Thursday, March 28, 2024

How To Get Rid Of Psoriasis On Your Face

Psoriasis On Face And Forehead

How I treat my Face|Scalp Psoriasis Seborrheic Dermatitis natural home remedies

Wikipedia claims that more than 2% of the worlds total population is dealing with psoriasis. Thats really a big number. But, not all of them have psoriasis on face and forehead. I have met a lot of people who have severe psoriasis all over their body, but not on the face.

The psychological impact of psoriasis is much more if it exists on the face. It is very obvious also. Your face is the first thing that a person notices on coming in contact. If a person meets you and give awkward stares at your face, then you are bound to feel a little low. Psoriasis marks on the face and forehead can really make an impact on your personal and professional life. I remember, once I got an email from a young lady who was fired from her job because of psoriasis on face. She was a receptionist. Similarly, if you are approaching an opposing sex with the intention of getting into a relationship, then psoriasis patches on your face can really prove a big turn off.

Treat At The First Sign Of A Flare

Dont wait until your symptoms are really affecting you to start treating a flare-up: As soon as you notice a change in your skin that could signal an oncoming flare , its time to act, Dr. Stein says. Apply a topical steroid as directed and try to take it easy.

Also, its important not to stop treatment until youre completely free of symptoms, Dr. Stein says, even if the flare appears to be going away. In my opinion, it comes back faster if its not completely clear to begin with, she explains.

Salicylic Acid: A Keratolytic

Salicylic acid is available in both over-the-counter and prescription strengths. It’s known as a “keratolytic”, which means it loosens dead skin from the psoriasis plaque to reduce scaling.

Salicylic acid is available in many different OTC formulations, such as lotions, gels, creams, foams, shampoos and others, to treat both skin and scalp psoriasis.

Salicylic acid can be used in combination with other treatments, like corticosteroid creams, anthralin, or coal tar to increase effectiveness.

  • It may take up to several days before your symptoms improve.
  • Common side effects of salicylic acid may include skin irritation, peeling, rash, or blanching of the skin area.

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Using Psoriasis Creams Correctly

The main rule for using medicated psoriasis creams is to apply them exactly as directed by your pharmacist or doctor. You can also consult the patient information leaflet supplied with the product if you cant find this, you can search for the product on the Medicines.org website and read the leaflet online.

Medicated creams and ointments tend to work better when the skin is soft and moisturised, so its a good idea to use your topical treatment after applying an emollient.

When applying emollients you should smooth a large amount of product gently into the skin, in the direction your hair grows. If you rub it in too vigorously this can aggravate the skin and make your symptoms worse.

After applying your emollient you should wait around 30 minutes for it to sink into the skin. At this point you can carefully apply your medicated ointment or cream.

How Psoriasis Is Diagnosed

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A GP can often diagnose psoriasis based on the appearance of your skin.

In rare cases, a small sample of skin called a biopsy will be sent to the laboratory for examination under a microscope.

This determines the exact type of psoriasis and rules out other skin disorders, such as seborrhoeic dermatitis, lichen planus, lichen simplex and pityriasis rosea.

You may be referred to a specialist in diagnosing and treating skin conditions if your doctor is uncertain about your diagnosis, or if your condition is severe.

If your doctor suspects you have psoriatic arthritis, which is sometimes a complication of psoriasis, you may be referred to a doctor who specialises in arthritis .

You may have blood tests to rule out other conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, and X-rays of the affected joints may be taken.

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Use Tea Tree Oil For Psoriasis

Applying a mixture of this essential oil with a carrier oil, like olive or coconut oil can be beneficial for treating psoriasis.

Furthermore, washing your scalp with a shampoo that contains this ingredient can help you get rid of scalp psoriasis too.

  • Mixed with coconut oil with tea tree oil in 100 percent concentration,
  • Then apply directly to the affected area.

You might be wondering what this is doing on the list.

Stress is one of the triggers of psoriasis and you know how well yoga handles stress.

