MG217 Psoriasis Medicated Conditioning 3% Coal Tar Shampoo 8 Fl Oz

It has been nearly two months now and I have been using the shampoo twice a week and I have to say that it really does work -- but it takes quite a bit of time to start working. My experience with this product has been very different than others. Due to the medications I had been taking, I had developed an itchy scalp and needed a soothing shampoo. My GP recommended that I look for a shampoo with coal tar and after a lot of research I decided to give this product a try. When I first started using the product however, I was ready to send it back as being defective. Within minutes of rinsing the shampoo off my head I felt a burning sensation on my temples and behind my ears! I panicked and just rinsed my head again but this did not subside the sensation. I thought perhaps I was having an allergic reaction. However, with 30 minutes my scalp calmed down and the burning sensation faded. Days later I did notice that my scalp wasn't feeling so itchy and hot anymore. The shampoo had actually worked! So I gave it another try. Once more, after washing the shampoo off, my temples and ears were burning. But the burning subsided after a half hour or so and wasn't as intense as the first time. Now, after nearly 2 months, the shampoo is working like a dream. My head is feeling almost normal again while I'm continuing my medications. I find that I have to use this shampoo only once a week for it to be effective. My hair is also nice and shiny. After much trial and error here are a few things that I learned: 1) I stopped using other shampoos while using this shampoo. Since my scalp was reacting to the medication in my bloodstream, I figured I didn't need to dehydrate it and drown it in any more chemicals than was necessary. 2) I was initially letting the coal tar shampoo "marinate" my head for 5 minutes. The instructions say to let the shampoo sit for a "few minutes". I think this is too long. 3 minutes works best. 3) I stopped using hot water to rinse off my head when using this shampoo. Instead, I now use lukewarm water and keep my hair washing separate from my showers. This also helps with calming down a hot and itchy scalp. 4) For the first 4 weeks I used the shampoo twice a week. Then after that, I cut back to once a week. The shampoo does take some time to work but once it starts working, you don't have to use much of it. 5) It is very important that when you are washing your hair you use your fingers to apply the shampoo to your scalp and not just let it rest on the top layer of your hair. 6) Finally, make sure to shake the bottle vigorously just prior to use. This will make sure that the coal tar bits are evenly dispersed throughout the shampoo before you use it. Overall, I found this shampoo to be very effective for my scalp condition. While it does take a while to get working (nearly a month in my case), once it does, the shampoo provides much needed cooling relief to my poor head. The only other downside I'd warn other about is that the smell is quite strong and does linger on your hair for some days afterwards (though its potency subsides). The smell is very similar to Neutragena's T-Gel shampoo -- but more medicinal. I hope my experience and review has helped you. If so, I'd appreciate it if you could give me a thumbs up! Any questions about the product? Please let me know in the comments and I'll do my best to answer them!

The smell is pretty bad, like when my dad used to give the dogs a flea dip in the spring and summer. But it works really well. My husband’s scalp has been irritated and red, terribly flaky and itchy for quite a long time, but after using this a few times his scalp looks and feels much better. We actually cancelled a dermatologist appointment because there was not much for her to look at any more. It is stinky, but after you rinse your hair does not smell. It’s good, effective, the price is right, and I’m ordering a second tube.

I’ve been battling with scalp psoriasis my whole life. I’ve tried it all. Everything OTC, prescription, holistic, etc. you name it, I’ve tried it. This shampoo is good, but definitely not “holy grail”. I’m disappointed that I didn’t get the results I’m looking for, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to discontinue using this. Pros: stops the itching immediately, reduces or completely removes patches, clarifies and gets rid of any flakiness, does not burn the scalp, and does not dry out my color treated hair. Cons: SMELLS SO BAD. Be prepared for that. It’s absolutely rancid. Does not help or get rid of bumps/plaques (pls consult a dermatologist to get a steroid for that, do not rely on OTC products for that), and for desired results, you will have to use more than twice a week (again, pls consult your physician on using more often, as the ingredients can cause sensitivity to sunlight and styling products) I use this multiple times a week and typically give my scalp 1-2 days rest with a gentle shampoo. I massage it into my scalp with a scalp massager and leave it on for 5-15 minutes. It doesn’t burn, or leave a tingly sensation like some tea tree or peppermint shampoos do. It just stinks. Be wary of using this if you color your hair and make sure you don’t wash with this shampoo prior to coloring. Could cause some damage. I’ve had no issues with this stripping the color from my hair. Works well with conditioners and the styling products I use (leave in conditioner, curl cream, pomade). Lastly I cannot stress enough, PROTECT YOUR SCALP FROM SUN EXPOSURE WHILE USING THIS PRODUCT. Wear a hat, or a scarf. But be careful and don’t burn your scalp!!!

