Psoriasis is a chronic disease of the upper layers of the epidermal cells, which is accompanied by the presence of dead skin flakes. The most common complaint is psoriasis on the head. The disease is accompanied by the presence of large or small formations in the scalp.
Quite often, the lesion is localized in one spot. Late treatment can aggravate the situation.
This type of noise is not passed on to others. A person suffering from such a disease is safe for society.
Psoriasis development factors
The main cause of skin defects is impaired metabolism.
As already noted, the disease is not infectious, so the patient is not able to harm the health of the people around him. The presence of psoriasis in a person indicates the body's inability to respond normally to the presence of various types of stimuli. As a result, excessive cell division occurs. According to statistics, the normal cell division process takes about 30 days.
During this period, the upper layer of the epidermis is gradually replaced by new ones. In psoriasis, an overgrowth of new cells can be observed, which begin to overlap the old ones. The division period is reduced by 4 days. As a result, small scaly lesions appear on the surface of the scalp.
In most cases, they present as mild inflammation accompanied by itching. In the process of exfoliation of the old layer of the epidermis, pink spots of various shapes are formed on the surface of the skin. Gradually, they begin to be covered with new skin cell formations.
Scientists have identified a number of reasons that can also trigger a malfunction in normal metabolism, these include:
- Having bad habits. Excessive abuse of alcohol and tobacco products causes significant changes throughout the body. In the presence of psoriasis on the head, the toxic substances that make up alcohol and cigarettes have a negative effect on the course of the disease.
- Wrong power supply. The patient's diet contains many products with a large amount of food additives and carcinogens. Poor food can be the initial stage of psoriasis.
- Mechanical damage to the hairline. With repeated injuries, dandruff may appear. The bacteria on the comb are able to penetrate the affected area of the scalp, thereby triggering the disease mechanism.
- Problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
- Unstable temperature conditions. This problem arises during the period of seasonal changes in weather conditions.
- Long-term drugs.
- Failure of the endocrine system.
- Genetic predisposition of the organism.
If there are important signs of psoriasis on the scalp, it is recommended that you seek the help of a professional dermatologist. He will choose the appropriate treatment to prevent new lesions from appearing. Scalp psoriasis in most cases occurs in people between the ages of 30 and 36. It rarely occurs in young children
Symptoms
In the early stages of the course of psoriasis, the patient does not feel any changes. The disease proceeds slowly and without discomfort. On visual examination, in rare cases, the doctor observes the presence of dandruff in a small amount. With a more complex course of scalp psoriasis, the patient experiences severe itching and burning in the back of the head, forehead and ears. Plaques with dry scaly elements form on the affected areas.
Microcracks begin to form on the skin, through which the infection enters the body. At the peeling site, the dry parts of the skin begin to grow rapidly. Under mechanical stress, these plaques begin to flake off, leaving red spots. In this case, the patient must choose the appropriate drug to prevent the progression of the disease.
Main localization positions
Today, psoriasis on the head is a fairly common type of disease, which occurs in every fourth patient. Inappropriate treatment is the main reason for the spread of the disease throughout the body. The disease can take many forms, each accompanied by new health problems.
The main sites of scalp psoriasis are:
- skin around the ears, behind the head, behind the auricle;
- frontal lobe, parietal area;
- posterior region of the cervical spine;
- hair growth separation area.
The disease has two forms: mild and severe.
During the initial phase, the patient does not experience any unpleasant sensations. The main symptom may be the persistent presence of dandruff, which appears two days after washing the hair. With a severe form of the disease, the patient has psycho-emotional discomfort, a constant burning sensation and itching on the affected area of the skin.
Psoriasis of the scalp: classification and variety
Psoriasis on the head has several stages of the disease.
Dermatologists divide scalp psoriasis into the following stages:
- Initial.It is the presence of small pink papules that rise slightly above the skin. The patient may feel a slight itch in the area of the affected area. With mechanical action, small fragments of dead skin cells are exfoliated.
- Progressive.The presence of new lesions is noted here. The patient begins to experience severe discomfort, which is accompanied by the presence of constant itching and severe peeling. Papules gradually spread from each other peripherally.
- Stationary.At this stage, most of the scalp is affected by lesions. Old areas do not disappear, but, on the contrary, begin to progress with greater force.
- Regressive.Characterized by the presence of a large number of white circles in the affected area. The skin begins to dry out a lot. A large number of scaly formations are present on the surface of the papules.
A severe course of the disease can cause the death of hair follicles, which causes premature baldness of certain areas of the head. The scaly areas gradually thicken due to the dead skin cells. Upon visual inspection, light-colored growths are observed on the surface of the hairline. Men are exempted from military service, as moral and physical stress causes a severe course of the disease.
Classification and variety
There are two groups of scalp psoriasis in medicine. Each of them has a complex of varieties that describe all the characteristic diseases accompanied by the presence of similar symptoms. These include the pustular type.
Includes several groups:
- generalized form;
- palmoplantar;
- is annular.
The non-pustular type, in turn, is divided into:
- the traditional form of the disease;
- psoriatic.
Each type and subgroup has similar symptoms but different rates of disease progression. With the pustular type of the disease, the patient has a progressive nature of the spread of foci that require good medical treatment. In the presence of a non-pustular type, the skin is less susceptible to attacks by new formations.
The course of psoriasis in childhood
In young children, psoriasis of the scalp in the initial stage is often compared with an allergic reaction - there is a slight redness on the surface of the skin with elements of peeling. In most cases, the affected area is compared with diaper rash, candidiasis and eczema.
The disease progresses in slow motion. Often the initial impetus for the appearance of defects in the scalp is various drugs that contain aggressive components. The child should be treated under the guidance of an experienced dermatologist.
