Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Nutritional Curcumin is a Treatment For Psoriasis

Nutritional curcumin is a treatment for psoriasis and other skin conditions especially inflammatory skin conditions. Coming from the bulbous roots of the Curcuma Longa plant this spice holds the key to effective treatment of many body conditions.

Ancient usage

For thousands of years this spice has been used by the Indians and Chinese. It has been used for dying clothes and more importantly it has been used as part of their medicine to treat all kinds of illnesses. It was and in some places still is used as an antiseptic and disinfectant for the skin against blood poisoning from cuts etc. as it speeds up the wound healing process apart of which is to remodel damaged skin.

Anti inflammatory

One of its major characteristics that this phytochemcial has is its anti inflammatory properties. These properties are so potent that they are equally as strong as taking NSAID's that the doctor gives out. They have a major distinct advantage though they don't have the nasty side effects that allopathic drugs have.

It is this quality as well as others that make nutritional curcumin very useful in treating psoriasis and other painful conditions like boils and acne as it also is a good analgesic, pain killer, and so it is useful for any painful complaint.

Supplement

Since last year, when a friend introduced me to an amazing nutritional supplement that contains nutritional curcumin as well as over 70 other life enhancing plant ingredients, I have been taking it regularly and the immediate benefits that I have noticed about myself is increased energy, clearer skin and the peace of mind knowing that I am giving my body the best possible protection that I can.

Psoriasis and Symptoms

Psoriasis is a chronic, non-contagious, recurrent skin condition that affects the skin and joints, with the scalp being a common site. It is more likely to occur in dry skin rather than oily, well-moisturised skin and it can cause hair to be dry and brittle. Red scaly patches of inflammation appear and there is excessive skin production. The skin rapidly accumulates in certain areas forming dry, well-defined lesions of silvery white scales with underlying bleeding points. Although the causes are largely unknown it is thought that genetic factors involved. However, there are certain things which can aggravate the condition, including:

  • Emotional stress
  • Excessive alcohol consumption
  • Smoking

Since the causes are unknown it can be difficult to treat this condition and the treatments are often based on trial and error. The first treatment that is usually tried is medicated ointments, known as topical treatments. The ointments applied directly to the skin help reduce any inflammation and soften and remove the plaques of scaling.

These treatments can irritate normal skin, be time consuming and awkward to apply as well as stain clothing and have a strong odor. Bath solutions and moisturizers can also be used to soothe the skin and reduce dryness. The second treatment that is normally tried is exposing the skin to UV light which is called phototherapy. The third and final treatment is to take medication internally as pills or injections, which is known as systemic treatment.

The most common form of psoriasis is "Plaque psoriasis", there are also other forms of psoriasis such as; Flexural, Guttate, Pustular, Nail, Psoriatic Arthritis, Erythrodermic.

Psoriasis - A General Overview

Psoriasis is a skin disease that is more likely to affect people with fair skin complexion. It remains to be fully understood as to why Asian and African origin are less predisposed to it compare to Caucasian. Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease with no permanent cure available as of today.

Genetic and hereditary factors seem to contribute to the triggering of Psoriasis. This skin disease usually runs in the family and affects both men and women alike. Psoriasis usually affects adults between the ages of fifteen to thirty five years of age.

Patches of red scaly skin usually appear on the armpit, elbow, leg, scalp, face and at times even as far as private parts of the body such as the chest, breast and genitalia region. Psoriasis is not contagious and cannot be contracted through physical skin contacts such as touch.

There are at least five different types of Psoriasis and blood test analysis can readily reveal and confirm if a person is suffering from it. Blood test can reveal the type of antibody generated by the body immune system in response to the different type of Psoriasis affecting a patient.

Psoriasis occurs when a person's skin replaces itself too quickly. This might occur if the persons immune system is compromised and faulty biological immune system signals causes the skin cells to grow quickly and uncontrollably.

Medical research conducted by a team from the University Of Michigan indicates the presence of a specific gene, designated 'PORS1' and scientists believed this gene contributes to the triggering of skin inflammation leading to Psoriasis outbreak.

Further research is needed to map out the genetic determinants of Psoriasis and with the knowledge acquired it is hope that doctors and medical scientists can someday develop better treatments to not only treat the symptoms but in addition to that a universal permanent cure for all those suffering from it.

Psoriasis can be quite difficult to cope with, both from physical and psychological aspects. The self-esteemed of a person could be deeply affected due to disfigurement caused by this skin disease, more so if it affects visible parts of the body such as the face. The pain and itch associated with it could be quite traumatic and unbearable at times.

Psoriasis is usually not a life threatening disease and does not require long-term hospitalization treatment. There are exceptional isolated severe cases whereby the skin starts to lose its protective functions and as such is unable to prevent bacteria and other substances from entering the body.

Various factors could trigger the outbreak and worsen the condition of Psoriasis. These include severe stress, hormone imbalance and poor detoxification of the body. Prolong exposure to pollutants and chemicals such as heavy metals, pesticides, uncontrolled intake of drugs such as beta-blockers, smoking and drinking exacerbates and worsen the condition of Psoriasis.

Vitamin and mineral deficiencies such as zinc, selenium, chromium, vitamin A, B and E could worsen the condition of Psoriasis. It is important to maintain good health with strong immune body system to keep this skin disease at bay.

There are various medical treatments available to alleviate the pain and itch associated with Psoriasis. Doctors normally prescribed treatments based on the severity, the conditions and the type of Psoriasis that the patient is suffering from. Patients with suppressed immune system may experienced more severe painful symptoms and as such it is not surprising that doctors may recommend holistic treatments that involves the combinations of topical, laser light and other form of antibiotics treatments.

What is Psoriasis and What Does it Look Like?

Psoriasis is a persistent autoimmune skin disease which is not contagious. Psoriasis affects both the skin and the joints of the individual who is affected by the disease. Psoriasis normally causes the skin of the individual to become red and scaly. Normally, these outbreaks are only in patches. These patches caused by psoriasis are called psoriatic plaques. Psoriatic plaques are patches of skin where the skin has become inflamed and there has been an excessive amount of skin production. The skin produced by the body accumulates at these patches and has a white appearance. The patches occur commonly on the skin around elbows and knees. However, many individuals also report outbreaks on their scalp and their genital region. Psoriasis is different from eczema in the aspect that it is more likely to be located on the extensor point of the joint.

Psoriasis is a persistent condition, but the severity of psoriasis can vary from each individual. Some individuals report mild psoriasis with just a few small patches, while others report severe cases of psoriasis where their whole body or most of their body is affected by the skin disease. The exact cause of psoriasis is unknown. The common belief behind the origin of psoriasis is that the skin disease is a genetic disease.

Types of psoriasis

• Plaque psoriasis: plaque psoriasis is the most general type of the skin disease. Plaque psoriasis is responsible for about eighty five percent of all cases of psoriasis. This type of psoriasis normally appears as elevated inflamed regions of skin that are covered with white flaky skin.
• Flexural psoriasis: flexural psoriasis appears as a smooth patch of inflamed skin. Most commonly flexural psoriasis occurs in the bends of the skin. Flexural psoriasis is irritated by perspiration and friction.
• Guttate psoriasis: Guttate psoriasis appears as small round patches. These patches appear over larger areas of the body such as; arms, legs, core section, and scalp.
• Pustular psoriasis: Pustular psoriasis appears as elevated sores that look like blisters because they are filled with pus. Normally these occur on the hands and feet, or wide spread over a larger area.
• Nail psoriasis: Nail psoriasis causes an alteration in the appearance of finger nails and toe nails. These alterations can be discoloration, ridges in the nail, thickening of the skin under the nail, loose nails, nail crumbling, and pitting of the nails.
• Erythrodermic psoriasis: Erythrodermic psoriasis is the broad area of inflammation of the skin. This normally occurs over most of the body. Severe dryness, redness, itching, swelling, and pain may occur.

Symptoms of psoriasis

The symptoms of psoriasis are pretty general. The most common symptoms of psoriasis are areas of skin that appear to be red, inflamed, dry, and flaky skin. Normally the skin on this rash looking area appears as a white or silver color. Some individuals report not only having redness, inflammation, dryness, and flaky skin but also having itchy skin, and slight pain or irritation. These symptoms are normally the only symptoms needed to detect psoriasis. A diagnosis of the skin disease known as psoriasis is generally based on a visual appearance of the skin. Doctors have no need to run tests or other procedures on an individual to determine whether or not they have psoriasis. In some cases, a physician may perform a skin biopsy or pluck a sample of the flaky skin in order to confirm his suspicion about psoriasis.

The treatments for psoriasis

Every individual who is affected by the skin disease known as psoriasis is different. Because every individual is different and because there are various different types of psoriasis the treatments for psoriasis are not always the same. This is why physicians and/or dermatologists perform numerous different trial treatments to see which treatment the patient responds best to. Doctors and dermatologists perform these trials to find the treatment most appropriate and most effective for the patient. Treatment decisions are based on type of psoriasis, the general location, severity, extent, patient's age, sex, quality of life, and objections about particular treatments all play a role in the treatment plan.

