Psoriasis is a chronic disease of the upper layers of epidermal cells that is accompanied by the presence of dead skin scales. The most common disease is psoriasis of the head. The disease is accompanied by the presence of large or small formations in the scalp.
Often the lesion is localized in one place. Late treatment can make the situation worse.
This type of disease is not transmitted to others. A person suffering from such a disease is safe for society.
Factors for the development of psoriasis
The main cause of skin damage is impaired metabolism.
As already mentioned, the disease is not contagious, so the patient is not able to harm the health of the people around him. The presence of psoriasis in a person indicates the inability of the body to react normally to the presence of various types of stimuli. As a result, excessive cell division occurs. According to statistics, the normal process of cell division is about 30 days.
During this period, the upper layer of the epidermis is gradually replaced by a new one. In psoriasis, excessive growth of new cells can be noticed, which begin to overlap with 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 a mild inflammation accompanied by itching. In the process of peeling the old layer of the epidermis, pink spots of various shapes appear on the surface of the skin. Gradually, they begin to be covered with new formations of skin cells.
Scientists have identified a number of reasons that can also trigger a breakdown in normal metabolism, including:
- Have 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.
- Faulty power supply. The patient's diet contains many products with a large amount of food additives and carcinogens. Bad food can be the initial stage of psoriasis.
- Mechanical damage to the hairline. With repeated injuries, dandruff may appear. Bacteria on the comb can penetrate the affected area of the scalp, thus triggering the disease mechanism.
- Problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
- Unstable temperature conditions. This problem is manifested in the period of seasonal changes in weather conditions.
- Long-term medications.
- Endocrine system failure.
- Genetic predisposition of the organism.
If there are major signs of psoriasis on the scalp, it is recommended that you seek the help of a professional dermatologist. They will choose the appropriate treatment to prevent the appearance of new lesions. Scalp psoriasis in most cases occurs in people aged 30 to 36 years. 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 progressed slowly and without discomfort. Visual examination, in rare cases, the doctor notices the presence of dandruff in a small amount. In the more complex course of scalp psoriasis, the patient feels severe itching and burning in the nape of the neck, forehead and ears. Plaques with dry scaly elements are formed on the affected areas.
Microcracks begin to form on the skin through which the infection enters the body. At the site of peeling, dry areas of skin begin to grow rapidly. Under mechanical stress, these tiles begin to peel, leaving red stains. In this case, the patient must choose the appropriate medication to prevent the disease from progressing.
Top Localization Locations
Today, psoriasis of the head is a fairly common type of disease that occurs in every fourth patient. Untimely treatment is the main reason for the spread of the disease throughout the body. The disease can take several forms, and each of them is accompanied by new health problems.
The main sites of scalp psoriasis are:
- skin around the ears, nape of the neck, behind the earlobe;
- anterior lobe area, parietal area;
- posterior region of cervical spine;
- hair growth separation zone.
The disease has two forms: mild and severe.
During the initial phase, the patient does not feel any unpleasant sensations. The main symptom may be the permanent presence of dandruff that appears two days after washing the hair. With a severe form of the disease, the patient has psycho-emotional discomfort, constant burning and itching on the affected area of skin.
Scalp Psoriasis: Classification and Varieties
Psoriasis of the head has several stages of the disease.
Dermatologists divide scalp psoriasis into the following stages:
- Initial.The presence of small pink papules that rise slightly above the skin. The patient may feel mild itching in the affected area. By mechanical action, small fragments of dead skin cells peel off.
- Progressive.The presence of new lesions was noted here. The patient begins to feel strong discomfort, accompanied by the presence of constant itching and severe peeling. The papules gradually spread peripherally from each other.
- Fixed.At this stage, most of the scalp is affected by lesions. The old areas do not disappear, but, on the contrary, begin to prosper 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 severely. A large number of scaly formations are present on the surface of the papules.
The 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 dead skin cells. On visual inspection, light-colored growths are observed on the surface of the hairline. Men are exempt from military service because moral and physical stress cause a severe course of the disease.
Classification and varieties
In medicine, there are two groups of scalp psoriasis. Each of them has a complex of varieties that describe all the characteristic diseases accompanied by the presence of similar symptoms. This includes the pustular type.
Contains several groups:
- generalized form;
- palmoplantar;
- is annular.
Non-pustular type, in turn, is divided into:
- traditional form of the disease;
- psoriatic.
Each species and subgroup has similar symptoms but different rates of disease progression. With a pustular type of disease, the patient has a progressive nature of spreading foci that require good medical treatment. In the presence of the non-pustular type, the skin is less susceptible to attacks by new formations.
The course of childhood psoriasis
In young children, scalp psoriasis in the initial stage is often compared to an allergic reaction - there is a slight redness on the surface of the skin with peeling elements. In most cases, the affected area is compared to diaper rash, candidiasis and eczema.
The disease progresses slowly. Often, the initial stimulus for the appearance of scalp defects are various medications that contain aggressive components. The child must be treated under the guidance of an experienced dermatologist.
