Coal Tar Soap For Psoriasis: 7 Honest UK Picks To Try (2026)

Coal tar soap for psoriasis is a medicated cleansing bar traditionally made with coal tar, a thick by-product of coke production, to loosen scale, calm itching and slow the over-fast skin-cell turnover seen in psoriasis. In the UK, though, most bars sold under that name no longer contain any actual coal tar.

That’s the plot twist most shopping guides skip. The famous orange-brown bar your gran swore by now gets its tar smell from fragrance, with tea tree oil doing the antiseptic work. If you went looking for a coal tar soap bar UK shoppers can buy that genuinely contains tar, the picture is messier than the listings suggest, and more interesting.

It matters because plaque psoriasis, the most common type, causes dry skin lesions covered in scales, as the NHS guide to psoriasis symptoms explains. Great Ormond Street Hospital puts psoriasis at around two per cent of the UK population. A bar that smells medicinal isn’t the same as one that behaves medicinally.

So this guide does three jobs. It separates real tar from tar-scented marketing. It reviews seven genuine options: two soap bars (one nostalgic lookalike, one pine tar) and five licensed medicines that contain actual coal tar. And it shows you how to use them without ruining your towels or irritating your skin. Everything here is research-based analysis rather than hands-on testing, and it isn’t medical advice. Your GP or pharmacist gets the final word.

Quick Comparison: Coal Tar Soap Bar UK Options and Alternatives at a Glance

Prices are indicative ranges at the time of research. Check current prices.

Only the last five rows hold real coal tar, and all five are licensed medicines rather than cosmetic soaps. The two soap bars are pleasant washes that shouldn’t be mistaken for treatments. If your priority is the lowest outlay, Alphosyl 2 in 1 Shampoo and Capasal Therapeutic Shampoo give the cheapest route to real tar. Psoriderm Cream is the strongest option, and its price makes more sense if you have large, stubborn areas.

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Top 7 Picks for Coal Tar Soap for Psoriasis: Expert Analysis

Because genuine coal tar can’t go into cosmetic soap, these seven fall into two camps: soap-bar alternatives, and licensed medicines you wash with or apply. They run roughly from gentlest to strongest.

1. Wright’s Traditional Soap — nostalgic scent, budget everyday bar

That unmistakable coal tar fragrance is the whole appeal. According to Wikipedia’s history of the brand, the original soap was discontinued after EU rules on coal tar in cosmetics. Wright’s Traditional Soap replaced it, swapping the tar for tea tree oil while keeping the look and smell. Retailer listings confirm a vegan-friendly bar with tea tree oil and a traditional tar fragrance.

In practice, that makes it a pleasant, mild daily wash and not a treatment. Tea tree oil isn’t tar, so don’t expect plaque-softening. Where Wright’s Traditional Soap earns its place is as a cheap cleanser between treatments, especially if you simply love the scent.

One review theme I could verify is shoppers expecting real tar feeling misled. One buyer called a listing false advertising because the bar holds only fragrance. Buy it knowingly.

Pros:

• ✅ Instantly recognisable classic scent
• ✅ Vegan-friendly tea tree oil formula
• ✅ Multipacks keep the per-bar cost low

Cons:

• ❌ Contains no actual coal tar
• ❌ No evidence it treats plaque psoriasis

Multipacks typically sit under £10, so check current price. It’s good value as a nostalgic wash and poor value if you want psoriasis relief.

2. Grandpa’s Wonder Pine Tar Soap — closest true tar-style soap bar

If you want a soap bar containing an actual wood tar, this is the nearest thing on the shelf. The bars weigh 92g (3.25oz), and the ingredient lists I found vary by version. They’re typically a vegetable-based soap with glycerin and pine tar, and the US list shows no added fragrance or colourants. Check your pack.

Pine tar isn’t coal tar. Source, chemistry and evidence base all differ, and the evidence for psoriasis is much thinner. Retailers say the bar has long been used for irritations including psoriasis, but that’s a sales claim, not a licensed indication.

