For the last few days, my head has been itching ferociously. I pretty much can't take it. Then, when I mowed to lawn today, once I started sweating, my scalp started to burn a lot. As I mulled over this for the 2 hours it took me to mow, I thought that maybe I have psoriasis on my scalp. After my shower, I asked my husband to look at my scalp, but he didn't see anything. Is it possible that is it so minor that we can't see it? The thought has also crossed my mind that I have lice (I work in an elementary school), but I don't think that would make my scalp burn from sweat. I have only had 2 questionable spots that could have been psoriasis, so it's hard for me to know really what it feels like.
Funny how all this has played out. The beginning of May brought significant pain in my hands, then iritis showed up towards the end of May, and now my scalp is making me crazy.
Maybe you had an allergic reaction? Even if it’s a little you will notice flakes like dandruff assuming you have plaque.
Mine feels warm but doesn’t burn unless I pick at it. A common place for it (plaque) is behind the ears.
There are various types psoriasis that may be hard for even trained eyes to recognize. My inverse went was not diagnosed for 20 years! Also, I had it were the sun doesn’t shine.
Another possibility is fungal - derived dandruff. Makes your scalp itch like crazy (and even hurt when scratched), flake, though not exactly the same as psoriasis (which I did have a small patch of), the fungus causes an inflammatory reaction in some people (not surprising that might be us )!
For me a medicated shampoo made all the difference. Something with Ketaconazole in it, I think its called.
Thank you for your responses. I decided during the night a visit to the dermatologist is in order. My itching head kept waking me up during the night and it still feels like my scalp is on fire. I figure she is better qualified to look at my scalp than either me or my husband. I did finally find 2 pinkish red areas on my scalp, but they are on the back of my head and I can't see them very well.
That is so funny you said that about your GP because when I acquired Fifth's Disease 7 years ago (which is what I believe triggered all this PsA crap), my GP actually thanked me for coming in because he had never seen an adult case of Fifth's Disease. Glad I could oblige him!
Miz Que
sybil said:
I don't think this applies but you never know - a couple of years ago I got a very odd rash on my legs after cutting the grass - big, painless, fluid filled blisters. I really don't think it was psoriasis. The doctor thought it was an allergic reaction to some of the weeds that had got chopped up and released their sap. Apparently there are some, such as giant hogweed, that will cause a reaction if sap gets on the skin and is then exposed to sunlight. I concluded that cutting the grass can be more hazardous than I'd thought. Perhaps if you touched some of the cuttings then scratched your head .... my GP loved it, said it made a nice change from sore throats, so I hope your dermatologist is just as interested as he was!
I have psoriasis behind my ears. It itches some, but not enough to bother my sleep. The only time it burns is when I get my hair colored. Haven't noticed it when I sweat, but I guess it is always a possibility.
My psoriasis is the worst on my scalp. I always thought it was just dryness but when I was diagnosed with PSA and psoriasis the rheumy said that was a classic place for it...
I was diagnosed with psoriasis on my scalp as a young woman. I have non-plaque forming inverse and guttatae(sp?). It does not itch much but does burn occasionally but nothing that would keep me awake. The areas on my scalp turned my hair grey in my twenties. Looked a lot like skunk stripes so I dyed it dark like the rest of my hair. My scalp is quite red but only if you part my hair and look for it.
Probably best to see a dermatologist. In the mean time would a cool pack of frozen peas wrapped in a wash cloth help soothe it?
Interestingly, I have 3 stripes of grey in the areas of my current ferocious itching. The rest of my hair is salt and pepper (mostly pepper right now). And the previous possible psoriasis I had followed a strep infection and my rheumatologist felt it looked like guttate from the picture I had taken of it.
I am not sure how to soothe it, but the ice pack may work. The heat of my shower and my hairdryer definitely caused burning. My scalp is also tender to the touch where it itches. All in all, I would rather have athis itching, burning head than the fierce foot pain I had last year.
Miz Que
michael in vermont said:
I was diagnosed with psoriasis on my scalp as a young woman. I have non-plaque forming inverse and guttatae(sp?). It does not itch much but does burn occasionally but nothing that would keep me awake. The areas on my scalp turned my hair grey in my twenties. Looked a lot like skunk stripes so I dyed it dark like the rest of my hair. My scalp is quite red but only if you part my hair and look for it.
Probably best to see a dermatologist. In the mean time would a cool pack of frozen peas wrapped in a wash cloth help soothe it?
Several years ago I got Fifth's Disease, too. My GP also had the same reaction. He said had never seen an adult case either. Good luck with your dermatologist visit. Miz Que said:
That is so funny you said that about your GP because when I acquired Fifth's Disease 7 years ago (which is what I believe triggered all this PsA crap), my GP actually thanked me for coming in because he had never seen an adult case of Fifth's Disease. Glad I could oblige him!
Miz Que
sybil said:
I don't think this applies but you never know - a couple of years ago I got a very odd rash on my legs after cutting the grass - big, painless, fluid filled blisters. I really don't think it was psoriasis. The doctor thought it was an allergic reaction to some of the weeds that had got chopped up and released their sap. Apparently there are some, such as giant hogweed, that will cause a reaction if sap gets on the skin and is then exposed to sunlight. I concluded that cutting the grass can be more hazardous than I'd thought. Perhaps if you touched some of the cuttings then scratched your head .... my GP loved it, said it made a nice change from sore throats, so I hope your dermatologist is just as interested as he was!
Whew! I feel like I dodged a bullet. I don't have scalp psoriasis, thank goodness. I have seborrheic dermatitis. I came home with some Free and Clear shampoo and a prescription for a topical spray. Hopefully, this will clear up very quickly.