Psoriasis Shampoo: What Ingredients Should You Look For?

A shampoo can smell good, lather well, and still do very little for a scalp covered with psoriasis scale. When you're shopping specifically for scalp psoriasis, the active ingredient matters more than the fragrance, bottle design, or amount of foam.

Ingredient #1: Salicylic Acid for Thick Scale

Scalp psoriasis often produces adherent scale that can make the scalp feel rough and can interfere with topical treatment. The AAD identifies salicylic acid as a scale softener that helps soften and remove scale and notes that it is often found in products made for scalp psoriasis.^[1]

Removing excess scale can do more than improve appearance. The AAD also notes that scale removal may allow other medicines applied to the skin to work better.^[1]

The SumLab Salicylic-Acid Solution: Keralyt® 5 Shampoo

Keralyt® 5 Shampoo contains 5% salicylic acid and is formulated as an exfoliating shampoo for scaling and roughness associated with moderate-to-severe conditions including scalp psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis.^[2]

Choose Keralyt® 5 Shampoo when thick scale and buildup are the problems you most want to address. Use it as directed, and do not assume that more frequent or heavier use will work faster. The AAD cautions that overusing salicylic-acid products can leave skin dry, red, and itchy.^[1]

Ingredient #2: Coal Tar for Psoriasis-Related Scale and Itch

Coal tar has been used in psoriasis care for more than a century. According to the AAD, coal tar can be used for plaque psoriasis, scalp psoriasis, itching, and scale.^[3]

Coal tar is available in shampoos as well as other topical forms. The AAD advises making sure a coal-tar shampoo reaches the scalp itself, because the goal is to treat the affected skin rather than simply wash the hair.^[3]

The SumLab Coal-Tar Solution: Tarsum® Shampoo/Gel

Tarsum® Shampoo/Gel is a coal-tar shampoo formulated in a scale-loosening base and positioned by SumLab for scalp psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, and severe dandruff.

One practical advantage of Tarsum® is its gel-to-shampoo application style: apply it directly to affected scalp areas before lathering with water. For severe scalp psoriasis, the product page notes that it may be left on the scalp for up to 30 minutes before rinsing, according to label directions.

Should You Choose Salicylic Acid or Coal Tar?

Think about the job you need the shampoo to do. If the biggest problem is stubborn scale and buildup, Keralyt® 5 Shampoo is the SumLab solution designed to loosen that scale. If psoriasis-related itching and scaling are the larger concern, Tarsum® Shampoo/Gel offers SumLab's coal-tar approach.^[1][2][3]

Some treatment plans use more than one approach. The AAD clinical guideline notes that salicylic acid and coal tar can be used alone or in combination with other topical psoriasis therapies.^[4] If you already use prescription treatment, ask your dermatologist how to sequence medicated shampoos with the rest of your regimen.

How to Get More From a Medicated Psoriasis Shampoo

1. Apply the product to the scalp, not just the hair.^[3]
2. Massage gently. Scrubbing and scratching can worsen scalp psoriasis.^[5]
3. Follow the contact-time and frequency directions on the product label.^[1][2]
4. Avoid picking off thick scale. Use a scale-softening approach such as Keralyt® 5 Shampoo instead.^[5]
5. Ask a dermatologist for help if symptoms are severe, spreading, or not responding to over-the-counter care.

The Bottom Line

For scalp psoriasis, the most useful shampoo is one chosen for its active ingredient. Keralyt® 5 Shampoo delivers 5% salicylic acid to target scale and buildup. Tarsum® Shampoo/Gel provides a coal-tar solution for psoriasis-related scale and itch. Choose the SumLab product that matches your dominant symptom, use it as directed, and involve a dermatologist when your psoriasis needs more than over-the-counter care.

Summers Laboratories content is educational and is not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment from a qualified healthcare professional.