The 5 things you know to be true if you have scalp psoriasis.

I have sadly suffered from severe, chronic scalp psoriasis for nearly 14 years. It was until this year the only kind of psoriasis I had. It is the bane of my existence. I hate it. I spend approximately 99% of my life scratching my scalp. There is a 0% chance that my previous sentance was exaggerated. I have only been completely clear once in those 14 years, and that was last November when I had two steroid injections in to my left ankle and knee. I was clear for a grand total of 4 days, and I suffered non stop from painful phantom itching. Just can’t win.

So for todays blog post I’ve decided to talk about the 5 things you know to be true if you have scalp psoriasis. If you have additional truths then please let me know and I’ll incorporate them in to a future post!!

1. “Sorry I can’t come out tonight, I’m washing my hair”

This takes on a whole new literal meaning when you have scalp psoriasis. You get home from work, you apply whatever smelly/awkward/useless treatment you’ve been given and leave it on for an infinite period of time. An hour? Overnight? (I once left coconut oil in for an entire weekend. It’s been yonks and I still have the greasy hair to prove it). Then you have to wash it out with one of your many shampoos. If you’re feeing extra fancy, you’ll rinse and repeat. If like me you absolutely hate the small of coal tar and most medicated shampoos, you might even use a ‘normal’ shampoo to mask the smell. Then there’s conditioner. It doesn’t end there. You get out of the shower, you might want to leave your hair to dry naturally for as long as possible so as to not to aggravate it with a hairdryer. This will result in you looking like Hagrid but at least this is better than looking like Voldemort. (This will also mean that you spend more time wearing a hair turban than you don’t. I’m unrecognisable without mine on.) Then there comes the removing of the plaques. Maybe a nice gentle scratch here and a brush of the scalp there. Once this has been completed, a good 18 hours could have passed. Go to sleep. Work. Come home and repeat. Daily. So yeah, I don’t know what day it is you’re inviting me out, it could be 100 years in the future but I can guarantee I will actually be busy. Washing my hair.

2. People who say, “Have you tried head and shoulders*?” are not the kind of people you need in your life

This will apply to everyone from hairdressers to work colleagues to friends, family and complete strangers on the street. The first time you hear this, you might smile it off and say “Thanks, I hadn’t thought of that before.” When you have heard it for the 3648267242 time though, the smile will have slipped. Your face may start looking incredibly angry. Smoke may start escaping from your ears. You’ll grit through your teeth “I don’t have dandruff, I have scalp psoriasis” and then you’ll walk away before you punch the person in the face. The last hairdresser I saw kept pushing head and shoulders on me. I smiled, gave some kind of sassy response, and never returned. I don’t need that kind of negativity in my life any more than I need head and shoulders, and neither do you.

*Other similar, but also completely useless brands of anti-dandruff shampoos are unfortunately available for you to be told to buy.

3. Brushing your hair, especially after a good scalp scratch, will result in more snow falling to the floor than snowflakes fall on the North Pole in winter

Flakes. Get. Everywhere. My little cat has been known to have my scalp flakes on her after I’ve had a particularly good scratch. Flakes will get EVERYWHERE. You won’t even realise just what a quantity of flakes your scalp can produce. I’m pretty sure if I was to collect the flakes on a weekly basis they would weigh more than me. Connected to this is the complete and utter fear that wearing black will bring to you. Scarier than a clown chasing you down a dark street, having to brush your shoulders off because they now look like you’re wearing white shoulder pads is pretty horrifying. I’m yet to find a way to laugh this off. If you know of one, send it my way!

4. You will buy and own and try more shampoos and treatments than your average hairdresser

Each will promise to relieve the itch, the flaking, the indignity of it all. You purchase the product, your heart full of excitement and anticipation for just how life changing it will be. You’ll be able to wash your hair just a few times a week like a normal person! You’ll have a social life outside of the bathroom again! Think of all the black you’ll be able to wear!!!!! Alas. At best it’ll work for a minute before it becomes ineffective and shoved to the back of your bathroom cupboard, where all the failed products go to die. You won’t throw them out though because you still live in hope that one day it will work. That’s just the kind of optimist you are.

5. You will appreciate a good vacuum cleaner

You may even own more than one. A good old upright and a cheeky little handheld one. As number 3 alluded to, your scalp will flake a lot. This will require a lot of vacuuming. Especially after brushing your hair/tying your hair up/a simple shake of the head.  Sometimes one vacuum a day just doesn’t cut it. You may, like me, even take to vacuuming your bed every morning before you make it. To people with normal scalps this must seem bizarre, but to those of us in the know, you’ll know how satisfying it is to see the flakes get sucked up by the vacuum cleaner. Sad and true, but so very satisfying.

 

Please let me know what you can relate to and what makes you laugh, moan and cry about your scalp psoriasis!