Psoriasis Management

By Kira Mayo

As we discussed in Psoriasis 101, the treatment for psoriasis depends on how severe it is, how much of the body is affected, the type of psoriasis and how well the skin responds to the initial treatment. A topical treatment, applied directly to the skin, is usually attempted first. Phototherapy, treatment with light, is used if topical therapy doesn’t cut it. The last resort is systemic treatment; patients who have severe psoriasis have to take oral or injectable medications.

Topical treatments are applied directly to the skin:

Emollients, topicals that soften the skin, include creams, ointments, petroleum (Vaseline) and cooking oils. They reduce scaling and are most effective when applied after bathing. Emollients are safe and are commonly used for mild-moderate plaque psoriasis.

Topical corticosteroids can improve psoriasis if the lesions are confined to limited areas. Using powerful steroids for too long can lead to skin atrophy, loss of effect, and may actually worsen psoriasis, so make sure you consult a doctor before starting any medication.

Topical therapies made from vitamin D can help control the excessive production of skin cells, thereby improving symptoms. These can be used in combination with topical corticosteroids.

Topical therapies containing retinoids, a compund derived from vitamin A, can also help control psoriasis. Although they are not as fast-acting as steroids, they have fewer side effects. Women beware—if you take any medication derived from vitamin A, it can lead to birth defects if you get pregnant, so make sure you are on oral contraceptives if you are using these medications.

Other topical therapies include coal tar, Anthralin, and salicylic acid. Ask your doctor about the benefits and side effects of any medication before you start taking it.

Phototherapy, also known as light therapy, is based on the premise that UV rays reduce DNA synthesis, slowing the overproduction of skin cells. This helps decrease scaling and inflammation.

PUVA therapy: There are two types of UV rays: UVA and UVB. PUVA therapy combines the use of UVA rays and psoralen. Psoralen is a medication that is used topically or taken orally to sensitize the skin to UV light; it is applied before exposure to UVA light. This treatment requires frequent office visits, and there is some concern regarding long-term treatment and an increased risk of skin cancer.

Lasers: The FDA has approved a special type of laser to be used to treat mild-to-moderate psoriasis. Lasers have the benefit of delivering a much more controlled beam of light to the affected skin.

Systemic treatment is reserved for those with severe psoriasis and include:

Immunosuppresants, such as methotrexate, cyclosporine, and hydroxyurea, suppress the immune system, thereby reducing inflammation. These medications can have significant side effects and should only be taken under your doctor’s watchful eye. These medications, like those related to vitamin A, can cause serious birth defects if women become pregnant. Therefore, women of childbearing age should use some form of birth control beginning 1 month before treatment until at least 2 years after treatment.

Biologics, such as Amevive, Raptiva and Enbrel, are the newest systemic psoriasis treatments. These are immunosuppresants that are injected either under the skin, in the muscle or in the bloodstream. Since they are immunosuppresants, biologics can increase your chance of infection and cancer.

Finally, antibiotics may help when an infection triggers an outbreak of psoriasis, as seen with some cases of guttate psoriasis.

Those are just some of the therapies available for treating psoriasis. So which one should be used?! That depends on many factors. While there is no single ideal combination, treatment should be kept as simple as possible. Be sure to ask your doctor about the benefits and side effects of these therapies; together you can up with a personalized plan that will work best for you!

Reference: Psoriasis: Psoriasis and Scaling Diseases. The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals, Nov. 2005. Web.

Originally written for DermHub.com

[Via http://dermreport.com]

Psoriasis go away!

 

   Around the age of 25, Psoriasis decided to move into my life.

Every single day since then I have to apply creams, lotion, or ointments.

I have done several years of getting shots and have also tried pills. It’s an addition to each of my days that grows very very old.

  There is no cure for Psoriasis. There has been a few times here and there that it did go away, but only to come back later. I do have some relief from a couple of the meds that I use, but at this point it is still there.

  My dermatologist that has seen me for years retired and I am trying to find another to replace her. It hasn’t been easy. One doctor gave me a medicine that they will not even sell in California because the possibility of it causing cancer.  I would love to find an alternative method and do away with the meds completely.

  There are support groups all over the internet and many people willing to share their story and how it has affected them day to day. Some people will not even leave the house, some fear having a relationship (it’s not contagious), but reading each story, I can relate in many ways. I am so thankful that to this day, my husband tells me that I am beautiful and that he doesn’t see the psoriasis when he looks at me.

 Beauty is only skin deep so we are told. Well, those of us with psoriasis don’t always feel that way.

