Scalp Psoriasis

It usually starts behind the ear. Or at the hairline. A spot that itches, flakes, turns red — and then doesn't go away. You comb white flakes out of your hair, notice that the shampoo burns, feel the hairdresser's gaze as he hesitates before setting the scissors. Some patches are hidden; others creep toward the forehead. And every time you think it's calming down, it comes back.

Medically speaking, psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease. The skin cells renew themselves within a few days instead of several weeks — the tissue can no longer keep up with itself. On the scalp this is particularly stubborn, because the hair conceals the skin, scratching intensifies the irritation, and the flakes become visible the moment you enter a room. Dermatology knows triggers, flare-ups, treatments. But the question of why exactly here, why exactly now, remains open.