This is also beneficial for those who have arthritic psoriasis as it will heal joint pains and allow you to move in different ways improving your flexibility.

What Is Psoriasis It’s More Than Skin Deep

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the cells of your skin are replaced at an unusually fast rate.

  • Skin cells are quickly replaced every few days, instead of every 3 to 4 weeks.
  • Due to this rapid turnover, extra skins cells cause raised silvery plaques that can be flaky, red, and itchy.
  • Psoriasis tends to occur in adults most frequently, and the symptoms may come and go.

There is no cure for psoriasis, but advanced medications allow roughly 80% to 90% of patients to have successful treatment to lessen symptoms and improve the appearance of the plaques.

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What Is Facial Psoriasis

Facial psoriasis is a chronic skin condition in which there are one or more, persistent, thickened, red and dry patches on the face.

Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease that may affect any skin site. Facial involvement occurs at some time in about half those affected by psoriasis. Although it is usually mild, facial psoriasis is occasionally very extensive involving the hairline, forehead, neck, ears and facial skin.

It is extremely rare to have psoriasis occurring solely on the face. Most patients also have scalp psoriasis and they may also have moderate to severe psoriasis at other sites.

Patients with facial psoriasis often suffer from psychosocial problems due to the presence of unsightly red, scalyplaques on highly visible areas.

Facial involvement presents as a therapeutic challenge because facial skin is thin, sensitive and more complicated to treat.

What Type Of Psoriasis Treatment Will I Need

Face Psoriasis, Home remedies, solutions

Several treatment options can relieve psoriasis. Creams or ointments may be enough to improve the rash in small areas of skin. If the rash affects larger areas, or you also have joint pain, you may need other treatments. Joint pain may be a sign that you have arthritis.

Your provider will decide on a treatment plan based on:

  • Severity of the rash.
  • Vitamin A or retinoid creams.

Also Check: How To Deal With Psoriasis On Scalp

Are Psoriasis Shampoos Available

Coal tar shampoos are very useful in controlling psoriasis of the scalp. Using the shampoo daily can be very beneficial adjunctive therapy. There are a variety of over-the-counter shampoos available without a prescription. There is no evidence that one shampoo is superior to another. Generally, the selection of a tar shampoo is simply a matter of personal preference.

Psoralen Plus Ultraviolet A

For this treatment, you’ll first be given a tablet containing compounds called psoralens, or psoralen may be applied directly to the skin. This makes your skin more sensitive to light.

Your skin is then exposed to a wavelength of light called ultraviolet A . This light penetrates your skin more deeply than ultraviolet B light.

This treatment may be used if you have severe psoriasis that has not responded to other treatment.

Side effects include nausea, headaches, burning and itchiness. You may need to wear special glasses for 24 hours after taking the tablet to prevent the development of cataracts.

Long-term use of this treatment is not encouraged, as it can increase your risk of developing skin cancer.

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How To Apply Psoriasis Medication On Your Face

Here are a few basic tips:

  • Use small amounts.
  • Be careful when you apply creams and ointments around the eyes. Some treatments can irritate them.
  • Follow your doctorâs instructions for taking the medication so you can prevent side effects, especially with steroids.
  • Ask your doctor if you can use makeup to conceal the psoriasis on your face. Some products can prevent treatment from working.
  • If your medication doesnât help or causes too many side effects, work with your doctor to figure out a treatment that will help.

What If Those Psoriasis Treatments Dont Work

How to Get Rid of Psoriasis: 9 Tips and Remedies to Try ...

If psoriasis doesnt improve, your healthcare provider may recommend these treatments:

  • Light therapy: UV light at specific wavelengths can decrease skin inflammation and help slow skin cell production.
  • PUVA: This treatment combines a medication called psoralen with exposure to a special form of UV light.
  • Methotrexate: Providers sometimes recommend this medication for severe cases. It may cause liver disease. If you take it, your provider will monitor you with blood tests. You may need periodic liver biopsies to check your liver health.
  • Retinoids: These vitamin A-related drugs can cause side effects, including birth defects.
  • Cyclosporine: This medicine can help severe psoriasis. But it may cause high blood pressure and kidney damage.
  • Immune therapies: Newer immune therapy medications work by blocking the bodys immune system so it cant jumpstart an autoimmune disease such as psoriasis.

