Home Treatment For Psoriasis
There are some home remedies that may help minimize outbreaks or reduce symptoms of psoriasis:
- Exposure to sunlight.
- Apply moisturizers after bathing to keep skin soft.
- Avoid irritating cosmetics or soaps.
- Do not scratch to the point you cause bleeding or excessive irritation.
- Over-the-counter cortisone creams can reduce itching of mild psoriasis.
A dermatologist may prescribe an ultraviolet B unit and instruct the patient on home use.
Ditch Your Bad Habits
Did you know that smoking and drinking in excess can increase the frequency of your psoriasis flare-ups and even make your symptoms more severe? If you have either of these habits, cutting back or going cold turkey can reduce the intensity of your symptoms, which means less itchiness and overall discomfort.
Itâs also important to note that alcohol can interact with certain psoriasis medicines in a way that makes them dangerous, which is another great reason to quit.
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Why Does Scratching Psoriasis Feel Good
An itch can be triggered by something outside your body, such as poison ivy, or by something happening on the inside, such as psoriasis or allergies. Though it feels good, scratching actually triggers mild pain in your skin. Nerve cells tell your brain something hurts, and that distracts it from the itch.
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Say So Long To Psoriasis Itch
If you have psoriasis and cant seem to get relief from itching, dont let it get under your skin. Kelsey-Seybold dermatologist Isabella Gyening, MD, provides tips to follow during a psoriasis breakout.
The first step is to make sure the skin is well moisturized, says Dr. Gyening. Regular use of a moisturizer, particularly after bathing, can help reduce the itching associated with psoriasis.
She also offers the following advice to minimize flare-ups:
Soothe With Apple Cider Vinegar
Psoriasis lesions on your scalp can itch beyond belief. To find relief, mix equal amounts of apple cider vinegar and water. Dab the solution on your scalp two to three times a week. Rinse after a few minutes to keep your scalp from becoming irritated by the vinegar. One caution: Don’t try this if the skin on your scalp is cracked or bleeding.
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Psoriasis Itching Is Not Normal Itching
While most people think of itching as Oh so annoying, I have an itch right here.
You know that psoriasis itching is an entirely different level of discomfort. This skin conditions itching can be reported as feeling:
- Like a burning sensation
- So intense, its like fire ants just bit the skin
While doctors used to think the skin could only be in pain or be itching, turns out, it can undergo both sensations. With that cleared up, like we hope your skin is soon – Were going in-depth about proven ways to give skin relief and soothe it effectively.
If youre ready to improve psoriasis, keep reading.
What Do Psoriasis And Eczema Look Like
Signs and symptoms of psoriasis
The most common type of psoriasis is plaque psoriasis. Plaque psoriasis appears as thick, raised, red patches on the skin that are covered with white scales made of old, dead skin cells. These plaques can be itchy and painful. They can also crack and bleed.
Psoriasis can affect any part of the skin, but it usually shows up on the knees, elbows, scalp, and lower back. Other forms of psoriasis can occur on the genitals or in your skin folds, like in your armpits . Psoriasis can also just involve the hands and feet .
Up to 35% of people with psoriasis also have nail changes related to psoriasis. This includes:
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Small pits or holes in the nail
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Yellow or brown nail color
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Thickening of the nail
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Changes to the nail shape
There are several other serious health problems that can be more likely if you have psoriasis. Some of the more common issues include:
Signs and symptoms of eczema
Eczema appears as red, dry patches of skin that are very itchy. Some people with eczema scratch these areas a lot, which can lead to bleeding and thick or leathery skin. Unlike psoriasis, eczema can become infected with bacteria or viruses.
Although eczema can affect any part of the skin, some areas are more common. In infants, eczema usually happens on the cheeks, elbows, and knees. In older children and adults, eczema usually affects the insides of the elbows, behind the knees, and the hands and wrists.
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What Type Of Psoriasis Treatment Will I Need
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.
What Causes Psoriasis To Itch And Burn
Itching happens when something irritating comes into contact with the skin and activates what are called itch receptors3. The receptors send a signal up the spinal cord to the brain, which triggers the need to scratch.
Scratching feels good at first because it temporarily interrupts the signal sent from the itch receptor to the brain. However, scratching can actually make the itching sensation worse and more intense. This is called the itch-scratch cycle5.
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Psoriasis Support Groups And Counseling
Education of psoriasis patients is one of the foundations for managing this chronic and typically relapsing disorder. Patients should be familiar with the treatment options in order to make proper informed decisions about therapy. The National Psoriasis Foundation is an excellent organization that provides support to patients with psoriasis.
Emotional Impact Of Psoriasis
Because of the effect that psoriasis can have on physical appearance, low self-esteem and anxiety are common among people with the condition. This can lead to depression, especially if the psoriasis gets worse.