As of 2008, the Federal Drug Administration or FDA introduced three new treatments that they had approved for psoriasis treatment:

• Taclonex Scalp: Taclonex scalp is a topical ointment for individuals looking to treat scalp psoriasis.
• Xtrac Velocity Excimer Laser System: This treatment produces a high level of ultra violet light used to treat moderate to severe cases of psoriasis.
• Adalimumab: This is a biological drug treatment formulated to treat severe cases of psoriasis.

Doctors and dermatologists also use antibiotics in some cases. Generally, antibiotics are not utilized to treat psoriasis but antibiotics are used to fight infection in psoriasis patients.

There are numerous different topical treatments that are suggested by physicians and dermatologists to treat psoriasis. Bath treatments and moisturizers are some of the most common treatments suggested by doctors to treat psoriasis. This is because these bath treatments and moisturizers help calm the patches, reduce redness, and reduce dryness. Ointments that are applied directly to the affected area help reduce irritation, inflammation, remove skin build up, and increase the overall appearance of the affected area.

There are some disadvantages of topical treatments for treating psoriasis. If an individual uses a topical treatment for their psoriasis over a prolonged or extended amount of time, the medication in the topical treatment can cause irritation to normal skin. These topical medications can also have strong odors or stain clothing among numerous other things.

Phototherapy is a treatment often used to psoriasis treatment. Individuals who are exposed to sunlight without burning improve the condition of their psoriasis. This is why phototherapy was created. Phototherapy provides psoriasis patients with exposure to ultra violet rays for a certain amount of time in order to improve their psoriasis.

Photochemotherapy is a procedure used to treat psoriasis in which psoralen and ultraviolet A phototherapy are combined. This procedure is commonly referred to as the PUVA treatment. The psoralen is administered by topical or oral ingestion while the individual also undergoes ultraviolet therapy in order to improve their psoriasis. Individuals who have undergone the PUVA treatment report symptoms of nausea, fatigue, migraines or headaches, or skin irritation. Long term patients of this treatment have been known to develop squamous cell carcinoma.

How to prevent psoriasis

Unfortunately, there is no cure for psoriasis that will keep it from occurring again. However, there are numerous precautions you can take in order to help lower the severity of your psoriasis and to improve the overall condition. These precautions will not eliminate your psoriasis; however, they will help alleviate the pain, irritation, severity, inflammation, among other symptoms.

There are numerous factors that are known to cause flare ups in psoriasis. Some of these factors include; stress, excessive alcohol consumption, and smoking. You can improve your psoriasis if you can avoid becoming overly stressed or being stressed out frequently. The frequent consumption of alcohol is also proven to aggravate psoriasis so it is suggested that you limit your alcohol consumption to a low amount or eliminate alcohol consumption altogether. Smoking can also cause a flare in your psoriasis. It is recommended that you cut back on smoking, or if you can, quit smoking altogether. If you can limit these factors, or eliminate most of them the severity of your psoriasis is bound to improve.

There are several other precautions you can take. Individuals with psoriasis should avoid prolonged exposure to extreme heat, and avoid becoming sun burnt. This may cause your psoriasis to become irritated. You should also continue any treatments that your doctor has suggested. Avoid using topical treatments too often. However, you should use your topical ointments on a regular basis. Another great way to improve your psoriasis is to begin taking oatmeal bath treatments. Oatmeal bath treatments are great for any skin irritation because the oatmeal soothes the skin. It will reduce redness, itching, dryness, irritation, and inflammation. You should also keep your skin moisturized. You should apply an intensive moisturizing lotion each day in order to keep your skin full of moisture. If your skin becomes dry your psoriasis will worsen. Avoid using powders, perfumes, harsh soaps, or exposing your skin to harsh chemicals such as cleaning supplies.

Powders dry out the skin, so it is important to avoid using any powder. Try to keep your skin as moisturized as possible. You should also avoid perfumes around your psoriasis outbreaks because they can cause irritation and strip natural oils from the skin. Harsh soaps and detergents should also be avoided because they can cause irritation. Begin using soaps and detergents that have moisturizing agents and allergen controls. These will help moisturize your skin and prevent any irritation. When you are cleaning, it is important to avoid exposing affected skin to the cleaning chemicals and agents. This can irritate your skin, strip natural oils from your skin, and cause severe dryness of your skin.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Are There Any Cures For Psoriasis?

Sometimes, we just want that magic word cure to be true. However, at this time, there is no cure for Psoriasis. Psoriasis effects millions of Americans, including children, and it can impact their daily life in varying degrees. Not only can psoriasis be physically painful, but emotionally painful as well.

If you do not know, there are several types of psoriasis. It is an autoimmune disease, and is not contagious. Even though there are several types of psoriasis, most people suffer from plaque psoriasis, which causes red patches that have a white (silver) buildup of dead skins on the skin. These lesions are usually on the arms, legs and scalp, but can flare up anywhere on the body.

So how does one get rid of psoriasis? Probably, a better way to state it, would be, how does someone manage their psoriasis?

Even though the exact cause of psoriasis in still unknown, certain triggers can create flare ups. So if at all possible, it may be best to avoid stress, alcohol use, large amounts of animal fats in your diet and some prescribed medications such as beta blockers. Everyone's life has some stress, and using techniques such as yoga and meditation can help. Alcohol can increase the absorption of toxins and is best not to partake.. Diets rich in high-fiber, that include whole grains, fruits and vegetables can also be very helpful, as they help flush toxins from your system. Also depending on your circumstance, prescribed medications may be needed, so please consult with your health care physician on what is best for you.

Another way, is to re-nourish the skin on a daily basis. Too often, a doctor will prescribe a medication, that contains steroids, or cortisone, which after long term use, can have negative effects on the body. Also, many products available to consumers contain coal tar, which again, is not beneficial to your body.

Lastly, every person is different. There is no single product, diet, treatment that will work for everyone. Psoriasis is life-long, learn what your triggers are, improve your diet and use products that are safe. Just because one cream didn't work, does not mean there is not one that wouldn't work for you. When you try a product, read the ingredients, give it time to work and make sure it is guaranteed.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Top 10 Tips For Alleviating Dry Skin, Excema and Psoriasis

This time of year many people complain about dry, itching skin - from arms to legs. It happens when we head into fall and winter. Homes and businesses start turning on the heat, which means less moisture in the air and less for our skin. Among other things, we tend to drink less water than in the warm summer months.

The good news are these 10 tips for bringing life back to your skin. Here's to an itch-free winter!

1. Nix the long, hot shower. I know, it feels good. Especially on a cold day. But you are robbing your skin of moisture and oils. So cut it short - 5 minutes is plenty - and use warm water instead. Besides, you'll save on your utility bill. And if you can, switch to showers every other day (for skipped days, wash your hair in a sink). You'll notice a difference in your skin.

2. Take your Omega 3 EPA/DPA Fish Oils. In capsules, liquid, whatever it takes. Not only will it help your skin, your ligaments and joints are going to love it. Dr. Andrew Weil recommends two grams of fish oil daily. Also, flaxseed oil is a wonderful supplement for keeping skin healthy and glowing. Check with your M.D. Even simply switching from salad dressing to extra virgin olive oil is another good move to putting good oils in your body for the benefit of your skin.

3. Drink plenty of water. Yes, it's true and you've heard it all before. Drink eight to 10 8 oz. glasses throughout the day. Your skin is the largest organ and needs to flush the toxins out daily.

4. Turn on the humidifier. Home heating takes the moisture out of the air during the winter months. A $30 humidifier will aid your skin and sinuses. Most come with an indicator. Try to keep it at 35%.

5. Moisturize after your shower. This is the best time, since your pores are open and ready for protection.

6. Choose wisely what you put on your skin. 100% shea butter (from the pulp from Africa's karite trees) coats and protects the skin and is my first recommendation for those of you with a tendency toward super dry skin or even excema and psoriasis. It is a concentrated, therapeutic balm. I recommend 100% shea butter.

7. Skip the drying soaps and shampoos. Start reading the labels of these products and your skin will thank you. Don't use any products that have sulfates in them. It is an irritant and drying agent that literally strips your skin of its precious oils. Think of it as something you would use to degrease your car engine. While you're at it, throw out any products with parabens or dyes.

8. Take care of those hands and feet. Remember to moisturize them as well. Keep hands protect with gloves or mitten when outdoors. Protecting them from the elements makes a world of difference. Moisturize hands and feet when stepping out of the shower too, then again at bedtime. I recommend soaking your feet for a bit at night, then massaging them with shea butter and finishing off with a pair of cotton socks. You'll wake up with super soft feet.

9. Exfoliate twice a week with an inexpensive loofa or bristle brush. It aids circulation (start from the outer limbs and work toward your heart) and removes the surface layer of dead cells. Just think of it as prep work for applying moisturizer.

10. Cut down on Starbucks or your coffee of choice. Caffeine is a diuretic, which means it removes water from the body. A good rule of thumb is for every cup of coffee you drink, tack on another 8 oz. of water (in addition to the 8 glasses you should be drinking daily).

So you made it through all 10 tips! They will get you through the winter with soft, hydrated skin.

UV Light to Treat Psoriasis

Light therapy is a clear proof that the role of lighting goes beyond what we normally understand using this term. Usually, when we say lighting we think illumination or light effects, or accent lighting. We rarely associate the term with a form of therapy, but light is used to treat various illnesses and it works; more or less. Light, in its different colors and form) is used to treat acne, eczema and psoriasis, sleep related disorders, depression (seasonal or non-seasonal) and it is believed to relieve even pain. Now let's take a look at a paradox: the harmful UV light is used to treat psoriasis.

