Scalp psoriasis shampoo v nice hair: AIBU To wonder if there is a scalp psoriasis solution which doesn’t cost £81 and doesn’t wreck your hair?

[AStitchInTimeSavesN1ne]

I don’t know if I’m missing something. My hair is like Worzel Gummidge at the best of times and psoriasis stuff prescribed by the GP or bought over the counter seems to make it worse. Some shampoos seem to make it worse.

Then Phillip Kingsley itchy scalp shampoo caught my eye. So I sent off £11 for a teeny sized bottle. Lo and behold, it was okay. But then I discover the full bottle retails at £81!!!

AIBU to think there is a magic solution which might both sort the psoriasis & not leave your hair like a dish brush? Other people will have had this problem before and must be equally vain.

The psoriasis I had behind my ears for over 40 years cleared up completely when I started taking methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis. Both being autoimmune conditions, the clearing up of the psoriasis was an unintentional benefit of taking methotrexate for a different condition. I don't know if you can get it prescribed for psoriasis but might be worth asking. When I say it's gone it's literally reduced to zero, and not even a hint of it has come back.

Body shop ginger shampoo is the only thing that works for me

I've used Eucerin DermoCapillaire Calming Urea Scalp leave in treatment for my son, I think they make a shampoo as well.

I use nizoral and then a good conditioner and moisturising treatment whenever I have scalp problems. I don't know what it is but it's the same area every time. Nizoral sorts it out used as directed, only need to do it twice a year.

Link didn’t work, please could you write the name? Thanks

I also noticed that when I cut sugar out of my diet for a month my psoriasis massively improved. Sadly I can't stick to it.

This is the one I use. I’ve not had a scalp flare up for ages despite being pretty stressed which is my usual trigger

The only thing that's helped me is a scalp oil I get on prescription. I'm in Canada so it might be called something different there. It's Derma smoothe/fs. fluocinolone Acetonide 0.01% Topical oil. I wet my hair and apply a thin layer on my scalp and leave it on overnight with a cotton cap. It was expensive $200. Its saved my sanity. I wash out in the morning with mild shampoo and only condition at the ends.

Nothing I’ve tried has ever made a difference to the actual psoriasis other than medication (methotrexate initially, have now been on biologics for over a decade). The only shampoo that I found to help at all with the itching is the head and shoulders itchy scalp shampoo. I still use it now because I’m so paranoid about the slightest itching. My hair is in excellent condition.

Moogoo has been a game changer for me, recently got a shampoo and a conditioner and a body wash on offer after finding out that the products I was using (hydromol emollient as a soap substitute and coal tar shampoo) had some potentially hostile ingredients

I get really bad dermatitis on my scalp. I use Nizoral https://www.boots.com/nizoral-scalp-soothing-itchy-and-sensitive-shampoo-200ml-10339015?traffic=paid.shopping&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19973637790&gbraid=0AAAAA-AdmwRG3IhqmRklAsC-YeKJQ1My0&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-aaWlOHwkgMVN5tQBh2RZwv6EAQYBCABEgLdk_D_BwE for everyday washing, and they also do conditioner. I have long thick hair and this lasts ages as you don't need loads.

I’ve used T-Gel for years and it has worked brilliantly, to the extent that I don’t have to use it every time now. You can still use conditioner, I think, though I’ve never bothered.

As l am dry and itchy shampoo transformed my life. No harsh chemicals and doesn’t wreck hair. It can make it greasy though. I just wash mine in a normal shampoo first, then use AIADAI.

No more itch. Got rid of all the eczema on DD’s neck too

Following as it’s a nightmare here too

I’m a long time scalp psoriasis sufferer.
Dermatologist prescribed Cococis cream to lift the scales, and Dipro Salic afterwards to slow down the scales coming back and stop the itching.

Cococis is in short supply, my pharmacy hasn't had it with ages, and I haven’t found it on Amazon or online pharmacies recently either

I recently discovered that Double Base cream works well (it smells much nicer too! And not as messy). I leave it on overnight maybe once per week, and shampoo it out next morning. It softens the scales which then shampoo out. I get a few flake free days.

Because it doesn’t stink and isn’t as messy, I would actually get away with not washing it out if I was in a rush the next morning, and it also is good to deal with itching.

