Shampoo question?
Question:
>I have a child with scalp P – we’ve been using polytar AF shampoo which >lists its top three ingredients as : 0.5% coal tar, pyrithione disulfide 1% >and salicylic acid 2% … So it has both ingredients mentioned by Carole. >I would be very interested in people posting responses to Carole’s question >re: shampoos, because I don’t find this shampoo has been very effective. >Having said that, I’m wondering if that’s because we haven’t been as >"vigilent" as we should be in applying it – so my questions, following up >from Carole’s are: >1. Which is the best shampoo/main ingredient that seems to work for scalp P
The problem is that there is no "best" as nothing works for everyone or the same for everyone. Most psoriasis shampoos are based upon either topical tar or salicylic acid, which are the only 2 OTC ingredients FDA approved to treat P. Nizoral helps some people. There are shampoos that include corticosteroids, although frankly I wouldn’t want to be rinsing them off over my eyes. Some people swear by tea tree oil based shampoos but they made my scalp P seriously worse. There are non shampoo treatments involving dovonex, anthralin, steroids. There are non-presciption ways to boost benefit, from shaving the hair to using a heavy oil moisturizer (one treatment called dermasmoothe involves steroids suspended in peanut oil). I had scalp P even as a kid and used to use something still available called Bakers P&S liquid overnight before applying the tar shampoo. You might get the same effect with just mineral oil. I use tar-based bath oils overnight on the scalp sometimes today when mine is bad. There are reports in the ng archives of people trying different other things that helped them but are not normally or even usually effective for P. You can search them at http://www.pinch.com/skin >2. Can you recommend a specific brand (I’m in Canada so I hope I can access >the brand suggested)
Same as above about no best. I use poytar myself, although just plain without the sal acid and pyrithione. Lots of people use Tgel, which didn’t do much for me. Pentrax is well thought of and MGH217 at least used to make a shampoo that some liked. Someone else just posted about rotating among shampoos, which has long been considered a good idea. >3. In applying – is there a constant in terms of regiment – ie this one >says twice a week – but is it best if I let it sit on her head for 10 >minutes, should I do two rinses, should it be applied daily or once a week!
The usual best regimen is to use it more often until the psoriasis is under control then taper off to a maintenance frequency. Which would likely mean daily or every other day, then backing off to once a week or less when you can. You DO want to leave it on for a while so it can absorb. Otherwise you’re just getting it on the hair rather than treating the scalp. When you say the polytar was ineffective and that you haven’t been very regular about it, if you’ve been using it semi-regularly for a while (month or more) and seeing no results, then there’s probably little point to just increasing the frequency – you probably need to try something else. Maybe tar doesn’t work for her, it doesn’t for everyone. If you’ve been seeing resutls, just not enough, then it’s probably worth increasing the frequency/regularity of it, maybe adding in something like moisturizing the scalp with oil overnight first to float off the scale and aid penetration. >4. Any homeopathic or health store alternatives out there? I hate the idea >of constantly medicating my growing child – even via obsorptiont through the >skin.
Understandable. The problem is the YMMV factor. Probably the most commonly cited for the scalp is tea tree oil, even though I had problems. I’ve seen reports of people finding aloe based shampoos helpful. Some people find vitamin E helpful. Search the archives. FWIW, I think it makes better sense to find a medicated routine that works and use it very short term when things flare up, then try to find a gentler alternative for longer term maintenance. Most of the alternative stuff, when it does work, is usually slower than the traditional med stuff for initial clearing. >Please advise if you can – it seems to be getting much worse so any help or >advice would be very very much appreciated.
