Head Psoriasis

Does anyone have any suggestions for psoriasis in the scalp? My friend has it horribly and everything she uses causes her to look as if she is suffering from horrible dandruff.
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Thanks for all the tips. I will certainly tell my friend about it. I am sure all of these ideas will help.

I would recommend seeing a naturopath and having your friend get checked for candidiasis. Psoriasis can often be a symptom of intestinal candidiasis (ie. not vaginal).

I used to have terrible scalp and facial psoriasis and it was entirely caused by yeast overgrowth.

Hello there! I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. I've known people who have also suffered from psoriasis and it's just the pits. It's so hard to have any type of condition that makes people look at you differently and wonder what is wrong with you. I really feel for her and what she is going through, and you are a really good friend to come her looking for help for her.

I have read a lot about essential fatty acids, like the ones you find in either flaxseed oil or evening primrose oil, and I know that articles I've read about both of these oils have said that they can be helpful for treating psoriasis. We tend to be pretty low on these essential fatty acids and we need to get them from our diet, and flaxseed oil is apparently high in omega 3 (like a lot of fish is too), and evening primrose is high in omega 6. Both are great for our skin, in addition to tons of other health issues.

I agree with alison b above that your friend should also be in a doctor's care if she's not already, but adding in either flaxseed and/or evening primrose oil might also help her out.

Please post again and let us know how she is doing.

According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, there are several treatment options, depending on your friend's lifestyle and preferences, as there are many pros/cons (including unwanted side effects) to each option:

1. Over-the-counter (OTC) tar shampoos, creams, gels, oils, ointments and soaps. Tar also can be prescribed by your doctor in a variety of strengths.
2. Topical steroid prescription medications are designed specifically for treating scalp psoriasis, and come in many forms: solutions, gels, creams, lotions, sprays, ointments and foam.
3. Steroid injections
4. Anthralin is an older medicine, used for scalp treatment
5. Dovonex (also known by its generic name calcipotriene) is a prescription topical vitamin D3 derivative scalp solution
6. Tazorac (also known by its generic name tazarotene) is a topical vitamin A derivative that comes in a cream or gel form
7. Prescription antimicrobial treatment if scalp becomes infected by bacteria
8. Phototherapy or sun and water therapy (using ultraviolet light)
9. Medicated shampoos
10. Systemic psorisasis medications (medications taken orally, not topical) include methotrexate, oral retinoids, cyclosporine and biologic medications.

An herb called feverfew has also been used to treat psoriasis, but there is no evidence to its effectiveness.

Has your friend seen her doctor? Sounds like many of the treatment options require a prescription, and the type of treatment prescribed depends on many factors that only a visit with a health care provider could determine.

Your friend can read more about the treatment options at the MedlinePlus site on Psoriasis

good luck!