Natural Remedies for Psoriasis on the Scalp
Natural remedies can be employed to manage all types of psoriasis, including scalp psoriasis. Home remedies for scalp psoriasis include topical and internal treatments. Herbal therapies, essential oils, and dietary interventions help to decrease scaling, itchiness, flaking, and redness. Pain due to cracking of lesions is diminished with treatment. Scalp and hair improve in appearance and feel. Let’s take a look at some effective remedies which decrease the discomfort and embarrassment that scalp psoriasis often causes.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Food sensitivities and allergies are common among psoriases sufferers. Consider implementing an elimination or rotation diet in order to identify food sensitivities and reduce plaque buildup. Dairy products and foods which contain white sugar or gluten are often problematic for individuals who have psoriasis. Avoid processed foods because they often contain dyes, additives, and preservatives; which are known irritants for many people who have psoriasis. Many experts believe that MSG to causes symptoms of including psoriasis to increase. Read product labels carefully.
Eat a diet which is comprised primarily of minimally processed, whole, organic foods. Include plenty of raw or lightly cooked fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. Obtain most of your protein from whole grains, legumes, and other plant sources rather than animals.
Have wild caught ocean fish, such as salmon, mackerel, herring, or sardines several times each week. These foods help to regulate compounds which are called prostaglandins. Excess prostaglandin production causes inflammation and flare-ups of scalp and other psoriatic lesions. If you do not eat fish, consume flax or hemp seed in your diet for similar benefits.
Drink Plenty of Water
Your skin is the largest organ of your body. It is responsible for removing toxins from your body. It also keeps harmful substances from entering your body. Exposure to toxins from the air, hair care, and skin care products may increase inflammation and irritation throughout your entire body, including your scalp. When you drink ample amounts of water, those toxins are diluted and flushed from your body efficiently.
Omega Fatty Acid Supplementation
While you consume some essential fatty acids from your diet if you consume deep, cold water fish, flaxseeds, or hempseeds in your diet, it is important that you take supplements too. Borage, flax, hemp, evening primrose, or black current seed oils are important for the health of your skin and scalp. Take them internally, following instructions on the product label. In addition, massage the oil directly onto scalp lesions. You may simply pour a little oil on your hand and apply it to your scalp. If you use capsules, pierce one open with a pin and apply the oil to your scalp.
Oils which contain rich sources of Omega fatty acids promptly decrease scaling, itchiness, and cracking of scalp lesions. For maximum effectiveness, they must be consistently consumed and applied one or twice daily. Here is a recipe for scalp oil which will heal lesions and enhance the growth of silky lustrous hair.
Oil to Relieve Scalp Psoriasis
Combine 60 ml (2 tablespoons) of evening primrose oil with 1 drop of Roman chamomile essential oil, 5 drops tea tree essential oil, and 6 drops of lavender essential oil. Apply the oil directly to your scalp lesions twice daily. You will likely see marked improvements within one week of implementing this treatment. Inflammation, dryness cracking, itchiness, pain, and scaling will diminish.
Other essential oils which you may want to include in your scalp oil include rose geranium and lemon balm which is also known as Melissa. Do not add more than one drop of chamomile essential oil to the blend as it is quite strong. If you can only purchase one essential oil to use in your blend, use essential oil of lavender.
Borage oil may be substituted for the evening primrose oil.
You may add a few drops of the essential oils to your shampoo in order to prevent future lesion formation on your entire scalp. Add twenty drops of essential oils per ounce of shampoo.
Next Page: Using Herbs, Chickweed, and Keeping Your Scalp Healthy
Use Herbs to Support the Health of Your Scalp
Many herbs support detoxification processes which lead to less irritation of your scalp. They work most effectively when used consistently. It may take a month or two of regular use before you see benefits.
While you may consume herbs in a variety of forms, when treating psoriasis, I recommend the use of herbal teas. If they are not convenient, then dried or freeze dried herbal capsules are excellent options. Burdock, dandelion, and yellow dock are outstanding herbs to use for the treatment of psoriasis. If you are making a tea, burdock root is the most palatable of the three herbs.
Herbs may be used to reduce histamine production and itchiness. Some of the most effective herbs which relieve irritability and itchiness include lemon balm, skullcap, oat straw and German chamomile. These are mild tasting herbs which may be enjoyed freely as herbal teas.
You may opt to make a tea from any of the herbs which promote relaxation and use the tea as a scalp rinse. I recommend that you apply the tea at a tepid temperature if using it as a rinse.
Chickweed provides Free, Soothing Relief of Scalp Psoriasis
If you live in a temperate climate, you may recognize the common weed called chickweed growing on your lawn. Chickweed is best used while it is fresh. The herb provides soothing, cooling relief when applied directly to scalp lesions. Chickweed reduces inflammation, itchiness, plaque formation and cracking.
You may also consume chickweed internally in salads or smoothies. Chickweed is a rich source of the vitamins and minerals which your scalp needs for healing.
If you gather chickweed or other wild plants, be sure that you correctly identify the herb, and only gather it from locations which are clean and not exposed to chemical pesticides or fertilizers. Gather herbs only if the plants are abundant. You can dry chickweed for future use, but I do not think that it is as effective.
Consider making herbal oil by adding fresh chickweed to evening primrose oil. Be sure that the herb is completely covered by the oil. Place a cover on the container. Shake the container twice daily for two weeks. After two weeks discard the herbs. Use the chickweed/primrose oil in the scalp oil recipe provided above.
Keep your Scalp Healthy
Limiting your scalp’s exposure to stress and chemicals is an important part of a treatment plan to reduce lesion formation and irritation. Here are some tips for reducing the amount of stress which your scalp is exposed to.
- Wash your hair no more often than every other day.
- When you dry your hair, use a patting rather than rubbing motion. Better yet, let your hair dry naturally. Limit excessive use of hair dryers.
- Do not use curling wands or electric hair straighteners.
- Read hair care product labels carefully. Opt for hypoallergenic, organic, shampoos, conditioners, and styling products. Do not purchase hair-care products which contain alcohol, as they can dry and sting your sensitive scalp.
- Protect your scalp for excessive exposure to the sun and very cold temperatures.
- Do not have your hair chemically processed. Scalp psoriasis and hair dye, permanent waves, hair straightening, and bleaching should be avoided, as they are too irritating for your scalp. They may increase symptoms, particularly discomfort.
Use these internal and topical remedies to manage your scalp psoriasis. Within a short period of time your lesions will diminish, you will feel more comfortable, and your scalp and hair will look and feel better than they have in a long time.