The most common form of treatment for psoriasis of the scalp is psoriasis shampoo.  Scalp psoriasis involves redness, inflammation and even balding of the scalp.  It is important to know that some psoriasis shampoos are more effective than others, however.

Coal tar is a common ingredient in psoriasis shampoo.  It will work against milder forms of scalp prosiasis.  It has been shown to slow down the growth of skin cells and, thus, restore the appearance of the scalp.  It will also lessen the amount of inflammation, itching and scaling involved with psoriasis.

Coal tar does have some negative points.  It is a very powerful substance.  The strength of coal tar should be limited to between 0.5 and 5% or it can aid in the growth of cancer cells.  It may also make your scalp very sensitive to sunlight and stain your clothes if you do not apply it carefully.  Even worse is the fact that it has an unpleasant smell.

There are safer ingredients in other psoriasis shampoos.  One of these ingredients is emu oil, which is known to heal and repair skin.  Harsh shampoos will aggravate psoriasis and make it worse.  Treating your scalp psoriasis with gentle and organic ingredients like emu oil is a better alternative.  Emu oil will help to control the production of new skin which is the problem caused by psoriasis.

Other natural ingredients that soften the skin and the psoriasis plaques are aloe vera and jojoba.  They are great options for treating your scalp psoriasis.

You may need a psoriasis shampoo that has some exfoliating properties.  If so, ingredients like salicylic acid can remove bacteria from the scalp.  It is best to use this ingredient sparingly because it does have properties in it that can dry out your scalp and make the psoriasis worse.  When using a psoriasis shampoo with salicylic acid, it is advisable to also use a conditioner to help moisturize the scalp.

When buying a psoriasis shampoo, look for ones with natural ingredients that also deep clean the scalp without making the psoriasis worse.