If you have psoriasis on your scalp, it can cause redness, thick scales or patches, itching, and even pain. It can also cause temporary hair loss. It’s similar to psoriasis on other parts of the body, but hair can trap the scales, causing them to build up more.
There are a few prescription medications that are commonly used to treat scalp psoriasis. But you can get better results from your medications if you wash your hair with psoriasis-specific shampoo.
For moderate to serious psoriasis, psoriasis shampoos are not that effective alone, but they can help your medications work better when used in combination with them.
“These shampoos should be thought of as a complementary therapy,” says Lawrence J. Green, MD, a clinical professor of dermatology at George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, DC. “They’re not on your hair and scalp for long enough to be a primary treatment.”
For some people with very mild scalp psoriasis, the shampoos may be enough to keep it under control, says Alix Charles, MD, a dermatologist in Hinsdale, Illinois.
Here’s a breakdown of the different types of shampoos, how to use them, and what else you should be doing to keep your scalp psoriasis under control.
