Hygienic skin care for psoriasis should be carried out not only for cleansing, but also for the purpose of its treatment. With psoriasis, it is important not to irritate or dry the skin, because this can provoke an exacerbation of the disease, the growth of psoriatic plaques and the appearance of new ones, itching and peeling.

Shower gels and shampoos sold in perfume shops may be good for healthy skin and do their job quite well. However, they are absolutely not suitable for skin care for psoriasis. The composition of conventional hygiene products includes alkalis, surfactants, dyes and perfume compositions – in a word, aggressive components that negatively affect the functioning of the sebaceous glands and the condition of skin cells. Shower gel and shampoo for psoriasis, on the contrary, should care for, nourish and moisturize the skin.

How to choose a shampoo for psoriasis?

Psoriasis of the scalp is manifested by red spots (plaques) on the scalp. Over time, they begin to itch first, and then peel off. The plaques can be small and inconspicuous to outsiders, or occupy a large area of the head, including the forehead, the area behind the ears, and the back of the neck. Therefore, psoriasis of the scalp is not only a matter of health, but also a matter of beauty and neatness – the detached scales get stuck in the hair and fall on clothes, which creates a completely unpresentable image.

Psoriasis of the scalp

Choosing a shampoo for psoriasis may not be as easy as it seems at first glance. Since products from different manufacturers contain different therapeutic components, as well as other additives, the patient may experience skin irritation or an allergic reaction if the wrong shampoo is used for psoriasis. The right shampoo for psoriasis, able to meet all the needs of the patient and at the same time not cause side effects, can be recommended by the observing dermatologist.

In addition, do not forget that this disease requires an integrated approach: cream, ointment, spray, lotion, gel and other forms of drugs are used simultaneously. Although all of the above forms can be used in the treatment of the scalp, it is easier, more convenient and generally preferable to use a shampoo for psoriasis. In addition to the fact that it is easy to apply and distribute over the scalp, the shampoo cares for the hair, and the medicinal substances are quickly absorbed.

Shampoo for psoriasis is used according to the instructions, to obtain the best effect. First you need to abundantly moisten your hair with warm water. Then apply a little shampoo and lather well on the hair, gently rub the shampoo into the scalp with your fingertips. Without rinsing off the product, collect the hair under a shower cap and wait 5-10 minutes (depending on the manufacturer’s instructions). Rinse your hair with warm running water and, if necessary, repeat the procedure from the very beginning. Hair must be dried with a towel, the use of a hair dryer and fixatives can provoke an outbreak of the disease. Shampoo for psoriasis is usually used 1-3 times a week for a month.

The composition of shampoos may include the following active substances: zinc pyrithione , selenium disulfide, allantoin, birch and willow tar, Naftalan oil, ichthyol, magnesium salts, keratin, salicylic acid, resorcinol , extracts of string, celandine, St. John’s wort, juniper, sophora, vegetable and essential oils.

Shampoos for the treatment of psoriasis, depending on the composition, can relieve inflammation and irritation, eliminate microorganisms from the skin surface, regulate the separation of sebum and cell renewal, improve tissue blood supply, stimulate the healing of psoriatic plaques, and remove dead skin particles. In addition, all medicated shampoos are made from components that do not damage the protective layer of the hair.

Shampoos with pine, birch, juniper, coal tar have high efficiency. It has an antipruritic , anti-inflammatory effect, removes excess sebum and dead skin flakes, inhibiting the reproduction of fungi. However, in some patients, overdrying of the skin may occur, so tar products should be used with caution. It should also be noted that preparations with tar have a specific smell that not everyone likes.

Multi-component medicated shampoos have a powerful multidirectional effect. For example, Losterin shampoo has the ability to relieve itching and inflammation, restore the natural lipid protection of the skin and damaged areas, sanitize wounds, nourish and moisturize the skin. Naftalan contributes to this deresined , Japanese Sophora extract, burdock root and a complex of oils – almond, sunflower and linseed.

Hair care tips

1. Rub the shampoo with your fingertips, but not your nails, otherwise you can provoke the appearance of new plaques ( Koebner’s syndrome ).
2. Do not use a hair dryer – it dries out the hair and scalp.
3. To neutralize the effect of hard water, use a mixture of vinegar (60 ml) and warm water (20 ml) rinse aid. Rinse your hair first with this solution and then with cool water.
4. Use massage combs with blunt teeth or brushes. They do not injure the skin, but gently distribute sebum through the hair, remove dead scales and improve blood circulation in the scalp.
5. Avoid hair coloring and styling products. They contain aggressive components and can provoke an allergic reaction, irritation and inflammation.

How to choose a gel for psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a disease that requires the development of special hygiene habits and the use of specially designed products.

