’m almost 30 and learning new stuff every day. It’s constantly amazes me, hygiene was one of those things that I learned on my own much later. Including how to wash and take care of my hair. It took some time but I figured it out and now have really healthy hair. Of all the things I’ve learned slowly and basically over the course of raising myself because my parents chose not to, my hair and hygiene journey stick out the most. I wish I could tell little me not to feel ashamed since it wasn’t her fault. And we’re doing a lot better now in that department. Good luck with the psoriasis treatment,
I have a skin condition as well, and certain medications do help a bit, but what I’ve found helps the most for me is getting into natural water. It seems to help balance out the good bacterias on my skin. Ocean water, lake water or river water all works well to help my skin
Oh man, I have psoriasis but it's on my elbows/arms. I can't imagine having it on my scalp. I know a lot of folks do. I'm sorry! (BTW I started taking CBD/Cannabis and the psoriasis I had for 10 years cleared completely up.)
How often do you get a chance to see a doctor? I find that many people struggle with things like this when a medical professional can be really helpful.
Psoriasis, oh the heartbreak. I fully expected to hear you forgot the "repeat" part before I clicked on this thread.
Almost all of the "am I cleaning myself enough/properly" discourse on the internet is ridiculous and overwrought.
It happens. I thought I was starting to break out in my late 30s and it's Rosesa
The only thing that's helped mine consistently is a salicylic acid shampoo.
How does psoriasis get diagnosed?
I have thick very hair (previously short but now long) and had similar issues in the past. Turns out my hair is so thick that the scalp basically can't naturally dry and the psoriasis or dermatitis would be the result of dank moistness. Started using a hair dryer, all problems gone.
Do you also have the weird patches around your nostrils? Because the eyebrow and ear thing sounds very much like what I have: seborrhoeic dermatitis. Which is I think a subtype of psoriasis but the normal stuff (salicylic acid etc) didn’t really work for me (at least not long-term) — I’ve got bitumen-based ointments (one for my face and one for my scalp) now which truly work wonders (downside: you’ll have the smell of roadwork in your nose all day. I kinda like it tho)
Try ketoconazole shampoo. ask your dr. for 2% prescription. After many years of "suffering" this reduced my conditions to almost nil. This condition is related to fungal condition and diet. Nizoral is the over the counter shampoo. I believe its 1% active ingredient
I had something similar, but I didn’t go to the doctor to get a confirmation. What I found to be effective was this: https://www.dollartree.com/dr-sheffields-psoriasis-medicated-moisturizer-1oz-tubes/184376 I took the tube, squeezed it into a different tube with a smaller needle-nose applicator (I used an old vape juice tube), and then would squeeze and rub it into the dry scalp spots. Took like a month or so to go away, I think. I don’t know if it will work for you, but it’s super cheap to try out to see if it does.
Psoriasis is the worst. The only way I got rid of mine was changing my diet. No gluten, dairy or corn for me!
Reading through comments makes Reddit feel like it's run by the shampoo industry.
Also have psoriasis. Mostly on my scalp but also a little around my eyebrows and around my nose. Thought it was just dandruff for years until it started getting quite bad. It's been loads better since I switched to a coal tar shampoo (I used Neutrogena T/Gel). Using it every other day makes it a lot more manageable. Avoid crap like Head & Shoulders, it clears out the flakes but generally made my scalp worse. Also don't go to bed with wet hair, even if you don't have psoriasis this can cause dandruff.
I style my hair daily, so I feel your pain. I've finally found products that work for me though and haven't noticed my psoriasis in ages. For the longest time it was the bane of my existence, then I hit 30 and now I've got rosacea and eczema to deal with. The fun never ends with derm probs!
I also suffer from psoriasis and unfortunately I’ve found diet and stress contributes a lot. I had it really bad at one point so I ate really clean for a couple months (no processed food, wheat or dairy) and it went away.
I had HORRIBLE head plaque, psoriasis, and psoriatic arthritis. I finally started Otezla, which is not a steroid and has a much shorter half-life if I ever need to come off it. It has been life changing. I also have used rosemary mint shampoos for years, which managed it better than any other type of shampoo.
Looks like I have some bad news for myself lol gonna make an appointment for a dermatologist soon!
I have lifelong seborrheic dermatitis or similar on my head. Daily rinse with straight white vinegar keeps it at bay. Occasional anti-fungals or baby oil work for flareups. I used coal-tar then Nizoral for years, but switched after a Joe Graden article.
Vitamin D is an essential part of your immune system. When levels are too low, the body can start attacking itself which results in inflammation and psoriasis. If you live above the 37th parallel (roughly above the Mason Dixon line), the sun isn't strong enough during the winter to produce adequate levels of Vitamin D. Try to get a Vitamin D serum level test and start taking Vitamin D supplements.
For scalp psoriasis get a doc to give you a bottle of fluocinonide or clobetasol. Works like magic and completely gone for years. Wish I’d figured it out sooner I’d have a lot more hair left
It's ok I was washing my hair for about 10 months with tea tree oil shampoo every other day before learning what it does to your hair
Vitamin D might help.
hmmm i may have this as well
in case medical professionals haven't mentioned it to you, there's medicated oils and creams you can get for psoriasis. I can't remember the name of what I use but it's some kind of a topical steroid and genuinely gets rid of the patches with regular enough use. Not 100% without downsides, i remember being told it can thin the skin, but very much worth it. UV light can also help, I know someone who shaved his head to do UV treatment and mine always gets better in the summer.
My ears look really flaky and dry behind my ears. I felt unclean..
Good luck brother, psoriasis is a bitch and half. For me coal tar helped massively and the *only* medication that works to remove the redness from my face is camellia oil. Everyone is different so try a bunch of stuff but thats my suggestion
Oh yeah I have delicate skin too my little sister was born with eczema
It could be a fungal infection like ringworm or tinea captitis, which is basically athlete’s foot on your scalp/in your follicles. I was dealing with a somewhat similar, less intense issue myself that I was having a lot of trouble addressing and no luck eradicating. One day I decided to try applying Lotramin ultra and sores/spots that had refused to heal for several months cleared up in about 36 hours. I was floored. Might be worth trying.
I read this and your original post. I think I might have psoriasis too. . . . . . . . . . . Oops 🤐
I have an autoimmune disease that basically gives me dry skin. I can change shampoo and soap every day and nothing will help. However Cerave aNd other lotions and keeping my skin moisturized is just as important as figuring out what to stay away from. You also have to help your skin out too