Home Remedies For Psoriasis

Psoriasis is among the most common and most difficult to control of all skin diseases, affecting about 2 percent of the population. It affects men and women equally and usually appears between the ages of fifteen and thirty. It generally follows a chronic course of acute flare-ups alternating with periods of remission. Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune skin disease that causes irritation and redness on the surface of the skin. People suffering from psoriasis generally have thick reddish colored skin with silver-white flaky patches known as scales. Psoriasis may be mild, moderate, or severe based on factors such as the total area of the affected skin, activity of the disease, response to therapies, and impact on the patient’s health. There are 5 main types of psoriasis, namely plaque, inverse, guttate, erythrodermic, and pustular. Plaque is the most common form of psoriasis and is characterized by white and red scaly patches on the topmost layer of the skin. Plaque psoriasis generally affects the elbows and knees but may also be seen on the palms, feet, scalp, and genitals. This is a chronic skin condition that may either be seen on some parts of the body or may cover the entire body. Even the nails on the fingers and toes can get affected by this form of psoriasis. Joint inflammation can also be caused by psoriasis which can lead to psoriatic arthritis.

Erythrodermic psoriasis on the other hand is characterized by an exfoliation and inflammation of the skin all over the body. Patients affected by this form of psoriasis often experience pain, swelling, and severe itching. Plaque psoriasis can turn into erythrodermic psoriasis especially when treatment is discontinued before the symptoms start subsiding. If left untreated erythrodermic psoriasis can even be fatal as the extreme inflammation can hinder the body from regulating temperature. Pustular psoriasis is characterized by pus-filled raised bumps on the skin surface and generally affects random body parts. Guttate psoriasis refers to small red or pink scaly teardrop-shaped lesions that are typically visible on larger areas of the body such as the scalp, trunk, and limbs.

The word psoriasis is derived from the Greek psora, which means “to itch.” Salmon-red bumps with a silvery scale appear on the skin, get bigger, and grow together to form large plaques.

Lesions of psoriasis vary in size from fractions of an inch in diameter to large plaques covering most of the body and requiring hospitalization. Places on the body most commonly affected by psoriasis include the elbows, knees, scalp, and sacral areas. The nails are involved in about one-half of cases, with pitting, breaking, thickening under the nail, or thickening of the nail itself. In addition, between 10 and 30 percent of people with psoriasis also suffer from psoriatic arthritis, which can be quite painful.

Because of the chronic, difficult nature of psoriasis, professional help is needed in all but the least severe cases.

There appear to be many reasons why some people develop psoriasis and others do not. It has a tendency to be inherited—about one-third of those who have it have another family member with psoriasis. Several studies have documented the relationship between specific stresses and the start and flare-ups of psoriasis. Almost half of all people with psoriasis report that a specific stressful event occurred within one month before the first episode of psoriasis.

Home Remedies For Psoriasis

1. Herbal liver tonics, together with tissue and blood cleansers, or alternatives, form the most important initial part of herbal treatment for psoriasis. Slightly less important are nerve tonics, or nervines, which soothe the nerves and lessen the itching of psoriasis.
2. Applying aloe vera gel to the lesions can help. Dr. Andrew Weil reported that 83 percent of psoriasis patients who applied aloe vera cream three times a day for up to four weeks noted an improvement. Dr. Weil recommends using pure aloe vera gel instead of an aloe vera cream that contains other ingredients.
3. Apple cider vinegar diluted in water can be used to temporarily help relieve itching and scaling. Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar can also be diluted in three to four times as much lukewarm water and poured over the head, rubbed in, left for one minute, and then rinsed out. Or you can add 1/2 cup of cider vinegar to a tubful of bath water to help restore acidity to the skin.
4. Banana peel is a key ingredient in Exorex. This is a lotion concocted from coal tar and a specific essential fatty acid from the banana peel that is associated with the immune system. Reportedly, the idea was derived from Zulu folklore, in which banana peels have been used for a variety of skin ailments for years.
5. Burdock root can help improve flare-ups of psoriasis. Take 20 to 40 drops of tincture three times a day.
6. Chamomile is widely used in Europe for treating psoriasis. It contains anti-inflammatory flavonoid compounds. If you have ragweed allergies, however, do not use chamomile, as it is a member of the ragweed family.
7. Castor oil is particularly helpful when left overnight on thick, small, well-circumscribed lesions. If cold-pressed castor oil is mixed with baking soda, it has been found to greatly improve thick, scaly heel skin, as long as the skin isn’t cracked.
8. Cayenne pepper has anti-inflammatory properties and helps with healing. Two clinical trials reviewed in the November 1998 issue of Archives of Dermatology reported that 0.025 percent capsaicin cream, made from hot peppers, works to reduce the redness and scaling in psoriasis. Capsaicin cream is available over the counter as Capzasin-P or Zostrix. It should be used over a six-week period. Care should be taken not to apply it to broken skin.
9. Common figwort helps to clear psoriatic plaques. The recommended dose is 2 milliliters of a tincture, taken twice a day.
10. The dandelion tincture is useful for stimulating bile flow and clearing toxins out of the system. It is frequently combined with a yellow dock (see below) for this purpose. The recommended dose is 30 to 60 drops twice a day.
11. Echinacea tincture is occasionally used for psoriasis. It boosts the immune system, and so may decrease the incidence of colds, which can lead to flare-ups in some individuals. The recommended dose is 20 to 30 drops three times a day for up to ten days. Stop for two weeks, then repeat.
12. Emu oil contains essential fatty acids and may be helpful for psoriasis. Apply it to the lesions as directed by the manufacturer.
13. Flaxseed oil is chemically similar to fish oil and helps treat psoriasis. Adding flaxseed oil to salad dressing is a good way to get this helpful supplement into your diet. Take 1%2 tablespoon of flaxseed oil daily.
14. Fumitory contains fumaric acid, which has been found to be very helpful for psoriasis. Make a strong tea from fumitory and apply it to the affected areas with a cotton ball twice a day.
15. Garlic is detoxifying and includes a number of sulfur-containing compounds. Sulfur deficiency may contribute to psoriasis. Take three to six garlic capsules daily.
16. Goldenseal tincture helps to clear the body of toxins that lead to flare-ups. Take 20 to 30 drops twice a day for up to ten days at a time.
17. Gotu kola extract reduces inflammation and speeds skin healing. In India, it has been used for psoriasis for hundreds of years. Take 200 milligrams three times a day for one month.
18. Liquid licorice extract applied directly to the affected areas with a cotton ball, is felt by some naturopaths to work as well as corticosteroid creams.
19. Flaxseed oil, applied to affected areas twice a day, is said to help heal psoriasis. Avocado, garlic, and walnut oils applied topically twice a day to the psoriatic patches, are equally helpful for moisturizing and healing.
20. Milk thistle cleanses and protects the liver, increases bile flow, and helps in blood purification. It also helps to correct the abnormal cell replication present in psoriasis. Take 300 milligrams of milk-thistle extract three times a day.
21. Neem-seed oil, an Ayurvedic herbal remedy, is highly recommended by some psoriasis sufferers. It was introduced to the United States in 1994 by India and Pakistan. Neem lotions are usually found in East Indian markets

Author: Dr Izharul Hasan

READ MORE:

• Home Remedies For Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy
• Home Remedies For Peptic Ulcer