Psoriasis Sucks. Here’s What Actually Helps

Psoriasis is a chronic disease of the immune system and can be very debilitating when cells build up on the surface of the skin, leading to thick and red scaly patches. These patches can be both itchy and painful.

This skin condition is surprisingly common with up to seven and a half million people in the USA having this condition while some thirty percent of these also develop a form of arthritis known as psoriatic arthritis.

Those with psoriasis are also at an increased risk of other chronic diseases such as eye conditions, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and/or high blood pressure. In addition, there can be psychological effects.

What are the different types of psoriasis?

Plaque Psoriasis: This is the most common type, characterized by raised, red patches (plaques) covered with silvery scales, often appearing on the elbows, knees, scalp and lower back.

Guttate Psoriasis: This type often appears as small, drop-shaped, scaly patches, particularly on the torso or limbs, and may be triggered by a streptococcal throat infection - especially in children and young adults.

Inverse Psoriasis: This type appears as smooth, red patches in skin folds such as the armpits, groin or under the breasts and may be exacerbated by friction and sweating.

Pustular Psoriasis: This type is characterized by small, pus-filled blisters (pustules) surrounded by red skin, and can affect various parts of the body including the hands and feet.

Erythrodermic Psoriasis: This is a severe, less common type that can affect a large area of the body, causing widespread redness, skin shedding and potentially intense itchiness or burning.

Nail Psoriasis: This type can affect fingernails and toenails, causing changes in their appearance such as pitting, thickening or discoloration.

Psoriatic Arthritis: This is a form of arthritis that can accompany psoriasis and cause joint pain, swelling and stiffness.

Scalp Psoriasis: This type specifically affects the scalp, causing scaly patches, itching and potential hair loss.

High on the known list of causes for psoriasis is genetics

A third of all sufferers will have a family history of psoriasis. If one parent has the condition, the odds for a child to develop it are one in four. If both parents have psoriasis, the chances increase significantly, eg 2 out of their 3 children are likely to be affected.

Other reasons why psoriasis occurs

• Psoriasis can be triggered by throat infections especially a streptococci infection.
• Trauma or scratching can make the condition worse.
• Certain drugs can bring on psoriasis for the first time or, if the condition is already present, aggravate it.
• As in many other conditions, stress can play a big part with psoriasis being adversely affected in a stressful situation.
• Excessive consumption of alcohol is not a good idea for those with psoriasis – it should be kept to a minimum.
• Smoking is of course extremely unhealthy for anyone but when psoriasis occurs on the hands and the feet, it can be adversely affected by smoking.

What happens when you develop psoriasis?

In most cases, people with psoriasis experience only small patches of affected skin. These patches can sometimes be itchy or sore. Although psoriasis can develop at any age, it is most commonly diagnosed in adults under the age of thirty-five, and it affects men and women equally.

The severity of symptoms varies significantly from person to person. While some may have mild cases, others may experience flare-ups that interfere with daily life and overall well-being. Psoriasis is a chronic condition, meaning it tends to come and go. There may be stretches of time with mild or no symptoms, followed by periods where symptoms become more pronounced.

Ultimately, the key to managing psoriasis lies in identifying and avoiding personal triggers to help reduce flare-ups and maintain better skin health.

Follow these tips to help prevent outbreaks of psoriasis

It always helps if you can talk to someone about what is causing you stress. A problem shared and all that. It is just a question of finding the right person whether family, friend, work colleague or medical practitioner.

• Are you sleeping properly as this is one of the best ways for the body to repair and regenerate. You might need reminding to aim for eight hours at night while switching off all the electrical devices, light sources and avoiding alcohol and caffeine.
• You might like to consider complementary therapies such as aromatherapy, acupuncture, reflexology, massage and more that have been shown to tackle symptoms of stress while improving your general wellbeing.
• Regular exercise is always a good idea on so many levels, getting the blood flowing by engaging in any activity you enjoy such as walking, swimming, cycling, yoga and more. Regular moderate exercise balances hormone levels, releases pain relieving substances and happy hormones, improves self-esteem and encourages skin to perform better by boosting circulation.

2. Take good care of both your skin and scalp because any trauma to the skin can cause a flare-up including infections.

      Be careful to:

• never pick at patches or scales as this could make your psoriasis symptoms worse
• use caution when trimming your nails as any cuts could cause a flare up of symptoms
• be careful when shaving to avoid nicks and cuts
• prevent insect bites and/or chaffing
• avoid long periods of sun exposure.
  
  

3. Avoid dry and cold weather as this can affect symptoms. Take care to wear appropriate clothing to cover exposed skin. In hot weather, wear natural fabrics that breath!

4. Use a humidifier as this will help to keep your skin moist especially when the air is dry indoors.

5. Eating a balanced diet that is rich in fresh fruit and vegetables. Some sufferers have found that psoriasis symptoms improve when they go dairy-free and/or gluten-free. There are foods that might cause inflammation and these include: red meat, dairy, high-fat foods, processed foods, refined sugars, nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes and peppers) and citrus fruits. Foods that could help reduce inflammation include: fatty fish (salmon and tuna), flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, almonds and green leafy vegetables (spinach and kale).

6. Keeping the skin moisturized with the help of our natural products psoriasis symptoms can flare-up when your skin is dry. Our Simply Face Oil is perfect for this being one of a kind all purpose moisturizing oil which leaves no sticky residue. Made from a blend of pure natural essential oils and cold pressed or expeller pressed precious oils to help to tighten and tone the skin while moisturizing.

7. Using a natural product to help with the treatment of psoriasis symptoms. Suggested is H-Psoriasis Formula as a 100% natural solution for psoriasis symptoms (including itching, redness and irritation) with its deep penetrating action while soothing the skin. The Formula is safe and effective to use for most types of psoriasis.

What is the vitamin that psoriasis sufferers need to take?

The vitamin is vitamin D.  If you have psoriasis, it is more important than ever to have your vitamin D levels tested so that you can reach and maintain levels of at least 50 to 70 ng/ml all the year round. Studies have found that a high percentage of those with psoriasis are in fact vitamin D-deficient. Raising your vitamin D levels will provide these benefits:

• When sunlight is impossible, as during the colder winter months, supplementation with high quality vitamin D3 along with some good fat (eg coconut oil or butter) and a dose of vitamin K2 to aid absorption is the next best thing.
• The biological role of vitamin K2 is to help move calcium into the proper areas in your body, and without sufficient amounts, calcium may build up in areas such as your arteries and soft tissues.
• Magnesium is also important, activating enzyme activity that helps your body use the vitamin D. As with vitamin D and K2, magnesium deficiency is also common and one way you can take magnesium is through Epsom salts baths.

Grassroots Health suggests that adults need about 5,000 to 8,000 IUs of vitamin D3 supplements per day to achieve a minimum serum level of 40 ng/ml. If you can go higher, so much the better. The secret is in regular testing.