Psoriasis

Created by: Guruji Murugan Chillayah.
Published: 14 June 2016 (Tue)
Last Updated: 29 June 2024 04:30 AM (GMT+8)

Psoriasis Treatment

Psoriasis:

• Psoriasis mostly occurs between 15-30 years of age Symptoms to look for:

• Red scaly patches, which usually appear around: o Torso o Knees o Elbows • Dry skin • Itching • Silver flaky scales • Joint pain • Genital lesions in men • Discolouration of nails • Excessive dandruff Causes:

• Skin cells grow, die and fall off in a period of 1 month • In psoriasis, the cycle is reduced to 4 days • Skin cells do not develop properly nor fall off easily • This leads to dry, scaly patches Natural home remedy using cabbage:

1. Take 1 bowl of crushed cabbage leaves 2. Take a bowl of hot water 3. Place the bowl of cabbage leaves inside the bowl of hot water, till the leaves turn lukewarm 4. Apply the lukewarm cabbage leaves on the affected area 5. Cover with a soft woollen cloth 6. Wrap with an elastic bandage for 2-3 hr Natural home remedy using bitter gourd and lemons:

1. Take 1 glass of bitter gourd juice 2. Add 1 tsp lemon juice 3. Mix well 4. Drink this every day on an empty stomach 5. Have this for 4-6 months Tips:

• Baking soda reduces itching o Add 2 tbsp baking soda to 1 bowl water o Soak a towel in this mixture, wring it out and apply on the skin as a compress • Expose your skin to the morning sun as its effective in reducing skin inflammation and scaling

Psoriasis Treatment - Home Remedies & Natural Cure

What is Psoriasis?

Occurring on account of faulty signal sent by the immune system; psoriasis is a dermatological disorder whereby the growth of the epidermal layer is speeded up. While in normal occurrence growing skin cells are exposed to the outer surface on a monthly basis; by way of the diseased condition of psoriasis, the process of growth is speeded up leading to the exposition of dead skin cells.

Causes of Psoriasis

■ Being an immune mediated skin disorder; psoriasis takes place when immune system of the human body mistakes healthy cells for unhealthy ones.

■ According to another viewpoint, psoriasis marked by excessive growth of skin cells is caused owing to the faulty epidermal layer and its associated keratinocytes.

■ Much of its cause and incidence lies in hereditary or genetic traits.

■ In general people with weakened immunity are more vulnerable to severe attacks of psoriasis.

■ People suffering from AIDS and other forms of auto immune disorders are more likely to be hit by it.

■ Various injuries, cuts and burns suffered by the skin may cause the occurrence of psoriasis.

■ Factors such as stress, exposure to the harmful ultra violet rays of sun are also responsible for causing psoriasis.

■ People suffering from chronic ailments such as pressure, blood sugar, depression and congestive cardiac ailments are more prone to developing psoriasis.

Types of Psoriasis

Psoriasis may be categorized into five different types :

■ Plaque psoriasis which is more frequent than other forms of psoriasis is marked by the patchy appearance of skin cells whitish silver in appearance.

■ Psoriasis vulgaris is marked by the appearance of raised patches of inflammation.

■ Psoriatic erythroderma which is widespread in appearance is marked by exfoliating inflammation.

■ Pustular psoriasis is marked by the appearance of raised bump like inflammation filled with pus like fluid.

Symptoms of Psoriasis.

■ Psoriasis which generally tends to affect people belonging to the younger age group is non infectious or non contagious in nature.

■ Usually slow and gradual in development; psoriasis may be recurrently frequent in its occurrence.

■ It is marked by the appearance of irritating patches on skin. Patches which predominantly exist on joints of elbows, knees and those of the fingers’ can also occur in other parts of body.

■ Patchy areas which are bright red in color are usually covered by scaly flakes.

■ Patches which may partially or completely cover the body can also take on a thickly raised appearance.

■ The dots or patches affecting the body completely or partially may give rise to itchiness and discomfort.

■ Occurrence of joint ache along with psoriasis ranks amongst one of the normal symptoms.

■ Psoriasis may also give rise to changes in the appearance of nails including separation of nail from its bed.

■ Psoriasis may further give way to the occurrence of genital lesions in men.

Psoriasis Diagnoses

■ A diagnosis of this immune mediated disease involves an overall examination of the skin.

■ By looking at the apparent condition of the skin physicians are able to assess its nature and degree.

■ Biopsy of the skin is also conducted to establish and confirm the existence of psoriasis.

■ Usually a scraping of the skin is taken for the purpose of biopsy.

■ Associated joint pains in addition to psoriasis may involve the use of x rays.

Treatment for Psoriasis

■ Initially the treatment of psoriasis is usually done with the purpose of controlling the symptoms so that complicated infections are avoided.

