Do You Have Scalp Psoriasis Symptoms Or Is It Just Dandruff?
It’s often very difficult to tell the difference between scalp psoriasis and dandruff. The reason being that both these problems share similar symptoms such as white flakes of dead skin cells and itchy scalp. However, there is a difference between these two scalp problems and it’s important to know the difference in order to seek the correct treatment.
The first thing to note is that psoriasis may be the underlying cause of dandruff. An immune system problem and a genetic predisposition are thought to be the causes of psoriasis. If a close member of your family suffers with psoriasis, you have a strong chance of inheriting the genetic predisposition. However, not everyone who has the psoriasis gene goes on to develop psoriasis. Psoriasis has no age limits, everyone can get psoriasis. Psoriasis tends to affect men and women equally.
Both scalp psoriasis and dandruff have similar symptoms. Scalp psoriasis can be triggered off by anything from cuts, abrasions, scratches and even sunburn. More often than not a flare up will happen in winter: the skin becomes flaky and dry because of a lack of natural sunlight. Scalp psoriasis commonly affect the back of the head, but it is no unusual for the patches to occur on other areas or even cover the entire scalp. The psoriasis may not be limited just to the scalp. Scaly, silvery patches may appear on areas such as elbows, knees, lower back, groin and other body folds.
Dandruff, on the other hand, is primarily caused by naturally occurring fungus, the Malassezia yeast that feeds on the natural oils of the skin. Dut to this the skin starts to shed too quickly and begins to itch. Other causes of dandruff are not shampooing the hair enough, not brushing the hair regularly, poor diet and too much stress. Mild dandruff tends to occur during the ages of 20-30, affecting more men than women.
The treatments for both scalp psoriasis and dandruff tend to be similar. Treatments include using shampoos that contain coal tar and salicyclic acid or topical steroid creams to reduce inflammation. Since dandruff is mainly caused by fungus, it can be treated effectively by using an anti-fungal shampoo.
The only difference between calp psoriasis and dandruff is that it may be more resistant to regular treatment. If specific shampoos or steroid creams do not work, then your physician may recommend exposure to ultraviolet light to help the skin repair itself. As a last resort, when all else has failed, oral retinoids may be prescribed.
Although scalp psoriasis and dandruff are similar in appearance they are caused by different factors which may require differerent treatments.
Having scalp psoriasis or dandruff is not the end of the world because there are so many effective products available. If you think you have scalp psoriasis or any other form of psoriasis, study the psoriasis symptoms and consult your doctor to confirm the diagnosis. You should be aware that as well as conventional treatments, there are also natural psoriasis treatments.
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