The initial phase of therapy is a strict diet. Citrus fruits, all kinds of colors, fatty foods, carcinogenic compounds are completely excluded from the diet. Medications are prescribed to prevent the spread of the affected areas. Lotions, sprays, shampoos based on medicinal components are generally prescribed. This therapy helps to restore hair follicles, preventing their death.
Important
Properly chosen course of medical measures significantly alleviates the course of the disease.
A basic diet is selected for each child that 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 epidermal cells.
How to treat psoriasis on the head in hospital and at home
All psoriasis medications are usually divided into two categories: external and internal. By using them, you can forget about the disease forever. As a rule, the use of external remedies is not always possible due to the constant growth of hair, so special balms and shampoos come to replace various ointments.
Not everyone knows how to treat psoriasis on the head, especially when they first face the disease. But most internal medications are hormonal.
In the case of drug treatment, various drugs with general strengthening and sedatives are often used. These may be well-known vitamin complexes based on folic and niacin. Hospital treatment of the disease is usually carried out in cases where psoriasis is severe or moderate. Specific methods of treatment and medications are prescribed based on the stage of the disease: stationary, progressive or regressive.
At the stage when treatment is needed in the clinic, patients no longer have time to hesitate, and active measures begin to remove inflammation and disinfect.
In addition to the standard set of injections and a wide range of tablets, external agents, such as lotions and ointments, are also used. After the disease progresses to the next stage - the time of regression, the patient is already discharged for further treatment at home. The course of treatment usually lasts two weeks. And the doctor will have to tell you how to treat psoriasis on the head at home when he is discharged from the hospital.
Home treatment
To date, there are no medications to help get rid of a disease like psoriasis forever. The main goal of home treatment is primarily to control its development.
The increase in the time interval of the remission phase is due to the use of the following means:
- Special shampoos.
- Medicinal ointments.
- Infusions of various plants.
- Baths with the addition of herbal infusions.
- UV radiation.
When prescribing home treatment, it is important to know a few rules that must be followed:
- All prescribed medications will need to be taken regularly.
- In the absence of serious symptoms, it is enough to use products that contain aloe vera. Only in the case of a severe course of the disease it is necessary to switch to the use of any hormonal drugs.
- Using the prescribed creams, it will be possible to maintain a normal level of skin moisture.
- In the case of sunbathing appointments and the recently popular UV therapy procedure, it is necessary to strictly follow the schedule suggested by the doctor.
- To get rid of various manifestations of the disease, it is desirable to use the most common means. Most doctors agree that it is undesirable to use several different ointments and medications at the same time, as it will not be possible to determine how effective a particular medication has been for you.
- Take a break during treatment. At the same time, the average break time between courses varies from a few weeks to six months.
- If a child develops psoriasis, it is necessary to pay attention to the factors that caused the disease in order to exclude them as soon as possible. In such a case, a diet is usually sufficient.
How to cure psoriasis on the head by folk methods
You can try to cure the disease with various folk remedies. Of course, using only them alone, it is unlikely that it will be possible to achieve stunning results, because psoriasis on the head can only be cured with a complex treatment.
Folk remedies help to alleviate the situation and at the same time act as an additional therapy. Celandine is a plant based on which agents are used in the case of a wide range of infectious and inflammatory skin diseases.
It has been proven many times that in the case of psoriasis treatment it can also have a positive effect on the skin. Take the simplest alcoholic tincture of the plant and rub the scalp. After that, it is advisable to rinse your hair with an infusion of chamomile. If you experience any discomfort while using the product, you must stop using it. Despite the fact that there are a huge number of masks today, it is necessary to use them carefully in treatment, because they cause allergic reactions.
One of the most popular recipes for masks, which you can make yourself, is the following: mix egg whites with a small spoonful of honey and apply the resulting mixture directly on the hair, rubbing it into the scalp with light massaging movements. Rinse the mask after 30 minutes.
Various oil-based masks are quite effective. You can take an essential oil like rosemary or tea tree and add a small spoonful of almonds / coconut. The resulting mixture must be applied to the hair and kept for at least two hours. Such a mask should be washed with a special medical shampoo.
It’s worth noting that you’ll need to lather your hair multiple times. Garlic compresses are often used against diseases. They are very easy to perform. It is only necessary to cut a little fruit into the state of the porridge and apply it directly to the scalp with massage 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 remedy has only one, but quite serious drawback, and that is a strong odor, which is unlikely to be resolved on the same day the dressing is applied.
Therapeutic diet
One of the most important conditions for effective treatment of psoriasis is strict adherence to a specially formulated diet.
Its essence lies in the exclusion of a number of foods from the diet:
- Coffee.
- Various lemon fruits.
- Alcoholic beverages.
- Fruits, vegetables, but only red.
- Carbonated drinks.
- Spicy food.
- Any pastry shop that contains chocolate.
- Products containing food colors or any flavors or preservatives.
Also, for strict adherence to the diet, it is necessary to reduce the consumption of eggs and sugar in any form. Once the symptoms have partially disappeared, you can reuse the food from the forbidden list in the food. However, you need to monitor what reaction the body will have. As soon as symptoms reappear, the product should 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 with lemon juice. And if there are a lot of deposits on your head, you can use hair washing soap every two months.