After many years of suffering with psoriasis, and reading a lot of information on the web, I decided to join this forum. I have felt so alone and so embarrassed as my psoriasis has escalated. It is on 60% of my body and I am fearful!
My husband has been diagnosed with stage IV Esophageal cancer last year and has undergone many surgeries and treatments. I believe that stress is a big component to my psoriasis hence the increase of affected areas on my body. I just spent the last few days in the hospital with my husband as he underwent his latest procedure and I can not tell you how mortified I was throughout each day! My dried dead skin flaked off my body with every movement I made and landed on the dark cherry floors of the hospital room. It looked like sawdust! I would quietly grab a towel when I could and towel sweep the floor... gathering all the flaked skin in a pile so that when housekeeping came, they would not see as much of this questionable white substance.
We returned home today, and this evening I made my bath consisting of half a box of baking soda and bath salts. This is the most amount of baking soda I have used, but as my skin felt as if it was on fire because it was so dry, I didn't think it would hurt. And it didn't! It was very soothing and I could see that my skin was not only softening, but some of the redness was lessening and that says a lot on my skin.
I am going to keep trying this for 5 days because at this point I don't know what else to do.
It is one day at a time in my life as I walk besides my husband...I want to YEARS with him not just days! And I want to one day have the skin I used to be so proud of 5 years ago.
Thanks all!

This report published in the official journal of American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that Psoriasis is frequently misdiagnosed after the use of Baby/Wet Wipes when in fact it is allergic Contact Dermatitis.

Quote:

---

Methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (MCI/MI) is a combination preservative used in personal care and household products and is a common cause of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). Recently, MI alone, without MCI, has been increasingly used in consumer products in attempts to minimize allergic reactions.

Wet wipes are extensively tested and traditionally believed to be innocuous. MI in wet wipes (“baby wipes”) has not been previously reported to cause ACD in children in the United States. Only 1 previous report of ACD in a child in Belgium has been recently reported. We report 6 children with chronic, perianal/buttock, and facial eczematous dermatitis, refractory to multiple topical and oral antibiotics and corticosteroids.

All tested positive to MCI/MI on patch testing. None wore diapers. All patients had been using wet wipes containing MI (without MCI) to affected areas. Discontinuation of wipes resulted in rapid and complete resolution.

This is the first report of pediatric ACD to MI in wet wipes in the United States, and the largest series to date. ACD to MI in wet wipes is frequently misdiagnosed as eczema, impetigo, or psoriasis.

Wet wipes are increasingly marketed in personal care products for all ages, and MI exposure and sensitization will likely increase. Dermatitis of the perianal, buttock, facial, and hand areas with a history of wet wipe use should raise suspicion of ACD to MI and prompt appropriate patch testing.

Rapid resolution occurs after the allergen exposure is eliminated. All isothiozolinones should be avoided in personal care and household products for these patients.

Are there any links between psoriasis and eczema.
The reason I ask is because my granddaughter is suffering all over with very itchy eczema and I wondered if there is a link between the two conditions.

Hi my name is Mike I have had Psoriasis now for around ten years.

Hello,
Introducing myself to the forum. I was diagnosed with eczema and psoriasis in September 2013. Pustular, scalp and inverse, which quickly graduated to erythrodermic! ( such an over achiever I am!)

Anyway, topicals don't seem to be helpful, currently on MTX (6 doses in) seeing relief of the EP, but skin is still covered about 80% with pustular.

Nice to meet you all!

Mdgal

Hey guys, nice to meet you all.
My name is Amber and 20. I have had psoriasis for 3 years now. I've had full body psoriasis and it healed on its own several months later. I have had scalp psoriasis ever since and I only recently stopped the bad habit of  picking at the scabs and scales. I'm worried about it causing my hair loss. I'm also at a very stressful point in my life right now so I think that's contributing too.

Thanks for reading

I've had psoriasis for about three years. Mine started along with other symptoms - low energy, stomach issues, anxiety. After many visits to various docs, it was discovered I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis. My immune system is attacking my thyroid causing all of these issues. I've been on thyroid meds for many years but even though TSH showed normal, the other labs for T3 and thyroid perioxidase very really off. I have started on a detox program to jumpstart my stomach (immune system) as disease starts from the gut. I also loaded up on cod liver oil, vitamin d3, b12, magnesium. I am on a gluten free/dairy free diet. I drink a lot of veggie/fruit smoothies. After only a week, the psoriasis is drying up. The doctor told me to use Emu oil to help heal the lesions. I just got it yesterday and it is already clearing up very nicely. It's amazing stuff. I wanted to share this journey and I will be sure to add as it continues. The anxiety is also clearing up. When I would lay down at night, it felt like my head was alive until I moved around on various pillows trying to settle it down. It's now gone.

Thank the Lord. Kat

Here is a little tutorial on how to use Quotes in your posts, I've noticed some of you are having problems and are not sure how to use them.

So first off you will need to start a new thread in the [Group Specific] board. Just start your thread as normal and title it whatever you want, if you don't know how to start a thread see here: Starting a new thread Put something in your post and post your thread.

Now it would be handy if you can ask another member to help as you need other posts to quote. You can quote your own if you want for the test, but I wouldn't want you to be Billy No Mates. (So if you can't find anyone to help let me know and I will be your buddy)

To use quotes you need to use two simple pieces of code, the first is an opening code and the second is the closing tag. You put your quote between the opening and closing tags. To give you an idea this is not a usable code as they are all different but notice the difference between the open and the close, the close has a /

[open] THIS IS THE QUOTE [/closed] it's as simple as that, I will explain the different codes as we go on.