The use of UV lighting to treat severe skin conditions is called phototherapy. One of the most severe skin conditions treated with ultra violet light is psoriasis. This is a very common skin disease, with many variations from psoriasis vulgaris (which is the most common form) to inverse psoriasis. The illness affects people of all ages, women and men with equal frequency. It is not transmissible; it occurs usually in the second decade of life and might remain a lifelong companion. The symptoms include irregular fingernail growth, raised and inflamed red lesions on the skin, covered with layers of dead skin cells and rarely, arthritis.

There is no cure for the disease, but there are some treatment options that could control the development of the skin lesions. Among them, use of UV lighting devices.

As you already know, UV light is harmful. There are three types of UV light: A, B and C. While UVC doesn't exist in its pure form in nature (the waves coming from the sun are getting absorbed in the atmosphere) UVB and UVA are present, yet not in sufficient amounts for people suffering from psoriasis. Too much of that light and we'll suffer too, for UV light might cause skin cancer, premature aging of the skin, cataracts and other problems, including DNA damage.

For the synthesis of vitamin D, we need UV-A, the least harmful of the three, but how does UV light help with psoriasis? Simple: it slows down the production of skin cells, thus helping to reduce inflammation. This is the very reason why overexposure causes skin disorders. Therefore, it is clear that UV light therapy should never be practiced in the absence of trained medics. The UVA light therapy method use to treat psoriasis is called PUVA. It combines psoralen and ultraviolet A. It is efficient on almost 85 % of the patients suffering from minor to medium forms of the disease. A number of 20-30 minute treatments are needed to start seeing obvious results. Too much UVA light and patients might experience adverse effects including nausea and burning.

UV-B is used alone or in combination with medicine. For example, the most popular form of treatment that employs UV-B is the Goeckerman regimen (UV-B plus coal tar). Other treatments are the Ingram method (which involves applying anthralin after a tar bath and UV-B light therapy) and a combination of UV-B with corticosteroids or other softening creams.

Relief From Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a very bad skin condition if it flares severely. Only the patient knows what he/she is undergoing. There is no way to share the trauma of skin falling and itching. The application of medication tires the patient after some time. One wants to run away from it but cannot. How to get relief from psoriasis? Let us talk about it.

Psoriasis- acceptance

To accept that I have psoriasis and it will not go away for my lifetime is the first step. When we get stressed, we trigger more of psoriasis. Better to keep calm. Let psoriasis be there on the body. Try to take attention away from it. Use the medicines as directed and stop worrying about it. Asking repeatedly- why me, will not help. Everyone has some pain. We have psoriasis. Let us accept it. If you suffer from psoriasis, you must have experienced that when psoriasis flares up, you get mentally disturbed. It beats us in both the directions. But we have to conquer it. The only way is to surrender to it without any resistance.

Psoriasis- think of other things

Thinking of Psoriasis will be of no help. That does not cure it. That worsens it. Better to think of other things in life. Try to achieve goals and love. Try to love others. Make life better. There is no other way out of a disease, which will be a lifelong companion. Make friends with it, because it will never leave you.

Psoriasis- medication

Many of us get very disheartened after trying many medications. We find that psoriasis returns. Some of the treatments are very troublesome and messy. Others have side effects. We get tired of medicines. Many of us search for alternatives to modern medicine. But after trying every possibility, we conclude that nothing works. It only tires us more. Better to talk to your doctor about this and use only few medicines. Accept whatever relief they give and continue with life as cheerfully as possible.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Getting the Vitamins You Need to Fight Psoriasis From Food

Chemically synthesized vitamin A has been used in the treatment of psoriasis since the early 1970's. The biologically active form of the vitamin, retinoic acid, is known to be a regulator of the genes that control cell division in the skin. Psoriatic skin cells require unusually large amounts of retinoic acid due to immune imbalances (an excess of the chemical interferon) in the region of the skin forming a plaque.

How does the food you eat provide you with retinoic acid? The easiest foods from which to extract vitamin A are those that are stirred, or at least provided as an emulsion. The gut best absorbs vitamin A from a mixture of fat and water. It has a hard time absorbing vitamin A from fat hitting the lower digestive tract without water.

This means, no matter how much you like butter, eating a stick every day won't make your psoriasis any better. Vitamin A is better provided by a plant source, combined with plant fat, such oil, nuts, seeds, or avocados. You should eat some plant fat at the same meal you eat any orange or yellow fruit or vegetable, but you don't need more than about a tablespoon of fat (and a teaspoon may be enough) to absorb the beta-carotene. Buttering vegetables also provides vitamin A, and is preferable to margarine, which only provides fat.

The human body can also make its own vitamin A out of beta-carotene. Overweight people, however, need to eat more beta-carotene to get the same amount of vitamin A, since they have more fat cells to "hide" the beta-carotene and keep it out of circulation.

The B vitamin folic acid is important in the management of psoriasis. Epidemiologists measuring bloodstream concentrations of folic acid found deficiencies in a majority of psoriasis sufferers, so most nutritionists recommend eating a lot of folate-rich foods. What foods are high folate/folic acid? Emphasize turkey, oranges, English peas, lentils, chickpeas, dried beans, avocados, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Savoy cabbage, and bok choi. B vitamins are soluble, so prepare with a minimum of contact with water.

Do You Know What Causes Eczema and Psoriasis to Flare Up?

What is psoriasis? What is eczema? What triggers psoriasis? What causes eczema to flare up?

Those are only a few of the questions that people have and causes confusion.

First, let's define psoriasis. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease, that is chronic, and appears on the skin. It is not contagious, and is mostly on the elbows, legs and scalp, but can be anywhere on the body. The most common type of psoriasis is plaque psoriasis, although there are 5 different types of psoriasis. Plaque psoriasis can be recognized by red patches on the skin, with scales (a buildup of white dead cells). It can be itchy, uncomfortable and even painful at times. There can also be feelings of being overwhelmed, low esteem, and embarrassment. Millions and millions of American people have psoriasis, as many as 7.5 million people according to the National Institute of Health.

Some of the well known triggers for psoriasis are stress, climate change, certain medications (such as lithium), alcohol consumption, skin injury, and diet. Eczema, is a dermatitis(or inflammation of the skin) similar to psoriasis, but is a more of a condition than a disease. Eczema can create skin that is crusty, oozing, scabs that are usually very itchy. It does not have the white, flaky scales like psoriasis. The exact cause is not known, but the immune system is the activator.

Eczema usually is caused by some type of allergy. Most of the times, it is an external trigger that causes the eczema to flare up. Some of the triggers can be detergents, weather, stress, clothing, etc. There are many types of eczema, probably the most recognized is seborrheic eczema, commonly known as dandruff. In the case of dandruff, itching may not be the issue, but yellowish,scaly patches of skin on the scalp. Weather, oily skin and emotional stress, can increase the chance of developing this type of Eczema. Whether someone suffers from psoriasis or eczema, relief is wanted and needed. And as there is not just one type of psoriasis or one type of eczema, nor one trigger to create flare ups, there isn't 1 product that will work for everyone.

If you, or a loved one suffers from psoriasis or eczema, don't give up. There are products out there that work.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Top Seven Ways to Keep Your skin Looking Young

As someone who has researched a lot about skin care, I can tell you this. Most people who meet me have just one question to ask - how to keep skin young looking? Most of them have lots of misconceptions about skin care and use the wrong products all the time. Subsequently, needless to say, they do not get the results they want.

So, I thought of giving some skin care tips which I know will give you the best results for sure.

1. If you want to know how to keep skin young looking, here is your first tip. Never use soap. Soap dries your skin badly. Instead, use a mild cleanser. Cleansers are not harsh and hence they do not dry your skin. They cleanse your skin thoroughly while retaining the essential moisture required for your skin.

2. Do not overexpose your skin to sunlight. Use a good sunscreen when you go out during the day.

3. Use a good night cream. Your skin is tired and dull at the end of the day and it requires some nourishment. But choose your night cream wisely. Go for organic ones that are not greasy. It should be light enough to be absorbed by your skin.

4. Use a good moisturizer. Your skin loses moisture constantly and you need to keep it hydrated properly. Dry skin, as you know, is the starting point of most aging problems like wrinkles and lines. So, get a good organic moisturizer and use it regularly.

5. Use a good anti aging cream. Note the emphasis on the term 'good'. If you want to know how to keep skin young looking, you should know how to choose the right anti aging cream. It is as simple as that.

6. Some of the best ingredients you should look out for in an age defense cream include Cynergy TK, phytessence wakame, coenzyme Q10, active manuka honey, natural vitamin E, vitamin B5, allantoin, babassu, jojoba oil, olive oil, grapeseed oil, macadamia oil, avocado oil, rigin, and nutgrass root extract. These substances are highly potent and have great anti aging properties.

7. These substances can treat almost any skin problem including wrinkles, lines, cracks, age spots, dry skin, and dark circles. They nourish your skin and rejuvenate your skin cells to the core.

