Scalp psoriasis, causes, symptoms, and treatments

Scalp psoriasis is an inflammatory disease in which red-colored bumps and scalings are observed typically on your entire scalp. This inflammation may either appear on a small portion of your scalp or over the entire scalp area. Sometimes, if the condition is not treated on time, it can spread across your forehead, on the back of your neck, and around your ears. It is a common skin condition observed in children and grown-ups and can be controlled with medications.

Causes
Scalp psoriasis, just like other forms of psoriasis, is a hereditary condition and is observed in those individuals who have at least one person in their family with the disease. It is not a contagious disease, so you can not be diagnosed with it because you came in contact with a person with psoriasis. While it is not contagious, several risk factors may trigger such inflammations on your skin.

Risk factors

As specified earlier, while scalp psoriasis is not contagious, several external factors could trigger a psoriasis flare-up in an individual. Someone with a compromised immune system is generally more susceptible to this condition since it is observed that people with many white blood cells or T cells are more likely to experience a psoriasis flare-up.
Here are some common risk factors associated with scalp psoriasis.

• Stress
• Viral/bacterial infections
• Alcohol addiction
• Lack of vitamin D
• Skin injuries

Symptoms of scalp psoriasis
Psoriasis typically appears as a small bump on the skin, which eventually dries up and gets converted into a flaky skin layer. Patients may feel the need to scratch this skin, and the scales that fall may sometimes be mistaken as dandruff. Extensive itching and dry, scaly texture on the skin is a primary sign of scalp psoriasis. In severe cases, when the condition is not treated well in advance, patients may observe alopecia or extensive hair loss.

Treatment options for psoriasis

There are several different kinds of medical and home remedies known to soothe scalp psoriasis symptoms, including the following.

• Home remedies
  While most home remedies are not too useful in alleviating major symptoms associated with psoriasis, some of these are known to help reduce some symptoms and soothe the skin when used along with medical treatments. Some such home remedies include applying aloe vera mixed with pureed garlic as a cream or gel, using coconut or avocado oil as a soothing ointment, tea tree oil for reducing inflammation, or a baking soda and water paste to reduce itchiness that is associated with the condition. Other than these, bathing in certain natural ingredients, such as Epsom or sea salts and oatmeal, helps reduce inflammation.
• Medications
  The most effective and recommended method of treating scalp psoriasis is consulting a medical professional for treatment using medical treats. Common medicines, in the form of creams and gels, such as Anthralin, Calcipotriene, or Tazarotene, are often prescribed for external application to soothe symptoms of redness, swelling, itching, and for changing the growth of skin cells with the help of vitamin D. Other methods include oral medicines like Methotrexate, Cyclosporine or certain oral retinoids that must be taken in exact quantities recommended by your doctor. In some cases, the doctors may also recommend injectable medications called Biologics or Ultraviolet light therapy.