Coal tar is a real, guideline-recommended psoriasis treatment. It acts on the disease process, not just the scale, and by about 12 weeks it holds up against a prescription vitamin D cream.
This gel exists for one good reason: it washes out of hair. MG217's ointment does not, and the brand says not to use it on the scalp. For scalp and hairline psoriasis, that makes the gel the usable choice.
The trade-off is that an alcohol gel is not occlusive, so it is probably less effective on thick body plaques than the ointment. Use the gel where you need it to wash out, and the ointment where you do not.
| Key active | Coal tar 2% |
| Texture | Alcohol-based gel |
| Best for | Scalp and hairline psoriasis |
| Approximate price | $11–$15 |
This exists for one reason and it is a good one: you can get it out of your hair.
MG217's ointment is a petrolatum base, and their own label says not to use it on the scalp — it does not wash out. This gel does. For scalp and hairline psoriasis, that is the difference between a usable product and an unusable one.
Coal tar is a genuine, guideline-recommended treatment for psoriasis — not just a moisturizer with a claim. It works on the disease process, and it holds up against a prescription vitamin D analogue by week 12.
It spreads easily and dries fast.
It is the same drug and the same strength as the ointment — coal tar 2%. The gel is not weaker or stronger. But it is alcohol-based rather than occlusive, so it is probably less effective on thick body plaques. Use it where you need it to wash out; use the ointment where you do not.
It is flammable. It is an alcohol gel. Keep it away from flames, and let it dry.
It contains fragrance — the only one of MG217's three that does. On inflamed, broken psoriatic skin, adding fragrance is hard to defend.
The alcohol base will sting on cracked skin.
The real problems with coal tar are not cancer — they are why people quit it.
It smells. Strongly, medicinally, and it lingers. This is the number one reason people stop.
It stains clothes, sheets, towels and baths.
It makes you sun-sensitive for up to 24 hours after you apply it. Cover the area or stay out of the sun.
It can cause folliculitis — "tar acne" — and irritant rashes.
About the Prop 65 cancer warning on the box: that is a California labelling law, triggered by the presence of the chemical — not a finding about the risk of using it as medicine. The cancer classification people cite applies to industrial exposure — coke ovens, roofing, gasworks — at doses vastly higher than a tube of cream. The largest study followed 13,200 patients for a median of 21 years and found no increase in cancer.
When to stop self-treating and see a doctor — this matters more than which cream you buy.
Psoriasis is not a skin problem. It is a systemic inflammatory disease.
Psoriatic arthritis develops in roughly 20–30% of people with psoriasis, and the joint damage it causes can be permanent if it is not treated. Psoriasis also carries a raised risk of cardiovascular disease, driven by long-term inflammation.
See a doctor if: You have any joint pain or stiffness — especially morning stiffness lasting over 30 minutes — or swollen fingers or toes Your plaques cover more than about 3–5% of your body (your palm is roughly 1%) It affects your face, scalp, genitals, palms, soles or nails It is not improving after a few weeks It is affecting your sleep or your mental health
Every one of these products says "ask a doctor if your condition does not improve." This is why.
Active ingredients: Coal Tar 2%
Inactive ingredients: Purified Water, Alcohol, PEG-8, Polysorbate 80, PEG/PPG 18/18 Dimethicone, Propanediol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Fragrance, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Dexpanthenol, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Alpha-Bisabolol, Calcium Disodium EDTA
1. Guidelines of care for the management of psoriasis with topical therapy (psoriasis clinical guideline) (https://www.aad.org/member/clinical-quality/guidelines/psoriasis) — Backs the claim that coal tar is a genuine, guideline-recommended psoriasis treatment; the AAD-NPF topical guideline states coal tar can be used alone or in combination with topical steroids. 2. Psoriasis: Update on Topical Therapy From the American Academy of Dermatology (https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2022/0500/p558.html) — Supports that coal tar is an effective, guideline-endorsed topical for mild-to-moderate psoriasis and is reported to be even more effective than calcipotriene (a vitamin D analogue). 3. An open label prospective randomized trial to compare the efficacy of coal tar-salicylic acid ointment versus calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate ointment in the treatment of limited chronic plaque psoriasis (https://doaj.org/article/36ccadd8b06741adadbaa2da6b8fe9ef) — Backs that coal tar holds up against a prescription vitamin D analogue by week 12: the RCT found coal tar reached outcomes comparable to calcipotriol/betamethasone at the 12-week endpoint. 4. Coal tar induces AHR-dependent skin barrier repair in atopic dermatitis (Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2013) (https://www.jci.org/articles/view/65642) — Supports that coal tar works on the disease process rather than acting only as a moisturizer, by activating the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) to drive epidermal differentiation and dampen inflammatory signaling. 5. DailyMed - MG217 PSORIASIS MEDICATED MULTI-SYMPTOM (coal tar ointment) (https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=7cb04d20-9b3c-27bb-e053-2a91aa0a5bc4) — Confirms the MG217 ointment is coal tar 2% in a petrolatum base and that its own label states it is not recommended for use on the scalp because the ointment may be difficult to remove from hair. 6. DailyMed - MG217 PSORIASIS MULTI SYMPTOM (coal tar gel) (https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=23e6429e-7c6c-4391-e054-00144ff88e88) — Confirms the gel is the same drug and strength as the ointment (coal tar 2%) but in a water/alcohol gel base rather than petrolatum, supporting the washability/scalp-use contrast.