Salicylic Acid
Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat psoriasis, “sal acid,” as it’s commonly called, is available in a variety of products, including shampoos, ointments, lotions, creams, soaps, and pastes. Salicylic acid helps to soften scales and exfoliate or lift them off your skin. Sal acid can be helpful as long as you use it according to directions. Too much salicylic acid, or salicylic acid left on the skin (or scalp) for too long, can cause irritation or stinging. If your shampoo has salicylic acid, focus it on your scalp rather than your hair, because it can weaken shafts, leading to breakage and hair loss (hair should return to normal once you stop using it).
Coal Tar
Coal tar is another ingredient approved by the FDA to treat psoriasis, including scalp psoriasis. However, you might want to test coal tar on a small area of your skin to be sure it doesn’t cause irritation or redness. Because coal tar can make your skin more sensitive to the sun’s ultraviolet rays, be sure to apply sunscreen to treated areas if you’re going to be outside for any length of time. “Coal tar can be messy, so some people don’t like to use it,” says Stefan Weiss, MD, of the Weiss Skin Institute in Boca Raton, Fla. Refined coal tars such as liquor carbonis detergens (LCD) have less odor and cause less staining, but they’re also less effective and can be harder to find.
Tea Tree Oil
“At one time, tea tree oil was seen as the panacea for psoriasis,” Dr. Weiss says of the oil that’s extracted from the leaves of a tree native to Australia. “Now, not so much.” Some people report that tea tree oil helps relieve symptoms of their scalp psoriasis, and others find they’re allergic to it.
Zinc
The trace element zinc is found in many topical psoriasis treatments and some shampoos. A study from the Skin Disease and Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Research Center in Mashhad, Iran, found that a topical emollient containing zinc pyrithione proved to be an effective treatment for localized psoriasis.
Argan Oil
Extracted from the nuts of the argan tree of southwestern Morocco, argan oil is rich in antioxidants and has been popularized as a food, a health treatment, and a beauty ingredient. However, according to a recent review in the Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, there’s a lack of clinical studies to definitively support its effectiveness.
Shea Butter
Shea butter is full of moisture, which can make it an effective ingredient in skin care products. When you have psoriasis, it’s important to keep your skin moisturized, Weiss says. Skin creams made with shea butter tend to be thicker, he says, and when it comes to moisturizer, the thicker, the better. Heavy moisturizers for psoriasis help lock in the skin’s natural moisture.
Anti-itch Ingredients
Several ingredients have been approved by the FDA for treating itch: calamine, hydrocortisone (a weak steroid), camphor, diphenhydramine hydrochloride (HCl), benzocaine, and menthol. Try them with caution, however, because some of them can increase skin irritation and dryness.
Fragrance or Alcohol
If you have sensitive skin, look for fragrance-free skin care products and shampoos. Scents added to make products smell good or just to neutralize their odor can be irritating (“unscented” might not be fragrance-free). Also, Weiss advises avoiding products that contain alcohol, because it is drying. Some people are more sensitive to some ingredients than others. If you’re not sure how you’ll react to a product, test it on a small area of skin before using it. And if you’re stumped, ask your health care provider for suggestions that will soothe skin as they ease off plaques.
