Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat It Looks LikeTypesSymptoms and ComplicationsCausesTreatments
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What It Looks Like
Types
Symptoms and Complications
Causes
Treatments
Psoriasison the face usually affects your eyebrows, upper forehead, hairline, and theskin between your nose and lips. Treating face psoriasis can be challenging because the skin is very sensitive.
Up to half of people with psoriasis have it on their face.For those with facial psoriasis, they often havescalppsoriasis as well. However, it’s not common to have psoriasis only on the face.
This article explains what psoriasis on the face looks like and the different types of psoriasis that can affect facial skin. It also goes over what causes facial psoriasis and how it can be treated.
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How Many Types of Psoriasis Are There?
What Does Psoriasis on the Face Look Like?
Psoriasis causes small, red bumps that grow into red or pink sores on the face. The sores are often covered in silvery-white plaques that may flake off.The appearance of facial psoriasis can depend on what type you have:
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Types of Facial Psoriasis
True Facial Psoriasis
True facial psoriasis looks like classic psoriasis plaques on the face.Thered, scaly plaques are usually the same on both sides (symmetrical) and also appear on other areas of the body. The affectedskin is often painfuland itchy.
Hairline Psoriasis
Around half of people with psoriasis havescalp psoriasis, which can include the upper forehead.
Scalp and hairline psoriasis can be mild and may look like fine flakes of dandruff. Some people get severe psoriasis with thick plaques covering the hairline and behind the ears. The plaques can be greasy and yellow-colored.
Sebo-Psoriasis
Sebo-psoriasisis a combination of facial psoriasis andseborrheic dermatitis.
Symptoms of Psoriasis
Facial psoriasis that spreads can causesymptomsspecific to where on the face it is—for example, near the eyes and the mouth.
Vision Issues
Psoriasis around the eyes is rare. It may cause dry, red patches of skin. Facial psoriasis that’s too close to the eyes can cause pain or impaired vision.
If you have psoriasis near your eyes, it’s important to work with your dermatologist to find a safe treatment that will not affect your vision.
Nose Discomfort
Nasal psoriasiscan look like peeling, cracked, sore, or scaly skin on your nose or nostrils. It’s very rare to get psoriasis inside your nose, but it can happen.
If you think you have psoriasis near your nose, see a dermatologist to make sure it’s not another more common condition like an infection.
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Hearing Trouble
Facial psoriasis can affect the inner and outer ears. The symptoms include redness, itching, and patches of scaly skin on the ears. The patches may show up on the skin behind the ears, around the ears, or inside the ear canal.
When scales build up inside the ear, it can lead to temporary hearing loss. However, never try to push or remove the scales from your ears yourself. Only your provider should treat psoriasis plaques in your ears.
Mouth Pain and Bleeding
Conditions With Similar SymptomsThere are some skin conditions that canlook and feel similar to psoriasison the face. Certain conditions can cause redness, rashes, and other symptoms that could be confused for psoriasis, such as:Eczema (atopic dermatitis)Seborrheic dermatitisPityriasis roseaLupus rashRosaceaLichen planusShingles (herpes zoster)DermatomyositisRingworm (tinea capitis)IntertrigoSkin cancer
Conditions With Similar Symptoms
There are some skin conditions that canlook and feel similar to psoriasison the face. Certain conditions can cause redness, rashes, and other symptoms that could be confused for psoriasis, such as:Eczema (atopic dermatitis)Seborrheic dermatitisPityriasis roseaLupus rashRosaceaLichen planusShingles (herpes zoster)DermatomyositisRingworm (tinea capitis)IntertrigoSkin cancer
There are some skin conditions that canlook and feel similar to psoriasison the face. Certain conditions can cause redness, rashes, and other symptoms that could be confused for psoriasis, such as:
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What Causes Face Psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition thatcausesinflammation. With psoriasis, the skin cells grow too fast and pile up. The dead skin cells do not slough off like they’re supposed to, leading to silvery-white skin plaques building up on the skin’s surface.
It’s not totally understood why some people get psoriasis. There is a genetic component and psoriasis tends to run in families.If someone in your family has facial psoriasis or psoriasis elsewhere on their body, you might be more likely to have it, too.
