Seborrheic psoriasis: treatment and diagnosis

Seborrheic psoriasis is a disease that develops as a result of the dysfunction of the immune system, which sends erroneous signals to the skin cells and thereby causes them to age too quickly. New cells form within a couple of days, while the normal duration of their growth is several weeks. The body is not able to lose excess cells, as a result of which the latter accumulate on the surface of the skin and form characteristic spots of psoriasis.

Violations are observed on any part of the body, but the scalp is the most common localization of excess clusters of dead cells. Seborrhoeic psoriasis of the head can be as light (small reddish bumps, similar to a rash), and heavy (dense, strongly peeling spots). The disease often leads to discomfort, burning sensation, itching, and also to profuse dandruff. It can flow over the borders of the scalp and cover the forehead, neck and area behind the ears. The following factors lead to the spread of typical symptoms to new skin areas:

• stress;
• Damage to the skin;
• Taking certain medicines;
• infectious diseases;
• Too cold or dry air.

Differentiation

It should be borne in mind that peeling and pigmentation on the skin of the body is a slightly different disease than seborrheic psoriasis. Photos of affected areas will help differentiate violations. The seborrhoeal variety of the pathology under consideration is less treatable, since the scalp is thicker and usually covered with a hair covering, which prevents careful application of external means. This disease is easier to prevent than treat, and for this purpose you can use special shampoos and rinses.

Symptoms

Different patients may show different signs of pathology, but there are also typical symptoms of an autoimmune disease. Most often, seborrhoeic psoriasis of the scalp is characterized by incessant pruritus. Some people can calmly ignore mild discomfort, but in other patients itching is simply unbearable, not allowing you to live normally and preventing sleep at night. Combing the head often causes bleeding and even temporary baldness.

Other symptoms of the disorder include:

• Reddish spots on the scalp;
• Peeling, similar to dandruff;
• Dryness of scalp;
• Burning sensation or apparent soreness.

Symptoms of pathology are not always permanent; They can suddenly appear, and then disappear.

Non-prescription therapeutic medications

People with psoriasis suffer mainly from itching. Although it can be difficult to resist, you need to consciously resist the desire to scratch your head, as combing the scaly spots causes even more itching, bleeding and skin irritation.

Some shampoos relieve discomfort. The tar products slow the growth of skin cells and reduce itching and inflammation. Tar - a by-product of coal production - is one of the oldest means of combating psoriasis. The higher the content of this component in shampoo, the more effective the treatment. Experts, however, do not recommend exceeding the established rate of 5% tar.

Salicylic acid helps delicately exfoliate dead skin cells and prevents excessive layering of cornified epidermis. To increase its effectiveness, salicylic acid is usually prescribed in combination with other agents, for example with corticosteroids or tar tar.

Specialized products for the care of scaly scalp are available under the following brands:

• MG217;
• "Denorex";
• Zetar;
• Neutrogena T / Gel;
• D-Psoria.

Ordinary OTC drugs can cope well with mild cases of the disease. If seborrhoeic psoriasis is started or spread beyond the scalp, the effectiveness of these drugs is not guaranteed.

Visit to the dermatologist

If tar tar shampoos and folk remedies do not alleviate the characteristic symptoms of the pathology, you should consult a qualified doctor. Diagnosis of psoriasis is made on the basis of obvious signs of the disease, identified by careful medical examination, and data from the history of illness (sometimes - family history) of the patient. With advanced psoriasis or the spread of flaky spots on other parts of the body, dermatologists prescribe medicines dispensed from pharmacies on prescription. The most popular means of external application include:

• Tazaroten ("Tazorak");
• Calcipotriol (Daivonex).

These drugs gradually slow down the abnormal cell growth characteristic of such a disorder as seborrheic psoriasis on the face and on the head. They also effectively cope with inflammatory processes. The greatest effectiveness of medicines is noted when they are applied to the skin freed from scales, into which the curative substances penetrate much more easily.

Although the chemical composition of the above medicines is not the same, all of them are capable of causing similar side effects, including:

• Worsening of the patient's condition;
• Redness of the skin;
• dermatitis.

A complex approach

Creams and topical ointments quickly cure seborrhoeic psoriasis of the head, but it should be borne in mind that in especially neglected cases it is necessary to combine such medications with medications taken orally. Using an integrated approach, you can effectively treat psoriasis throughout the body.

In rare cases, when the disease does not respond to standard therapy, doctors prescribe strong medications in the form of tablets or injections, for example adalimumab (Humira). They are characterized by powerful side effects, so these drugs are used strictly for the prescription of a dermatologist and for a limited period of time.

ethnoscience

Not all people tend to go to the doctors, even when they have a clear manifestation of seborrheic psoriasis. Treatment with home remedies may also be effective, but it is highly advisable to consult a professional before applying any alternative medicine methods.

According to the observations of some patients, itching can be significantly alleviated if, during particularly severe skin irritations, the head is moistened with ordinary water. Shampoos help best those who are always clean, well-groomed and short-cut hair. The longer the strands, the harder it is to treat seborrheic psoriasis.

Sometimes as a means of getting rid of the characteristic symptoms of the disease, phototherapy is used. This method is based on the practice of batch exposure to the skin with natural or artificial light.

Simple Tools

• From redness, peeling, itching and inflammation, you can get rid of almost completely, if you regularly apply to the scalp lotions with fresh juice of aloe vera or coconut oil.
• Relative efficiency is also possessed by fish oil and all sorts of fish that should be eaten more often.

Forecast

Unfortunately, seborrheic psoriasis is an unpredictable pathology. It can almost completely pass, so that after some time it can arise anew. In addition, the body is able to get used to certain medications, as a result of which the effectiveness of the latter is noticeably reduced.

To alleviate the characteristic symptoms of the disease and to live a full life, try to adhere to proper nutrition, exercise regularly and, if possible, reduce the level of stress.