The first manifestations of psoriasis usually appear on the head and then spread throughout the body. Psoriasis on the head occurs with itching and risk of bacterial complications. If you suspect the psoriatic nature of the rashes, see a doctor immediately - the disease responds well to treatment at first. The article contains all the information about the symptoms and all the known treatments for this form of the disease.
Causes of psoriasis on the head
This is a chronic, non-contagious dermatological process that develops in individuals with a hereditary predisposition. The causes of head psoriasis and the mechanism of its development are not fully understood. But it has been established that the process develops against the background of metabolic and immunological disorders. The body loses control over the division of skin epithelial cells: they begin to divide much faster. Just as quickly, signs of keratinization appear, manifested in the form of desquamation. At the same time, inflammatory processes develop in the skin.
Main cause of scalp psoriasisit is a hereditary predisposition. Scientists are trying to identify the genes responsible for transmitting the disease from generation to generation. Separate altered areas related to different genes found in patients and their close relatives have already been established.
But a person who has a genetic predisposition does not necessarily get sick. Equally important are external and internal predisposing factors. Scalp psoriasis starts in genetically predisposed individuals due to exposure to the following factors:
- mechanical irritation of the skin (with a hairbrush with hard teeth; injury to small wounds and crusts that appear with seborrhea, etc. );
- exposure to cold;
- transferred infectious diseases; often after streptococcal impetigo - purulent rashes mainly on the skin of the face; develops in children and becomes an impetus for the development of an autoimmune process;
- chronic stress and high loads;
- frequent smoking, alcohol abuse;
- diet disorders - dry foods from irregular malnutrition, excessive consumption of high-calorie foods and hot spices;
- with hormonal disorders that affect the state of the sebaceous glands of the skin - obesity, imbalance of sex hormones, diabetes mellitus, diseases of the thyroid gland, pituitary gland, hypothalamus;
- in liver and kidney diseases with impaired function of these organs; toxins are neutralized in the liver and are excreted from the body by the kidneys; intoxication can become a starting point in the development of the disease.
Under the influence of one or more factors, the organism's interaction with the environment is interrupted. The metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is disturbed, which causes the acceleration of metabolic processes in the skin and its peeling.
Psoriasis of any location can spread throughout the body, so do not delay treatment.
Changes in the immune system manifest in the form of increased sensitivity of the skin to any external influences (apart from frequent combing or coloring of hair). In response to such influences, antibodies are produced to their own cells, causing an autoimmune inflammatory process to occur. The reasons why inflammation starts are still not fully understood. This is one of the priorities of medicine towards the treatment of psoriasis.
Scalp psoriasis symptoms
Psoriasis on the head manifests itself in the form of characteristic symptoms. The disease can start acutely with various rashes (vulgar form of psoriasis) or gradually with itching and peeling of the skin, and only then characteristic rashes appear (seborrheic form).
The most frequent onset is gradual, in the form of dandruff and scaling. In the early stages, these are small areas in the occipital region. The peeling spreads to larger areas and the itching begins. Constant scratching of the skin contributes to its thickening and the appearance of abrasions. What is scalp psoriasis like? The initial symptoms of psoriasis on the head in the photo look like this:
In the area of scratches and abrasions, redness appears first, and then small inflammatory nodules and papules, surrounded by a shiny border that rises above the surface of the skin. Accompanied by intense itching, the rashes increase in size and merge. The characteristics of eruptions are:
- white "splinters" covering the papules; when scraped off, it resembles a grain of stearin; in the seborrheic form, the scales are yellowish in color and the stearin stain phenomenon is not so pronounced;
- if you scrape off all the "chips", a smooth, translucent surface opens;
- Further scraping leads to the appearance of blood droplets on the surface - "blood dew".
In the photo, three signs look like this:
These three characteristic manifestations distinguish scalp psoriasis from seborrheic dermatitis, with which it is easily confused. In the future, the papules merge and form psoriatic plaques, which have a different configuration and sometimes spread over the entire surface of the head.
The course of scalp psoriasis can be mild with the appearance of unique rashes at an early stage. These rashes go through all three stages of development. In the severe form, the rash takes up the entire significant area and spreads across the face and neck in the form of a crown - an inflammatory rim covered with silvery scales. The hair roots do not suffer, but a bacterial, fungal or mixed infection often joins the psoriatic process, which leads to complications that are not so easy to cure. This is what the crown looks like:
Stages of psoriasis on the head
The disease continues for a long time, exacerbations are replaced by remissions. The frequency of exacerbations and the severity of symptoms depend on the presence of triggering factors.
progressive stage
Rash and inflammation spread, accompanied by intense itching. At the initial stage, there is a symptom of Koebner - the appearance of psoriatic eruptions at the site of scratches and abrasions.
Stationary
The process is in the same state, not spreading, but not disappearing either.
Regressive
The process gradually subsides, the itching disappears, the rash turns pale, the inflammatory infiltrate subsides, gradually acquiring the appearance of a spot; the color of the eruptions turns pale, starting from the center, forming ring-shaped figures with a brighter edge. Sometimes they begin to pale from the periphery to the center, and then take the form of whitish rings (a symptom of psoriasis on the head is Voronov's pseudoatrophy). The healing phase can take a long time and gradually only depigmented white patches remain on the skin.