■ Treatment of the concerned disease is managed with topical application of ointments and creams.

■ Ointments based on cortisone are frequently prescribed other than those containing coal tar and lactic acid so that the scaly condition of the epidermis can be overcome. Ointment based on the analogue of Vitamin D has also been found to be an effective remedial option.

■ Moisturizers containing salicylic acid are also recommended in addition to the oral supplements of Vitamin A and D.

■ In the event of a partial affliction with psoriasis; injection of steroid may prove to be effective.

■ Phototherapy which makes use of light rays is also used to control the growth and exposition of dead skin cells.

■ Generally sessions at phototherapy follows the administration of medication aimed at sensitizing the skin to the effects of benevolent ultraviolet rays. Ultraviolet A radiation in addition to that of Psoralen has been found to be an effective remedial option.

■ In extreme cases of psoriasis medications in forms of ‘methotrexate’ and ‘acitretin’ are prescribed in order to hold back the human body's response to immune system.

Self Care and Psoriasis Home Remedies

■ Patients manifesting the symptoms of psoriasis are advised to have their affected parts regularly cleaned.

■ They should resist from scrubbing the body hard.

■ Warm dip in water enriched with Epsom or other forms of bath salts may prove to be soothingly effective. Warm soaks in water containing oatmeal may turn out to be similarly relieving.

■ Besides adopting the natural remedial options, one should make it a point to go ahead with the course of treatment recommended by physicians.

A skin disease resulting from the malfunctioning of immune system, psoriasis is characterized by the growth and multiplication in the recycling skin cells. There are different kinds of psoriasis which shows itself as patches of red and white. While some may manifest dermatological symptoms in forms of scale like colored patches; there are cases which show no palpable symptoms. Usually according to the variations in kind, symptoms of psoriasis differ. Being a chronic disorder of the skin; its cause may be attributed to genetic factors. Environmental, hormonal and stress related factors are also accountable. Even certain kinds of bacterial infections may lead to psoriasis.

Though psoriasis may not be infectious, the scaly conditions appearing on skin can be a major source of irritation and discomfort. In this regard, some naturally available curative means may help reduce the discomforting scales.

Psoriasis Home Remedies - Natural Treatment for Psoriasis

The psoriasis treatment methods listed below are natural treatment for psoriasis. These home remedies for psoriasis treatment are found to be effective cure for psoriasis.

■ Regular bathing and cold sponging of the affected parts may serve to reduce the scaly patches. Utmost care and cleanliness should be taken so as to avoid any other secondary infections during the outbreak of psoriasis.

■ One can go for a cold sponge using water mixed with cider vinegar. Soaking or bathing in water enriched with soothingly effective apple vinegar may also be a good option.

■ Compressing the affected parts with leaves of cabbage is also said to be naturally beneficial.

■ Epsom salt with its healing content can also be added to bath water as one of the home based curative options. In fact, sea water with high salt content serves as a defense against psoriasis. Regular bath in sea water or washing the affected parts in sea water turns out to be an effective option.

■ Dry skin encourages psoriasis. So care should be taken to moisturize the skin. Moisturizing the skin with the help of lactic acid based moisturizer offers an effective option. Even cooking oils and petroleum jelly may serve to strike the right water balance of the skin; thereby preventing the growth of conditions which encourage psoriasis.

■ Addition of vegetable oil to bathing water may come in handy. Amalgam of germ, castor and sunflower oil is one of the wonderfully effective natural remedial measures. After fusing a mixture whereby tea spoon measure of germ and castor oil is added to a cup full of sunflower oil; the said amalgam can be applied to the patchy scales of silver and red.

■ Equally effective is the use of cashew nut oil; or that based on the amalgam of olive, oregano and calendula oil.

■ Even the choice of soap should be cautiously guarded as soap without moisturizing content may aggravate the conditions of psoriasis. With a wide ranging variety of moisturized soap available in the market; you can easily use one such soap. Irrespective of the soap chosen be careful in having it thoroughly washed followed by the application of moisturizers.

■ One should be proactive about preventing one's skin from the harmful ultra violet rays of sun; as sun burns also contribute to psoriasis. Use of an effective sun protection formula is necessary. In case one has psoriasis, he should be doubly careful as the exposure can aggravate such conditions.

■ For one afflicted with psoriasis, massaging the affected parts with olive oil will prove to be relieving.

■ Even the application of tepidly warm coconut oil on the affected parts at least half an hour before bathing will help prevent dryness which encourages psoriasis.

■ Similarly aloe vera with its anti burn property is equally helpful for psoriasis. The gel extracted from the medicinal herb may be affected directly on the affected parts. Particularly for ‘plaque psoriasis’; application of aloe vera gel proves to be an effective remedial option.

