Scalp Psoriasis

I touched on this in My Psoriasis Journey, but around December 21/January 22, I was dealing with a ferocious bout of scalp psoriasis. All I could think about was how itchy my head was: patches covered my entire head, but it was concentrated around the back.

The patches on my head were dry and inflamed. 

As I helplessly scratched away each day, I would leave any carpet covered in a literal layer of skin. Even when I resisted clawing at it, I was forever brushing flakes off my clothes, shaking my collar to remove any white bits. This made me incredibly conscious, and I stopped wearing my dark-coloured clothing.

Flakes of skin that sit on the collars/shoulders of whatever you're wearing is mortifying.

Every day I was applying Betnovate Scalp Application- a steroid-based solution. While the cooling sensation felt good, I was more than likely stripping away the skin on my scalp since no healthcare practitioner advised me to limit my use of it.

The best suggestion one doctor had to offer was Neutrogena T/Gel Therapeutic Shampoo, but he just seemed amused by how much it smells. I tried this, and it made very little difference. Other inefficacious products include Head and Shoulders, Nizoral Anti-Dandruff Shampoo and Vosene Medicated Shampoo.

When I ditched all of my steroid-based medications in March 2022, that included the Betnovate Scalp Application. By this point, the severe itchiness of my scalp psoriasis had subsided on its own, but I still needed to find a suitable shampoo and conditioner to tackle the delicate skin on my head.

My first go-to was Superdrug’s Trichology Shampoo/Conditioner/Tonic. I had a pleasing experience with this one (and loved the smell) but further research led to me discovering Herbal Essences’ Sulfate Free range. There are shampoos/conditioners/scalp and hair oil in different flavours: my favourites are Avocado, Bamboo and Hemp.

They can be found in Boots, Superdrug and ASDA; I’ve even seen the Avocado shampoo stocked in discount retailer One Below.

I am so glad to have come across this range: the ingredients are exceptionally skin-friendly, leaving out any unnecessary nasties, it’s reasonably priced and my scalp no longer causes me psoriasis-related grief. Though I have recently purchased some Faith In Nature conditioner to try (Seaweed & Citrus), Herbal Essences Sulfate Free will always have a place on my bathroom shelf!