[Via http://itsmedawnblake.wordpress.com]

Blow away those Winter blues

Protect your skin with ginseng nourishing cream. Winter winds and cold climates can damage and age skin quickly.

Using Ginseng nourishing cream will protect the skin and feed the skin cells giving you a healthy look and feel to the skin.

Use Ginseng Care Serum for very dry skin. Use at night and during the day for dehyrated skin. Ideal for cracked, chaffed skin. Great for cold sores.

Don’t suffer this Winter. You deserve better!!

[Via http://ginsengcreams.wordpress.com]

Psoriasis

Although this website has primarily been about socio-political issues and politics, I believe that if I were to examine the ideology of Avaaz more clearly, I’d have to say it’s raising a voice and creating awareness.

Hence I’ve taken it upon to address a wide range of topics lingering in the society.

From eMedicine:

“Psoriasis is a chronic, noncontagious, multisystem, inflammatory disorder. Patients with psoriasis have a genetic predisposition for the illness, which most commonly manifests itself on the skin of the elbows, knees, scalp, lumbosacral areas, intergluteal clefts, and glands penis. The joints are also affected by psoriasis in up to 30% of patients with the disease.

A lot of the victims of psoriasis have been subjected to abusive behaviour, going as far as not being allowed in a community pool because psoriasis is considered contagious. Psoriasis has a tendency to wax and wane with flares related to systemic or environmental factors, including life stress events and infection.”

Multiple types of psoriasis are identified, with discoid psoriasis, also known as plaque psoriasis, being the most common type. Plaque psoriasis usually presents with plaques on the scalp, trunk, and limbs. These plaques appear as focal, raised, inflamed, edematous lesions covered with silvery white scales.

Basically, it looks like this:

Patients with psoriasis have been victims of discriminatory and hurtful remarks. What people need to understand is that this is unstoppable and happens by itself. “Not taking care” or “not using creams” has nothing to do with it. People with psoriasis moisturize themselves equally well as non-psoriasis people do.

From Wikipedia:

“The cause of psoriasis is not fully understood. There are two main hypotheses about the process that occurs in the development of the disease. The first considers psoriasis as primarily a disorder of excessive growth and reproduction of skin cells. The problem is simply seen as a fault of the epidermis and its keratinocytes. The second hypothesis sees the disease as being an immune-mediated disorder in which the excessive reproduction of skin cells is secondary to factors produced by the immune system. T cells (which normally help protect the body against infection) become active, migrate to the dermis and trigger the release of cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-alpha TNFα, in particular) which cause inflammation and the rapid production of skin cells. It is not known what initiates the activation of the T cells.”

What I aim to educate people about is that psoriasis is basically just a chronic skin-rash, non-contagious, caused by extreme weather conditions or stress. Think of it as extreme dryness.

Think before passing rude or hurtful comment that are completely ignorant and make a fool out of oneself. We need to educate ourselves about the problems that surround us, instead of a turning a blind eye to them.

[Via http://arfasiddiqi.wordpress.com]

Dealing with Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a skin affliction that is chronic and affects the skin mainly, but can sometimes affect the joints too. It causes the skin to look inflamed, scaly and so unsightly. But it is not contagious as many people believe. It is a recurring form of skin disorder that varies in severity. It can be due to various factors from genetically inherited to stress related. It usually needs constant treatment and medication. Homeopathy is quite effective and a safer option for people suffering from this skin disorder.

Dr. Sandra Kamiak, a natural doctor in Saratoga will be able to explain how homeopathy works. The homeopathic medicines used to treat psoriasis contain the active ingredient in very small doses and in a diluted form. This means that unlike conventional medication which may have side effects, homeopathy has no side effects and is safe to take as a long term treatment. You can visit her site at www.sandrakamiakmd.com to learn more about homeopathy.

The right person to help you

Another reason why Dr. Sandra Kamiak may be the right person to help you is that she believes in holistic healing. Psoriasis may be stress related and if the underlying causes can be addressed, then there may be a change for the better. This natural doctor in Saratoga is also trained in psychosynthesis and uses her knowledge of alternative medicine to help her patients find a solution to their problems. Call her at (408) 741-1332 to fix an appointment.

[Via http://homeopathyba.wordpress.com]

Benefit Of Aromatherapy Bath Salt

For centuries, the combination of aromatherapy bath salts and water is the basis of a number of potent therapeutic treatments. This kind of therapy is even continuously employed even these days with lots of spas, ayurvedic, holistic centers and health clinics around the world administering such kind of service.

