The medicinal benefits of applying pine tar to skin that is affected with psoriasis are similar to coal tar.  Like coal tar, pine tar has some anti-inflammatory properties and it tends to make skin more sensitive to sunlight.

One particular brand called Grandpa’s gives their pine tar shampoos and soaps some very old-school looking packaging.  According to the website, pine tar soaps/shampoos help to remove psoriasis scales and have a unique cleaning quality.

The packaging for Grandpa’s pine tar shampoo/soap reminds me of something I’ve seen in old western movies.  This design seems to pay homage to the fact that pine tar has been around since the 1800’s.  This could bee a good thing since coal tar has been used for decades as a psoriasis treatment as well.  Grandpa’s pine tar soap/shampoo also has vitamin E, which is commonly used as a topical treatment to ease psoriasis irritation and heal the skin.

Grandpa’s Pine tar Bath and Shower Gel

Pine tar is extracted from pine wood at very high temperatures in a sealed environment.  The two bi-products of this procedure are pine tar and pine coal.  Some people object to this product on the grounds that it kills trees.

When buying pine tar shampoo or soap be sure to check the ingredients to see if any of the additives worry you.  Pine tar by itself hasn’t exactly been proven to cause cancer (like coal tar) but it is said to contain trace amounts of chemicals that are notoriously carcinogenic.  In other words, as with coal tar, don’t overdo it and you’ll probably be fine.