■ Combination of aloe vera gel with that of garlic oil can be an effective healing option.

■ Fatty acids in Omega 3 have been scientifically proven to be an effective remedial option to counter conditions of psoriasis. Fish oil based creams can be applied to the patchy parts or one may opt for fish oil supplements in capsules.

■ Capsaicin content of black pepper also serves to control pain and itchy feel by obstructing the sensory nerves. So one may go for cream based on the similar content.

■ Application of water containing baking soda may help reduce the itchy sensation of the colored patches. After diluting baking soda in thrice measure of water, you may apply the same with the help of sterilized cloth or cotton.

■ Regular intake of freshly extracted juice of bitter gourd early in the morning serves to be one of the natural homemade options. You can squeeze a few drops of lemon juice into it.

■ Besides using garlic oil, the immensely beneficial garlic cloves should be included in regular diet as an effectively natural protection against psoriasis. Garlic with its immune boosting property will prevent malfunctioning of immune system which leads to psoriasis.

Besides using the mentioned natural options of remedy, it is imperative that one leads a healthy regulated life style with an eye on weight control and hygiene to prevent the occurrence of psoriasis.

Psoriasis Treatment, Herbal Cure and Natural Ayurvedic Treatment

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder of the skin results in hyper proliferation of the skin. It is a chronic skin disease characterized by dry skin and raised, rough, red areas on the skin covered with fine silvery scales. Psoriasis is non-infectious and it is often seen in people between 15 to 40 yrs of age.

What is Psoriasis, Causes and Types of Psoriasis

There are different types of psoriasis. They are :

■ Plaque psoriasis - Patches of raised, reddish skin covered by silvery-white scale

■ Psoriatic arthritis - Which causes inflammation of the joints.

■ Guttate psoriasis - Small, red spots on the skin

■ Pustular psoriasis - White pustules surrounded by red skin

■ Inverse psoriasis - Smooth, red lesions form in skin folds

■ Erythrodermic psoriasis - widespread redness, severe itching, and pain

Causes of Psoriasis

The exact cause of psoriasis is not known. It is believed that a combination of several factors contributes to the development of this disease.

Some common causes of psoriasis are the following:

■ Psoriasis occurs when the immune system overreacts, causing inflammation and flaking of skin.

■ Abnormality in the mechanism in which the skin grows and replaces itself causes psoriasis.

■ Psoriasis develops when the immune system tells the body to over-react and accelerate the growth of skin cells.

■ Heredity also plays a role in the development of psoriasis

■ Environmental factors such as trauma, sunlight, infection, emotional stress, climatic changes etc also causes.

Symptoms of Psoriasis

The symptoms of psoriasis vary from person to person. Some of the common symptoms of psoriasis are the following :

■ Raised, red patches of skin topped with loose, silvery scales, usually on the knees or elbows

■ Thick, red patches known as plaques, and dry, silvery scales appearing on the scalp, face, elbows, knees, palms, and soles of the feet.

■ Dry, cracked skin that may bleed

■ Joint swelling, tenderness, and pain

■ Thickened, pitted or ridged nails

Herbal treatment and Ayurvedic medicines for Psoriasis

Ayurvedic believes that impurities in the blood associated with emotional factors are the cause of the disease. According to Ayurveda Psoriasis can be considered as the vitiation of Vata and Kapha.

Ayurvedic treatment for Psoriasis

Ayurvedic suggests Panchakarma for the treatment of psoriasis. This is because detoxification of the body is very essential for the treatment of psoriasis.

Natural Herbal Treatment for Psoriasis

There is no treatment for psoriasis that can guarantee 100% result. A natural psoriasis treatment that may help one person may have no effect on another person. Psoriasis treatment requires strict dietary restrictions and life style practices.

Some effective natural psoriasis treatment, Precautionary tips and natural cure for psoriasis

■ The use of curd in the form of buttermilk has proved useful in psoriasis and the patient should drink it in liberal quantities.

■ Do not control natural urges like vomiting, urination, bowel emptying etc.

■ Avoid taking spicy food and consume only easily digestible food.

■ Do not eat too much of salty, sour or acidic foods

■ Avoid consuming opposite foods

■ Include more fruits, vegetable, fruit juices in your diet. Bitter gourd, curd, boiled vegetables, pumpkin etc.. are good psoriasis diet.

■ Avoid animal fats, eggs, processed canned foods from your diet.

■ Application of avocado oil gently on the effected part is found to be an effective treatment.

■ Cod liver oil, lecithin, linseed oil, vitamin E, and zinc fasten the healing process.

■ Apply moisturizing cream or gel at regular intervals to maintain the moisture level of the skin.

■ Avoid using soap while taking bath instead use gram flour and use a herbal scrubber.