The origin of aromatherapy warm bath salt actually streamed from the belief that the bath salts and essential oils are a wonderfully synergistic combination. Many have believed and even claimed that the relaxing properties of hot water greatly compliment the effects of well chosen bath salts and essential oils, and that the aromatherapy bath salts can provide relief from unpleasant condition such as anxiety and stress. The aromatherapy warm bath salts are even noted to posses that strength to aid the muscles and joint pains, as well as to provide relief to the symptoms of more chronic skin conditions most people are currently suffering.

The aromatherapy bath salts have gained a number of honors from different fields. As you may know, both men and women these days are even enjoying aromatic baths that employ aromatherapy warm bath salts. Their numbers even continue to grow as more and more aromatherapy bath salt services are opening. In the field of sports, most of the therapy clinics employ Hydrotherapy Baths to help the patients recover from joint and muscle injuries.

Several dermatologists are also recommending the Bokek Dead Sea aromatherapy warm bath salt for patients afflicted by eczema, psoriasis and other dry skin conditions. Aside from that, most of the estheticians these days are highly emphasizing the cleansing properties of an aromatherapy bath salt in order to clean pores as well as to detoxify the body. And, much to your surprise, there are a number of aromatherapy warm bath salts out there that can take a vital role on daily and weekly basis even in your own home.

The most well-known aromatherapy bath salt these days is the Dead Sea aromatherapy warm bath salt. This bath salt is noted as a potent option for seborrhea and psoriasis treatment. Several studies were in fact conducted to know the real benefit of this aromatherapy bath salt, and it was found out in the end that 80 percent of the patients affected by psoriasis and osteoarthritis reported less pain after an aromatic bath with the Dead Sea bath salt.

Aside from that, it was found out that in as little as one week, a great number of patients treated with a 10 percent salt concentration in their baths have experienced marked improvement. This improvement was even said to involve relief from itching, skin scaling, and even sleep disturbances. And perhaps one of the best assets of this aromatherapy bath salt is its being free from any adverse side effects.

Cure For Infertility - Here's the Ultimate Psoriasis Natural Cure for Kids

cure for infertility

The National Institutes of Bloom NIH describes the action as an allowed arrangement ataxia that affects the skin and occasionally the eyes nails and joints. Crawling is characterised by dry red scales alleged plaques that are both aching and airedale a sometimes affecting condition.

The assessment of our bloom experts is that the allowed arrangement alone responds this way back there is article out of antithesis or the allowed arrangement is accurately responding to the attendance of a adopted protein in added words an allergic reaction. This is accurate by the actuality that the action is generally associated with aliment intolerances and actinic sensitivities.

The aboriginal abode to alpha with a crawling accustomed cure for kids is to analyze the allergen. This can be either a aliment abhorrence – aureate and dairy are generally to accusation – or an abhorrence to domiciliary chemicals soaps perfumes detergents animals or alike jewellery. A simple beating analysis will advice with this.

Take the comatose beating and if it rises added than beats per minute afterwards acknowledgment to the aliment or other again you accept an allergy.

Diet Recommendations

The crawling accustomed cure for kids starts with acclimation the diet

• No clutter food no aliment out of a box or a can no absurd food annihilate all forms of amoroso and aesthetic or candy carbohydrates bread pizza dough biscuits white aliment etc.
• Avoid the irritants or allergic foods and activate a circling diet abstain bistro the aforementioned affair at the aforementioned time consistently anniversary day.
• Increase the assimilation of omega capital blubbery acids from angle and beat berry oil and abate the assimilation of omega oils very accepted oils in nuts vegetable oils grains this will accept the aftereffect of abbreviation the deepening acknowledgment from the allowed system. Omega switches the allowed arrangement on and omega turns it off.

Recommended Supplements

We acclaim the afterward Supplements for a crawling accustomed cure for kids

• High dosage vitamin A and vitamin E you will charge to argue your bounded naturopath.
• EFA supplements as angle oil from a trusted source.
• A supplement absolute zinc chestnut and selenium – a naturopath will advance theraputic doses.
• Digestive enzymes these will enhance assimilation and rapidly advance the action of bark by abbreviation the anarchic allowed acknowledgment of the allowed system.
• A probiotic supplement ideal for abating the antithesis of digestive bacilli in the stomach.

Topical washes absolute Calendula and Chamomile may be accessible in abating the inflammation.

Essential oils may additionally be acclimated as a crawling accustomed cure for kids. The capital oils recommended by our aromatherapists include Bergamot Roman chamomile geranium lavender and frankincense.