What is psoriasis? It is a skin condition in which patches of red skin covered by silvery scales appear. The rapid growth of the skin cells cause these patches that appear on various parts of the body. Psoriasis shampoo is used to treat scalp psoriasis effectively.
There are several medicated shampoos for psoriasis available on the market today. Usually, these shampoos contain salicylic acid, coal tar, ketoconazole and topical steroids.
You need to apply the psoriasis shampoo to the affected area of the scalp and leave it for fifteen minutes. Then rinse it thoroughly.
Psoriasis shampoos might not be color safe. So you will have to confirm before you buy one.
Ingredients of Psoriasis Shampoo
It is always better to take the advice of your dermatologist while selecting the right shampoo because psoriasis treatments vary. The following are the two main types of psoriasis shampoos based on their ingredients:
- Medicated Shampoo: This type of psoriasis shampoo contains a topical steroid known as clobetasol propionate, salicylic acid, ketoconazole, zinc pyrithione and blue lagoon algae.
- Coal Tar Shampoo: The main ingredient of this psoriasis shampoo is coal tar which is a by product of coal. The other ingredients are salicylic acid, coconut oil and sulphur. These kind of shampoos are not very safe for the colored hair. Some of them have a strong odor.
All the above mentioned ingredients make the silvery scales soft and loose so that they can be washed away when shampooed.
Best Psoriasis Shampoos
Some of the best psoriasis shampoos available in the market are as follows:
1) Clobex Shampoo: This shampoo is one of the few shampoos on the market that has been designed to provide relief from moderate to severe scalp psoriasis. Its main ingredient is clobetasol which is very effective in treating psoriasis. Clobex Shampoo contains clobetasol propionate which is a topical corticosteroid. It works by decreasing certain immune responses, which reduces redness and itching of the skin.
2) Neutrogena T-Gel: This shampoo consists of coal tar that fights psoriasis effectively. It controls itchiness, redness and flaking majorly. It also cleans your hair and makes it easily manageable.
3) DHS SAL Shampoo Maximum Strength: This shampoo minimizes the build up on scalp while providing relief from itching and flaking due to scalp psoriasis. The main ingredient is a salicyclic acid which is one of the best ingredients to get rid of psoriasis.
Finally, as mentioned before, it is very important that you consult the doctor if you are not able to decide upon the right psoriasis shampoo to give you maximum relief.