Face Psoriasis Triggers
Certain things can cause a facial psoriasis flare-up including:
Spending too much time in the sun and smoking can also worsen facial psoriasis symptoms.
Common Psoriasis Triggers
How to Treat Psoriasis on the Face
Psoriasis cannot be cured but there aretreatments.Since the skin on and around the face is sensitive, finding the best treatment for facial psoriasis can be challenging. Your provider may suggest several treatments, including topical medications, oral prescriptions,phototherapy, and immune therapies.
Medications and Procedures
The treatment you need will depend on the severity of your symptoms and which parts of your face are affected. Your dermatologist may recommend one or more treatments for facial psoriasis:
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How Can I Treat Facial Psoriasis at Home?
It’s not always possible to prevent psoriasis symptoms, but there are steps you can take to avoid triggers and take care of your skin.
Skincare
Your skincare routine will be an important part of managing facial psoriasis.
Psoriasis Lifestyle Changes and Home Remedies
Lifestyle Changes
There are methods you can use totreat facial psoriasis at home:
Using Medicated ShampoosIf you have psoriasis on your scalp or hairline, talk to your dermatologist about using a medicated shampoo at home. You can also look for an OTC product that contains both salicylic acid and tar.Salicylic acid softens and removes the thick plaques, while tar helps slow skin growth and reduce inflammation.
Using Medicated Shampoos
If you have psoriasis on your scalp or hairline, talk to your dermatologist about using a medicated shampoo at home. You can also look for an OTC product that contains both salicylic acid and tar.Salicylic acid softens and removes the thick plaques, while tar helps slow skin growth and reduce inflammation.
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Summary
Facial psoriasis can affect different parts of your head, including your scalp and ears. It’s less common, but some people have psoriasis in their mouth or near their eyes.
Facial psoriasis can be hard to treat because the skin of the face is very sensitive. Your dermatologist will help you figure out the best way to treat psoriasis on your face. You may need a combination of at-home, OTC, and prescription therapies to manage the condition.
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15 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Psoriasis Foundation.Psoriasis on the face, eyes and ears.National Psoriasis Foundation.About psoriasis.NIH.Psoriasis.National Psoriasis Foundation.What is scalp psoriasis?.Al-Janabi A, Marsland AM.Seborrhoeic dermatitis and sebopsoriasis developing in patients on dupilumab: two case reports.Clin Case Rep. 2020;8(8):1458-1460. doi:10.1002/ccr3.2871Cohen JN, Bowman S, Laszik ZG, North JP.Clinicopathologic overlap of psoriasis, eczema, and psoriasiform dermatoses: a retrospective study of T helper type 2 and 17 subsets, interleukin 36, and β-defensin 2 in spongiotic psoriasiform dermatitis, sebopsoriasis, and tumor necrosis factor α inhibitor-associated dermatitis.J Am Acad Dermatol. 2020;82(2):430-439. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2019.08.023DermNet NZ.Facial psoriasis.The Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Alliance.Psoriasis and sensitive areas.American Academy of Dermatology Association.10 reasons your face is red.Gisondi P, Bellinato F, Girolomoni G.Topographic differential diagnosis of chronic plaque psoriasis: Challenges and tricks.J Clin Med. 2020;9(11):3594. Published 2020 Nov 8. doi:10.3390/jcm9113594National Psoriasis Foundation.Causes and triggers.National Psoriasis Foundation.Treatments for psoriatic disease.Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.This skincare toolkit can help psoriasis.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Skin, hair, and nail care for people who have psoriasis.National Psoriasis Foundation.Psoriasis shampoos your scalp will love.