On that basis, treat Grandpa’s Wonder Pine Tar Soap as a characterful wash that might comfort some skin, with licensed treatments doing the real plaque work. A retailer page shows buyers praising the clean feel, a strong smoky scent and bars lasting roughly a month. One shopping site cautions that it isn’t a mild soap for sensitive skin.

Pros:

• ✅ Genuine tar-based soap bar format
• ✅ Rich lather and long-lasting bar
• ✅ Simple ingredient list in most versions

Cons:

• ❌ Strong smoky scent divides opinion
• ❌ Not a licensed psoriasis treatment

Around £3-£6 per bar, so check current price. It’s cheap to try, but only as a complement to proper treatment.

3. Capasal Therapeutic Shampoo — gentle tar with coconut oil for first-timers

Think of it as the polite introduction to tar. According to its summary of product characteristics, it combines 1% distilled coal tar, 0.5% salicylic acid and 1% coconut oil. It’s licensed for dry, scaly scalp conditions including psoriasis and cradle cap. You can use it daily if necessary, then cut back to once or twice weekly as things improve.

Those numbers have real-world meaning. The low tar percentage usually means a milder odour and lower irritation risk, though less punch. Salicylic acid helps lift scale so the tar can reach skin, and coconut oil softens and lubricates.

That makes Capasal Therapeutic Shampoo a sensible first step for first-time users and sensitive scalps. Families should still check with a pharmacist before using it on children. The verifiable review pool is small, though one retailer reviewer described control of a troublesome scalp after a lifetime of irritation.

Pros:

• ✅ Gentle 1% tar plus salicylic acid combination
• ✅ Licensed, with clear dosing guidance
• ✅ Coconut oil softens dry, scaly patches

Cons:

• ❌ Scalp-focused, not a body wash
• ❌ Few independent reviews online

Around £10 for 250ml, so check current price. It’s good value as a low-risk starter.

4. Polytar Scalp Shampoo — 4% coal tar workhorse for stubborn scalps

This is four times the tar of Capasal Therapeutic Shampoo. Polytar Scalp Shampoo contains 4% coal tar solution, is made by Thornton & Ross, and is aimed at adults and children over 12, used once or twice weekly. A 4% coal tar shampoo also appears in NHS Scotland’s psoriasis formulary.

Higher strength usually means a stronger effect and a more noticeable tar smell. It suits scalp plaques that haven’t responded to milder options. One practical wrinkle is that the Psoriasis Association reported a temporary supply problem in 2022, with the shampoo due back in pharmacies that May. So check stock before you plan around it.

Verified reviews are thin. One resale-listing buyer felt it didn’t clear their psoriasis as well as an older formulation, so treat this as a single data point.

Pros:

• ✅ Strength matches NHS-listed 4% coal tar shampoos
• ✅ Long-established UK brand
• ✅ Simple once-or-twice-weekly routine

Cons:

• ❌ Supply has wobbled in the past
• ❌ Tar smell is likely more noticeable

Roughly £8-£15, so check current price. It’s solid value if milder shampoos fall short.

5. Alphosyl 2 in 1 Shampoo — 5% extract with herbal fragrance and conditioner

This one comes with a built-in trial period. Alphosyl 2 in 1 Shampoo contains 5% alcoholic coal tar extract and is used once or twice weekly for four weeks. The leaflet advises three to five minutes of contact across two applications, and says the lather can cover adjacent affected areas. It isn’t for under-12s unless a doctor says so, and not for sore or pustular psoriasis.

The herbal fragrance and conditioner exist to make tar tolerable. The four-week structure is genuinely useful because it gives you a clear point to judge whether it’s working. The “adjacent areas” wording is as close as a shampoo gets to body use, so stay within the leaflet.

The review pool I could verify is small. One pharmacy retailer shows 11 reviews with very high scores, including one reader calling it vital for their scalp.

