Who Contracts Scalp Psoriasis?
About 50 percent of all psoriasis sufferers have it on their scalp, states the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF). About 3 percent of the population worldwide, and 5 million adults Americans, suffer from the chronic, inflammatory, non-contagious skin disorder, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease.
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Adult
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That makes almost 2.5 million Americans with scalp psoriasis, almost all adults because scalp psoriasis is rare in children and teenagers, according to Canadian dermatologist Dr. Richard Langley, author of "Psoriasis: Everything You Need to Know." Adults with a faulty immune system and hereditary links to psoriasis are most likely to contract the disorder, he states.
Immune system
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A faulty immune system is pivotal in psoriasis development, states Langley. The immune system sends faulty signals to the skin cells that reproduce more quickly than for normal skin.
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Causes
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Scalp psoriasis can develop after cuts on the head. Heredity plays a part, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease. Flare-ups arise from stress and illness, states Langley.
Considerations
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People are often confused between psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis (when on the scalp, called dandruff). The Mayo Clinic states psoriasis scales are thicker and drier.
Topical
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Physicians will often rotate treatments to counter the fact the body gets used to one treatment or another. For mild scalp psoriasis they prefer topical applications (and medicated shampoos) of tar products and salicylic acid because hair usually blocks ultraviolet light treatments.
Severe
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For more severe cases, common topical treatments include anthralin, Dovonex, Taclonex and Tazorac, states the NPF.
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