■ Avoid pricking, peeling and scratching skin.

■ Use separate, clean clothes and towel for your use.

■ Taking bath in sea water is found to be very effective in psoriasis treatment.

■ Drinking fresh bitter gourd juice mixed with one teaspoon of lime juice on an empty stomach is an effective psoriasis treatment

■ Applying aloe vera cream thinly to irritated skin and rubbing lightly is effective.

■ Mental health is absolutely necessary for an effective treatment of psoriasis. Try deep breathing and relaxation exercise to reduce stress.

■ Exposing to mild sunlight daily for 30 minutes will improve the texture of the affected area of the skin.

What is Scalp Psoriasis ?

Scalp psoriasis is a skin disorder that can cause patches on a person's skin. These patches are red and look like lesions and they appear on the scalp. It can affect certain patches of the scalp or the entire scalp itself. It can also go beyond the scalp and stretch to the back of the neck, behind the ears, the forehead, etc. Scalp psoriasis is not a disease that is contagious.

The causes of scalp psoriasis is still unknown, though it is suspected that it is related to immunity problems, which leads to excess growth and development of skin cells on the scalp, which starts forming patches. One of the biggest causes of psoriasis is genetic problems. A person who has a family member who is scalp psoriasis is more likely to acquire this disease themselves.

The symptoms of scalp psoriasis might be really subtle in the beginning. They might even be completely unnoticeable. However, this might aggravate with time. The lesions might became larger, thicker or even crusted. Symptoms of scalp psoriasis would also include excessive itching and an urge to scratch. All this can lead to hair loss and skin infections as well. The urge to itch might even interfere with ability to sleep.

Some other symptoms of scalp psoriasis include scaling of the scalp. The scaling is usually silvery white, like dandruff. The scalp will become excessively dry and it will also itch and burn a lot. People who do end up scratching their scalp would also have to deal with some amount of soreness.

Treatment for scalp psoriasis

There are many ways of treating scalp psoriasis, out of which topical treatments are very common. Topical treatments are shampoos, creams, soaps, oils, etc. that are to be applied on the scalp directly. There are over the top topical treatments and prescription drugs as well.

There are two important FDA approved goods that form treatment for scalp psoriasis. One is salicylic acid and the other is coal tar. Usually, the prescription medication for scalp psoriasis would include both these ingredients or either one in different measurement. There are many other drugs used for treatment of scalp psoriasis as well, such as corticosteroids, antimicrobials, anathralin, tazarotene, calcipotriene, etc. These are vitamin based drugs that do help in treating scalp problems, especially psoriasis.

Pustular Psoriasis - Symptoms, Causes and Natural Treatment

In order to be effective, all this medication has to be applied on to the scalp, and not the hair. It is to be used for as long as it takes to get rid of the lesions on the scalp. Usually, this is a process that takes around eight to ten weeks. Once the scalp psoriasis is under control, the basic prevention measures have to be taken, where an anti-psoriasis shampoo should be used twice a week or even a milder gel.

People who have a combination of scalp psoriasis and the common psoriasis of the body must consult their doctors before using the medication. The medication that works for the scalp might not work for the rest of the body and cause problems. There are some treatment processes that involve the usage of phototherapy for scalp treatment. It is called light therapy, though it is not widely done or approved of.

Prevention of scalp psoriasis

Like all other kinds of psoriasis, it is a little difficult to prevent scalp psoriasis. People who are looking to prevent scalp psoriasis would have to adopt the basic methods of sanitation and cleanliness of the scalp.

They should certainly make sure that the scalp is not allowed to become too dry at any point of time. If they start feeling the onset of scalp psoriasis, they should start taking adequate measures against it to make sure that it does not become too big an issue. Using a mild anti psoriasis shampoo for this reason would be beneficial.

People who have relatives or people in their family with a history of scalp psoriasis have to make sure that they keep an eye for any trouble and get to the doctor the moment they sense some trouble, for this is a necessary precaution to prevent scalp psoriasis.

Home treatment for Psoriasis

There are a few tips for home treatment of psoriasis. This might not be very effective as a stand-alone treatment, but it can speed the recovery process when combined with topical treatment or medication.

■ Use olive oil or vitamin E oil on the scalp to keep it from becoming too dry.

■ Using oil can also make the lesions less itchy.

■ Making a hair pack of yogurt and bananas would reduce the itchiness of the scalp, once it has been washed off.

■ Make sure to use a shampoo that is not too harsh for it won't do to irritate the scalp.

■ Avoid using brushes as much as you can, only on the scalp. It will be okay to comb your hair.

NOTE : The intention of this article is only for information. It is not a substitute to any other standard medical diagnosis. For proper treatment, always consult a qualified Ayurvedic physician.