Coal Tar Shampoo For Eczema

Uses And Benefits Of Coal Tar Shampoo

When it comes to hair, we all want to make it look clean and stylized enough to make an impact. Bad hair days criminally undermine our guise, making haircare a critical part of self-care. Moreover, the treatment is not limited to the quality and thickness of our mane. It extends to the skin underneath as well. Dandruff and itchy skin diseases like psoriasis or seborrheic dermatitis are commonplace and treatable with the proper medication. Coal tar shampoo is your over-the-counter safe and affordable solution to hair treatment. It belongs to a class of drugs called keratoplasty.

Best For Sensitive Scalps: Exederm Eczema And Dermatitis Shampoo

Yes, its fair to say that anyone dealing with scalp eczema has sensitive skin, but if any little thing seems to trigger a flair, this pick is for you. Another crazy gentle formula, Shaurya calls this, one of the most hypoallergenic shampoos on the market, with minimal ingredients that will cause irritation. It too boasts the National Eczema Associations seal of approval and is good not only for eczema but any kind of scalp dermatitis.

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How Often Should I Wash Using A Coal Tar Shampoo

To use a coal tar shampoo, you should always follow the guidance provided on the label.

For example, DHS recommends using their tar shampoo, at least twice a week or as directed by a physician for best results. Whereas Psoriatrax recommends that you, use daily until symptoms disappear. Usually 3-5 days.

We asked Dr. Ben Barankin, a Toronto based board-certified dermatologist at the Toronto Dermatology Centre, for his advice, and he told us, For mild-moderate dandruff, I recommend daily shampooing, and ideally alternating 3 shampoos, each with active anti-dandruff ingredients.

Dr. Matthew Zirwas, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Bexley Dermatology in Bexley, Ohio, recommended trying a shampoo for, at least a month because if your old shampoo had ingredients that were causing a dandruff-like rash of their own, it will take 4-8 weeks for that ingredient to work its way out of your body after you start the new stuff.

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Head And Shoulders Clinical Strength Shampoo

Best For Milder Psoriasis

Head and shoulders is a well-known brand that produces cleansers for dandruff.

But this clinical strength version of their regular shampoo is fantastic for milder scalp psoriasis.

The chief ingredient here is 1 percent of Selenium Sulfide. It helps with cleansing the scalp of crusty flakes and controlling inflammation.

You can also use this shampoo for color-treated hair.

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Coal Tar Shampoos: The Good The Bad And The Smelly

Several of our readers have mentioned that they use coal tar shampoo as an over-the-counter treatment to control their scalp psoriasis, scalp eczema and dandruff. Coal tar is one of the few old-fashioned psoriasis treatments that has stood the test of time. While many people have seen positive results from coal tar shampoos, there is also worry about the long-term side effects and unpleasant scent of coal tar. Are coal tar shampoos for you?

Here are some of the benefits and risks associated with coal tar treatments:

The Good

Coal tar products are regulated by the FDA and are a recognized treatment for psoriasis. According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, Tar can help slow the rapid growth of skin cells and restore the skins appearance. In addition, it can help reduce the inflammation, itching and scaling of psoriasis. Coal tar shampoo is a keratolytic. It works by slowing bacterial growth and loosening and softening scales and crust. While the concentration of tar varies from product to product, the greater the concentration of tar, the more effective the shampoo.

The Bad

As with most treatments, the use of coal tar does not come without potential risks and side effects. According to the NPF, coal tar may irritate, redden or dry the skin. It also makes the skin more sensitive to sunlight. However, use of sunscreen and avoiding the sun within 24 hours of using coal tar products may help control sun exposure risks.

The Smelly

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Serborrheic Dermatitis Scalp Or Scalp Eczema

Seborrheic dermatitis or dandruff is one of the most common type of eczema that makes the scalps skin, face and upper torso red, dry, itchy, scaly and flaky.

Similar to other types of eczema, Seborrheic dermatitis can be hard to manage and reveal an unattractive image. Continuous scratching of the scalp results in a dry and flaky skin that tends to cause an endless winter fall of dandruff. In worse conditions, the symptoms of eczema may aggravate resulting in tight skin or sores that weep and crust around.

How We Chose The Best Shampoos For Scalp Psoriasis

To create this list, we looked mainly for products that contain salicylic acid and coal tar to target scalp psoriasis. These are two ingredients recommended by the American Academy of Dermatology Association .

Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid thats often used as an exfoliant. It helps soften and break down plaques and scales for easier removal. Removing the plaques should help ease symptoms, like itching, burning, and irritation.

Coal tar is derived from black coal, and, according to the AAD, has been used to treat psoriasis for over 100 years. It helps pump the brakes to make sure the skin cells on your scalp arent growing too fast and building up. Still, coal tar can be drying and can stain.

We also included shampoos with other research-backed ingredients, like selenium sulfide.

Finally, we looked at reviews from customers with scalp psoriasis to determine the effectiveness of each one.

