I've Struggled with Scalp Psoriasis My Entire Life—Then I Discovered Purist

I have now reached the point in my psoriasis journey where I have to see my hairdresser every week for a scalp cleanse and deep conditioning. Upon chatting with her, I decided to try the brand’s Ultimate Flake Trio ($78; $66), a three-step solution that comes with the Pure scalp mask ($24), the Pure scalp shampoo ($28) and the Pure scalp spray ($28).  Following the instructions, my stylist started with the mask, which the company says detoxifies the scalp and combats fungus and bacteria, while also supporting healthy hair growth.

My stylist left the mask in my hair for about 20 minutes before rinsing. Afterward, we used the shampoo. The typical process for my hair is to do two rinses of shampoo to make sure all of the excess flakes and buildup are removed. From there, she blow-dried my hair and applied the scalp spray, which promises soothing relief from itchiness sans any greasiness, before flat-ironing.

After she was done, I immediately noticed a difference. Not only were the flakes gone, but my scalp was less red and irritated than it normally is, while my hair felt more lightweight and definitely bouncier. With a condition like psoriasis, however, it takes more than one use to notice longer-term results.

That said, whereas my psoriasis flakes normally start to return a day or two after seeing my stylist, I noticed after the first use that it took about three days for the flakes and irritation to return, meaning the results were enough to almost carry me over to my next weekly hair appointment. My stylist and I have continued doing this routine over the past month or so, and now my scalp/hair has reached the point where my flare-ups are timed perfectly with my weekly appointments. There are also considerably fewer flakes present with each flare-up as the weeks go by.

As I mentioned before, psoriasis is a lifelong condition that isn’t totally curable. On top of that, flare-ups can be influenced by factors such as stress, weather (extreme heat and cold), hormonal changes and more. As such, I know it will never go away, but so far, using Purist has significantly reduced the issues I have with it, which has been a major lifesaver. If you, too, are struggling with scalp psoriasis or simply tend to get dry skin, buildup and flakiness, I would definitely recommend giving Purist's Ultimate Flake system a try.