Psoriasis Treatment – How To Effectively Cure This Skin Disease
According to estimates only in America alone almost 5 to 7 million individuals are affected by the painful disease of Psoriasis. Psoriasis is a skin condition in which the skin cells grow rapidly and when they finally reach the top most layer of the skin known as epidermis it begins to form thick scales that are silver or white in color. Sometimes even red patches appear on the skin which also cause itchiness and are very painful. The most worrying factor of the disease is that it is a long-term disease though not life long as at some point it does revert back and so to avoid any severe conditions of psoriasis, it is recommended that treatment for the disease should be sought as early as possible.
How psoriasis can severely affect your life
The conditions faced by psoriasis patients vary from individual to individual as some account to it as an annoying situation for themselves whereas others that experience more severe conditions resemble their condition to disabled individuals. In a minor percentage of cases that are severe, arthritis pain accompanies psoriasis especially if the skin condition is present on the smaller joints of the body that is on the hands and feet. This condition makes it painful for sufferers to move and perform any activity without feeling pain.
There are many different ways to treat psoriasis. Depending on the severity of psoriasis condition you may be facing, it is important that you find and choose the best treatment form that can help you in your condition, especially if you suffer from a severe psoriasis condition.
To know better about the different forms of treatments and which one will suit you best, it is always recommended that you consult a dermatologist who can guide you on this way.
Some of the best known solutions to the psoriasis problem are:
Treatment with Topical Creams
There are several topical creams available that help in curing psoriasis. In cases where patients face no severe psoriasis symptoms, topical creams alone are enough to take crew of the problem however if the condition is severe oral medication is also prescribed besides these creams. Since psoriasis is a rapid skin cell growth problem, Vitamin D analogues can be used to decrease the rate of skin growth. You can use anti inflammatory drug type topical corticosteroids. These helps in suppressing the immune system and thus skin turnover can be reduced or slowed. Other topical treatments for psoriasis include salicylic acid, topical retinoids, coal tar and moisturizers.
Phototherapy Treatments
In this method to treat psoriasis condition use of ultraviolet natural or artificial light is opted for. Sunlight can also be effectively used to kill the cells that are present in the skin and cause the problem. Monitored and limited UV exposure used on psoriasis patients has proven to be a very effective method for treating psoriasis. Further phototherapy type of treatments includes photo chemotherapy, UVB phototherapy, Narrowband UVB therapy, combination light therapy and excimer laser therapy.
Oral treatments and Injected Treatments
To treat severe types of psoriasis oral as well as injected forms of treatment methods are used on the patients. One word of caution is that these forms of treatments carry many serious types of side effects and so their use should not be continued for a long period of time. Some examples include retinoids, which can be taken orally though a severe side effect is that women who take these medicines cannot get pregnant. Another oral option for psoriasis treatment is the methotrexate which reduces production and inflammation of skin cells. Like the other medicines this too has many side effects and it is considered fatal for your liver. There are other forms of treatment also that are administered orally such as immunomodulator drugs that suppress the immune system such as Enbrel. This drug is a derivative of natural sources. Other treatments are Hydroxyurea and Cyclosporine.
Natural Psoriasis Treatment Methods
There have been cases reported where use of natural remedial ways has benefited psoriasis sufferers and it is becoming very popular mainly due to lack of side effects and low cost of this treatment method. Treatment of psoriasis done with natural products requires very little change and can help a lot in improving the psoriasis condition. Stress is one element that ignites the problem even more. Also psoriasis patients should keep their skin moist and avoid dry and cold atmosphere as these conditions further worsen the psoriasis condition. In case an individual suffering from psoriasis suffers from itching he or she can use soaks of Epsom salt to relieve it or soak the area in coal tar.
Find out how Katy cured her Psoriasis forever with natural psoriasis cures.
August 17th, 2012 at 1:44 am
I am a 72 year old widow. I had a mild psoriasis in my early twenties, I don’t recall what it was the doctor gave me to clear it up. Well, that’s nearly fifty years ago so I really never imagined I would get it again.
I am not under any stress that I am aware of and I eat healthily – lots of fresh veggies, not much meat because I have elevated cholesterol levels. I use very little salt or sugar. Not much bread, though I like rice and mealie meal. I don’t smoke.
In March I tripped over someone’s gazebo guyline at a dog show and tore the ligaments and tendons in one foot. I used TransAct patches which meant I had to wear a thick sock to keep it in place and clean; my foot and ankle were very swollen and I could not wear regular shoes but had to wear trainers. Because of the swelling the sock felt tight around the ankle and when I started to get an itchy rash in the area I assumed it was due to that. However, as the patches started to spread up my leg and then appeared on the other leg and on my upper arms I decided it might be related to the fact that I had started to take ArthroGuard which contains glucosamine and chondroitin so I stopped taking the tablets. However, my condition has got worse. As I am no longer on medical aid I have not seen a medical doctor but am considering visiting a homeopath. I initially put Anthisan cream on the lesions but it didn’t do much good, so then I tried turmeric which was excellent. I had learnt of this from an Indian lady at my former work when I had shingles. But it does stain your clothes. Then a young lady I know advised me to use Colloidal Silver, which certainly takes the itch away. But the lesions are getting angrier with lots of silver scaling as well as spontaneous bleeding on a few of them.
I am sure there’s no personal stress involved, if there had been I would have got it when my husband died, or later when a con-artist who I had treated as a daughter moved into my home and tried to isolate me from everybody. Those have been my stressful times and I got nothing like this.
I am not happy about going the steroid route, I think we fill our bodies with too many chemicals, so I rather would use homeopathic or natural/herbal remedies if it’s at all possible.