Psoriasis of the abdomen and chest

Why is it preferable to use not soap, but a gel for psoriasis? It’s all about the method of application and the effect on the skin of the shower gel. Due to its structure, the gel foams better, lays down on the skin in an even layer and very delicately removes impurities.

Dermatological gel for psoriasis should have a complex effect. The components included in the gel for psoriasis should cleanse the skin, have a moisturizing effect, nourish the skin, and have exfoliating properties. Can perfume gel be used for psoriasis? Dermatologists unanimously say no. Once you’ve been diagnosed with psoriasis, you need to completely rethink how you cleanse your skin. Ordinary shower gel has a devastating effect – it dries the skin, causes cracking and peeling, itching. This negative effect is achieved due to the content of aggressive detergent components, such as surfactants, sulfates, parabens . They remove impurities well, but at the same time they inhibit the work of the sebaceous glands, completely deprive the skin of the protective layer and natural moisture. Fragrances and dyes cause irritation, and in some patients an allergic reaction, because of which the plaques not only do not disappear, but grow, merge with each other and occupy more and more area.

First of all, the gel for psoriasis should act on the principle of “do no harm” – that is, carefully remove impurities without injuring or irritating the skin. The most neutral remedy is baby soap , which is also available in liquid form and can be used as a gel for psoriasis. It does not contain fragrances and dyes, hypoallergenic, contains beeswax, lanolin or glycerin, fatty acids, spermaceti, animal fats or vegetable oils. However, baby soap can dry out the skin, so a moisturizer should be used after each use.

A lot of controversy is about laundry soap . Some patients claim that its regular use has helped to get rid of plaques forever. However, it must be said that such an effect is the exception rather than the rule. Laundry soap has an increased level of alkali and fatty acids (72% in the highest grade, up to 65% in grades 2 and 3), which really has an antibacterial, antipruritic and cleansing effect. But at the same time, this product extremely dries and irritates not only sick, but also healthy skin, and is also contraindicated in case of increased dryness of skin and hair. In addition, laundry soap is available only in solid form.

One of the most popular skin care products is tar shower gel . It relieves itching, reduces peeling, and in the case of an exudative form, it also dries plaques. Tar preparations contain on average 10% birch, coniferous or coal tar. Due to this, the gel has an antifungal and antibacterial effect, improves blood circulation in the skin, promotes the restoration of damaged cells, has a resolving, analgesic, reducing effect.

Usually, the composition of the tar gel also includes herbal ingredients to soften and moisturize the skin. Otherwise, it is recommended to rinse the body with a decoction of medicinal plants. Tar gel for psoriasis is contraindicated in people with tar allergy and kidney disease.

Israeli companies produce medical cosmetics with Dead Sea minerals and peloids . Such gels include biologically active, hormone-like substances, vitamins, enzymes, organic acids, antioxidants. Peloid gels not only deeply cleanse the skin, but also reduce flaking, stimulate cell metabolism, the production of collagen and elastin.

Gels containing mineral salts from the Dead Sea contain chlorides of magnesium, calcium, sodium and potassium. Such preparations deeply moisturize and restore the skin, kill bacteria, eliminate irritation, dryness and flaking.

Coal tar gels are made from a mixture of coal and pine or juniper wood. Such gels are effective, but they have a lot of contraindications. Preparations based on coal tar eliminate itching, peeling, inflammation, relieve redness, and also slow down cell division. At the same time, coal tar is very allergenic, it is forbidden to care for sensitive thin skin (especially on the face, in the groin area, in the armpits), their use is limited in time and, if this gel is used for psoriasis, direct sunlight should be avoided.

Gel based on Naftalan oil has an antimicrobial effect, a local irritant effect, which ensures blood flow to the affected area, promotes cell regeneration and normalization of metabolic processes. All these properties are possessed by the Losterin shower gel based on Naftalan oil. In addition to naftalan , Losterin shower gel contains an extract of Japanese Sophora and jojoba, flax, sunflower and olive pit oils. Thanks to these components, the gel reduces inflammation, reduces itching, kills microorganisms, softens, nourishes and moisturizes the skin, removes peeling.

In addition, the therapeutic shower gel may include sulfur (it has exfoliating and antibacterial properties), castor oil (softens and heals the skin, supports the sebaceous glands), beeswax (nourishes the skin with vitamins, accelerates regeneration, disinfects the surface).

Also, therapeutic gels for psoriasis may contain plant extracts:

• St. John’s wort strengthens the walls of capillaries, improves local blood circulation, accelerates epithelialization ;
• Burdock root relieves inflammation, regenerates the skin and kills bacteria;
• A series is a natural antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agent;
• Wheat sprouts help to deeply hydrate and nourish the skin.

It should be noted that it is not recommended to use any therapeutic gel for psoriasis in the acute stage, as they can cause skin irritation and, as a result, worsen the condition. In the acute period, the skin should be cleaned with cool water or a decoction of medicinal plants.

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