tips for psoriasis on your scalp

[joseph1]

I posted this on another site and was shocked to see more people have not done this.
Don't knock it till you try it.
Go to the pet section of your store and look for a stainless steel comb for your pet the fingers for this comb are close enough together to remove most of the dry skin from the scalp and lets the itching stop. It also makes it easyer for medicine to soak in and work better and not have to fight it's way through the scales. Be sure you get a comb that will not rust because you don't want to get tetanus or simpy dry the comb after useing. Take a hot or warm bath for 30 min and gently remove the skin you will see it feels 100% better. Ask your doctor about clobetasol propinate it's a liquid that is easy to use one time a day and after one week for me the scales and redness have gone away good luck...

[Dungeonprincess]

are you talking about a flea comb?????

[joseph1]

Yes the comb could be used for fleas, or just grooming. Find one with the least amount of gap in the fingers. Some times a good plastic comb will work but it will dig into your scalp because the edges seem to be sharper and it bends also, but the steel comb has rounded edges and lets you get closer to the scalp to remove more and it will last a long time.

Caution, be gentle doing this at first especialy if you intend useing some kind of medication it will leave your psoriasis bare and tar based medicine, shampoo will burn if you choose to use tar based anything place a large stick in your mouth and bite down hard... No just kidding I have only had bad childhood exp with tar based medicines befor I remember the pain and have the scars to remind me. good luck

[molly]

Well, I was sceptical about the flea comb...I thought that it would scratch, being metal...To my surprise, it does work...Tonite I will put the Derma-Smoothe/FS in my scalp and see how that will work...Thanks so much, this is great information...I had bought one for my cat a few years ago, but she didn't like it...

[joseph1]

Molly,
I am glad to see this has helped you, I hope the itching goes away and a lot of the flakes.

[sindy]

okay what is clobetasol propinate? Is this a tar base solution, or cortosoze.? I use a plastic comb. Now you have me thinking. I use a tar solution, with a plastic comb to debrive my scalp..Great info ..

We all need to help eachother out. We could probably teach the Doc's alot.......In fact we all sound like Dermatologists with the Meds, the terminology, & the knowledge we all have.

Is there anyone still struggling with the spelling of PSORIASIS ??
LOL. :p

[joseph1]

You are right, we do need to help eachother because believe it or not with all of us put together we know more than the doctors, not including D.N.A. and all that stuff that realy makes us tick but the little things like how to tell your teen how to deal with people at school, and how they make you feel when they say things.

I went to a public swimming pool one time and only one time, my best friend at the time came running in and said you better get dressed fast because I just heard the lady in the office tell another lady she was going to spray you with a disinfectant spray befor you go into the pool. Now when you are in the sixth grade this would impact you. I now laugh at this but the fact is if your child has psoriasis you must know that people are, I'm sorry stupid and if they thought for one second they would realize they could hurt your feelings. I did go home by the way and my friend understood. I only wish I could say thank you to him today but we lost touch.

Ok enough of of that, Clobetasol Propionate is a cortizone.
It comes in both liquid for the scalp and a cream for your skin.
I take it you have tried tar based medicine befor, I do not like them, bad childhood memories of the pain you have from this kind of treatment. Most of the time it was when the psoriasis was bare and cracked. I also have scars from when I got in direct sun light. Ask yourself what is tar used for, Hmmm, telephone poles have tar in them to protect them from teramites and weather.
when it gets hot in the summer the tar boils out of the pole and you can see it and smell it, this is what happens when you use tar based medicine for a long time it gets into your skin and in the sun it will boil out and I have the scars from the burns to prove it.

Clobetasol does not do this ,I know people warn against steroid cortizone but I have used it for 10 years and never gotten sick never had a problem, you have to find out for yourself. Honestly I only use it when I need to get it under control like on my elbows ,now I have been useing it for one week and it has taken it from a 10 to a 2 on a scale and I can live with that. It will go away all together but will come back after about one week without any medicine but if you hit it when you see it it will go away.
The plastic comb will help but for the total relief go to the the flea comb it will change your life I promise. Only thing I must say watch for rust because your open psoriasis is an avenue for tetanus and you don't want that, go with stainless steel or dry the comb after every use find it in your pet section of the store. Plastic combs have sharp edges and will cut your scalp they will also not catch all the dry skin. If you are going to try this, at first be gentle and take your time soak for ten min or so , no hurry. You will find it makes you feel better but remember you are not carving a pumpkin.