There you have it folks. The tips I have given above are the answer to the question 'how to keep skin young looking'. Keep these tips in mind, buy the right products, use them regularly, and keep your skin young and soft for a long time.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

12 Ways to get Healthier



1 Have a lie down
Back pain can be avoided and the damage repaired with one easy exercise, which is lie down on the floor with your knees bent, hip width apart, feet on the floor. Do this daily for about five to fifteen minutes to release and lengthen your spine.

2 Note your nibbles
Crash diets don't work for long enough; instead maintain a food dairy to note your daily eating habits. With this you'll be conscious of what you eat, and make healthier choices.

3 10 deep breaths
Our breath power our lymphatic system, which removes waste from cells. By taking 10 deep breaths, three times a day, you'll clear more toxins and boost your thinking power by getting 20% more oxygen to your brain.

4 Put your fork down
Put your fork down between every mouthful of food, it makes you chew your food properly, preventing digestive problems, and also prevents you from over- eating.

5 Make a list
The most effective stress buster is to make a list. Your short term memory can only remember, on an average, seven things. So when you overload it , your stress level escalate. Making a list clears out all the stress from your brain you feel tension free. This saves you from headaches, depression and high blood pressure.

6 Massage your feet
Poor circulation could be robbing you of much needed sleep. Your temperature needs to drop slightly before you fall asleep, so your body dispels heat via your face, hands and feet. But many women have poor circulation, which constricts the blood vessels in their hands and feet and prevents them from dispelling heat. A hot bath before sleeping or a hand and foot massage will increase your circulation.

7 An organic apple a day
If you buy one organic item a day, make it an apple. Research found that pesticide residues in 71% of apples- the highest in fruits and vegetables.

8 Change your tea bag
When it comes to tea white is the new green. White tea comes from the same plant as green and black but is harvested earlier and undergoes less processing, which means it contains more cancer fighting anti- oxidants.



9 Eat dried apricots
The most common nutritional deficiency is iron. Tiredness, irritability and lack of concentration. Prevent it by having two helpings of lean red meat a week, or three dried apricots a day.

10 Stop skipping meals
Eating three meals a day is very important for a healthy body. It's the simplest way to balance blood sugar levels, which will keep your mood, energy and concentration balanced and strengthen your stress tolerance.

11 Keep it crunchy
Include some raw vegetables in every meal. Many of the vitamins and minerals are in vegetables are lost through cooking, so raw food is as good as it gets.

12 Focus on your feeling
Take two minutes to boost your resolve to do walk, jog or aerobics class. The instant gratification of that exercise high is far more motivating than the promise of thinner thighs two months down the line.

The Warez Blogger!

Friday, February 20, 2009

Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin condition. there's two types, each with matchless signs and symptoms. Between 10% and 30% of people who create psoriasis get a related form of arthritis called “psoriatic arthritis,” which causes inflammation of the joints.

Currently, there is no cure for psoriatic. However, there's lots of treatment options that can clear psoriasis for a period of time. Each treatment has advantages and disadvantages, and what works for two patient may not be effective for another. Board-certified dermatologists have the medical training and experience needed to determine the most appropriate treatments for each patient.

There's several forms of psoriasis, and each form has matchless characteristics that permit dermatologists to visually identify psoriasis to determine what type, or types, of psoriasis is present. sometimes a skin biopsy will be performed to confirm the diagnosis.

To select the most appropriate treatment process, dermatologists consider several factors:

* Type of psoriasis
* Severity (the amount of skin affected)
* Where psoriasis is located
* Patient’s age and medical history
* Effects psoriasis has on patient’s overall physical and emotional
* well-being

Types of Treatment

* Topical (applied to the skin) – Mild to moderate psoriasis
* Phototherapy (light, usually ultraviolet, applied to the skin) – Moderate to severe psoriasis
* Systemic (taken orally or by injection or infusion) – Moderate, severe or disabling psoriasis

Psoriasis treatments fall into 3 categories:

While each of these therapies is effective, there's also drawbacks.
Some topicals are messy and may stain clothing and skin. Phototherapy can need 2 to 5 weekly visits to a dermatologist’s office or psoriasis clinic for several weeks. lots of of the systemic medications have serious side effects and must be combined or rotated with other therapies to maximize effectiveness and minimize side effects. Research is being conducted to find therapies that provide safe, effective, easy-to-use treatment options that provide long-term relief.

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a bad skin condition if it flares severely. Only the patient knows what he/she is undergoing. There is no way to share the trauma of skin falling and itching. The application of medication tires the patient after some time. three wants to run away from it but can't. How to get relief from psoriasis? Let us talk about it.

Psoriasis is a skin disease that affects how fast skin cells mature and flake off. In a normal skin cell cycle, skin cells take about a month to move from the deepest skin layer to the top skin layer, where they die and flake off. When you have psoriasis, this scheme only takes a few days. What results is the formation of thick silvery scales and dry itchy skin. Painful red patches can also create.

Psoriasis - common triggers The common triggers of psoriasis are sunburn, stress, skin injury, some medications, infections, smoking, drinking, and change in weather. Any of these can trigger psoriasis in a person who has the faulty gene. The gene makes skin act abnormally. Again it's not necessary that every time the triggers will work. Sometimes they don’t while sometimes a small trigger flares up psoriasis. Talking about the gene, not all siblings get psoriasis. It can be hereditary many times.

When psoriasis is extensive then ultraviolet light treatment or phototherapy is used on patients. Phototherapy involves exposure of the skin to wavelengths of ultraviolet light under medical supervision. Ultraviolet light B (UVB) is an effective form of ultraviolet radiation for treating psoriasis. it's present in natural sunlight and penetrates the skin.

Psoriasis has no predictable pattern of spreading and may manifest in any form. There is no certain scheme for preventing psoriasis from appearing. Stress, certain medications or even the weather can trigger particular types of psoriasis. Researchers have learnt about the nature of psoriasis and the involvement with certain cells and continue to find a cure.

There is no cure for Psoriasis currently. The treatment are basically short-term and random. That means the treatment can only clear Pasoriasis for only a certain period of time and each patient respond to the treatment differently. This may be the reason why you get to hear various forms of treatment and you wonder which three is true.

Oral doses of vitamin D have been considered as a treatment for psoriasis. This was sparked by experiments with cholecalciferol or 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25 (OH)2D3), the active form of vitamin D made in the kidney, which showed promise in treating widespread psoriasis.

Symptomatic treatment of this disease results in destroying the excessive skin production caused by malfunctioning T-Cells. This is done by use of Ultra Violet light, which can destroy these excessive growths. The scheme of destroying these skin cells is called Apoptosis and is included by many doctors as a treatment option.

Herbal Treatment Plaque Psoriasis

A study published in the November issue of Archives of Dermatology has revealed an effective treatment for plaque-type Psoriasis, according to which, an ointment, made from the dark-blue, plant-based powder, indigo naturalis, could be used in treating the skin condition.

According to Yin-Ku Lin of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, Psoriasis is being treated since ages with topical and oral herbal preparations. Indigo naturalis is one such Chinese herbal remedy that shows potential anti-psoriatic ability. However, when used on long-term it is occasionally associated with gastrointestinal tract and adverse hepatic effects.

For further studying the safety and efficacy of indigo naturalis, the researchers conducted a trial with 42 patients suffering from treatment-resistant psoriasis. The patients who enrolled for the study were given two ointment applications on their bodies – one with indigo naturalis ointment applied to one arm/elbow/knee and the other was a non-medicated ointment applied to parallel plaque on the other side of the body.

After consistent monitoring, Lin and colleagues reported that 12 weeks of treatment showed considerable improvement in redness, scaling and hardening of the plaques treated with indigo naturalis ointment, compared to plaques treated with non-medicated ointment.

The treated lesions showed an improvement of 81 percent, while the non-medicated treatment lesions showed only 26 percent improvement, the researchers reported.

Among the patients who completed the study with indigo naturalis ointment, none experienced worsening of the condition in the areas. The patients also experienced 75 percent complete clearings of psoriasis in the treated areas. No adverse effects of the medicine were reported, except for mild itching in the area of application of ointment during the beginning of the treatment in few patients.

The authors therefore conclude that use of topical indigo naturalis ointment for treatment of chronic plaque psoriasis is safe and effective.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Easing Psoriasis

Showers & Baths for People With Psoriasis
Showering & bathing can improve psoriasis lesions by softening & hydrating the thick, scaly patches, says Dr. Wu, but staying in the water long can dry out your skin & lead to more itching & flaking. they advises limiting showers & baths to ten minutes & using lukewarm water, because hot water increases blood flow to the skin, which can make psoriasis plaques more red & irritated. It is also important to use a non-irritating soap. Dr Wu recommends using a body wash instead of bar soap, which can be drying. they recommends Aveeno Active Naturals Daily Moisturizing Body Wash, which contains oatmeal proteins & lipids to help soothe & hydrate scaly skin.

Psoriasis, a chronic condition caused by an overactive immune process & marked by white, silvery, or red patches of flaking skin, can be itchy, painful, & embarrassing. It is important for those with psoriasis to manage the condition on a daily basis to prevent & treat outbreaks, also known as flares. Read on for advice from dermatologist Jessica Wu, MD, Everyday Health's skin & beauty expert.