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Why Choose Coal Tar Shampoo

Coal tar shampoo is a standard medical treatment for psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, eczema, and other skin diseases for decades. It is known to help with the hardening and thickening of the scalp skin to decelerate the growth of skin cells. It improves the composure of your hair and scalp while also reducing itching due to dead skin. Your hair will not feel dry, and the scalp will be able to shed the dead skin cells.

You can approach your physician or any pharmacist to learn more about coal tar treatment. Several brands have come up with their own coal tar shampoo product, including TeraGel, Neutrogena T/Gel Original. PC-Tar, Polytar shampoo, Doak Tar, and DHS Tar.

Can Coal Tar Shampoos Cause Cancer

Theres been a number of controversies over coal tar in recent decades.

Coal tar contains as many as 10,000 different chemicals, but only about half of these have actually been identified. Many people have expressed concern over the unknown components that could be potential carcinogens or cancer-causing substances.

In the 1990s, studies appeared apparently linking coal tar exposure to cancer in animals . A number of countries including the EU, China and Taiwan banned the use of coal tar in cosmetics as a result of these findings.

Polytar, one of the most popular coal tar shampoos at that time, was completely withdrawn. Coal tar shampoos started to disappear from the shelves.

This prompted the EU to overturn its own ruling. The FDA maintains that there is no scientific evidence that the tar in OTC products is carcinogenic.

Despite its 75-year history of documented use without any clear evidence of increased cancer risk in low doses, some skepticism remains. Formulations containing more than five percent crude coal tar are listed as carcinogenic by the World Health Organization. California still insists that coal tars treatments are labeled, Warning: This product contains chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer.

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How Is This Medicine Best Taken

Use coal tar shampoo as ordered by your doctor. Read all information given to you. Follow all instructions closely.

• Do not take coal tar shampoo by mouth. Use on your scalp and hair only. Keep out of your mouth, nose, ears, and eyes .
• Wash your hands before and after use.
• Wet hair and scalp.
• Put on enough shampoo to make a lather.
• Lather well and leave on as you have been told.
• Rinse and put on again.

What do I do if I miss a dose?

• Put on a missed dose as soon as you think about it.
• If it is close to the time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your normal time.
• Do not put on 2 doses or extra doses.

What Side Effects Are Possible With This Medication

Many medications can cause side effects. A side effect is an unwanted response to a medication when it is used in normal doses. Side effects can be mild or severe, temporary or permanent.

The side effects listed below are not experienced by everyone who uses this medication. If you are concerned about side effects, discuss the risks and benefits of this medication with your doctor.

The following side effects have been reported by at least 1% of people using this medication. Many of these side effects can be managed, and some may go away on their own over time.

Contact your doctor if you experience these side effects and they are severe or bothersome. Your pharmacist may be able to advise you on managing side effects.

• mild stinging

Although most of the side effects listed below don’t happen very often, they could lead to serious problems if you do not seek medical attention.

Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:

• skin irritation not present before using this medication
• skin rash with or without pimples containing pus

Some people may experience side effects other than those listed. Check with your doctor if you notice any symptom that worries you while you are taking this medication.

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How To Use Coal Tar

Coal tar products come in a variety of topical forms. A person may use them in lotion, ointment, cream, gel, bath soaks, and shampoo.

If an individual is using a coal tar treatment on their body, they should apply and massage it into their skin. A dermatologist will advise on how often a person needs to do this.

Wrapping the area after applying the treatment increases the strength of coal tar, but a person will find optimal results from following their dermatologists instructions. When using a coal tar shampoo, individuals should make sure it gets on to their scalp.

Dermatologists may use tar and extracts of crude coal tar in the treatment of chronic eczema.

Dermatologists generally regard coal tar as safe, but it may cause:

• skin irritation

Tips To Find For The Best Coal Tar Shampoo For Your Scalp Psoriasis

Coal tar shampoos are formulated to treat the symptoms of scalp psoriasis, dermatitis, and dandruff. Brands extensively advertise their percentage of coal tar, the primary active ingredient in these shampoos. It might be tempting to grab whichever bottle claims the highest percentage of coal tar printed the biggest on the front label. Unfortunately, its not that simple. Here are five tips to put you in the know about coal tar, advertising claims, and concentrated USP.

1. Understand how coal tar is used.

When talking about active ingredients for psoriasis shampoos, coal tar is the active ingredient in many scalp shampoos. Its been used for more than 100 years to safely mitigate itching and flaking caused by scalp psoriasis and dermatitis. You will see product labels advertising an ingredient make up anywhere from 0.5 to 5 percent.

2. Interpret the concentrated USP.

MG217 Senior R& D Chemist, John Buteyn, Ph.D. explains it simply as: Coal tar topical solution is available only as a 20 percent solution. So, our coal tar shampoo uses 15 percent of USP Coal Tar Topical Solution to produce a three percent coal tar shampoo. In other words, you need to pay attention to a percentage of a percentage.