Kim The Psoriasis Newsgroup Resource FAQ can be found at http://www.psoriasisfaq.com but will also be coming soon (twice a month) to a newsgroup near you…
Response:
>Thanks for the heads up! >[snip] >Thanks again. I have p over 25% of my body. It looks like P, acts like >P and itches like P. Pretty sure it’s P lol
Glad I could help, in some small way. Just let me reiterate that I think you should take your case to a dermatologist, anyway. While I, too, am pretty sure it’s psoriasis by your description, I’m no expert, and would be remiss in my "duty" if I didn’t urge you to get a good diagnosis. Could be, for example, that the top layers of your scalp were, indeed, stripped by the tick shampoo, and a fungal infection decided to take the opportunity to move in and set up shop, providing symptoms which *look* on the outside, like psoriasis. Standard psoriasis treatments might then be ineffective and a waste of your money. – Dave W. http://psorsite.com/
Response:
I have a child with scalp P – we’ve been using polytar AF shampoo which lists its top three ingredients as : 0.5% coal tar, pyrithione disulfide 1% and salicylic acid 2% … So it has both ingredients mentioned by Carole. I would be very interested in people posting responses to Carole’s question re: shampoos, because I don’t find this shampoo has been very effective. Having said that, I’m wondering if that’s because we haven’t been as "vigilent" as we should be in applying it – so my questions, following up from Carole’s are: 1. Which is the best shampoo/main ingredient that seems to work for scalp P 2. Can you recommend a specific brand (I’m in Canada so I hope I can access the brand suggested) 3. In applying – is there a constant in terms of regiment – ie this one says twice a week – but is it best if I let it sit on her head for 10 minutes, should I do two rinses, should it be applied daily or once a week! 4. Any homeopathic or health store alternatives out there? I hate the idea of constantly medicating my growing child – even via obsorptiont through the skin. Please advise if you can – it seems to be getting much worse so any help or advice would be very very much appreciated. Kringle (aka Chris)
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Bit of background. I have never had scalp psoriasis (knock on wood) > but recently the kids came home with lice. My hair is EXTREMELY thick > (maybe that’s why I’ve never had p there-no room! lol) Although no > lice was detected by my husband I went ahead and treated to be on the > safe side (let’s just say he wasn’t the greatest nit picker lol). > Unfortunately the treatments stripped my scalp and now I have > noticible dandruff and I can feel raised patches on my scalp, I itch > and sometimes I’ll get a small scale (can’t see actual P like the rest > of my body but hubby did find the raised areas to be red) from > scratching. So, looks like the medication irritated my skin and P just > jumped on the opportunity. At the store I notice several brands of > shampoo to help p but I noticed two different active ingredients-coal > tar extract and salyic acid (sp?). Which one does better? I thought > salyic acid was used to help dry out oily skin (in facial cleansers, > etc) or am I off base? Thanks in advance!
Response:
> If you don’t have a lot of scaling, and it doesn’t sound like you do, then the > coal tar is probably what you want. > Coal tar treats psoriasis. Salicylic acid is primarily used to get rid of dead > skin.
Thanks for the heads up! > This isn’t to say that some folks haven’t had a great response to salicylic > acid shampoos – a response that goes far beyond just the elimination of the > scales. > In short, you’re going to have to play around to figure out which one works > better for you. Heck, you may need to play around to figure out which *brand* > works best for you. > Of course, you really should see a good dermatologist, and get this > professionally diagnosed. It could be something completely different from > psoriasis, for which psoriasis treatments might even be contraindicated. > Doesn’t *sound* like it, but you never know. > – Dave W. > http://psorsite.com/
Thanks again. I have p over 25% of my body. It looks like P, acts like P and itches like P. Pretty sure it’s P lol
Response:
Bit of background. I have never had scalp psoriasis (knock on wood) but recently the kids came home with lice. My hair is EXTREMELY thick (maybe that’s why I’ve never had p there-no room! lol) Although no lice was detected by my husband I went ahead and treated to be on the safe side (let’s just say he wasn’t the greatest nit picker lol). Unfortunately the treatments stripped my scalp and now I have noticible dandruff and I can feel raised patches on my scalp, I itch and sometimes I’ll get a small scale (can’t see actual P like the rest of my body but hubby did find the raised areas to be red) from scratching. So, looks like the medication irritated my skin and P just jumped on the opportunity. At the store I notice several brands of shampoo to help p but I noticed two different active ingredients-coal tar extract and salyic acid (sp?). Which one does better? I thought salyic acid was used to help dry out oily skin (in facial cleansers, etc) or am I off base? Thanks in advance!
Response:
[snip] >At the store I notice several brands of >shampoo to help p but I noticed two different active ingredients-coal >tar extract and salyic acid (sp?). Which one does better? I thought >salyic acid was used to help dry out oily skin (in facial cleansers, >etc) or am I off base? Thanks in advance!
If you don’t have a lot of scaling, and it doesn’t sound like you do, then the coal tar is probably what you want. Coal tar treats psoriasis. Salicylic acid is primarily used to get rid of dead skin. This isn’t to say that some folks haven’t had a great response to salicylic acid shampoos – a response that goes far beyond just the elimination of the scales. In short, you’re going to have to play around to figure out which one works better for you. Heck, you may need to play around to figure out which *brand* works best for you. Of course, you really should see a good dermatologist, and get this professionally diagnosed. It could be something completely different from psoriasis, for which psoriasis treatments might even be contraindicated. Doesn’t *sound* like it, but you never know. – Dave W. http://psorsite.com/
Response:
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