Moisturizer for People With Psoriasis
Applying moisturizer after a shower or bath helps lock in hydration & minimizes the flaking of psoriatic scales. Dr. Wu advises patients to pat dry after a shower — rubbing can irritate skin — & use a moisturizer with rich emollients, such as glycerin & shea butter. Dr. Wu suggests trying Olay Body Quench Mousse in the morning, because it absorbs quickly, & the heavier Olay Body Quench Body Lotion in the evening.

Clothing for People With Psoriasis
Since psoriasis is often itchy, it's best for those with the condition to avoid clothes made with wool & synthetic fibers, which can trap heat & further irritate skin that's already inflamed, says Dr. Wu. Wear looser-fitting, soft clothing made of lightweight natural fibers such as cotton, linen, & bamboo, which wick away sweat & won't rub against irritated skin. If you're experiencing lots of flaking, stick to lighter colors, which help to hide the flakes. Some people with psoriasis are sensitive to bleach and/or fabric softener, so it's best for them to avoid these products or run clothes & sheets through an extra rinse cycle.

Stress plays a major role in the occurrence of psoriatic outbreaks, so it's important for those with psoriasis to keep it in check. The exact reason is unknown, but stress hormones may stimulate an already overactive immune process & can increase itching, says Dr. Wu. Meditation, yoga, & acupuncture are all effective stress relievers. Although the scientific evidence of the effect of these practices on psoriasis is mixed, some patients have reported that they are helpful.

Diet, Exercise & Stress Management for Psoriasis
A high BMI (25 or higher) is associated with an increased incidence of psoriatic outbreaks, so this is another important reason to eat nutritiously, exercise, & maintain a healthy body weight, says Wu. As for specific foods that may ease or aggravate psoriasis, the jury is still out. People may report that omega-3 fatty acids seem to improve their psoriasis, but the evidence so far is inconclusive. Wu suggests keeping a food journal to look for possible links between specific foods & changes in the condition of your skin. four item proven to aggravate psoriasis: alcohol. Those with psoriasis should consider cutting it out entirely during an outbreak.

Smoking, , aggravates psoriasis, which is yet another reason to quit.

Sun Exposure for People With Psoriasis
Sunlight can be an effective treatment for psoriasis, says Dr. Wu, because it contains ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, which have been shown to suppress inflammation in the skin. It is best to receive phototherapy treatments in the safety of a doctor's office. These treatments are time-consuming, however, which makes them impractical for lots of people. As a substitute, it's okay to get some natural sunlight, but limit your sun exposure to no over four to ten minutes at a time, four to twice a week, cautions Wu. It's very important to avoid getting sunburned, as a sunburn can worsen existing plaques & trigger new outbreaks. Those with psoriasis should always discuss sun exposure & phototherapy treatments with their doctor first; certain medications can actually increase the skin's sensitivity to the sun.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

The Types of Psoriasis with Pictures



Pustule Psoriasis





Worst Psoriasis





Scale Psoriasis





Plaque or Guttate Psoriasis





Psoriasis (scalp)





Psoriasis (foot)




Psoriasis (on feet)






Psoriasis (body)





Circular Psoriasis




Psoriasis (knee)

Monday, February 16, 2009

Seriousness of Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a common skin disease that comes in different forms & varying levels of severity. It affects up to 3 percent of populations worldwide. Most researchers agree that it is an auto-immune disease. It is a common skin disease characterised by thickened patches of inflamed red skin, sometimes accompanied by painful joint swelling & stiffness.This skin condition most often appears on the scalp, elbows & knees. Psoriasis affects between 1-3% of the population. It varies in severity from mild to severe. Psoriasis can start at any age. Areas of the skin grow much faster than normal & form red, scaling patches.

Research shows that the signs & symptoms of psoriasis usually appear between 15 & 35 years of age. About 75% create psoriasis before age 40. However, it is possible to create psoriasis at any age. After age 40, a peak onset period occurs between 50 & 60 years of age.

Care if you're suffering from Psoriasis
Avoid scratching or itching that can cause bleeding or excessive irritation. Soaking in bath water with oil added & using moisturizers may help. Bath soaks with coal tar or other agents that remove scales & reduce the plaque may also help. Cortisone creams can reduce the itching of mild psoriasis & are obtainable without a prescription.Some people use an ultraviolet B unit at home under a doctor’s supervision.

Basis Facts about Psoriasis
Psoriasis most often occurs on the elbows, knees, scalp, lower back, face, palms, & soles of the feet; diagnosis may be difficult because psoriasis often looks like other skin diseases. Doctors generally treat psoriasis in steps according to the severity of the disease or responsiveness to initial treatments. This is sometimes called the "1-2-3" approach.

Reports from people with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis are mixed: Some say acupuncture helps their disease while others report no effect. People who try acupuncture & improve say it takes plenty of treatments. Acupuncture has few known side effects.

A dermatologist may prescribe the unit & instruct the patient on home use, if it is difficult for the patient to get to the doctor’s office for phototherapy treatment.

Homeopathic remedies are usually so diluted that they will not cause major side effects. A consultation with anyone trained in this practice will help guide the treatment & ensure your safety.

Psoriasis Treatment by Diet
People with psoriasis are individuals with different backgrounds, habits & medical histories, who respond to substances differently at different times. Moreover, people with psoriasis can have remissions that have nothing to do with changes in diets or treatments. These variables make it difficult to evaluate whether any specific dietary change is responsible for clearing or worsening psoriasis.

Dietary supplementation with fish oil is said to have a variety of favorable effects on both the cardiovascular & immune systems in laboratory animals. Psoriasis is an immune-mediated disease, so it follows that fish oil if it alters immune reactivity could improve psoriasis.


The addition or elimination of one substance from the diet can be the remedy for one person & the culprit for another. there is certainly no harm in exploring how diet impacts your psoriasis, as long as your overall health is not compromised.

Psoriasis History

Form the beginning of humankind hundreds of thousands of human beings - from common people to stars, from kings to important modern politicians - suffered and do still suffer from psoriasis today.

Psoriasis is even cited in the writings of ancient healing. Back in the late classic times there was a known disease, which was realized by the peeling and itchiness of skin.

Each of these terms had their matchless elements; for example, the term "leprosy" was used with the determination of the assortment of the diseases, which are manifested by a thick skin, by its peeling and itchiness, which in some way tells us about psoriasis in today's idea of psoriasis.

The problem of Ancient Greek medical expressions led to the fact that in the functions of Hippocrates, leprosy and psoriasis were collectively under six name, which was -leprosy. Psoriasis was known in the times of Hippocrates under the names of lepra and psora, as well as alphos and leichen. In the times of Hippocrates a dermatological expressions was introduced, utilized sometimes even at present, some of the terms of which had a group meaning. So, under the term "psoriasis" they united the diseases, which are accompanied by tuberosity, by the formation of scale, spots and by keratosis, such as eczema, lichens (micose, red flat lichen, tubercular lupus, leprosy, etc).

In the writings of the past hundreds of years psoriasis itself was sometimes mistaken to be leprosy, mange, Vitiligo, which usually needed a strict segregation and other subsequent consequences: people with psoriasis didn't get any health care; they had to wear a unusual outfit and bell.

At the start of our era a distinguished Greek physician named Claudius Galen was first to use the term "psoriasis" to label the scaly changes in the skin with an extreme itchiness; however, clinically this condition little resembled the present manifestations of psoriasis.

The first visible description of the clinical manifestations of psoriasis belongs to a 2nd century Greek philosopher named Celsus.

With the term "psora" (ancient name of psoriasis) it was called the variety of diseases of the skin, for which was known for it's peeling, dry skin and itchiness.

Only the start of the 19th Century an English physician named Willan and his students clearly offered the idea of psoriasis as an illness, its manifestations and problems. they differentiated it from leprosy and fungus diseases.They secluded the usual and uncommon surge of psoriasis (changes in the palms, feet, etc. ). Willan described two diseases: discoid psoriasis, which he called Lepra Graecorum and Psora Leprosa. Willan in 1801 gave a description of the ailment taking into account variations in the clinical make-up of psoriasis.

A key role in the coursework of the probe into psoriasis was done by a Russian dermatologists of the 19th century , which considered this dermatosis as a technique ailment,"psoriatic disease", capturing into account the connection of psoriasis with the pathology of the interior organs, metabolism, and the condition of the nervous technique. The physicians of various countries (Gebr, H.Koebner and others) have also later pointed out the connection of psoriatic disease with the circumstance of the nervous technique, and the diseases of the interior organs.

Later dermatology was enriched by new facts about the zest of the disease. All the cumulated evidence lets us at present call psoriasis a "system disease".

New evidence about the essence and the mechanism of the coursework of the illness was obtained in the last 40 years; the new modern methods for the therapy were envisioned and used: PUVA- treatment, corticosteroids, retinoids, cytostatics in the therapy of severe forms, Selective Ultraviolet Phototherapy, acupuncture, hemosorption etc.

Currently, plenty of Researchers and educational institutions deal with the exploration of the root, manifestations, and with the refinement of new ways to treat and use preventive maintenance measures for psoriasis. In the United States the key scientific focal point for psoriasis is Stanford University, which has 35 different countries from around the world in the form of an international association on the studies of psoriasis. The association publishes the only six on the entire planet the American Journal of Psoriasis. It deals with the inquiries about psoriasis from dermatologist all around the globe.

