PSORIASIS

PSORIASIS CARE

People look at those scaly places on your elbows and shrink away from you, afraid that you have some terrible communicable disease. You certainly don’t want to go swimming and see people leave the pool the minute you enter.

Your skin cells have gone crazy – you have psoriasis. Normally skin cells mature and shed after about a month. In psoriasis, this process speed up, talking only three to four days. The cause is unknown but a family history of the disease is common. Because the lower layer of skin cells divides more rapidly than the normal, dead cells accumulate in thicker patches on the skin’s outermost layer.

• For mild psoriasis, a daily bath can help soak off scales. Because dry skin can worsen psoriasis, a daily bath can help soak off scales. Because dry skin can worsen psoriasis, don’t use hot water or harsh soap.
• Choose an emollient cream that keeps your skin moist. Avoid products containing lanolin which may increase sensitive.
• Scalp psoriasis often responds to dandruff shampoos. Work up lather and leave on your head for at least five minutes.
• Phototherapy – even exposing your skin to moderate sunlight may improve some patches, but sunburn may make psoriasis worse. If you have small patches, try a UVB sunlamp.
• A cold bath with a cup of apple cider vinegar in it will decrease the itching.
• A bag of ice- cubes held against the skin will also temporarily decrease itching.
• Avoid fats, dairy products, red meat, sugar, white flour and citrus fruits.
• Linseed oil capsules of unsaturated fatty acid appear to help in some cases.
• Relaxation techniques aimed at reducing stress are beneficial in reducing the incidence of attacks.