Your GP or dermatologist will understand the psychological and emotional impact of psoriasis, so talk to them about your concerns or anxieties.
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What Kind Of Doctor Treats Psoriasis
There are several types of doctors who may treat psoriasis. Dermatologists specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of skin disorders, including psoriasis. Rheumatologists specialize in the treatment of joint disorders, including psoriatic arthritis. Family physicians, internal medicine physicians, rheumatologists, dermatologists, and other medical doctors may all be involved in the care and treatment of patients with psoriasis.
Stay On Top Of Scalp Irritation And Itching
Try to resist the urge to scratch or rub your scalp during a flare-up. Doing so can cause bleeding, scabbing, and even hair loss.
Avoid using shampoos containing fragrance and alcohol. These products can dry out the scalp and worsen or even cause more flare-ups. When washing your hair, be gentle. Avoid scratching or scrubbing your scalp.
A scale softener that contains salicylic acid can help soften and loosen patches of psoriasis plaque during a flare-up.
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What Causes Psoriasis
Psoriasis is an immune system problem. Your immune response overreacts, causing inflammation, which leads to new skin cells growing too fast.
Typically, new skin cells grow every 28 to 30 days. But in people with psoriasis, new cells grow and move to the skin surface every three to four days. The buildup of new cells replacing old cells creates the silvery scales of psoriasis.
Psoriasis runs in families. There may be a genetic component. Parents may pass it down to their children.
How Bad Is Psoriasis
Up to 90% of all psoriasis cases are considered mild. The physical and emotional effects of psoriasis are significantâsimilar to the effects of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, or depression. Psoriasis has a negative psychological impact, especially if it involves the hands, feet, genitals, or face.
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Complementary And Alternative Remedies
Some people use complementary and alternative remedies, such as acupuncture, to prevent psoriasis from spreading. Other strategies, such as meditation and therapy, may help some people cope with the emotional effects and social stigma of having psoriasis.
Although there is some evidence that specific environmental factors might trigger psoriasis, those factors vary from between patients. This makes it almost impossible to prevent psoriasis developing for the first time. However, it might be possible to prevent subsequent flare-ups by keeping track of triggers.
A person with psoriasis might find that their psoriasis gets worse with stress, aftersunburn, or when they eat certain foods. Avoiding these triggers can lengthen the time between flare-ups, and may prevent an early flare-up from spreading.
Scalp Psoriasis Can Be Treated
If you suffer from an itchy scalp or have flaking problems you may have scalp psoriasis. Other symptoms include redness and even scaly buildup. You may see these symptoms around the hair line, behind your ears or throughout your scalp. Scalp psoriasis affects everyone differently but even if you suffer with one of these symptoms you surely want to know how to stop scalp psoriasis.
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Is Psoriasis The Same As Eczema
Psoriasis and eczema are two different skin conditions. They differ in where the disease appears on the body, how much it itches and how it looks. Eczema tends to appear more often behind the knees and inside the elbows. Eczema also causes more intense itching than psoriasis. Many people, especially children, can get both eczema and psoriasis.
Stick With Your Treatment
Treating psoriasis lesions can require considerable time and effort with skin care at home. This is in addition to any other treatments, like phototherapy or medication, you may be using to control the condition. Daily adherence to a treatment plan is essential to manage itch and prevent flares.
Research shows that people with psoriasis fail to adhere to their treatment plans more than people with other chronic conditions. This is usually because they are dissatisfied with previous treatment outcomes. If you are not satisfied with your current psoriasis treatment plan, discuss it with your doctor, rather than stopping your treatment or changing it on your own. Your doctor can recommend different options that might be a better fit with your goals and lifestyle. Work with your health care team to establish realistic expectations and treatment goals, and adjust treatment plans as needed in consultation with your doctors.
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Limit The Duration Of Showers Or Baths
Psoriasis symptoms can worsen when the skin is dry. People can help prevent flares or worsening symptoms by limiting their total bathing time.
The American Academy of Dermatology Association recommends that a person only take one bath or shower a day. It also advises showering for no more than 5 minutes or bathing for a maximum of 15 minutes to prevent drying out the skin.
Following a bath or shower, a person should pat their skin dry and apply moisturizer.
The AAD recommends using warm water when bathing or showering instead of hot water.
Hot water can dry or irritate the skin, causing psoriasis symptoms to worsen.
Over-the-counter creams, ointments, and moisturizers can often provide some relief. The AAD recommends the following products to help manage psoriasis symptoms, including itchiness:
- Hydrocortisone cream: This can help reduce itching and inflammation.
- Scale softeners: These products contain salicylic acid to help remove flaking and reduce itchiness.