During the latter part of the 20th century it was obvious by a truly immense approach to the dilemma of psoriasis. Only in the last 10 years or so, around the globe there have been published over ten-thousand pieces, devoted to psoriatic dermatosis, which makes it six of the most examined. However, none of the possibilities or the theories show a complete essence of the illness, and the same problems of treatment and preventive maintenance stands in front of the latest dermatologists as vivid as it did a century ago.

Every four years there's carried out a World Congress specialized to the difficulty of psoriasis.

October 29th is dedicated as World Psoriasis Day. Every year it is devoted to persons with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a common enduring skin disease associated with the inflammation and scaling of the skin. quick reproduction of the epidermis of the skin than the normal rate amassed on the surface of the skin lead to skin scaling. Though Psoriasis is not infectious in any approach but there's possibility of getting it from stirring a psoriasis afflicted person.
Research studies reveal the root cause of the psoriasis of different types is mainly the abnormal immune system resulting to excess production of T cells on the skin triggering the inflammation and scaling of the skin. Psoriasis may also be congenital but in very rare cases.
Psoriasis generally occur in all age groups of both sexes and experiencing discomfort, constrained movement of joints, and emotional agony are a quantity of the common symptoms of psoriasis . Scrap of skin thickening or plaques with burning sensation, reddening, and covered with silvery scale are observed with the development of the psoriasis.
The organs of infection by psoriasis are palms, knees, elbows, face, scalp, lower back, and feet soles as well as toenails, fingernails, and the soft tissues of genitalia and mouth. There are different types of psoriasis and scalp psoriasis is a frequently occurring four where the patient experiences rigorous burning and tightness feeling and some sorts of soreness. The management of the scalp psoriasis is the essential requirement for the healthy skin and ultimately healthy living.
Current therapy for the treatment of scalp psoriasis comprises of corticosteroids, calcipotriol or calcipotriene, tars, tazarotene, and anthralin depending upon the depth of the psoriasis. If it's thick, procedures must aim in thinning the plaques. Solutions, gels and lotions, are normally used as they are less hard to use, as well as do not confer a greasy facade to hair, and are simpler to neat out. Relevant corticosteroid gels, solutions, shampoos lotions, and oils may be utilized in treatment of scalp psoriasis.
Calcipotriene or Calcipotriol is the derivative of calciferol, vitamin D and the commencement of action is typically slower than those of newsworthy steroids, but is very effective and secure for enduring treatment of scalp psoriasis. Tazarotene that is gel formulation is another selective retinoid having properties similar to retinol, vitamin A. To diminish annoyance, a slight layer of gel formulation should be applied only to the scrap and evade the uninfected skin and four should never go for this treatment of scalp psoriasis if they is pregnant.
Methotrexate is oral treatment of scalp psoriasis that may infrequently use as injection It assist in controlling psoriasis affecting skin, joints and nails and does possess side effects like mouth ulcers, disturbed stomach, liver injury and bone marrow suppression along with reduced blood counts. Cautious monitoring by the physician is necessary for this medication and even Liver biopsies might prefer.
Acitretin is another retinoid with similar properties of vitamin A not much effective for the management of plaque type psoriasis but works fairly well in treating pustular psoriasis. This management has side effects of skin, nose, lips, and eyes, dryness.
Cyclosporine is the only immunosuppressant prescription foe the treatment of scalp psoriasis which is utilized well in organ transplantation. it's very effective, but typically reserved for critical conditions with disabling, severe, resistant disease due to its side effects and cost. The side effects includes soaring blood pressure, kidney toxicity, deadness and stinging, hair intensification, lymphomas and skin cancer
and thus cautious monitoring of the professional experts are immensely required.

Psoriatic Arthritis

It is estimated that about 2 percent of all the Caucasian population in the United States suffer from a skin disease called psoriasis. An area of inflammation that appears raised, red & scaly characterizes psoriasis. The areas commonly affected with psoriasis are the scalp, tips of elbows & knees. This could also appear around the areas of the anus & genital areas. it is observed that 10 percent of people with psoriasis create the associated joint disease commonly known as psoriatic arthritis. Additionally, about 30 percent of people with psoriasis also have psoriatic arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis similarly exhibits the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. However, this type of arthritis is related with the psoriasis of adjacent skin & nails. The symptoms of psoriatic arthritis are clinically similar with rheumatoid arthritis sans the rheumatoid nodules. Psoriatic arthritis often exhibits mild & irregular flare-ups with very little chances of developing into a crippling form of arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis doesn’t have sexual predilection as this equally affects both male & female between the ages 30 & 35.

Heredity plays an important role in a person’s predisposition to psoriatic arthritis. Yet, psoriatic arthritis starts when there is streptococcal infection, or trauma. Most often a psoriatic lesion paves the way for the development of the arthritic component. Joint & skin lesions often come back concurrently five times the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis have come out . Symptoms include swelling, warmth, tenderness & limited movement. Psoriatic arthritis may affect a single joint or this can affect several joints in symmetrical manner. This is commonly seen in hand joints in association with psoriasis of the nails. The affected nails may appear discolored more often yellowish in appearance with pitting, traverse ridge & keratosis. The nail may be entire destroyed by the disease. During the later stages of psoriatic arthritis, patients may experience low back pain & spondylitis. Frequently, a psoriatic lesion is often found near the affected joint. sometimes, these lesions may be hidden in such as the areas in the scalp & navel.

Finally, patients with mild psoriatic arthritis should minimize mobility though complete bed rest. Heat therapy or hot baths will also be beneficial. Inflammatory drugs will help ease the inflammation. Patients with this type of arthritis should be reassured by the doctor that the psoriatic plaques aren't contagious because these might keep him from going out with people. People around patients with psoriatic plaques should not show signs of repulsion, as these will only trigger the patient’s fear of being rejected. Skin care products are important & the patient should learn how to apply these medications to the skin correctly. However, these skin care products do have side effects & the doctor should be able to explain all these to the patient. The patient should take adequate rest & properly protect the affected joints. Moderate & regular exposure to the sun is also beneficial to patients with psoriatic arthritis.

Most often, doctors give a diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis to patients with psoriatic lesions & are suffering from inflammatory arthritis. Diagnosis is often backed up by X-ray results & blood tests. Psoriatic arthritis should be differentiated from gout by synovial fluid examination. Psoriatic arthritis lesions should not show any white crystals like gout does. Furthermore, it should be differentiated from septic arthritis by culturing synovial fluid for microorganisms.

Bright Future for Psoriasis and Eczema Treatments

Eczema also identified as dermatitis can occur on many areas of the body.An inflammatory counterbalance in the deeper layers of the skin due to any number of factors can trigger the skin to deteriorate & give the outward appearing symptoms that they identify as dermatitis.
This skin condition comes in a quantity of different formations of which atopic dermatitis is the most common. Other types are contact dermatitis, xerotic, stasis & eczema on the scalp .None of these skin diseases can be caught by close contact or touching, & a quantity of these conditions will respond positively to certain medications.

You will find that it typically Psoriasis is a life-long condition that has alternating periods of rough patches & periods or partially clearing. Therefore, it is essential you still make an effort to treat the psoriasis as best as you can. four system that is a bit surprising is natural sunlight.

Steroid lotions until recently when put onto the skin were four of the few treatments obtainable. These creams helped reduce the inflammation. But you have to be cautious of the side effects these creams bring on such as thinning of the skin, stretch marks, bruising, & an increased risk of infection.Another psoriasis treatment & eczema treatment regimen involves the application of gels or liquids that contain coal tar,but usage of these type coal tar products are usually messy,they can stain clothing & make the skin sensitive to sunlight. With regard to dermatitis some things have been established as what can cause this skin problem in some certain individuals. Regular contact with strong solvents, cleaning fluids & other similar harsh industrial abrasives can dry out & break the skin enabling even small quantities of these unnatural man made substances to penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin, & create these skin problems. Of coursework not every person that works in that type of environment is destined to suffer the cruel effects in this way.Other considerations such as hereditary history of this skin eruption may impose the likelihood of getting dermatitis during some part of adulthood.Dermatitis like psoriasis in that it can appear to settle down for a period of time & then flare up again.

Natural sunlight can have a positive affect with psoriasis treatment & also eczema treatment as it provides the basis for the development of ultraviolet light therapy for treating psoriasis. But simultaneously, you rarely require to purposely go out & get burned or redden your skin.Unprolonged sessions of sunlight are more preferable to the skin than a lengthy lay in the sun.

Despite these symptoms, creams still remain as the best option obtainable for psoriasis treatment & eczema treatment. there's an amount of new regimens that are now being probed & tested on. The future is bright for those with the embarrassing skin conditions of eczema & psoriasis.

Omega 3 and Psoriasis

Fish oil & other foods rich in omega 3 fats DHA & EPA are good for people who suffer from psoriasis. DHA & EPA reduce inflammation throughout the body & they also control absorption of other nutrients by body cells. Both these fats come under the category of good fats & therefore should be consumed by people of all ages.