Pros:

• ✅ Clear four-week course gives a trial window
• ✅ Herbal scent and conditioner improve wearability
• ✅ Leaflet allows use on adjacent skin

Cons:

• ❌ Not suitable for sore or pustular psoriasis
• ❌ Sulphate detergents can feel drying

Typically under £10, so check current price. It’s the best-value way to try 5% tar.

6. Exorex Lotion — leave-on tar that’s less messy

If tar ointments put you off, this is the alternative. Exorex Lotion is a 5% coal tar solution cutaneous emulsion from Teva UK, applied as a thin layer two to three times daily. It’s for adults and children over 12, and retailer instructions allow dilution for younger children and the elderly. It’s also listed by the Psoriasis Association and named in NHS Scotland’s guidance for mild to moderate psoriasis.

A lotion feels lighter than tar ointment, so you’re more likely to stick with it. That consistency matters more than raw strength. The prescribing information warns of photosensitivity and acne-like eruptions. The ethanol base can sting or dry, and the leaflet carries a fire warning because dried-on clothing and bedding burn easily.

I couldn’t verify a substantial independent review set, so ask a pharmacist about real-world experiences.

Pros:

• ✅ Lighter than traditional tar ointments
• ✅ Listed by the Psoriasis Association
• ✅ Works on both skin and scalp

Cons:

• ❌ Ethanol base can sting or dry
• ❌ Fire warning for fabrics

Roughly £17-£35 depending on size, so check current price. It’s good value per use if you’ll actually use it, and costly if you won’t.

7. Psoriderm Cream — 6% tar for stubborn chronic plaques

This is the strongest option on the list. Psoriderm Cream contains 6% distilled coal tar with 0.4% lecithin, comes in a 225ml jar, and is applied once or twice daily. It’s licensed for adults, the elderly and children. The prescribing information says lecithin softens scale to help the tar absorb.

On paper, that makes it the step-up when scalp-style products aren’t enough, ideally under GP guidance. Keep it away from eyes, mouth, nose, genitals and cuts, and don’t use it on sore, angry or pustular psoriasis. It may rarely stain skin, hair or fabric, and treated fabric is a fire hazard.

I couldn’t verify a robust independent review base at the time of research. Rely on pharmacist advice instead.

Pros:

• ✅ Highest tar strength in this lineup
• ✅ Lecithin helps soften scale
• ✅ Licensed for adults, elderly and children

Cons:

• ❌ May stain skin, hair and fabric
• ❌ Not for sore or pustular psoriasis

Around £10-£20, so check current price. It’s strong value for chronic plaques and unnecessary for mild scalp flaking.

Top 7 at a Glance

The table shows the trade-off: stronger tar and greater convenience usually come as a pair. Capasal Therapeutic Shampoo is the gentlest, Psoriderm Cream the most potent, and Exorex Lotion the best compromise for people who hate mess. The two soap bars cost least but, as the first column shows, only one has any tar at all.

How to Use Coal Tar Soap for Psoriasis Safely: A First-30-Days Guide

Whatever you pick from the list above, the routine matters as much as the label. Here’s a sensible first month based on leaflets and NHS patient information.

1. Patch test first. Try a small area for a few days before wider use, and stop if irritation appears.
2. Start low and slow. A Newcastle hospitals leaflet describes starting at the lowest tar strength and stepping up gradually.
3. Clear the scale. Emollient beforehand helps remove scale so tar can reach skin. The NHS advises waiting at least 30 minutes between an emollient and another topical treatment.
4. Mind the zones. Avoid the face and genital area unless a dermatologist tells you otherwise.
5. Protect from the sun. Tar can make skin more sensitive to sunlight, so cover up and use sunscreen.
6. Guard your laundry. Dried-on tar products can be a fire hazard, so wash clothing and bedding regularly and keep away from naked flames.
7. Review at four weeks. Give it a few weeks, as the Psoriasis Association notes tar can take that long, then check in with your pharmacist or GP.

The classic first-month mistakes are using too much, skipping the moisturiser, layering several actives at once and sunbathing. Boring discipline beats heroic quantities.

