Do you have Psoriasis of the scalp or is it just dandruff?

This is often confused with the majority of psoriasis sufferers. The reason is because both share likewise symptoms such as itching of the scalp and whitish flakes of dead skin cells. Non-the-less, there is a variation difference between both scalp problems and one must understand each before seeking proper treatment.

To begin, psoriasis might be the hidden cause of your dandruff. The cause of Psoriasis is thought to be by immune system deficiency and a genetics. It is possible that if someone in your family has psoriasis, your chances are higher for inheriting the genes. However, not everyone who has psoriasis genes continue to develop psoriasis symptoms. Most anyone can get psoriasis: kids, teens, adults and elderly people. This skin ailment tends to affect males and females equally.

Getting back to the beginning, scalp psoriasis and dandruff can cause similar symptoms. Scalp psoriasis can be ignited by anything from wounds, a cut, scratching and even sunburn. An average flare up will happen usually in winter: most of the infected area becomes flakish and dry because of a decline in sunlight. With scalp psoriasis, the infected patch areas are usually seen on the back of the head but can be seen on other areas of the scalp. Many times psoriasis may not be confined just to the scalp. Where ever your body has skin folds is usually a prime candidate for the skin disorder.

Now, dandruff, is most often caused by fungus, the yeast (known as ” Malassezia”) feeds on the natural oils of your skin. by this happening, the skin sheds faster and starts to itch. Also, by not brushing hair regularly, not showering enough, dry skin, diet and stress can be other causes of dandruff.

Treatments for scalp psoriasis and dandruff seem to be alike. Certain treatments include using shampoos containing coal tar and or salicylic acid. Also, topical steroid creams may be able to reduce inflammation. Being that dandruff is most commonly caused by fungus, try using an anti-fungal shampoo to block the growth of the fungi.

Scalp psoriasis may be more resistant to regular treatment. If certain shampoos or  creams do not work for you, then your physician may recommend exposing it to ultraviolet lights hopefully helping the skin auto-repair itself. One of the last resorts is, if all else fails, you may be prescribed oral retinoids.

Hopefully now you understand a bit better that scalp psoriasis and dandruff have similar traits in appearance but have different causes which may require slightly different treatments.

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