3. Know how much active ingredient you need.

Dr. Buteyn advises, A stronger dose is better. This is particularly true since coal tar shampoos are a wash-off product, so the coal tar has only a short time to be in contact with the scalp to impact the psoriatic skin.

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Top 10 Coal Tar Shampoos:

1. Redwin Coal Tar Shampoo:

Redwin Coal Tar shampoo is specially designed for dry scalp, which is prone to itchy flakes. It is infused with the extracts of Aloe vera that makes it soothing for dry skin. It cleanses hair and makes it smooth and shiny. It is a pH balanced formula that is designed for sensitive skin.

Key Ingredients: Coaltar1% and Salicylic Acid 3%, Aloe Vera.

Hair Type: Dry, Sensitive Scalp.

Problems: Itchy, Dry, Flaky scalp.

How to Use :

• Wet hair and apply shampoo.
• Make lather with the shampoo.
• Massage lather on scalp and wash thoroughly.

Rating: 4

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Coal Tar shampoo is considered safe for human usage only when the concentration is between 0.5% to 5%. Beyond this percentage, these shampoos are extremely carcinogenic and can cause serious health implications like cancer. If you are experiencing psoriasis, eczema and dandruff, its better to go for safer alternatives first and use coal tar only when suggested by a dermatologist. Also choosing the right product is important and it is a must to use these shampoos only for a stipulated period of time.

How Do You Use Coal Tar For Psoriasis

You should always test a tar product on a small area of your skin or scalp first. If it turns red, use a moisturizer first â choose a heavy cream or ointments to lock water into your skin â before you apply it.

If you have scalp psoriasis, your doctor may recommend that you use coal tar shampoo. Itâs very important to make sure the shampoo gets on your scalp. Leave it in place for 5 to 10 minutes before you rinse it out.

It can also be applied as a lotion or ointment. You massage the coal tar into the psoriasis once or twice a day. You can use an OTC product, but your doctor can also prescribe a compounded or specially made cream that also contains a corticosteroid. A commonly used one is 2% or 3% crude coal tar in triamcinolone cream 0.1% applied twice daily to individual spots of psoriasis. You can apply it to most areas where you have psoriasis, although you shouldnât apply it to very sensitive areas like your genitals or buttocks unless your doctor tells you itâs OK to do so.

Sometimes, your doctor may also have you wrap the spots where you have psoriasis after you apply coal tar to them. This increases the productâs effectiveness. Donât do it unless your doctor tells you to, since it makes the product much stronger.

Since coal tar can stain your hair, skin, and clothes, itâs best to use them at night and wear old clothes, like pajamas.

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4.5 out of 5 stars

How To Use Coal Tar Topical

Follow all directions on the product package. Check the label to see if you need to shake the product before using. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

This medication is for use on the skin only. To avoid irritation, do not let this medication come into contact with your eyes, nose, mouth, groin, or rectum. If you do get the medication in those areas, flush the area with cool water for 15 minutes. Wash hands after use.

Apply a small amount to the affected area. Massage in gently. Apply usually 1 to 4 times a day or as directed by your doctor. Allow to air dry before touching clothing. Do not apply to broken or infected skin unless directed by your doctor.

To treat the scalp, apply the solution according to the package directions. Coal tar products may also be used in the bath or as a hand/foot soak. Follow package directions carefully. Rinse off well. Coal tar products can make the shower/bath very slippery. Be careful not to fall.

Dosage is based on your medical condition, product type/brand, and response to treatment. Do not use large amounts of this medication, use it more often, or use it for a longer period than directed. Your condition will not clear faster, but the chance for side effects may be increased.

Use this medication regularly to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, use it at the same time each day.

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How To Use A Coal Tar Shampoo

Using a coal tar shampoo topically is not rocket science if you have successfully chosen the right one for yourself. Just follow the steps mentioned and you will have a squeaky clean mane that is free from skin problems in just no time.

Step 1: Wet your hair well with lukewarm waterStep 2: Take a generous amount of shampoo, rub it on to the scalp to work up a rich lather.Step 3: Let the shampoo sit on the scalp for a few minutesStep 4: Rinse thoroughlyStep 5: Repeat step 2 if needed.

It is advised to steer clear of direct sunlight, sunlamps, or tanning booths after the usage of a coal tar shampoo as it may make the skin sensitive and may cause sunburns or blisters.

If you suffer from scalp psoriasis, topical treatments might not be enough. You should incorporate the best coal tar shampoos in your hair care routine. These shampoos will help you get rid of excess dead skin cells present on your scalp. They will ensure healthy hair while soothing the effects caused by these skin conditions. Their antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties work wonders on your scalp. The reviewed options in the list are free from synthetic chemicals, contain organic ingredients, and are suitable for everyday use. Go through the ingredients list, user reviews, and possible side effects of the product before choosing the best coal tar shampoos. Depending on the severity of the scalp condition, use this shampoo once or twice a week.