Real-World Scenarios: Matching a Product to Your Life

These are illustrative profiles, not real customers.

Priya, 21, student in a shared bathroom. She has scalp flaking and a tight budget. Capasal Therapeutic Shampoo or Alphosyl 2 in 1 Shampoo fits: both are cheap, and the latter’s four-week course makes it easy to judge. She keeps it in her room to avoid the smell debate.

Mark, 45, works outdoors. He has chronic plaques on elbows and knees and hates greasy mess. Exorex Lotion suits his routine, with Psoriderm Cream as a GP-guided step-up. Sun protection matters for him because of tar’s photosensitivity.

Helen, 58, sensitive skin, dislikes strong smells. She should start by asking her GP about non-tar options. If she tries tar at all, Capasal Therapeutic Shampoo is the gentlest route. Grandpa’s Wonder Pine Tar Soap is a risky first pick given one source’s warning about sensitive skin, and Wright’s Traditional Soap is simply a pleasant wash.

Coal Tar Smell and Skin Sensitivity: Problems and Fixes

The two biggest reasons people quit tar are coal tar smell and skin sensitivity. Here’s how to handle both, plus the usual side effects.

• The smell is too strong. Start with lower-tar Capasal Therapeutic Shampoo or the herbal-scented Alphosyl 2 in 1 Shampoo. Rinse thoroughly and wash hair last in the shower.
• Staining. Dark towels and old pillowcases are your friends. Psoriderm Cream specifically warns it may stain skin, hair or fabric.
• Irritation or tar acne. The Exorex Lotion information lists skin irritation and acne-like eruptions. Stop and speak to a pharmacist if either appears.
• Dryness. Tar can dry skin, so use an emollient between applications.
• Sun sensitivity. Cover up and use sunscreen after tar use.

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How to Choose Coal Tar Soap for Psoriasis: 7 Steps

1. Decide where you need it. Scalp, body or both? Shampoos target the scalp, while lotions and creams suit body plaques.
2. Read the active ingredient, not the front label. “Coal tar fragrance” isn’t coal tar. Look for coal tar solution, distilled coal tar or coal tar extract.
3. Match strength to severity. The Psoriasis Association’s coal tar guidance lists the main UK products and strengths.
4. Weigh format against mess. Lotions and shampoos are tidier than ointments.
5. Check age and pregnancy rules. Some products exclude under-12s, and pregnancy or breastfeeding needs a professional’s input.
6. Consider sensitivity. If you react easily, begin with the mildest tar option.
7. Check supply. Polytar Scalp Shampoo has had stock gaps, and NHS Scotland notes T/Gel was discontinued from February 2025.

Medicated Soap Bar for Psoriasis vs Shampoos, Lotions and Creams

A medicated soap bar for psoriasis feels convenient because you’re washing anyway. The catch is contact time: soap is on and off in seconds, while leave-on products stay put. On paper, that limits what any active ingredient can do from a bar.

The table shows no format wins outright. If you love the soap-bar ritual, keep it, but pair it with a licensed treatment where plaques need real attention. Shampoos suit the scalp, and creams or lotions suit body plaques.

Coal Tar Soap for Scaly Skin: What to Expect in Real Life

Tar works gradually. According to a hospital leaflet from Newcastle, tar treatments loosen skin flakes, reduce inflammation and slow the production of new skin cells. In practice, many people notice softer scale and less itching first, with redness following more slowly.

That’s why patience matters. The Psoriasis Association says tar can take a number of weeks to become fully effective. Psoriasis is also long-term, so relapses are normal. Even the best product manages the condition rather than curing it.

Expect a ritual rather than a miracle. A scented bar of coal tar soap for scaly skin can make washing feel soothing. A licensed tar product does the heavier lifting, and an emollient keeps the surface comfortable. If you see no improvement after the review point your pharmacist or GP suggests, that’s information, not failure, because other treatments exist.

Plaque Psoriasis and Tar: Who Is It For, and Who Should Skip It?