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What Are The Best Natural Treatments Options For Psoriasis

Some of the natural remedies that can provide excellent relief for psoriasis symptoms include:

Proven H-Psoriasis Formula perfect for all types of psoriasis, including psoriasis on face and scalpIts an all-natural formula that does an excellent job in relieving psoriasis symptoms like red patches, pain, irritation & itching. Its a breakthrough topical homeopathic product that contains pure natural essential oils with deep penetrating action.

It has gotten excellent feedback from people who have given it a try.

Take a Salt BathSoaking in warm water helps in soothing irritated skin. Add Epsom salts, olive oil, mineral oil, and colloidal oatmeal to help to soothe the itching and scales even more.

TurmericTurmeric helps in reducing the occurrence of flare-ups, redness, scaling, size, and thickness of lesions on the skin. You can take it as a pill, apply the gel, or sprinkle it on your food.

Dietary SupplementsTaking dietary supplements will help to deal with mild psoriasis symptoms from the inside of your body. The supplements that are recommended are like fish oil, evening primrose oil, Oregon grape, vitamin D, milk thistle, and aloe vera.

Aloe VeraIts famous for its anti-inflammatory properties so it will help in reducing redness, inflammation, itching, and scaling. You can apply aloe vera cream or freshly extracted sloe vera gel to affected areas.

How A Dermatologist Can Help

With so many products, it can be difficult to know what to use. If you dont see the results you like with OTC treatment for psoriasis, you may want to see dermatologist. Dermatologists are the skin disease experts. They know how to tailor psoriasis treatment to the type of psoriasis you have. Sometimes, this requires combining treatments. You may also need one treatment plan to gain control over your psoriasis and another to maintain the results.

ImagesGetty Images

ReferencesMenter A, Korman NJ, et al. Guidelines of care for the management of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Section 3: Guidelines of care for the management and treatment of psoriasis with topical therapies. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2009 60:64359.

Paghdal KV, Schwartz RA. Coal tar: Back to the future. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2009 Aug 61:294-302.

All content solely developed by the American Academy of Dermatology

The American Academy of Dermatology gratefully acknowledges the support from Amgen and .

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Enjoy A Little Vitamin D

Go out and get some sun. Your skin will thrive from a little bit of natural vitamin D on occasion and this will help reduce the instances of flare-ups and itchiness. Spend at least 20 minutes a day in direct sunlight, for up to three days a week. Moderation is the key.

Do not over-expose your skin because the sun still emits harmful UV rays that may lead to further complications. Furthermore, ensure that the psoriasis medication you are on is not the type that increases skin sensitivity as this could lead to severe sunburns.

What Causes Facial Psoriasis

How I Calmed The Psoriasis Taking Over My Forehead With 1 Thing You Can Find In Your Kitchen!

The causes of facial psoriasis are the same as for psoriasis in general. Psoriasis is associated with inappropriate activation of the immune system resulting in inflammation and increased proliferation of skin cells. There is a geneticpredisposition, but environmental influences are important, including stress, infection, injuries and certain medications.

Facial psoriasis may also be aggravated by:

  • Ultraviolet radiation some patients have where the psoriasis is aggravated by exposure to the sun
  • Skin flora, particularly the yeast Malassezia
  • Smoking.

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What About Those Psoriasis Scales On Face And Forehead

Natural healing takes time. Results dont come over night. You would start seeing some results in 4-6 weeks. Then, gradually, these psoriasis patches would start getting thinner and then they would disappear. It is a long term commitment.

Hence, it is not a bad idea to discuss some safe and effective quick-fix ideas to minimize psoriasis symptoms on your face.