- Coal tar: Many products contain this active ingredient, which can help reduce itchiness, redness, swelling, flaking, scaling, and skin growth.
- Heavy, oil-based moisturizers: A person should apply these at least once a day or when skin is dry.
- Anti-itch creams and ointments: A person should look for products that contain ingredients such as camphor or hydrocortisone.
Do You Have Psoriasis
Psoriasis usually appears in early adulthood but can come and go throughout a persons life. Typical symptoms include thick, red, bumpy patches covered with silvery, flaking scales. The affected skin itches, cracks and can bleed easily if a person picks or rubs off the scales. Finger- and toenails can form pits, thicken, crack and become loose.
Alison F. Stallings, MD, FAAD
These patches can pop up anywhere, but most commonly appear on the scalp, elbows, knees and lower back. In severe cases, psoriasis can afflict large parts of the body and be quite painful.
People with psoriasis can also get a type of arthritis called psoriatic arthritis which causes pain and swelling in the joints. The National Psoriasis Foundation estimates that 10-30% of people with psoriasis also have psoriatic arthritis.
Fortunately, psoriasis cant be passed from person to person but it does sometimes occur in members of the same family.
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Consider A Packaged Detox
The build up of toxins being released through the skin is the major contributor to psoriasis. Thats why, with consulting with your doctor, it may be ideal to try a detox.
There are a variety of cleanses that can be highly effective, such as:
- Liver detox
- Gut detox
- Parasite detox – Its thought many of us have parasites and dont realize it.
When these parasites and toxins have been detoxed, our body can better process the toxins and flush them out of the body – so they dont inflame the skin!
Reduce Wait For It Stress
Not only does stress tend to incite psoriasis flare-ups, stress amps up the pain and itching. That is why its important to find ways to feel calmer and find ease, even amid difficult times. To help ward off daily stress, even during tough times, here are a few ideas:
- Try meditation apps like Calm or Unplug. There are guided meditations that are short as a minute or two. By having a few moments of focusing on breathing or a visualization practice, it can help take the mind off things and feel a bit more refreshed quickly.
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Treat And Prevent Scales And Flakes
Psoriasis flakes are dead skin cells that the body is in the process of shedding. This process can make itchiness worse. There are several methods of preventing and removing the scales or flakes on a psoriasis plaque to reduce itchiness.
According to the Global Healthy Living Foundation, a person could try using tea tree oil, coconut oil, or aloe vera to moisturize and prevent flakes. For scalp psoriasis, a person can also try using dandruff shampoos and moisturizers that contain salicylic acid to help the flakes fall off.
The NPF also recommends using products that contain salicylic acid to help safely remove flakes and scales. Another recommendation is to use products containing coal or wood tar to slow skin growth and reduce scaling and itchiness.
What Causes Scalp Psoriasis Anyways
One study showed that researchers dont know the exact cause of scalp psoriasis. But, it appears to develop when your immune system sends particular signals to your skin cells. This makes your cells multiply too fast, leading to those scaly patches.
According to a research review, other factors that lead to psoriasis include:
- genetics
- nutrition
- body weight
Some folks also claim that allergies are to blame, but theres not enough proof to back this up.
Scalp psoriasis symptoms can range from mild to severe. Common side effects include:
- dryness
Psoriasis can indirectly cause hair loss. Giving in to scratch attacks on the reg or harsh treatments can make you lose some of your luscious locks. Thankfully, your hair should grow back after your skin clears up.
The AADA suggests trying these techniques to prevent hair loss:
- Avoid blow dryers or other hot tools.
- Use hair products that have menthol.
- Dont use products that contain irritants.
- Keep your scalp moisturized with a top-notch conditioner.
- Press an ice pack or cool towel on the inflamed parts of your scalp.
While theres currently no cure for psoriasis, there are a ton of over-the-counter treatments, medications, or home remedies that can help. The exact type of treatment depends on the severity of your symptoms.
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Can Psoriasis Affect Only My Nails
In some cases, psoriasis may involve only the fingernails and toenails, although more commonly, nail symptoms will accompany psoriasis and arthritis symptoms. The appearance of the nails may be altered, and affected nails may have small pinpoint pits or large yellow-colored separations on the nail plate called “oil spots.” Nail psoriasis can be hard to treat but may respond to medications taken for psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis. Treatments include topical steroids applied to the cuticle, steroid injections at the cuticle, or oral medications.
Remember The #1 Way For How To Stop Psoriasis Itch
To first apply a natural cream that has the most soothing essential oils and vitamins that truly nourish, even deep down through the skins layers.
Discover the difference for yourself, between average over-the-counter creams and a proven-to-work option Vegan, natural moisturizer to help soothe psoriasis
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What If Those Psoriasis Treatments Dont Work
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.