By Mike Marenick

Shampoo for Psoriasis and Color Treated Hair

People of any age and race can get scalp psoriasis. For some people, it occurs at an early age and for many, it may come later in life. For others, the scalp psoriasis may lay dormant in their body and never occur. Studies have shown that it is very common for psoriasis to be brought on by some type of trauma to the body. This can be something severe like cancer or surgery. Or, it could be something as simple as a bad sunburn. Whatever triggers your scalp psoriasis; once it begins you must start to treat the symptoms as soon as possible to keep it under control. If you are someone who dyes their hair then this adds another condition to what products you can use for your scalp psoriasis. Having your hair colored costs a lot of money and you want it to last as long as possible. Here’s what you should look for in a shampoo for psoriasis and color treated hair.

Combination Shampoo for Psoriasis and Color Treated Hair

For this article, we are going to specifically discuss over-the-counter shampoo products. If your scalp psoriasis is so bad that it requires a prescriptive shampoo then you will have limited choices to deal with your color treated hair.

All over-the-counter shampoos will use either coal tar or salicylic acid as an active ingredient. These ingredients have been studied and accepted by the FDA as effective for treating scalp psoriasis. These two ingredients work in the same way but may perform differently for each individual. Coal tar and salicylic acid are natural exfoliating ingredients. They will help your body to remove the dead skin cells caused by your psoriasis. This is important because if you can control the exfoliating process you will avoid the scaly build up that is often caused by scalp psoriasis. So which ingredient is right for you? The only way to find out is to try the product. For some people, coal tar will work great and salicylic acid will do nothing for them. For others, the opposite will be true. And then there will be others that will find either one will work well. If you are not sure which one to choose it is best to start with salicylic acid and if it does not work then move on to coal tar. The reason this is suggested is because salicylic acid is virtually odor free and coal tar can sometimes have an offensive smell that has to be masked with fragrances.

In addition to choosing which active ingredient is right for your scalp, it is also important to select a shampoo for psoriasis that is a combination shampoo and conditioner. A side effect of both coal tar and salicylic acid is dry skin. A dry scalp will itch and possibly flake more causing dandruff. A good combination shampoo will be able to moisturize your scalp and condition your hair in addition to treating your scalp psoriasis.

A Shampoo for Psoriasis and Color Treated Hair Should Include These Ingredients

You have probably read that avoiding sulfates in a shampoo will help prevent fading of your hair color. Unfortunately, there are no studies that have actually proven this to be true. Detergents are necessary to help cleanse your hair and your scalp especially if you suffer from psoriasis. More importantly then avoiding sulfates you need to be looking for ingredients that will nourish, protect and strengthen your hair. One ingredient that is excellent for conditioning is polyquaternium or sometimes just called quaternium. This is a relatively expensive ingredient so you don’t find it in a lot of shampoos. Once you have tried one with polyquaternium you will definitely see and feel the difference.

Next, you should look for ingredients that will provide protein. Most hair damage and color fading are caused when the proteins that bond the hair become damaged. To repair the damage you should try to find a shampoo that includes keratin. Our hairs natural makeup comes from keratin. Damaged hair often lacks keratin and will become very porous. Porous hair will not be able to hold on to your hair color as well. The use of keratin will help fill in these pores to keep the hair looking great. In addition, you should look for a shampoo for psoriasis that contains some type of protein. Eggs contain natural biotin that can be extremely beneficial for your hair. Protein not only strengthens the hair but also protects it. A shampoo for psoriasis and color treated hair should definitely contain some type of protein source.

How to Choose Your Shampoo for Psoriasis and Color Treated Hair

In general, a psoriasis shampoo is going to be harsher than a normal shampoo. This is an unfortunate side effect of the active ingredients found in these shampoos for psoriasis. The way to counteract these side effects is by looking for ingredients that will nourish, strengthen and protect your hair. The ingredients that provide these benefits will also protect your color treated hair. Look for quaternium, keratin, egg and other protein-rich ingredients. One that includes all of these will be the right shampoo for psoriasis and color treated hair.

If you have any questions or need additional information please feel free to call us at 973-396-8480.