15 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Psoriasis Foundation.Psoriasis on the face, eyes and ears.National Psoriasis Foundation.About psoriasis.NIH.Psoriasis.National Psoriasis Foundation.What is scalp psoriasis?.Al-Janabi A, Marsland AM.Seborrhoeic dermatitis and sebopsoriasis developing in patients on dupilumab: two case reports.Clin Case Rep. 2020;8(8):1458-1460. doi:10.1002/ccr3.2871Cohen JN, Bowman S, Laszik ZG, North JP.Clinicopathologic overlap of psoriasis, eczema, and psoriasiform dermatoses: a retrospective study of T helper type 2 and 17 subsets, interleukin 36, and β-defensin 2 in spongiotic psoriasiform dermatitis, sebopsoriasis, and tumor necrosis factor α inhibitor-associated dermatitis.J Am Acad Dermatol. 2020;82(2):430-439. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2019.08.023DermNet NZ.Facial psoriasis.The Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Alliance.Psoriasis and sensitive areas.American Academy of Dermatology Association.10 reasons your face is red.Gisondi P, Bellinato F, Girolomoni G.Topographic differential diagnosis of chronic plaque psoriasis: Challenges and tricks.J Clin Med. 2020;9(11):3594. Published 2020 Nov 8. doi:10.3390/jcm9113594National Psoriasis Foundation.Causes and triggers.National Psoriasis Foundation.Treatments for psoriatic disease.Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.This skincare toolkit can help psoriasis.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Skin, hair, and nail care for people who have psoriasis.National Psoriasis Foundation.Psoriasis shampoos your scalp will love.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Psoriasis Foundation.Psoriasis on the face, eyes and ears.National Psoriasis Foundation.About psoriasis.NIH.Psoriasis.National Psoriasis Foundation.What is scalp psoriasis?.Al-Janabi A, Marsland AM.Seborrhoeic dermatitis and sebopsoriasis developing in patients on dupilumab: two case reports.Clin Case Rep. 2020;8(8):1458-1460. doi:10.1002/ccr3.2871Cohen JN, Bowman S, Laszik ZG, North JP.Clinicopathologic overlap of psoriasis, eczema, and psoriasiform dermatoses: a retrospective study of T helper type 2 and 17 subsets, interleukin 36, and β-defensin 2 in spongiotic psoriasiform dermatitis, sebopsoriasis, and tumor necrosis factor α inhibitor-associated dermatitis.J Am Acad Dermatol. 2020;82(2):430-439. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2019.08.023DermNet NZ.Facial psoriasis.The Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Alliance.Psoriasis and sensitive areas.American Academy of Dermatology Association.10 reasons your face is red.Gisondi P, Bellinato F, Girolomoni G.Topographic differential diagnosis of chronic plaque psoriasis: Challenges and tricks.J Clin Med. 2020;9(11):3594. Published 2020 Nov 8. doi:10.3390/jcm9113594National Psoriasis Foundation.Causes and triggers.National Psoriasis Foundation.Treatments for psoriatic disease.Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.This skincare toolkit can help psoriasis.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Skin, hair, and nail care for people who have psoriasis.National Psoriasis Foundation.Psoriasis shampoos your scalp will love.
National Psoriasis Foundation.Psoriasis on the face, eyes and ears.
National Psoriasis Foundation.About psoriasis.
NIH.Psoriasis.
National Psoriasis Foundation.What is scalp psoriasis?.
Al-Janabi A, Marsland AM.Seborrhoeic dermatitis and sebopsoriasis developing in patients on dupilumab: two case reports.Clin Case Rep. 2020;8(8):1458-1460. doi:10.1002/ccr3.2871
Cohen JN, Bowman S, Laszik ZG, North JP.Clinicopathologic overlap of psoriasis, eczema, and psoriasiform dermatoses: a retrospective study of T helper type 2 and 17 subsets, interleukin 36, and β-defensin 2 in spongiotic psoriasiform dermatitis, sebopsoriasis, and tumor necrosis factor α inhibitor-associated dermatitis.J Am Acad Dermatol. 2020;82(2):430-439. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2019.08.023
DermNet NZ.Facial psoriasis.
The Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Alliance.Psoriasis and sensitive areas.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.10 reasons your face is red.
Gisondi P, Bellinato F, Girolomoni G.Topographic differential diagnosis of chronic plaque psoriasis: Challenges and tricks.J Clin Med. 2020;9(11):3594. Published 2020 Nov 8. doi:10.3390/jcm9113594
National Psoriasis Foundation.Causes and triggers.
National Psoriasis Foundation.Treatments for psoriatic disease.
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.This skincare toolkit can help psoriasis.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Skin, hair, and nail care for people who have psoriasis.
National Psoriasis Foundation.Psoriasis shampoos your scalp will love.
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