Psoriasis is a painful and hard-to-defeat skin condition where skin becomes irritated, red, scaly, dry and full of scabs and cracks. It is often accompanied by pain and aches in one’s joints.¹ It is a widespread and bothersome condition that affects 8 million Americans according to the National Psoriasis Foundation.² Thankfully, there are various ways to treat and improve the symptoms of psoriasis and relieve the itchy nightmare.
What Causes Psoriasis?
Psoriasis is an autoimmune system disorder where too many skin cells come up to the skin’s surface. They break out into silvery rashes that later turn into scaly reddish patches and broken, bleeding skin. It is very unpleasant and also can lead to painful nails and flaky skin. The joint pain coupled with the various skin problems can make psoriasis an irritating condition that interrupts daily life and makes it hard to focus on work, leisure and enjoying your time.
Natural Treatments
Psoriasis can be hard to get rid of, but there are a number of effective natural treatments. There are also mainstream medical therapies that can be worth investigating in addition to the natural options. One important thing to keep in mind is that you should always avoid scratching the irritated area effected by a psoriasis outbreak.
Turmeric
One of the best natural treatments to try out is turmeric. This marvelous root can help to cut down on psoriasis and reduce its harmful outbreaks. The key component of turmeric is a substance called curcumin, which is an antioxidant that really takes the fight to psoriasis and has been proven in multiple studies to reduce its effects. Studies seem to indicate that using a topical curcumin gel appears to be most effective.³ Just be sure to consult with your doctor first.
Aloe Vera
You may know aloe vera from its restorative and soothing properties in treating sunburns, but it is also incredible at soothing the effects of psoriasis. You should be looking for aloe vera with 0.5 percent or more aloe as it has been found that this concentration is optimal for treating psoriasis. As for other ways of taking aloe, such as in a pill form, there is not medical research that shows that this helps so it is not recommended for treating psoriasis.⁴
Oatmeal
Even though you may think of oatmeal as a breakfast food, it can actually have a very healing effect on inflammation and act as a powerful anti-histamine. One of the best ways to use oatmeal in treating psoriasis is to immerse yourself into a bath with completely natural colloidal oatmeal solution. It’s best to use cold or semi-warm water—not hot water as this can damage your skin further. It’s also worth trying natural soap made from oatmeal.
Colloidal oatmeal is a special type of oatmeal that is put into liquid and is often used for treating skin conditions.⁵ It is recommended not to exceed about fifteen minutes soaking in the oatmeal bath, and you should apply moisturizer after getting out.⁶ Salt baths are another effective treatment for psoriasis.
Fish Oil
Fish that contain omega three fatty acid oils are a great way to rebuild skin and studies have shown they have many helpful effects on individuals suffering from psoriasis. Instead of firing up the grill and having a steak, considering a tasty salmon filet⁷ or—if fish isn’t your thing—go to the store and buy gel capsules of omega 3 fatty acids.
It is also important to check with your doctor to make sure that taking omega 3 fatty acids is right for you. Vitamin D can also be very helpful for psoriasis, so getting out and getting some sun is a great idea and even UV therapy can sometimes be recommended.
Healthy Living
As with many medical conditions, healthy living has an incredible range of benefits. When it comes to psoriasis, keeping stress levels low and fitness levels high can help control flare-ups and make sure your condition improves. Getting out to run, doing some yoga or even just taking a brisk walk for some time during the day will work wonders. As always, do your own research when finding out about the various ways to help treat psoriasis. And before making any big changes, consult your doctor first.
[1] https://www.healthline.com/health/psoriasis
[2] https://www.psoriasis.org/content/statistics
[3] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/314306.php
[4] https://www.psoriasis.org/treating-psoriasis/complementary-and-alternative/herbal-remedies
[5] https://www.babobotanicals.com/blogs/from-the-doctors/colloidal-oatmeal
[6] https://www.sharecare.com/health/psoriasis-skin/article/simple-ways-soothe-psoriasis
[7] https://www.psoriasis.org/advance/fish-oil-does-it-really-help-psoriasis