It’s often very difficult to tell the difference between scalp psoriasis and dandruff. Both share similar symptoms including white flakes of dead of skin and itchy scalp. However, there is a difference and it’s important to know the difference between the two in order to seek the correct treatment.
The first thing to be aware of is that the underlying cause of dandruff may be psoriasis. An immune system problem and a genetic predisposition are thought to be the causes of psoriasis. You have a strong chance of inherting the genetic predisposition towards psoriasis if a member of your family has the disease. Thankfully not everyone who has a genetic tendency towards psoriasis goes on to develop the disease. People of any age can get psoriasis: children, teenagers, adults and older people. Males and females equally tend to be affected by psoriasis.
As I have already said, both scalp psoriasis and dandruff can cause similar symptoms. Simple injuries such as cuts, abrasions, scratches and sunburn can often trigger off scalp psoriasis. Quite often a flare up of psoriasis will happen during the winter months because of lack of natural sunlight. With scalp psoriasis, the patches are commonly seen on the back of the head but can be seen on other areas of the scalp or even cover the entire scalp. The psoriasis may not be confined just to the scalp. Scaly, silvery patches can appear on your elbows, knees, lower back, groin and other body folds.
Dandruff, on the other hand, is primarily caused by the Malassezia yeast, a naturally occurring fungus that feeds on the natural oils of the skin. It’s this that causes the skin to shed more quickly and itch. Other suggested causes are not brushing the hair regularly, not enough shampooing, dry skin, poor diet and too much stress. Mild dandruff tends to affect more men than women and occurs usually between the ages of 20-30.
There is not much difference between the treatment for scalp psoriasis or dandruff. Commonly prescribed treatments are coal tar and salicyclic shampoos 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.
Even though scalp psoriasis and dandruff are similar, scalp psoriasis can be more difficult to treat. Your physician or dermatologist may recommend exposure to ultravoilet light if shampoos or steroid creams don’t work. If these treatments don’t work then as a last resort 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 either scalp psoriasis or dandruff need not be the end of the world: there are a lot of effective products and help 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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