What Is Scalp Psoriasis? Here's What You Need To Know

Flakes on your scalp and hair can lead to an embarrassing situation, often associated with poor hygiene. However, not every dandruff-like flaking is dandruff; it could be a warning sign of scalp psoriasis.

What is scalp psoriasis?

Scalp psoriasis is a type of psoriasis, a skin disease where your immune system attacks healthy cells, organs, and tissues.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, “Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder that causes skin cells to form faster than normal. With an increase in inflammation, these skin cells pile on to each other, causing silver or red itchy plaques to form on your skin.”

How do I know if I have scalp psoriasis? Symptoms

Initially, you might experience only fine scaling, but as it progresses, you may notice symptoms like red or purple bumpy patches, silvery-white or grey scales, dandruff-like flaking, a dry scalp, itching, burning, soreness, or even hair loss.

Scalp psoriasis and hair loss

While there are many reports suggesting that scalp psoriasis can cause hair loss, WebMD clarifies that “Scalp psoriasis itself doesn’t cause hair loss. But scratching a lot or very hard picking at the scaly spots, harsh treatments, and the stress that goes along with the condition can lead to temporary hair loss.”

The good news is that your hair naturally grows back once your skin clears. However, it's crucial to consult your doctor if the condition becomes severe.

Tips to take care of scalp psoriasis at home

There are a lot of treatments for scalp psoriasis depending on the severity of your condition. However, some basic tips to keep in mind if you have scalp psoriasis are to keep your scalp moisturized, use medicated shampoo prescribed by your doctor, gently wash your scalp with lukewarm water, take a short sun bath exposing areas with scalp psoriasis and lastly, eat healthy.