When done properly, mitigating the scales and flakiness of scalp psoriasis can provide cosmetic benefits, pain relief, and better medication effectiveness.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that medical experts believe is caused by a combination of genetic factors and environmental triggers. There are several different types.
Scalp psoriasis is a chronic condition where skin cells build up too quickly. This can form patches that can flake, bleed, and itch. Patches may appear red with silvery scales on lighter skin and purple or dark brown with gray scales on darker skin.
Psoriasis scales on the scalp can be a setback to feeling confident and moving comfortably throughout your day. You may feel eager to scrape off your scales quickly but approach this with caution. Removing these scales incorrectly can cause pain and infection.
Read on to learn how to manage and treat scalp psoriasis.
In short, yes. It’s safe to remove psoriasis scales if you’re doing it the right way.
However, before you pick at them, speak with a primary care doctor or dermatologist.
The biggest concern regarding flake removal is ripping away healthy skin. This can lead to additional pain, discomfort, and scarring. By picking your scales, you also risk enlarging the affected area.
Gently removing scales correctly can also help treat the condition. Getting rid of the scales can help medicated ointments and creams work better. However, the scales will gradually return with time.
The scalp is a tricky place to treat psoriasis, as many people want to balance maintaining their hair health with treatment. It’s important to be patient and gentle throughout this process to protect your hair and healthy skin.
The following steps will help remove scales and aid in the overall treatment of your psoriasis. However, it’s a good idea to talk with a doctor before getting started.
1. Use gentle chemical exfoliants
The American Academy of Dermatology stresses the importance of using active ingredients to remove scales from your skin. These ingredients soften the attachment of the scale to the skin, making them easier to remove.
First, locate the scales you want to remove. Your approach will differ if the scales are hidden under your hair, right at your hairline, or behind your ears.
Choose a spot treatment or shampoo
If your scales are surrounded by hair, it’s best to use a medicated shampoo to soften them. Although shampoos have milder ingredients than topical spot treatments, they provide the added benefit of gentle physical exfoliation.
A spot treatment might have stronger ingredients, so you can apply it directly onto hairless skin.
For expert recommended shampoos, check out this list from the National Psoriasis Foundation.
Choose your ingredients
Look for the following ingredients, either in shampoos or topical creams:
- Salicylic acid: You’ll find this powerful exfoliating ingredient in shampoos and creams. Salicylic acid helps lift and soften scaling and is best as a spot treatment. However, you should use shampoos with salicylic acid sparingly because they can dry your scalp and may lead to more flaking.
- Coal tar: This is one of the most common ingredients in psoriasis shampoos. Coal tar helps soften any scaling on the scalp.
- Lactic acid and urea: These work similarly to salicylic acid. Lactic acid and urea are scale lifters that soften and break down the thickness of your flakes.
2. Physical Removal
Once the scales on your scalp have softened, it’s safe to work toward physically removing the scales from your head.
Shampoo
Start by shampooing your hair with a psoriasis shampoo. Slowly work the shampoo into your head and use your fingertips to gently massage the scalp.
This light exfoliation technique detaches the softened flakes from the bed of your scalp. You shouldn’t feel unusual pain or resistance.
Read more about the 7 best shampoos for scalp psoriasis.
Scalp mask
Consider a scalp mask before you rinse out your shampoo. Lock in the active ingredients with warm (not hot) water by wrapping the affected skin in a towel or plastic wrap for 15 minutes.
This can speed up the softening of your scales.
Comb
Remove the flakes with a gentle, fine-toothed comb. In the process of exfoliating your scalp, some flakes might get stuck in the strands of your hair. A fine-tooth comb will be able to pick up any detached scales.
Gently run the comb through wet hair for removal, cleaning the comb and discarding the flakes as you go.
3. Maintenance
Consistent use of medicated shampoo should help improve the symptoms of psoriasis and keep flaking to a minimum. However, you may speak with a doctor before deciding which one to use for your skin and hair.
If you need to remove scales quickly but are unable to follow the three steps above, consider keeping an oil or occlusive ointment handy. A quick pat of oil or petroleum jelly on the affected area can help flatten the scales, easing your symptoms and disguising the flakes temporarily.
Improving the symptoms of flaking associated with scalp psoriasis involves consistent treatment. Here are a few scalp treatments you can consider trying at home or discussing with a doctor:
- Keratolytics: Like salicylic and lactic acid, these are peeling agents found in creams, shampoos, or foams.
- Hydrocortisone: This ingredient helps reduce the itching and inflammation associated with scalp psoriasis.
- Steroid injections: Applied directly into scalp plaques, these injections must be administered at a doctor’s office. They can help reduce inflammation.
- Prescription medicated shampoo: This may be necessary if you find that over-the-counter shampoos don’t provide relief. A doctor might be able to prescribe something stronger to treat your scalp plaques and ease your symptoms.
- Oral retinoids: These help reduce redness or discoloration and swelling while slowing rapidly growing skin cells.
- UV light treatment: This treatment can combat psoriasis by applying UV light directly onto the plaque. This can be done by parting the hair carefully (to expose the affected area) or by using a hand-held UV comb.
If you do it carefully, it’s safe to removes scalp psoriasis scales.
Avoid pulling at existing scales. Instead, treat psoriasis scales with active ingredients that soften them and help them break off from the scalp. The safest physical removal of scales is by shampooing and gently combing the scalp.
With some patience and the help of a doctor, you can reduce the discomfort caused by scalp psoriasis.
