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psoriasis treatment

I checked out some earlier psoriasis related posts just to see if there were many people able to give advice - also to make sure this hadn't been asked before which as far as i know it hasn't. Basically i suffer from psoriasis on my skin and scalp, had three months of UV light treatment at the hospital but my face burnt alot so i had to wear a hood meaning my scalp got no treatment. Have been using Psoriderm shampoo which worked when i first began (5/6 years ago) but doesnt anymore and so im looking for an alternative. Going to see my doctor would take quite a while to get an appointment plus im on holiday for a few weeks soon so when i was in my local Boots store i looked to see if they had anything. Well i found a shampoo called Alphosyl which is supposed to help the treatment of psoriasis and was wondering if anyone had tried it? Or if I'd be better off waiting till i can get a doctor's appointment?

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I think thats what my mum uses for her psoriasis, however hers has started to fade away now, You say you've had UV treatment, you can continue this by going to a tanning booth and having 3 - 6 minutes a week and will help keep the psoriasis at bay my mum does 6 minutes a week and It's even cleared up the thick psoriasis in her hair over the past 3 months. Other shampoos to try are the T-gel ones as the coal tar shampoos are designed to help the scalp.
Reply 2
mines back this month too :rolleyes:
anyway, nothing seemed to work for me until i went to my gp and got some stuff.
one thing they said though is that keeping the area moisturised might help
Reply 3
Thankies for your replies, i reckon I'll try sunbeds to keep it topped up and see if it'll have any effect on my scalp, plus i am moisturising loads atm lol. I think i may just go back to my doctor and see what she says just in case she has anymore ideas.
Reply 4
Firstly I would tend to advise the use of sunbeds due to the fact that UV levels maybe different to the levels used in medicinal UV light therapy and cause an increase risk of skin cancer. There are some steriod products, which are avalible on prescription, like creams and scalp applications. I know you said getting a doctors appointment would take time but I think it would be worth it, otherwise pop into a local pharmacy and ask the pharmacist on their opinion on OTC products.

One tip though is like the above poster mention is to keep the area moisturised using generous amounts of emollient.
Reply 5
I have no idea about treatment etc. but a family friend had psoriasis, and whilst hospital treatment did nothing for him, a trip to the dead sea/black sea did it for him. The salt content is apparently very good?
I have diprosalic ointment which works well but I only getting tiny tiny bits here and there. It was on prescription however.
Reply 7
nothing has ever worked on my scalp except for betnovate lotion.

Acetretin only seemed to clear up my skin psoriaisis, but now thats started not working :frown:
I've tried all the shampoos, but nothing seems to shift it.

The only treatment that I've benefited from were steroidal ointments and scalp applications like dermovate and betnovate.

Alphosyl doesn't work for me, nor does T-Gel or any other otc treatment.
Reply 9
T-gel is rubbish :frown:

what type of psoriasis do you have, cause i have plaque psoriasis
DressMeDeadly
Thankies for your replies, i reckon I'll try sunbeds to keep it topped up and see if it'll have any effect on my scalp, plus i am moisturising loads atm lol. I think i may just go back to my doctor and see what she says just in case she has anymore ideas.


Nonononononononono!!!!!

Do not for the love of god use sunbeads.
THe UV treatment given for psoriasis is very powerful. it increases the risk of skin cancer if used over a certain amount.
thats why they measure each treatment so well. and why aftera certain point you aren't allowed anymore.

have more powerful UV type stuff and your psoriasis will instead be replaced by skin cancers
betnovate didn't work for me at all and I had the shampoo and the tube. I was also put on a course of acne tablets because the first doctor I went to thought it was that on my face, tut!
Jamie
Nonononononononono!!!!!

Do not for the love of god use sunbeads.
THe UV treatment given for psoriasis is very powerful. it increases the risk of skin cancer if used over a certain amount.
thats why they measure each treatment so well. and why aftera certain point you aren't allowed anymore.

have more powerful UV type stuff and your psoriasis will instead be replaced by skin cancers


Thankyou for the advice :smile:, don't worry the most id do is try at the hospital again, i cant see sunbeds helping at all, plus it is mainly scalp psoriasis which is bad atm rather than my skin and i dont think UV would do much to help my scalp if im honest.

Phoenix
T-gel is rubbish

what type of psoriasis do you have, cause i have plaque psoriasis


To my knowledge i have plaque psoriasis aswell but this is purely through internet research, my doctor never specifically said which type. I've used t-gel before and found it not to work but just to irritate my scalp more.

Basically I'm getting to the end of my tether, my psoriasis is purely stress related as nobody in my immediate or distant family has ever had it and i am known for stressing about just about everything lol, this even more than other things. My doctor put my on mainly "Psoriderm" products which when i went to have my phototherapy none of the nurses nor the consultant had heard of so whether its a gp thing i don't know. I've has Psoriderm shampoo, scalp application, bath emulsion, cream, and ointment. Also Dovonex cream, Betnovate scalp app and more recently from the hospital consultant Dovobet ointment and nothing but the UV treatment worked on my skin (which at the moment is blissfully quite clear) But my scalps worse, the Psoriderm shampoo has ceased working and the Betnovate has never had any tremendous effect apart from to make my scalp sting. Its really getting me down now and i don't really know what to do, since my doctor just prescribes something new each time hoping it will work. I've also been trying Lush products (not necessairly medically sound but still) ive used Soak and Float shampoo bar which is brilliant for calming my scalp and making it non itchy but bad for flakes, and the Recon scalp treatment which is the opposite.