Good luck I hope this helps you, Joe..
Ha ,Ha I like the pumpkin part.

[jwljr]

This is my first time to this forum. I really didn't know this even exsisted. First quickly, where can I get Clobetasol Propionate and can I buy it over the counter? I have tried about everything from one time to another. I have suffered with this for thirty five years now and this fall is the worst breakout that I have ever experienced. I have just started tanning again, it's been two years since I last tanned. Is there any side effects like thinning of the skin or blood cell thinning or clotting?

I too can't stand the whole tar base treatment. The best treatment that I have used was "SKIN CAP", but the government came down hard on it and it also thinned the skin on legs.

p.s. I went through the same swimming pool ordeal and till this day will not go a public pool.

Jerry

:cool:

[joseph1]

Clobetasol is a prescription medicine, and I have had no problems with insurance covering it. If you want to save money you can buy it in TJ or mexico for 3.00 a tube or in the states about 35.00.
Temovate is the name in Mexico. Same maker but cheaper price.

I can not comment on the fact it thins blood or skin because for me it has not done this.

Listed on the papers from the pharmacy, side effects are possible with any medication, but they are usually not severe enough to cause the patient to stop or interrupt use. Skin irritation or burning may occur tell your doctor if you notice any of these symptoms.
I have never had any problems useing this medicine only good things to say. Funny they say burning i remember times when I could reach for something in a high place and the psoriasis on my stomach would crack open because it was so bad, that burned. Now I have three little dots on my stomach about the size of a grain of rice each and I can live with that....

[goldfish]

for my scalp i use dermasmoothe oil at night, two or three times a week, which removes the scales, adn clobetasol liquid then applied to the patches really helps clear it up. it gets to teh point where you'd never know i even have it. however, if i dont' use a medicine for three days, its all back, unbelievably badly.

also, i use clobetasol on small patches on my elbows...it works a little, but nowhere near as effectively as on my scalp. dovonex and protopic don't seem to work as well. my dermatologist has given me prescriptions for eledil, protopic, dovonex, clobetasol, and others....he says just see what works...how long do i have to stick it out with each one to know which is right for me? with so many options its really confusing. anyone have any insight?

I'm a new member and have always been skeptical of support groups and i've been reading this site for two hours now and can't believe how much better it makes me feel.

[heps]

Goldfish - I went through the same routine as I'm sure most of us have. It's trial & error.
I was so confused. My Derm had me use the Rx. for 2 wks & if I didn't see any help from it, I would go & try the next one for 2 wks. & so on until I found one that works. Unfortunately for me none of them worked & I can't take any systemics. My Derm ended up putting me on UVB treatments with lots & lots of moisterizers & bingo it is helping. It sure takes a lot of patience without any stress. I too use Dermasmoothe, it works for me too. Keep trying & don't give up.
HEPS

[joseph1]

I am glad you gave this a chance even though you say you are sceptical about support groups.

The medicine game is some times a joke. You go to the derm and he works at lets say a university hospital, you go in feeling this is going to be a changing point in my life and when you see him or her they say well lets start with something mild and see what that does first. This happened to me so I can tell the story good. he said I want to give you this lotion to try it's mostly vitamines and should help the skin. Total cost out the door $ 300.00, NOT INCLUDING DOCTOR VISIT!

Long story short it didn't work at all, I never went back and probably never will. My advice and I should say I am in no way trying to say or influence anyone in reguards to going to a dermatolagist, they can help and that is for you to make those decisions. My advise would be to use the medicine until it is gone if you don't see and change it will probably not work for you. Always soak in hot water and remove dry skin with a wash cloth befor applying medicines to get the best results, the scales only act as a shield so medicine can not do it's job.

Always follow doctors directions if you are not supose to remove scales or baths are not good for you don't listen to me. I can only tell you about my psoriasis and not yours.

Medicine will help for only a short time and gives us a chance to feel better. I use clobetasol I probably all ready said that and I am going to try tanning because for the first time I would like to sit by a pool like all the other couples, swim and drink margaritas
in Vegas. My wife has been the best support. She does not have psoriasis and I feel bad sometimes because I see other couples out at the beach or sitting by a pool and I always say no you go ahead honey Im going to stay here. I would like to be with her so I will see what happens for me this summer, it is my goal.

Good luck to you and try the clobetasol for a while, take hot baths befor useing for the first week or every other nite works good to. Hot sun can burn at first where medicine is so be slow about exposure until you tan.