Methods of treating psoriasis on the head
Scalp psoriasis requires systematic treatment under the supervision of a doctor. Of decisive importance is a mobile lifestyle, quitting smoking and alcohol, dieting. It is necessary to treat the disease in a complex way, apply techniques taking into account the characteristics of the patient's body. Complex therapy can include modern European methods, drug treatment, as well as centuries-old proven oriental methods. Such treatment can immediately significantly improve the patient's condition and lead to the development of a stable remission within a few weeks.
PRP - therapy - the method is based on the ability of platelets (red platelets) to secrete a growth factor that stimulates the regenerative abilities of cells. By centrifugation, the patient's blood is enriched with platelets and then punctually injected into the scalp. The technique can significantly accelerate the onset of remission and prevent the development of relapses.
Autohemotherapy - treatment is performed by intramuscular injection of a small amount of blood taken from the patient's vein. This has a general stimulating effect, restores the epithelium of the head. After treatment, a stable remission is observed.
Reflexology is the impact in various ways on special points on the body, reflexively associated with organs and tissues. One of the oldest and most effective traditional methods of treatment. Impact on the points can be performed by acupuncture (acupuncture), cauterization, massage, etc. Treating psoriasis on the head with these methods has been practiced in Eastern medicine for thousands of years. Treatments are performed by a reflexologist.
Vacuum therapy - the effect of thin air on biologically active points - is one of the methods of reflexology. It can be carried out using cans or special equipment. Promotes rapid recovery of altered tissues. As a result of using vacuum therapy, the affected areas are significantly reduced.
Phytotherapy - Dermatologists widely use medicinal plants in their practice in the form of infusions, decoctions and ready-made pharmaceutical forms. When used correctly as part of a complex treatment, they are very effective both in the early stages of the disease and in its long-term forms. If you add herbal medicine, the effectiveness of other treatment methods increases, the risk of developing undesirable drug effects decreases.
Treatment of psoriasis on the head in the clinic
In a specialist clinic, this disease is treated by dermatologists trained and clinically experienced in treating this disease with all currently known methods. In their work, they use new Western methods of medical treatment in combination with traditional Eastern methods that have been used successfully by doctors in ancient China and Tibet for thousands of years.
To prevent relapse, it is necessary to eliminate the cause of the disease
Professional clinics use a variety of methods with an individual approach to each patient. Various complexes of traditional methods in combination with drug treatment can permanently save the patient from scalp skin problems.
The effectiveness of treatment at the clinic is noted in its comments and reviews not only by patients who regularly receive supportive care, but also by colleagues from other Moscow clinics.
Prevention of psoriasis on the head
Prevention of head psoriasis is especially necessary for people with a hereditary predisposition who have sick relatives. It includes eliminating the impact of the following factors:
- any prolonged exposure to the skin;
- malnutrition and sedentary lifestyle;
- prolonged stress and heavy loads;
- smoking and alcohol abuse;
- hormonal disorders - if such disorders are suspected, you should immediately contact an endocrinologist;
- intoxication - in time to treat all chronic diseases that contribute to impaired metabolism and immunity.
A dermatologist can tell you how to cure psoriasis on the head after an examination. Therefore, you should not delay with the advice of a specialist, because the early stages of the disease are much easier to treat. Can we cure this process? It is completely impossible to cure the disease, but if a person is treated regularly, then there is a great opportunity to get rid of relapses for a long time.
Diet for psoriasis on the head?
There is no special diet, but the treatment of scalp psoriasis involves 4 meals a day, containing all the necessary ingredients for the body in the diet. Foods that irritate the skin should not be present on the table:
- spicy, salty, sour;
- fruits rich in essential oils (fresh garlic and onions, radish);
- fried, smoked, canned foods;
- caffeinated drinks - strong tea, coffee, coke, etc. ;
- alcoholic beverages - contribute to the development of relapses of the disease.
It has been established that meat-based foods provoke an exacerbation, so the diet should contain more foods containing complex carbohydrates, lean meat, cottage cheese, yogurt, etc.
Drug therapy for scalp psoriasis?
Medications are selected according to the patient's condition and the presence of certain symptoms of the disease. At the initial stage of psoriasis on the head, the following external agents are used:
- when wet, solutions and creams are prescribed that eliminate these symptoms and prevent bacterial and fungal infections;
- if the skin is dry, it is treated with ointments; salicylic acid ointment - has a softening effect; tar ointments have the same effect; ointments with zinc and an analogue of vitamin D3 + glucocorticoid betamethasone help a lot - it helps to quickly eliminate the symptoms of psoriasis;
- ointments and creams with corticosteroid hormones are prescribed in the treatment of common forms of psoriasis on the head;
- shampoos are widely used; so tar shampoos relieve inflammation, soften crusts; shampoo with zinc has an antiseptic and soothing effect, relieves inflammation; shampoos have been used for a long time.
Folk remedies for psoriasis on the head?
Is it possible to treat scalp psoriasis with folk remedies? Most specialists use folk remedies for symptomatic treatment (elimination of certain symptoms) of this disease. But you need to make it clear that:
- it is necessary to treat the disease with folk remedies on the recommendation of a dermatologist;
- it is impossible to cure the disease with folk remedies alone; dermatologists prescribe complex therapy in combination with traditional medicine.