How to treat scalp psoriasis

  The scalp is a favored site for psoriasis, and the lesions can occur on the scalp alone or in combination with rashes on other sites. According to statistics, 46.9% of people with psoriasis vulgaris first appear on the scalp, and up to 65.7% have scalp involvement throughout the course of the disease. Psoriasis at the scalp generally appears as patches covered with thick scales with clear borders, often distributed along the hairline, and appearing grayish white because the scales intermingle with the sebum of the scalp. Because of the thick scales, the hair can become bundled as if it were a brush, but generally does not cause hair loss. This “bundle method” is an important feature of scalp psoriasis.  In terms of treatment, the principles of systemic medication are the same as other common psoriasis, while there are some special features of local topical treatment. Because of the large amount of hair on the head, ointment preparations are not convenient to use. For this reason, Danish Leo Pharmaceuticals developed the carbotriol scalp application, which was approved by the US FDA. Treatment: Carbotriol Scalp Application contains 50ug/ml of carbotriol. Apply Carbotriol Scalp Application topically once a day in the morning and once in the evening. Carbotriol scalp application has good therapeutic effect on scalp psoriasis, and the efficacy can be improved by appropriately increasing the course of treatment.  Short-term contact method of anthralin is effective in the treatment of scalp psoriasis. Anthralin should be left on the scalp for about ten minutes and then rinsed off. Daily use in this manner can clear the scalp of psoriasis in many patients within a few weeks. Sometimes, for thick scales that do not respond to steroid washes and tar shampoos, larger amounts of anthralin may be needed to work. Anthralin can be mixed with other medications such as salicylic acid, mineral oil, or propylene glycol, which should be rubbed into the scalp and left on overnight. The mixture can be removed by washing the hair in the morning and can be used later on a daily or interval basis depending on the reaction.  Hair should be cut as short as possible and, if necessary, cut bare to facilitate the application of topical medications or in conjunction with UV light therapy. In some patients, the occurrence or aggravation of scalp lesions may be related to local Malassezia infection, and shampoos containing 2% ketoconazole (e.g., Celebrex) can be tried.