The initial stage of therapy is a strict diet. Citrus fruits, all kinds of dyes, fatty foods, carcinogens are completely excluded from the diet. The drug is prescribed to prevent the spread of the affected areas. Mostly prescribed lotions, sprays, shampoos based on medicinal components. This therapy helps restore hair follicles, preventing their death.
Important
Correctly selected course of medical measures significantly attenuates the course of the disease.
For each child, a basic diet is selected, which can eliminate the rapid spread of inflamed areas. In addition to proper nutrition and drug therapy, the patient is prescribed a course of physiotherapy, which contributes to the rapid regeneration of the affected cells of the epidermis.
How to treat psoriasis on the head in the hospital and at home
All psoriasis medications are generally divided into two categories: external and internal. Using them, you can forget about the disease forever. As a rule, the use of external drugs is far from always possible due to constant hair growth, so special balms and shampoos come to replace various ointments.
Not everyone knows how to treat scalp psoriasis, especially when they are facing the disease for the first time. But most of the internal drugs are hormonal.
In the case of drug treatment, various drugs with a general strengthening and sedative effect are often used. These can be well-known vitamin complexes, based on folic and niacin. Treatment of the disease in the hospital is mainly carried out in cases where the psoriasis is severe or moderate. Specific methods of treatment and drugs are prescribed based on the stage of the disease: stationary, progressive or regressive.
At the stage when treatment in the clinic is required, patients no longer have time to hesitate and begin active measures to remove inflammation and disinfect.
In addition to the standard set of injections and a wide variety of pills, external agents such as lotions and ointments are used. After the disease has passed to the next stage, the time of regression, the patient is already discharged for further treatment at home. The course of treatment usually takes two weeks. And the doctor will have to talk about how to cure psoriasis on the head at home when discharged from the hospital.
Home care
To date, there are no drugs that would help permanently get rid of a disease such as psoriasis. The main goal of home treatment is mainly to control its development.
There is an increase in the time interval of the remission phase due to the use of the following funds:
- Special shampoos.
- Healing ointments.
- Infusions of various herbs.
- Baths with the addition of herbal teas.
- UV irradiation.
When prescribing home treatment, it is important to know some rules that must be followed:
- All prescribed medications should be taken regularly.
- In the absence of severe symptoms, it is sufficient to use products containing aloe vera. Only in the case of a severe course of the disease is it necessary to switch to the use of any hormonal drugs.
- By using the prescribed creams, it will be possible to maintain a normal level of skin moisture.
- In case of a sunbathing appointment and for the recent UV therapy procedure, it is imperative to strictly follow the schedule suggested by the doctor.
- To get rid of various manifestations of the disease, it is advisable to use the most common means. Most doctors agree that it is undesirable to use several different ointments and drugs at the same time, as it will be impossible to determine how effective a particular remedy has been for you.
- Take a break during the treatment. At the same time, the average break time between courses varies from several weeks to six months.
- If psoriasis is noticed in a child, it is necessary to pay attention to the factors that provoked the disease in order to exclude them as soon as possible. In that case, the diet is usually sufficient.
How to cure psoriasis on the head with folk methods
You can try to cure the disease using various folk remedies. Of course, using them on their own is unlikely to be able to achieve stunning results, as psoriasis on the head can only be cured with complex treatment.
Folk remedies help to relieve the situation well and at the same time serve as an additional therapy. Celandine is a plant on the basis of which funds are used in case of a wide variety of infectious and inflammatory skin diseases.
It has been repeatedly shown that in the treatment of psoriasis it can also have a positive effect on the skin. Take the simplest alcoholic tincture of the plant and scrub your scalp with it. After that, it is recommended to lightly rinse the hair with chamomile infusion. If you feel any discomfort while using the product, you should stop using it. Despite the fact that today there are a huge number of masks, it is necessary to use them carefully during treatment, as they cause allergic reactions.
One of the most popular mask recipes, which you can prepare yourself, is the following: mix the egg white with a teaspoon of honey and apply the resulting mixture directly to the hair, rubbing it into the scalp with light massaging movements. Rinse off the mask after 30 minutes.
Several oil-based masks are quite effective. You can take an essential oil such as rosemary or tea tree and add a teaspoon of almond / coconut. The resulting mixture should be applied to the hair and kept for at least two hours. It is necessary to wash off such a mask with a special therapeutic shampoo.
It is worth noting that you will need to lather your hair more than once. Onion compresses are often used against the disease. They are very easy to do. It is only necessary to cut a little fruit in a porridge state and apply directly to the scalp with massaging movements. Such a compress is washed off after two hours.
For maximum effect, this procedure should be repeated at least three times a week. This drug has only one drawback, but a rather serious one, which is a strong odor, which is unlikely to be eliminated on the same day that the compress was applied.
Therapeutic diet
One of the most important conditions for effective psoriasis treatment is strict adherence to a specially formulated diet.
Its essence lies in the exclusion of a number of foods from the diet:
- Coffee.
- Various citrus fruits.
- Alcoholic beverages.
- Fruits, vegetables, but only red.
- Carbonated drinks.
- Spicy food.
- Any pastry that contains chocolate.
- Products containing food colors or any flavorings or preservatives.
In addition, for strict adherence to the diet, it is necessary to minimize the consumption of eggs and sugar in any form. Once the symptoms have partially disappeared, you can reuse foods from the prohibited list in foods. However, it is necessary to monitor what reaction the body will have. As soon as the symptoms reappear, the product will have to be eliminated from the diet.
Hair care rules
Brush your hair very gently and only after it is completely dry. After washing your hair, rinse it with boiled water and lemon juice. And if there are a lot of plaques on the head, you can use soap every two months to wash your hair.