Journal of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Open Access
ISSN: 2376-0419
ISSN: 2376-0419
Joo Ha Kim1, Jiehyun Jeon2 and Hae Jun Song2
Posters-Accepted Abstracts: J Pharma Care Health Sys
Scalp involvement is one of the most challenging conditions in psoriasis and is present in most patients with this disease. However, strangely enough, the mainstay of scalp psoriasis treatment has been focused only on suppression of inflammation without a serious attempt to moisturize scalp. The aim of this study was to investigate the degree of skin dryness and the effect of emollients on scalp psoriasis. Parameters of surface hydration of lesional and normal-looking skin were assessed by electronic measurement of the capacitance, sebum content, and trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) of 15 patients with scalp psoriasis and 15 individuals in a control group before and after two weeks of moisturizing therapy. Psoriatic lesions on the scalp showed a lower degree of hydration than lesions in other parts of the body. Compared with uninvolved scalp skin, lesions on the scalp showed lower capacitance, decreased sebum, and higher TEWL. Interestingly, uninvolved scalp skin of psoriatic patients exhibited decreased capacitance, decreased sebum level, and increased TEWL compared with the skin of the control group. After 2 weeks of moisturizing therapy, a significant improvement in hydration status was noticed in scalp lesions of psoriasis patients. The psoriatic scalp is much drier than the psoriatic skin of other parts of the body. Even in uninvolved areas, the scalp skin of these patients exhibited a lower degree of hydration. Complementary moisturizing therapy for the whole scalp, including uninvolved skin, is mandatory to restore impaired skin barrier functions and prevent further aggravation by untoward influence of topical steroids.
Joo Ha Kim is a dermatologist and the chair of department of dermatology in Cheong Ju Medical Center in Korea. He received a Master�??s degree from Korea University.