Tar suits many adults with mild to moderate plaque psoriasis, especially on the scalp. The Psoriasis Association describes coal tar as an effective, useful treatment more suitable for longer-term use than some alternatives. Its helpline (01604 251620) is a good first call if you’re unsure.

Who should pause and ask first? Children (some products exclude under-12s), anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, and anyone with broken, infected or very sore skin. People with a coal tar allergy shouldn’t use it at all. Pustular or erythrodermic psoriasis can need emergency treatment, according to the NHS, so don’t self-treat those.

If your plaque psoriasis doesn’t fit the mild to moderate picture, a GP can discuss steroid creams, vitamin D analogues, phototherapy or systemic options. Tar is one tool, not the whole toolbox.

Coal Tar Soap Bar UK: Labels, Rules and What “Medicated” Really Means

Here’s the regulatory heart of the matter. Soap bars are cosmetics, and as far as I could establish, coal tar isn’t allowed in UK cosmetics. That’s why the original Wright’s changed formula. Licensed medicines are different: they carry product licence references on their leaflets (Psoriderm Cream‘s leaflet lists one), and coal tar remains permitted in them.

So when you see a coal tar soap bar UK listing, ask what “coal tar” means on the label. Fragrance, or active ingredient? The first is cosmetic, the second is a medicine.

Licensed doesn’t mean risk-free. The Newcastle Hospitals leaflet on strong coal tar notes tar products can be messy and smelly, dry the skin and increase sun sensitivity. The Exorex Lotion prescribing information adds that animal studies show carcinogenic effects, while human epidemiological studies of coal tar alone remain inconclusive. Raised risk has been reported when tar is combined with UVB, so check with your clinician if you’re having light therapy.

Common Mistakes When Buying Coal Tar Soap for Psoriasis

• Trusting the name. “Coal tar” on a front label can mean fragrance only.
• Assuming stronger is better. Start mild and step up if needed.
• Using tar on the face or genitals without specialist guidance.
• Skipping emollient. Dry skin traps scale and itches more.
• Ignoring the sun. Tar sensitises skin to UV.
• Self-treating red-flag symptoms. Pustules, widespread redness or fever need urgent medical advice.

Long-Term Cost and Maintenance: What Each Option Really Costs

Cost per use matters more than shelf price. Wright’s Traditional Soap is cheapest but delivers no tar, so any “saving” is moot for psoriasis. Grandpa’s Wonder Pine Tar Soap bars reportedly last around a month, which keeps the monthly cost low.

Among licensed options, Alphosyl 2 in 1 Shampoo and Capasal Therapeutic Shampoo are affordable for scalp use. Exorex Lotion gets used faster at two to three applications daily, so it can cost more per week even though it’s tidier. Psoriderm Cream looks pricey per jar but small amounts cover plaques.

Prescribed versions may be cheaper. The NHS Drug Tariff lists Psoriderm-type 6% cream at under £10 per 225ml, and prescription charges depend on where in the UK you live, so check the current rules. Maintenance is simple: keep an emollient on hand, wash tar-stained laundry regularly and review your routine every few weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion: Is Coal Tar Soap for Psoriasis Worth It?

The honest answer is that true coal tar soap for psoriasis, as sold in the UK, is mostly a memory. The famous bars now smell of tar without containing it. If you want genuine coal tar, the real options are licensed medicines: Capasal Therapeutic Shampoo as the gentle start, Polytar Scalp Shampoo and Alphosyl 2 in 1 Shampoo for stronger scalp care, Exorex Lotion for tidy body treatment and Psoriderm Cream for stubborn plaques.

If you love a soap-bar ritual, Grandpa’s Wonder Pine Tar Soap is the closest tar-style option, and Wright’s Traditional Soap is a nostalgic, scented wash. Neither should replace treatment. Whatever you choose, start mild, protect your skin from the sun, use an emollient and review progress with your pharmacist or GP. The Psoriasis Association is there if you want expert, independent support.

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