Kind regards
Dorothy
South Africa
August 17th, 2012 at 2:24 am
Hi Dorothy,
Thank you for sharing this with us! If somehow you can recall what the doctor gave you 50 years ago, that would surely help a lot of people. Was it something applied like a cream?
Coal tar cream has been known to help mild to moderate Psoriasis but may not have much effect on more serious cases.
I agree with you about going for homeopathic or natural remedies as with traditional medications, we do place all kind of chemicals into our body. An example would be Biologics, which is an expensive method to treat psoriasis and it targets the immune system by disabling the part that causes Psoriasis. There are some concerns that because it’s the immune system, it could also be disabling the ability to fend off certain diseases.
Even so, there are those who have suffered for a long time and swear by it that Biologics have improved their life significantly.
So, it’s really a personal preference. My opinion would be to try the homeopathic route for mild to moderate cases of psoriasis and for serious cases, you might want to consult a doctor or dermatologist. For me, my thinking is that if natural remedies don’t work, I can always fall back on traditional medications. If it does work, I would save a lot of expenses.
August 17th, 2012 at 12:09 pm
I’m really sorry Glenn, I CANNOT recall what it was – geez I’m getting old (sigh. It was certainly something applied though, and it was not coal tar (my mother would have killed me!!) I don’t quite know Biologics and would need to find out more. I am being pushed very hard by a friend (20 years or more younger than me and a conventional (i.e. chemical substance) nurse to go for steroids, but I do have a problem with this, Being heavily into animal care (I breed Dalmatians & Cavaliers) I cannot agree with the assualt on bodies, both human and animal, by chemicals, although I DO acknowledge the (small) place they have in our well being. I myself would not be alive if it were not for the M&B tablets which became available around the end of the second world war but I think we have over-used chemicals to our detriment. Sure, I too have to worry about expense – as I mentioned I’m no longer on Medical Aid since my retirement, I would have to very sick indeed to consult a “conventional” doctor and certainly a specialist like a dermatologist – of whom I have previously used an excellent one. At a consultation fee of around R1000 and a pension of less than R4000 per month it just isn’t an option. So my route is alternative medicine (wonder why “conventional is SO much more expensive?) But I’ll certainly let you know how I go.
Dorothy
August 18th, 2012 at 9:27 am
Hi Dorothy,
Do let us know how it goes. Alternative medicine for psoriasis treatment is definitely a good option seeing the high cost of conventional medications.
Anthony taylor currently has a good guide out on how to treat psoriasis the natural way here.
September 23rd, 2012 at 9:55 am
Some natural psoriasis remedies that you can try
Aromatherapy: Some essential oils are highly recommended: lavender (great option to get rid of excessive itching), geranium (works for dry irritating skin), sandalwood mysore (used for sensitive dehydrated and inflamed skin), melissa (for irritated skin), jasmine (good for dry and sensitive skin) and bergamot (to deal and heal skin plaques).
Diet: If you are allergic or sensitive to any food items the simply exclude it from your menu. Your diet must include a variety of food items such as whole foods, organic diet and try to rotate foods as much as you can. Wheat products and wheat must be eliminated from the diet for at least (1-3) months. Try to increase the intake of seafood rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like herring, wild salmon, mackerel and sardines rotate it daily, take 1 tbsp of flaxseed or olive oil, and drink plenty of water filtered and pure. Some other recommended food items include parsley, garlic, onions, sauerkraut, organic beef, venison, poultry and organic plain yogurt.
Use of Flower Essences: Rescue Remedy Cream® topical application can soothe the painful symptoms.
Use of Herbs: take equal parts of burdock, cleavers tinctures, sarsaparilla combine it and also add one teaspoon thrice a day. Silymarin (milk thistle) is also considered best for dealing with psoriasis as it has a positive effect on the function of liver.
Homeopathy a Good Option: Some useful homeopathic remedies include Psorinum, Arsen alb, Sulfur, Cuprum met and Graphites.
Effective Hydrotherapy: In order to restore health the hydrotherapy uses application of water, steam, ice, cold and hot temperatures. Such treatment includes steam baths, colonic irrigation, full body immersion, sitz baths, saunas, and the application of cold or hot compresses. The best thing about hydrotherapy is that it is good for treating a wide variety of health conditions and it can be used conveniently at home. Most Day Spas, Physical Therapists, Naturopathic Physicians use Hydrotherapy as a mode of treatment. I highly recommend some at-home hydrotherapy treatment options.
*It is essential to use purified water for any hydrotherapy treatment.
Juice Diet: Here is a juice combination idea that can be very helpful: apple and carrot; beet grape and cucumber; and carrot, beet, garlic, burdock and yellowdock.
Change in Lifestyle: If the psoriasis is mild then simply exposure to sunlight on regular basis can be effective. Also exercise frequently for good results.
Use of Nutritional Supplements: Some best nutrients to deal with psoriasis include: omega-3 essential fatty acids, zinc, folic acid, lecithin, evening primrose oil, vitamin A, vitamin B Complex, vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, vitamin C with bioflavonoids and also multimineral supplement. With every meal also take hydrochloric acid (HCL).
In order to reverse the painful symptoms of psoriasis, in Europe fumaric acid treatment is used in various forms like fumaric acid lotion, tablets as well as scalp lotions.
Topical Treatment Option: On the affected skin parts apply seawater several times a day. For reducing the itching, scaling, as well as redness and thickness topical use of avocado or linseed oil, capsaicin cream and/or aloe vera gel.
September 26th, 2012 at 6:53 am
Hi
One can try the below mentioned local remedy it is useful
(1) Reqd – Coconut oil (300) & camphor (50 gms) Boil small quantity of coconut oil and then put Camphor in it. Mix it to dissolve and then put rest of the oil. apply on the affected area in day and night atleast you will get relief.