I also find Healpsorin shampoo helps a bit, but only if I don’t use it regularly. I also tried the Australian psoriasis shampoo advertised on Facebook, and I think it helped with itching but certainly didn’t clear it for me. (Nothing has cleared it for me. But I’m ok if I can just keep it under control and have some options if I want to stop the flaking for special occasions…. Otherwise I have just banned dark tops from my wardrobe!)

Typo in prior post, it is Cocois ointment. Dermatologist advised me to leave it in for several hours and not just 1 hour.

I recommend this

https://seamagik.com/collections/dead-sea-collection-hair?tw_source=google&tw_adid=&tw_campaign=22620723065&tw_kwdid=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22614390606&gbraid=0AAAAAC9rXLxbmL7lMwa-VZxgQCyZhWy9X&gclid=Cj0KCQiAtfXMBhDzARIsAJ0jp3ApCUGUvxvDi6VeG_0Lo0YY5O8M4iXCSx7lQ2mQfEC8yAMCXQA7MWEaAnJGEALw_wcB

You most have amazingly shiny and resilient hair.

Boots’ own brand Ketoconazole shampoo helps a lot with my very dry scalp. I think I have seborrhoeic dermatitis or eczema rather than psoriasis. Nizoral, T-Gel, coal tar shampoos etc don’t work for me. Previously I’ve had success with the Betnovate solution but my doc is a bit cagey about prescribing it on repeat. Anyway, the Boots shampoo is about £8, often on offer and you get advantage card points. I use it with a decent conditioner and my hair is generally fine.

www.boots.com/boots-anti-dandruff-ketoconazole-2-percent-w-w-shampoo-10311191?srsltid=AfmBOoopjUqsKjpO62P87lVqCLbtK-sQvJuAwBlQqROwBdjOSYB5MNCc

I get an itchy scalp, at it's worst I'm scratching like I've got fleas (I don't). The Body Shop doesn't really help and left my hair like a haystack. And that was using the conditioner too.

I'm also on the hunt for the holy grail of dry scalp/itchy scalp hair care.

I do but it’s also very short and natural (no colours) so that helps significantly I reckon!!!

Have you tried tar based and/ or salicylic acid based shampoo? My DD had it terribly before being diagnosed. She now used Polytar about once a week, plus whatever shampoo and conditioner she fancies around that. Were freaked out when T-Gel was discontinued, but actually Polytar is fine. So you can use other products but just have one medicated shampoo session a week?

I gave up trying to deal with it. The cream is just really messy, the prescription shampoo stripped my hair out and it turned to straw. I have really good quality hair with no colour so it's not like my hair is sensitive.

I'm on biologics for the last 18 months for psioratic arthritis but it hasn't touched the psoriasis. I've just added in methotrexate so we'll see does that help.

The only thing that worked for me was a low carb diet. I lost 5kg in the past 6 weeks with the bonus side effect of the psoriasis almost cleared up. I'm veggie so while I did also increase my protein, the diet couldn't be described as high protein.

So basically, no sugar (refined and fruit), no grains, no yeast, no alcohol. I'm not sure which one it was or what combination of exclusions that worked on the psoriasis. Mind you, problem is, it's not sustainable long term.

When my scalp is bad I use Dercos (Vichy) shampoo, i used to use the greasy hair formula, but now i'm older and my hair is dryer i use the dry hair formula which leaves my hair silky. The active ingredients are selenium disulfide & salicylic acid. I find it works better than Nizoral (which also has added anti-fungals incase you think you may need this).

When my scalp is doing fine i use Aveeno as my every day shampoo. This is the only shampoo i have found to date that i can use regularly and not start getting a flare-up from the shampoo itself. There are various formulations, but the oat milk blend and the almond oil blend are the most moisturising. The conditioners are also good.

Aveeno is an all round good product for any skin condition, i have heard from people with sensitive skin, psoriasis and eczema that Aveeno moisturisers are the best. The active ingredient is oats which have natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Oats contain azelaic acid, which dermatologists prescribe for a wide range of skin conditions - so it's medically sound, not woo-woo.

Both are available in Boots. Dercos is expensive, so i usually shop around online to find a good deal, refill pouches are better value. Aveeno is usually on multibuy at either Boots or Superdrug.

Green with envy here!!

Wow! Well done.