Psoriasis in your hair can be a real struggle – itching, redness, scales or calloused deposits that appear mostly on top of the head, behind the ears and on the forehead. Although psoriasis cannot be eliminated altogether, a specialised shampoo for psoriasis can bring considerable relief. Let's take a look at which shampoo is needed for psoriasis and why.

Psoriasis shampoos aren't just standard anti-dandruff products. They are carefully developed cosmetics that respect the needs of sensitive and irritated psoriatic skin. Such shampoos help gently address scaliness, soothe irritation and promote skin's natural regeneration – all without unnecessary dehydration.

What shampoo does psoriasis in hair require?

Any treatment for psoriasis in hair must contain an elaborate combination of active ingredients which complement each other. What substances are they?

Ingredients that eliminate dead skin

These ingredients work as keratolytics – they dissolve calloused skin and help detach it from the scalp.

Urea – softens flaking areas and hydrates skin around them.
Salicylic acid – a popular BHA acid which gently dissolves calloused deposits.
Sulphur – dissolves scales and also helps eliminate impurities.
Tar – tar shampoo for psoriasis helps slow down the formation of new skin cells and removes scales.

Soothing ingredients

Skin is often irritated and reddened. That is why psoriasis requires a shampoo with ingredients that help relieve itching and redness and strengthen the natural skin barrier. Effective ingredients include:

aloe vera,
chamomile,
panthenol,
allantoin,
niacinamide,
oat extracts.

Softening and hydrating ingredients

Hydration and moisturizing of the scalp are key in treating psoriasis. Skin will then be less itchy, tight, and cracked – it will be more supple and softer.

A psoriasis shampoo therefore contains effective and yet gentle moisturizing ingredients. These may include:

shea butter,
hemp oil (hemp shampoo for psoriasis is popular),
coconut oil,
black cumin seed oil,
jojoba oil,
fatty alcohols (cetearyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol).

Hydrating ingredients which help keep water in skin include for example:

glycerine,
hyaluronic acid,
betaine (beetroot extract).

This can also be achieved using the previously mentioned aloe vera or niacinamide.

What should you avoid when it comes to a psoriasis shampoo?

Make sure you avoid these ingredients.

Fragrances – whether synthetic or natural, they irritate sensitive skin unnecessarily.
Sulphates – a common de-greasing ingredient in shampoos, but too aggressive and dehydrating for psoriasis.
Silicones (dimethicone being the most common) – they smooth hair fibres but accumulate on both hair and scalp long-term. They are an unnecessary burden to skin with psoriasis and obstruct scales being eliminated.

And what about conditioner?

The need for good psoriasis shampoo is obvious, but proper care continues after washing. Choose a gentle fragrance-free and silicone-free conditioner, ideally containing panthenol or gentle plant-based oils. Once or twice a week, treat your scalp to a soothing hair toner or an oil treatment – with hemp oil, for example, which helps maintain hydration and smoothness.

Choose the best shampoo for psoriasis

Always use psoriasis shampoos according to the instructions on the packaging. Most of them need to be left on for a few minutes before rinsing. At Notino you'll find a wide choice of shampoos and other anti-psoriasis products. Try them and treat yourself to a more pleasant feeling of soothed, strengthened skin!