How to Care for Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic, autoimmune disease that appears on the skin. It occurs when the immune system sends out faulty signals that speed up the growth cycle of skin cells. Psoriasis is not contagious. Psoriasis is a chronic skin disorder that is characterized by inflamed lesions and silvery white scales. It may appear in only a few isolated spots, or can be widespread over the body, and most typcially appears in people between the ages of 15 to 35.

There are five types of psoriasis: plaque, guttate, inverse, pustular and erythrodermic. The most common form, plaque psoriasis, appears as raised, red patches or lesions covered with a silvery white buildup of dead skin cells, called scale. Psoriasis can occur on any part of the body and is associated with other serious health conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease and depression.

Things You’ll Need:

* Vitamin A
* Zinc
* Evening primrose oil
* Aloe vera
* Flaxseed oil
* Vitamin C

1.            Get some sun. Natural sunlight has been shown to sigificantly improve, or clear, psoriasis. Get regular daily doses, but keep them short and avoid the sun from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., when the rays are strongest.

2.       Add over-the-counter tar solutions, bath oil, oatmeal, Epsom salts and Dead Sea salts to your bath. All of these will help soften the skin.

3.         Use moisturizers after bathing and periodically during the day. These may not clear the psoriasis, but will help reduce itching and retain moisture in the skin.

4.        Try using aloe vera gel, jojoba oil, vitamin E oil or natural vegetable oils as moisturizers. They are a natural and relatively inexpensive way to moisturize the skin.

5.       Take flaxseed oil or evening primrose oil according to directions on label. They supply essential fatty acids which are important for the skin and preventing dryness.

6.       Take natural beta-carotene, 25,000 IU per day. It helps protect skin tissue.

7.    Take zinc, preferably in the form of zinc gluconate lozenges, for maximum absorption. Do not exceed 50 mg per day.

8. Try shark cartilage. Take 1 gm per 15 lbs of body weight. Divide it into 3 doses a day. Shark cartilage has been known to stop the spread of psoriasis, but you will need to give it 2 to 3 months to see results.

9.   Take vitamins A (10,000 IU daily) and E (400-1200 IU daily).

10.   Take Vitamin C (2,000 to 5,000 mg a day) in divided doses. It is necessary for immune system function and for formation of collagen and skin tissue.

11.   Brush scales lightly with a loofah, then apply an alcohol-free extract of the herb goldenseal. This will help reduce inflammation and swelling.

12.   Keep a record of your outbreaks. Psoriasis typically flares up and then improves. Write down what you were doing, eating, or what was going on in your life at the time of a flare-up. Triggers to flare-ups include stress, tension, illness, sunburn, certain drugs and alcohol.

13.   Decrease or eliminate red meat and dairy products. They contain arachidonic acid, a substance that can cause inflammation and, in turn, make your psoriasis lesions swollen and red.

By eHow Health Editor

Benzoyl Peroxide and Tretinoin

When applying antiacne drugs to the skin, people should be careful not to get the medicine in the eyes, mouth, or inside the nose. They should not put the medicine on skin that is wind burned, sunburned, or irritated, and not apply it to open wounds.

Because antiacne drugs such as benzoyl peroxide and tretinoin irritate the skin slightly, users should avoid doing anything that might cause further irritation. They should wash the face with mild soap and water only two or three times a day, unless the physician says to wash it more often. They should also avoid using abrasive soaps or cleansers and products that might dry the skin or make it peel, such as medicated cosmetics, cleansers that contain alcohol, or other acne products that contain resorcinol, sulfur, or salicylic acid.

If benzoyl peroxide or tretinoin make the skin too red or too dry or cause too much peeling, the user should check with a physician. Using the medicine less often or using a weaker strength may be necessary. Benzoyl peroxide can irritate the skin of people with skin of color and cause darkened spots called hyperpigmentation on the skin. Benzoyl peroxide may discolor hair or colored fabrics.

ORAL DRUGS. Oral antibiotics are taken daily for two to four months. The drugs used include tetracycline, erythromycin, minocycline (Minocin), doxycycline, clindamycin (Cleocin), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim, Septra). Possible side effects include allergic reactions, stomach upset, vaginal yeast infections, dizziness, and tooth discoloration.

The goal of treating moderate acne is to decrease inflammation and prevent new comedones from forming. One effective treatment is topical tretinoin, used along with a topical or oral antibiotic. A combination of topical benzoyl peroxide and erythromycin is also very effective. Improvement is normally seen within four to six weeks, but treatment is maintained for at least two to four months.

Special Conditions

People who have certain medical conditions or who are taking certain other medicines may have problems if they use antiacne drugs. Before using these products, the physician should be informed about any of the following conditions.

ALLERGIES. Anyone who has had unusual reactions to etretinate, isotretinoin, tretinoin, vitamin A preparations, or benzoyl peroxide in the past should let the physician know before using an antiacne drug. The physician should also be told about any allergies to foods, dyes, preservatives, or other substances.

PREGNANCY. Teens who are pregnant or who may become pregnant should check with a physician before using tretinoin or benzoyl peroxide. Isotretinoin causes birth defects in humans and must not be used during pregnancy.

OTHER MEDICAL CONDITIONS. Before using antiacne drugs applied to the skin, people with any of these medical problems should make sure their physicians are aware of their conditions:
• Eczema. Antiacne drugs that are applied to the skin may make this condition worse.
• Sunburn or raw skin. Antiacne drugs that are applied to the skin may increase the pain and irritation of these conditions.

In people with certain medical conditions, isotretinoin may increase the amount of triglyceride (a fatty-substance) in the blood. This may lead to heart or blood vessel problems. Before using isotretinoin, adolescents with any of the following medical problems should make sure their physicians are aware of their conditions:

• alcoholism or heavy drinking, currently or in the past
• diabetes or family history of diabetes (Isotretinoin may change blood sugar levels.)
• family history of high triglyceride levels in the blood
• severe weight problems

Using antiacne drugs with certain other drugs may affect the way the drugs work or may increase the chance of side effects.