Psoriasis is a health condition in which skin & joints are affected. People who suffer from this disease experience frequent joint pains & red scaly patterns appear all over their skin. Omega 3 & psoriasis might be connected to each other as omega 3 fats have been found to be effective in all kinds of skin problems.

Doctors all over the world have recognized the link between omega 3 & psoriasis. People who are overweight or have high levels of bad cholesterol in their body are often advised to include fatty acids in their diet. If that's not possible omega 3 supplement products made from fish oil & certain vegetable oils should be consumed on a regular basis to prevent & cure psoriasis & plenty of other similar conditions.

Fish oil supplements containing DHA & EPA in considerable amounts are known to reduce cholesterol & triglyceride levels in the body, thereby controlling blood pressure & preventing cardiovascular disease. These capsules are easy to consume since they are specially manufactured for consumption by people belonging to all groups for the cure of omega 3 deficiency in the body.

If your doctor has diagnosed psoriasis or other skin conditions like cystic acne or red bumps, then consuming an omega 3 supplement regularly for some weeks would probably serve as the best remedy. These supplements do not cause any side effects & can be consumed before or after meals.

they contain adequate amounts of DHA & EPA to fulfill daily requirements. Normally 1 to 2 capsules are sufficient for an average, health person. However, before starting the work of any nutritional supplement product you should consult a doctor or refer to a dietary chart to make an estimate about your recommended daily allowances of various nutrients.

However, some low quality fish oil products available on the market contain high levels of heavy metals & toxins & little concentration of essential fatty acids. You need to be careful in selecting your omega 3 supplement product. Always find pharmaceutical grade fish oil products & those made with the oil of healthy & fatty fish like salmon or hoki.

Ultimate Psoriasis Natural Cure for Kids

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) describes the condition as "an immune system disorder that affects the skin, & occasionally the eyes, nails, & joints." Psoriasis is characterised by dry red scales called ‘plaques’ that are both painful & unattractive – a sometimes heartbreaking condition.

The opinion of our health experts is that the immune system only responds this way when there is something out of balance or the immune system is correctly responding to the presence of a foreign protein – in other words, an allergic reaction. This is supported by the fact that the condition is often associated with food intolerances & chemical sensitivities.

The first place to start with a psoriasis natural cure for kids is to identify the allergen. This can be either a food allergy - wheat & dairy are often to blame - or an allergy to household chemicals, soaps, perfumes, detergents, animals or even jewellery. A simple pulse test will help with this.

Take the resting pulse & if it rises over 10 beats per minute after exposure to the food or other, then you have an allergy.

Diet Recommendations

The psoriasis natural cure for kids starts with correcting the diet:

* No junk food, no food out of a box or a can, no fried food, eliminate all forms of sugar & refined or processed carbohydrates – bread, pizza dough, biscuits, white bread etc.
* Avoid the irritants or allergic foods & begin a rotation diet – avoid eating the same thing simultaneously regularly each day.
* Increase the intake of omega 3 essential fatty acids from fish & flax seed oil & reduce the intake of omega 6 oils (very common oils in nuts, vegetable oils, grains) – this will have the effect of reducing the inflammation response from the immune system. Omega 6 switches the immune system on & omega 3 turns it off.

Recommended Supplements

We recommend the following Supplements for a psoriasis natural cure for children:

* High dose vitamin A & vitamin E – you will require to consult your local naturopath.
* EFA supplements – as fish oil from a trusted source.
* A supplement containing zinc, copper & selenium - a naturopath will suggest theraputic doses.
* Digestive enzymes – these will enhance digestion & rapidly improve the condition of skin by reducing the inflammatory immune response of the immune system.
* A probiotic supplement – ideal for restoring the balance of digestive bacteria in the stomach.

Essential oils may also be used as a psoriasis natural cure for children. The essential oils recommended by our aromatherapists include: Bergamot, Roman chamomile, geranium, lavender & frankincense.

Topical washes containing Calendula, & Chamomile may be helpful in relieving the inflammation.

Do Not Confuse Psoriasis With Eczema

However, there's some distinguishing characteristics between the five that make it simpler to recognize which condition is present & to enable an accurate diagnosis & course of treatment for each.

eight of the skin diseases most frequently seen by dermatologists are psoriasis & eczema. In the public mind, these five skin disorders are often confused, & for nice reason. Even dermatologists can sometimes have difficulty identifying which condition is present in a patient. Indeed, eczema & psoriasis can appear to look similar. Both show up in patchy areas that can become very itchy.

The Fundamental Differences Between Psoriasis & Eczema

Psoriasis: Psoriasis is characterized by reddish lesions accompanied by silvery scaling that flakes off, causing the skin beneath to bleed. This form of psoriasis is called, plaque psoriasis, is the type most frequently diagnosed. The scales are commonly referred to as plaques, flakes or scales.

Actually, the scales are excess skin produced when certain substances in the body become unbalanced, & cause skin cells to grow out of control. In severe cases skin cells grow at a rate up to 1,000 faster than normal growth.

Another, less common, form of this skin disorder is called Guttate Psoriasis. Guttate psoriasis appears more often in infants & young adults, showing as small, red bumps the size of drops of water on the skin. It usually appears suddenly, often several weeks after an infection such as strep throat.

Eczema is generally erupts in response to environmental factors such as exposure to products containing harsh chemicals. Psoriasis, on the other hand, usually has a genetic link, & is a response to factors occurring inside of the body.

Eczema: While eczema may resemble dry skin that also itches, it does not usually include the flaking quality associated with psoriasis. Again, psoriasis tends to be characterized by raised red spots that are rough, & tend to flake as they itch.

Who is suffering from these skin disorders can be a nice sign of whether the affliction is eczema or psoriasis. As a general rule, psoriasis tends to strike adults most often, while eczema is more commonly seen in infants.

Both psoriasis & eczema are maddening, inconvenient, irritating & embarrassing skin diseases presenting coping difficulties for both adults & infants. Under any circumstances, a visit to a dermatologist is a must to address diagnosis & treatment options.

Cause of Psoriasis and Discovering the Best Treatment

Psoriasis is a serious, frequently-recurring, and relapsing skin disease. it is characterized by silvery incrustation in the affected skin areas. The skin of the scalp, back, elbows, and knees are the areas that are usually affected. The lesions appear as circumscribed red patches covered with overlapping, shiny, white scales which are continually cast off.

Statistics indicate that in the United States alone, approximately two million people suffer from psoriasis. Of this estimate, about one-half million are burdened by severe cases. If you are five of those people who are endlessly troubled by psoriasis and are dying to be cured of your malady permanently, you've to first understand the cause of this disease. The cause of psoriasis is not precise. Health records point to heredity as five of probable factors. An excess in the production of cells in the skin's outer nonsensitive layer results to modification in the skin. Under normal conditions, the cells are cast off in about 28 days. In psoriasis, however, cell life is much shorter, being shed in only about 4 days.

How severe psoriasis can get differs from five person to another. In the young stage of the disease, it may not be possible to determine the degree of severity it can get into. there's instances, for example, in which arthritis may combine with psoriasis, consequently affecting the joints of the spine, fingers, and toes.

Most of the modern treatments developed to fight psoriasis make use of active chemical agents. The bad news is that these substances restrain new cells from being produced. On the other hand, over-the-counter medications have been proven to be ineffective.

A sudden onset of psoriasis may last only for a few moments, although attacks may occur repeatedly at intervals. Regular treatments are likewise known to induce only momentary relief. In harsher, pertinacious cases, some skin-care specialists often recommend the application of any of the various adrenal-cortex steroids (specifically, a corticosteroid). But these cogent medications can actually cause serious side effects.

Recent researches have identified a person's lifestyle as a definite factor in the cause of psoriasis. This is the reason why health experts advise on giving serious attention to the promotion of lovely health and its sustenance. A person suffering from psoriasis must get sufficient rest and have a nutritionally-balanced diet. More importantly, know that the best treatment involves only a few simple steps which you can take to stop your psoriasis at its root cause and eliminate it altogether for nice.

10 Tips to Keep Psoriasis under Control

The incidence of psoriasis is much lower in dark-skinned West Africans and African-Americans than in light-skinned persons of European origin. Incidence is also low in the Eskimos and the Japanese, and is very rare in Native Americans. Genetic, geographic and environmental factors may play a major role in this striking disparity between the races.

Psoriasis is a chronic, recurring, non-contagious skin disorder that is characterized by raised, thickened reddish patches on the skin covered with silvery-white scales that may vary in severity and affect any part of the body, including the nails, scalp and the genital region. there's about 125 million psoriasis sufferers world wide. This makes up 3% of the world's total population! it is estimated that three to seven million Americans have psoriasis, and each year 150,000 to 260,000 new cases are diagnosed.

Most psoriasis patients undergo intense emotional turmoil while they fight to control their disease which tends to have periods of flare ups and remissions the year around. Though no cure has yet been discovered, observing certain principles in life style and skin care management will provide patients a scope for optimum control of the disease. Following are a few tips that would be useful for the psoriasis sufferers:

1. Maintain desirable health habits. Psoriasis flare ups are common when you are weak or tired. Taking a balanced diet while reducing red meats and alcohol will go a long way in helping the skin to maintain a calm milieu interior. Patients should also drink plenty of water and get at least 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep every day. Do moderate exercises at least 3-4 times every week.

