Scalp Psoriasis and Scalp Eczema – They Are Different
Psoriasis is a genetic disease of the immune system. It is not contagious and affects the skin and the joints. The National Institutes of Health states that 7.5 million Americans have psoriasis. At least half of the people with psoriasis will have will also have it on their scalp which can cause an itchy scalp with an abundance of scalp flakes.
Psoriasis occurs when skin cells grow too fast and cause red lesions covered with scales. These are usually raised red lesion and scales are silvery white in color.
There are different degrees of scalp psoriasis. It may be mild with only a small amount of fine scaling. Or it may be severe and include crusted plaques that are thick and may cover the entire scalp. For some people the only area affected is the scalp, but most will have the psoriasis in other areas as well. The scalp psoriasis may spread form the scalp to the forehead, neck or ears.
Another scalp condition called seborrheic dermatitis is sometimes confused with scalp psoriasis. The two conditions are similar but can be differentiated. Psoriasis scales look powdery with a silver color, while seborrheic dermatitis scales are greasy and yellowish in color.
There are many products on the market to treat scalp psoriasis, but many contain harsh chemicals that may dry the scalp out. With psoriasis it is helpful to keep the scalp moisturized. The scalp requires a delicate balance of oil to maintain health. Jojoba oil and emu oil are excellent moisturizing ingredients for the scalp. Zinc pca works to normalize the scalp and regulate the sebum gland creating a healthy atmosphere for the scalp. For most people psoriasis is an chronic condition and must be treated over the long term. Dead sea shampoo and dead sea salts have helped many while they also turn to salicyllic acid shampoos. Our shampoo with zinc pca can also work very well on scalp psoriasis and defintely works well on seborrheic dermatitis to reduce the redness of the scalp and also the itchy scalp problems associated with all related scalp problems.