Your face is quite sensitive and facial skin is thinner than other body parts. Applying steroids based topical creams on your facial skin is not a good idea at all. Most of these pharma based creams have coal tar and salicylic acid as chief ingredients. Coal tar is a by-product of coal processing-when coal is converted into coal gas. It doesnt give me a good feeling if I have to use something on my face which is obtained by burning of coal.

Salicylic acid is no less. Salicylic acid is extensively used as a stain remover. Some people use salicylic acid to remove rust also. So, how can you expect mercy from these two hardcore chemicals if we apply them regularly on your face. These chemicals work harshly to rub off the psoriasis scales from your skin without bothering for the natural beauty of your skin.

Let us opt for safe and effective natural alternatives!!

A very effective way to manage Facial Psoriasis is:

Adjust Your Bathing Habits

When your psoriasis is especially itchy, its crucial to avoid showering or bathing in water that is too hot because the heat can just make you itchier, the American Academy of Dermatology explains.

You might also find it helpful to limit your time in the shower or bath because spending a long time in the water can actually make your skin drier. The AAD recommends keeping showers under 5 minutes and baths under 15 minutes.

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Flare Ups: Common Psoriasis Triggers

Certain events or substances may worsen your psoriasis or cause it to come out of remission. It is best to avoid any trigger you identify that may cause a flare-up of your psoriasis.

Common triggers include:

  • Cold weather, smoke or smoking
  • Heavy alcohol use
  • Certain medications such as lithium, high blood pressure medications , drugs to prevent malaria, and iodide products, such as potassium iodide and sodium iodide.

Try A Moisturizer With A Keratolytic Ingredient

#psoriasistoenails psoriasis medication clobetasol

For particularly thick plaques, Dr. Newsom suggests applying a lotion that contains a keratolytic, or a softening and peeling agent, like salicylic acid, lactic acid, or urea. That will help dissolve some of the scales. For instance, check out CeraVe Psoriasis Moisturizing Cream, $19, or Gold Bond Ultimate Psoriasis Relief Cream, $8.

However, note these ingredients, particularly salicylic acid, can irritate the skin, exacerbate dryness, and in extreme cases be toxic. So be sure to use keratolytic moisturizers as directed and only on the thickest plaques rather than across large swaths of skin.

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Topical Treatments For Psoriasis

These are drugs you rub directly on your skin. Along with a good moisturizer, theyâre usually the first thing your doctor will suggest, especially for mild to moderate psoriasis. There are over-the-counter and prescription options.

Topical treatments for psoriasis come as ointments, creams, or foam and include:

Steroid creams. These slow down immune cells in your skin. They can ease swelling and redness. Mild steroid creams are available over the counter. Youâll need a prescription from your doctor for something stronger. Steroids come with side effects and shouldnât be used on sensitive areas like your face or genitals. They can burn or thin the skin. Use them exactly the way your doctor tells you.

Salicylic acid. This can soften and thin scaly skin. But it can also irritate your skin if you leave it on too long. It might weaken your hair follicles and cause temporary hair loss, too. The body can absorb salicylic acid if you put it on large patches of skin.

Calcipotriol . This is a strong form of synthetic vitamin D. Itâs known to control overactive skin cells. Your doctor might pair it with a steroid cream.

Tazorac is available gel or cream and applied one and twice daily. it is ot recommended for those who are pregnant or breast-feeding or intending to become pregnant.

Ways To Get Rid Of Psoriasis On Face

Psoriasis is mainly characterized by red patches of skin with silvery scales. Unfortunately, it is a chronic disease that alternates between periods of little to mild symptoms of psoriasis on the face to periods where symptoms are exponentially severe. Although there is no long-term solution to get rid of psoriasis on the face for good, there exist a number of remedies that are backed by science, which can reduce the effects of psoriasis. This way, you can ensure that you have control over the condition to a certain degree.

Before applying any of these treatments, please consult with your doctor. Without further delay, here are the 10 ways you can reduce the effects of psoriasis.

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