Would You Shave Your Head To Treat Scalp Psoriasis?

The year was 1999. I was a young smart mouth but a kind-hearted teenager. I had a particularly bad day and had some emotional things going on as teenagers do. One phone call to my mom and I had permission to cut my hair off, and off I cut it. Short shaved sides and a spiky top. I colored it bright red.

Fast forward to my thirties and now it takes a spreadsheet, ten articles, a few phone calls, and an existential crisis to consider shaving my hair off. That or just some really bad scalp psoriasis.

The benefits of a shaved head

I am not even going to joke here, there are so many benefits to shaving your hair off. I could just about create a commercial for it. When you look at it as a whole, there are just so many things going for it. Especially when you have to treat the spots on your scalp with all sorts and different oils and ointments.

• Easy application of psoriasis medication. You can really get in between the hairs and apply directly to the scalp.
• Your bedhead is now you’re ready to go head.  This means less stress on your scalp and hair, less product, hair drying, or straightening.
• Scalp psoriasis treatment now takes 5 minutes to apply, not 50 minutes and three days to wash it out.
• Sunlight will now have easy access to your actual scalp. This can help heal the skin. Remember to use a good quality sunscreen.
• Tangle free hair. Is there really anything better than not needing to brush your hair?
• Pain levels of your scalp will decrease hugely without the weight of your hair pulling on the scalp the whole time.
• Giving your scalp space and time to heal and rest

The stigma of psoriasis

I think there is a certain social stigma attached to shaving your hair off, in particular, if you are a woman. If it is what you want to do, you should do it. We should feel comfortable enough in our skin to do what we want. Those that are going to judge you are not your kind of people anyway.

I have spoken to many people who have shaved their heads for psoriasis and they said it was the most wonderful thing and that they would do it again in a heartbeat. I am not sure If I am brave enough to do it. Are you?

I would love to know if you have ever done it or considered shaving your hair off to treat your scalp.