I have been suffering from an intensely itchy scalp and horrible dandruff for 25+ years. I have fought it down with other products over the years, but it has never gone away, nor has the constant itching. In the past 2-3 years, it has gotten significantly worse and I would claw at my scalp until it bled, sometimes even waking up at night to scratch it, and my shoulders constantly looked like I lived in the Arctic. To say I was desperate for some relief was an understatement. And yes, I have tried nearly every product on the market that claims to relieve dandruff and itching, including making some of my own. Then I heard from a friend of a friend about this product. I was skeptical, because I've used coal tar and salicylic acid products before with minimal to no results, even ones with the same strength & ingredients... but when you're desperate, you'll try anything! Well when I went to order it, I realized there were two different MG217 shampoos - one with coal tar and one with salicylic acid. I wasn't sure which one my friend had used, so I got them both. For the first week, I washed my hair every day (I'm not usually an every day washer) with BOTH products - first with the salicylic acid wash, followed immediately with the coal tar shampoo, leaving both in for 5-10 minutes and then finishing with a regular conditioner. Overkill? Maybe, but it worked! After only 2 washes, my itching and dandruff was GREATLY reduced. After a week, it was nearly gone, and after 2 weeks, there was no more itching AT ALL and almost no dandruff!! I was so used to constantly scratching my scalp, that I had to keep reminding myself I didn't need to scratch because it didn't itch! Now, after about 2 months, all my itching and dandruff is GONE - COMPLETELY!!! People, I can't even begin to tell you what a miracle this is. I now only use one or the other of the two shampoos about every other wash, with regular shampoo on the days I'm not using the MG217 products and have always used regular conditioner. And NO, I have NOT received any free products, nor am I being paid to review them, although they should because they were so life changing for me that I would shout their praises from the roof tops! I am just a really grateful customer and wish I would have known about these shampoos YEARS ago. The cons: Really there's only 1 - the coal tar solution stinks to high heaven. As in, your hair will smell like freshly laid asphalt in the hot, Georgia summer. But is that any less embarrassing than clawing at your head in public like you're infested with lice and not being able to wear any dark colors because of the constant snowstorm of dandruff? Didn't think so. Plus, you won't need to use them daily for long because they are so effective. So don't let the smell deter you if you really want to solve your itching and dandruff problems. BOTTOM LINE - If you haven't already purchased one or both of these shampoos, then you must not be serious about wanting to get rid of your dandruff & itching. And also, good. Save these products for me, because I'm a customer for life!!

Great value and generous size. Works well for my needs.

It worked okay, but my scalp was still itchy afterwards. Of course anything with coal tar doesn't smell good. You should always follow up with a moisturizing conditioner. Also, the shampoo is a little too strong for my scalp. If you have a sensitive scalp, I don't recommend this shampoo.

I don't know for a fact that I have psoriasis on my scalp because no doctor I've seen can be bothered to look at it. All my life I've been told its dandruff. As a kid I was kicked out of a school a few times because they insisted it was head lice. What I do know is the skin on my scalp grows thick, itches like crazy, flakes like mad, every other shampoo, and soap I've tried has irritated it and made it worse, and when it really acts up, I have bleeding sores all over my scalp that itch worse than anything else I've ever suffered through. It sucks. For the last few years I've tried a variety of variations of the baking soda and ACV cleansing methods with mixed results. Baking soda alone gave me worse flakes but no scalp irritation, baking soda mixed with aloe vera soothed my scalp but left my hair greasy, and some mostly natural ingredient soaps used as a shampoo bar left my hair smelling great, slightly cleaner, but caused more sores and itching. I finally decided to try this stuff and well, so far I am thrilled. It smells horrible and the smell lingers in my hair for about 2 days. But honestly I don't care because my scalp is healing, there's minimal flaking, and almost no itching. My hair looks fantastic and is light and clean and full of body. A lot of people have suggested using a scented conditioner afterwards to counteract the smell- I'm sure that would work fine, I just worry about having a reaction to condition like I do with more shampoos and honestly if a little odor that smells like maybe I spilled some turpentine is the price I have to pay for a scalp that doesn't make me miserable, that's fine by me! I can only hope my scalp continues to improve with continued use of this fantastic shampoo.

First off I have to say that I have suffered from plaque and pustular psoriasis all my life, it was readily diagnosed after I was washed off after birth. I have been using Neutragena T/Gel since my earliest memories. But recently it stopped working for me, so I decided to give MG217 a try. The first thing I noticed is that MG217 has 3% Coal Tar compared to the 0.03% that Neutragena T/Gel has, so I decided to try it out right away. This is a real treatment instead of treating some of the symptoms. MG217 does not contain menthol to give you that tingly feeling that you may be used to. I don't mean to say that menthol does not help, it does help relieve itching. But that is no treatment, it just relieves a symptom. I have seen a complaint that MG217 stinks and is slimy, welcome to 3% coal tar. After using this and I could notice that my scalp felt different. After an hour I had to ask myself if this is what normal felt like. I cut my hair really short to help reduce the symptoms of psoriasis, so it is easy for me to look in the mirror and to see that the red marks were greatly faded. I never expected to get results with the first use, but MG217 gets the job done. Update 2/22/2015: After seeing a lot of reviews about the smell I have to say yes, coal tar stinks. If you have only used over the counter treatments for psoriasis, you might be in for a rude surprise after using those products with only 1% coal tar. Another side effect of using 3% coal tar is dry skin, so use that moisturizing conditioner and skin lotion after bathing. If you're not seeing results after two months, go see your dermatologist or make an appointment with one. BTW. This is much cheaper here at Amazon than it is at my local Walgreen's by almost five dollars.