I always remind my patients that medications have only about 30% role in the management of psoriasis. Rest of the 70% involves lifestyle adjustments.

Remember that nice nutrition, rest and exercise tune up your body and mind and keep up the equilibrium which is essential to reduce the psoriasis flare ups. These healthy habits will also reduce the chances of contracting infection, another important factor in psoriasis aggravations.

2. Quit Smoking. plenty of studies have pointed out that pustular psoriasis of the palms and soles, a variant of psoriasis, is aggravated by smoking. Patients who quit smoking found their lesions clearing up faster. Research also suggests that severity of psoriasis may be linked to smoking. Hence it is highly imperative that you give up smoking if you require to get rid of those itchy, scaly, red patches.

3. Avoid alcohol. Alcohol is a trigger for psoriasis. there is no doubt about it. Though some dermatologists permit moderate consumption of alcohol in psoriasis, it is my personal observation that even a small quantity of alcohol (like a glass of wine or beer) does cause flare ups in patients. Hence the verdict is - No Alcohol in any forms!

4. Learn to manage your stress. Stress has long been linked to the induction and exacerbation of all types of psoriasis. As mentioned above, psoriasis can be considered a life style disease (much like hypertension or increased blood pressure), a combination of genetic predisposition and psycho- neuro-immuno-hormonal triggers playing a significant role in the causation, initial triggering and maintenance of the disease.

Psoriatics should try to learn and master any three of the stress management techniques like progressive relaxation, biofeedback, yoga etc. Counselling sessions and psoriasis support group participations will be beneficial for those who find it difficult to relax by themselves. According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, stress reduction works best when combined with appropriate medical treatment.

* Anti-malarial drugs like chloroquine
* Beta-blockers (medication used to treat high blood pressure) and heart medication.
* Corticosteroids. Steroids are double edged swords. they can control severe psoriasis quickly, but sudden withdrawal can cause severe flare ups. Personally I avoid prescribing steroids to my patients unless it is absolutely necessary, that is, psoriasis is severely compromising their quality of life. Only after exhausting other treatment modalities do I take up this group of medications and most patients would do well to steer clear of steroids as a first line of treatment for psoriasis. Even topical steroids should be used carefully and under medical supervision in psoriasis.
* Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like indomethacin worsen psoriasis in most patients.
* Lithium , the antipsychotic drug is a known aggravator of psoriasis.

5. Avoid aggravating medications. Certain medications taken for other diseases can aggravate or even precipitate psoriasis. Medications that can trigger psoriasis are:

If you have a relatives history of psoriasis or you are suffering from the disease, inform your physician if you are taking any of the above drugs. Your doctor may be able to substitute alternate medication.

6. Avoid Scratching, rubbing and picking at the lesions. Any injury to the skin in both involved and uninvolved areas can produce new psoriasis lesions by irritating the basal layer of the skin and switching on the spurting action of the epidermal cells. Research shows that about 50% of people with psoriasis experience the ‘Koebner phenomenon' - creating a psoriatic lesion at the site of a skin injury. Hence patients should carefully avoid any direct injury to the skin. Scrubbing to remove the scales is a mistake, as this can worsen the disease.

7. Treat any infectious foci at the earliest. Studies show that some infections can trigger psoriasis. Streptococcal throat infections often precedes an outbreak of guttate psoriasis(small drop like lesions), in babies. Inverse or flexural psoriasis is frequently aggravated by a candidal infection in the folds. Severe generalized psoriasis recalcitrant to treatment is seen in immunodeficient conditions like HIV infection. Treating the infection lessens or clears the psoriasis in most cases. Also look for signs of any infectious foci in your mouth(dental caries), throat(tonsillitis), sinusitis, gall bladder(cholecystitis), urinary bladder(cystitis) etc. Finding and treating these infections could give much better control over your psoriasis status.

8. Treat the disease before it worsens. Most effective way to stop the itching and appearance of new lesions in psoriasis is to treat the psoriasis properly as soon as the lesions appear. Consult your dermatologist at the earliest sign of a break out.

* Soak in a luke-warm oatmeal bath. This relieves itching and hydrates the skin layers.
* Pat your skin dry; do not rub or scrub. See tip number 6 above. creating a habit of gently patting your skin dry is advisable.
* Apply emollients and moisturizers. Emollients soften the skin. Moisturizers lock in the skin's own moisture to prevent dryness and cracking. three of the best ways to lock in moisture is to apply moisturizer after bathing. Regular use of moisturizers can help prevent the itch and pain of dry skin and reduce scaling and inflammation. A urea containing lotion is preferred during the day and a cream or ointment(if you don't mind a little messiness) at night to maintain the hydration of the epidermal layers.
* Use sunscreen. Patients using retinoids should apply sunscreen 15 to 20 minutes before going outdoors and wear protective clothing. Sun exposure can cause sunburn, which can in turn trigger psoriasis. But complete avoidance of sun can cause more harm than lovely. A moderate supply of UV rays is indeed nice for clearing up of the psoriatic lesions!
* Wear cotton clothing .Synthetics will irritate and heat up the skin and worsen psoriasis and are best avoided. If you have to wear them, wear thick cotton undergarments beneath.
* Look out for winter worsening: Cold, dry weather worsens psoriasis. Emollient creams and ointments should be used copiously during winter months. Before application of the moisturizer, remember to moist the skin with luke warm water. The use of humidifiers, both at home and work, can add moisture to the air in winter months and help in avoiding exacerbations. Remember that air-conditioning can dry out the skin and aggravate psoriasis like winter! Keeping the AC to maximum required coolness and regular application of moisturizing creams can overcome this problem.

9. Take nice care of your skin. Keeping the skin moist and supple is of paramount importance in psoriasis. Any dryness will increase the scaling, flaking and itching which will further aggravate the condition.

Psoriasis patients will do well to keep a positive mental attitude towards life and its happenings. Remember, any negative signal from the mind is an instant trigger for psoriasis!

10. Learn to live with Psoriasis. While there is no permanent cure, psoriasis can be successfully managed so that three experiences more nice days than bad. Numerous treatment options are obtainable, and recent advances are revolutionizing the management and care of psoriasis. No single treatment will be effective for all patients. Hence a dermatologist will consider a patient's overall health, age, lifestyle, and the severity of the psoriasis and then decide on a treatment option that will achieve maximum effectiveness.

Psoriasis, though a common disease, has not received the attention it deserves from the health authorities in most countries. As a result, the much needed awareness campaigns and funding of research projects have been lagging behind for decades. It was in this context that in 2004 the first World Psoriasis day was launched. Conceived by patients for patients, World Psoriasis Day is a truly global event that sets out to give an international voice to the 125 million psoriasis sufferers.

Chinese Medicine For Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a skin disease characterized by itchy & red patches that become covered with loose & silvery scales. This condition may acute, chronic & mild. The eruptions appear most often on the scalp, forearms, elbows, knees, & legs. It may also occur on the chest, abdomen, back, & soles of thee feet.

Up to this day, there is no known cure but six can get booster shots to relieve the itching & clearing of the skin lesions may be obtained. How about natural & herbal medicines? Will they help Psoriasis patients? Now, there's now alternative medicines, Chinese medicines that may prevent or at least relieve the symptoms of this disease.

Chinese Medicines such as Rhemannia Sheng Di Huang & Isatidis Ban Lan Gen are perfect herbs in treating Psoriasis. Ledebourielae Fang Feng can also help reduce patching & scaling.

While using Chinese medicine for Psoriasis, the patient will experience a reduction of the skin disease's symptoms. This will encourage the patient to continue taking the medicine for the nest weeks until all the traces of scales are gone. The diagnostic pattern of the TCM in Psoriasis is known to be "Heat in the Blood." The diagnosis is focused on the redness of the skin. The TCM doctor should determine first the main pathology of the said condition so that six can diagnose & treat the disease accurately & correctly. In addition to this procedure, the TCM doctor should observe the characteristics of the scales & patches because a patient is treated individually depending on how mid or severe the case is. If severe patching occurs, this is a sign that Fire Poison exists.

Cure Psoriasis With Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang

The Chinese medicine called Xi Jiao Di Huang Tang is a type of psoriasis treatment that addresses the thick silver flaking of dead skin.

Bei Xie Shen Shi Tang remedies For Psoriasis

The skin, when scraped off, produces bleeding spots right under. This medicinal formula is composed of 4 substances: the xi jiao about 3-4 grams, sheng di huang 24-30 grams, chi shao 9-12 grams, & mu dan pi with is about 6-8 grams. This herb decoction can be taken as an oral medication.

The formula is composed of 8 roots & herbs that are mixed together in water to work as a topical treatment for psoriasis.

The formula helps in treating psoriasis caused by the damp weather condition appearing normally on the fingertips & the inguinal area.

Kai Yeung Pill for Psoriasis Treatment

This Chinese medicine helps relieve dry & itchy skin. It nourishes the blood, clears heat, generate tissues, & alleviate pain.

No matter what the situation is, a patient is encouraged to consult a medical professional before venturing to this Chinese medicine. What ever the decision may be, six should also anticipate its benefits & side effects.

Kai yeung pills are regarded to be effective in chronic skin diseases & fungal infections like scabies & ringworm. Take 4-5 pills 2 times as treatment.