Please anybody who can recommend anything please do. I'm really sorry about this massive rant btw :s-smilie:

And one last thing that coloursonthetv reminded me of, i have some facial psoriasis as well, any ideas for treatments?
I have scalp psoriasis and i have gone to a homeopathic doctor for the past few months and it is been slightly reduced.
keep your hair in 2 plaits or bunches and sit in the sun for a while. It helps clear it but it also helps prevent infection just in case like me you tend to make your scalp bleed. (something about the bacteria preferring the damp and sark hence sunlight)
DressMeDeadly
I checked out some earlier psoriasis related posts just to see if there were many people able to give advice - also to make sure this hadn't been asked before which as far as i know it hasn't. Basically i suffer from psoriasis on my skin and scalp, had three months of UV light treatment at the hospital but my face burnt alot so i had to wear a hood meaning my scalp got no treatment. Have been using Psoriderm shampoo which worked when i first began (5/6 years ago) but doesnt anymore and so im looking for an alternative. Going to see my doctor would take quite a while to get an appointment plus im on holiday for a few weeks soon so when i was in my local Boots store i looked to see if they had anything. Well i found a shampoo called Alphosyl which is supposed to help the treatment of psoriasis and was wondering if anyone had tried it? Or if I'd be better off waiting till i can get a doctor's appointment?


UV as i've been told by my dermatologist isn't strong enough for the scalp because of the thickness of hair. As I said in the PM to you, get it on prescription from your doctor :smile:
Ilora-Danon
I've tried all the shampoos, but nothing seems to shift it.

The only treatment that I've benefited from were steroidal ointments and scalp applications like dermovate and betnovate.

Alphosyl doesn't work for me, nor does T-Gel or any other otc treatment.


Same for me actually. I would use alphosyl in conjuction with a scalp application as most shampoos aren't strong enough to shift it on its own. When I do get a patch when my scalp is fully cleared I usually only use the shampoo then to keep it managed.
Reply 16
I have reasonably bad scalp psoriasis, and i also have it on my ears, shoulders, my face and somewhere else that shall remain private.

I was prescribed coal tar shampoo, dovonex lotion and a topical steroid called locoid for my scalp. I also have dovobet ointment and a coal tar lotion for my other bits.
I used to use the coal tar shampoo and lotion, and the dovonex lotion daily, and keep the dovobet and the steroid for difficult to shift areas.

However, for the past year i have not been treating it at all, I've just been letting it grow and itching it. I know this probably sounds gross but i don't really have a problem with it. I suppose I'm lucky in that most of my psoriasis is hidden from view.

I also have another illness exacerbated by stress (schziophrenia), so annoyingly whenever I am seriously ill with that, my psoriasis flares up out of control and I become all itchy and flaky to boot.

The doctors do try to encourage me to treat my psoriasis. When i was in the hospital, a junior doctor even prescribed me some ointment for it, and that was handed to me along with my pills. But bah, blot knows best.

I gather from the way you write that simply trying to ignore your psoriasis isn't an option. In that case i wish you the best of luck in trying to clear it up.
DressMeDeadly


And one last thing that coloursonthetv reminded me of, i have some facial psoriasis as well, any ideas for treatments?


I was given protopic for my face at strengths 0.1% and 0.03% in which you use the 0.1% until it seems to have cleared then the 0.03% to keep it at bay, once again you need a prescription for this. Your dermatologist could probably sort you out with it. You should make an appointment with them rather than your doctor.
Reply 18
I have psoriasis on my scalp. I use polytar shampoo and it seems to keep it down. But there are times when my scalp is very sore and irritated and using polytar really stings. I also have to avoid hair colourants too.:mad:
I agree sunbeds will give you UVA, but NB UVB is needed for treatment, which can now be bought in a handheld unit for home use. Narrow band UVB at 311 has been shown to be the most effective when used with coal tar (goeckerman regimen). not promoting any products but do a search for 'handheld UVB light' with Philips TL01 bulb. this is used in most hospitals for treatmentsI have had scalp psoriasis for more than 12 years, today is the first day without flakes and itch. I had to do a post due to the joywhat I did;I am on my 13th treatment with NB UVB (worked up to my tolerance to 2.15 minutes per session. started at 45 secs, with 10 seconds increment)I am of olive complexion, so depends on this and the individual on amount which is tolerable. you must start low or you will burn, and burn comes several hours later, so you will not know when treating I am using Psoriderm cream 6% coal tar, but cut this down with diprobase moisturizer to about 3%, applied every night before bed. 2 days in week i have used a swimming hat for four hours with the coal tar locked in.If you look at the goeckerman regimen, my steps is something taken from it but with great results. If you have severe Psoriasis then I advise to follow the full goeckerman protocol, which you will find online. My only problem now is the habit of picking at my scalp and ears for scales, which are not there