Move on to the next post where you will find out about the different types of quote.

*Note: Where you see a white box with Code: above it that's because you can't post an open and closed code without it working. So I have put them in the white Code: box to stop them working so you can see how they are used. Feel free to copy and paste them in your test thread if you want.

Just wanted to say hi and introduce myself.
I'm Beverley, 53 years old and a psoriasis wearer for over 30 years.
Would say my psoriasis is moderate to severe.
I've been living in Holland for the last 13 years, though I'm originally from UK.
Been married for almost 12,5 years to a lovely Dutchman.
Found this site by accident while trying to find information about dimthylfumerate. (Managed to spell that without looking it up lol)
Unfortunately, it isn't working for me and am about to be tested for my suitability for Humira.
Today had chest x-Ray and bloods and tomorrow go for a TB test.
Glad I found this site as it is full of information.

Hope to start a Humira thread when I figure out how

Question: Is it common that people with psoriasis suffer from more tiredness than people without psoriasis?
A friend of mine also has a little psoriasis, but is often quite tired. Now she read in a newspaper, that research suggests that psoriasis sufferers also suffer from tiredness.

Does anybody recognizes that?

I don't recognize it. I am never tired.

We all know about how bad stress can be for psoriasis and although we know we must remain calm it's not always easy to achieve, but what if you could think your psoriasis away?

This interesting article is a case example of a young man who has done just that using AT (Autogenic training), AT is a relaxation technique developed by the German psychiatrist Johannes Heinrich Schultz and first published in 1932 that uses a set of visualisations that induce a state of relaxation.

Quote:

---

Case Example: James

The participant was a 23-year-old male student who had been suffering from chronic psoriasis for the past 5 years. His condition consisted of psoriatic plaques covering his elbows, knees, ankles, and scalp, as well as smaller red irritations periodically appearing on the entirety of his body. His condition was first diagnosed in 2008, and he had been using a combination of topical corticosteroids daily since diagnosis. He had also experimented with ultraviolet light treatment for a short period of time but had stopped for fear of developing skin cancer. Despite treatments, his condition did not improve. He reported that if he missed even 1 day of topical corticosteroid application, his symptoms worsened dramatically. His failure to respond to treatment motivated him to explore an alternative approach. Prior to beginning the self-regulation study, he had stopped all medication for 1 week. The procedure consisted of pre and post photos of his elbows and knees, a biofeedback assessment (including a desensitization-to-touch trial), and self-regulation training.

Biofeedback Assessment with Desensitization Trial
The pre and post baselines were recorded with surface electromyography (SEMG) of the upper right trapezius, temperature from the left index finger, skin conductance levels from the pinky and middle finger of the right hand, blood volume pulse from the right index finger, and thoracic and abdominal strain gauges on the first day of treatment and 3 weeks later at the end of the intervention procedure. The assessment consisted of the subject sitting with his eyes closed during the following conditions: A: prebaseline (sitting comfortably for 3–5 minutes), B: an imagined stressor (thinking about feeling the itching of the psoriasis for 3–5 minutes), C: sitting relaxed for 3 to 5 minutes, D: the trainer randomly touching the subject's psoriatic plaques, and E: a postbaseline (sitting comfortably for 3–5 minutes). The postassessment 3 weeks later repeated the identical procedure.

Training Procedure
The training protocol consisted of daily AT to induce relaxation, stress reduction, and desensitization. James was instructed to practice AT on his own time and was instructed to use it throughout his day whenever he felt the urge to itch, touch his psoriatic plaques, or when thinking self-critical thoughts. When the subject had such an urge, he was to stop and conduct a quick five-step AT session in that moment.

1. Stop.
   
2. Take a quick self-talk assessment from 0 to 10 (0 being negative or low, 10 being positive or high).
   
3. Breathe deeply.
   
4. AT, using a quick series of cues: “My right hand is heavy, my hands and feet are heavy and warm.” “My skin is cool, clear, and regenerative.” “I am worthy.”
   
5. Post AT self-talk rating 0 to 10.
   

In addition, James was instructed to change his body posture from a more powerless body posture to an empowered body posture, namely, from a slightly collapsed and shrinking posture to sitting and standing upright and being expansive (power pose)

Results
The subjective data were collected daily, and after 3 weeks, James's skin cleared for the first time in 5 years. The skin was smoother and less red. The subject reported that his skin was the clearest and smoothest in the 5 years since his diagnosis. At a 4-month follow-up, his improvement was maintained. In addition, he transformed his body posture and expression from being collapsed and having a hoodie over his head to sitting and standing upright with an expression of confidence.

The biofeedback pre- and posttraining data showed that James demonstrated a more relaxed state throughout the posttraining assessment. During the posttraining assessment, James's trapezius SEMG readings decreased from the pretouching to the posttouching segment. At the close of the study, James was able to return to baseline SEMG values much more quickly. He also demonstrated an improved ability to inhibit his automatic skin conductance response to touching and when thinking about the psoriasis. His skin conductance level showed very minimal reactivity to touch during the posttraining assessment as compared with the pretraining assessment

James said
Acceptance that my condition was incurable left me feeling like a lost child, hopeless and scared. Whenever I found myself collapsing and scratching, a series of negative thoughts would enter my mind, “repulsive, ugly, sickly, helpless.” These thoughts would perpetuate my consciousness, leaving me feeling self-disgusted, unworthy, and helpless. It was only once I gained conscious control over my urges to collapse and itch that I was able to foster more positive self-talk. I began to be more in control, more powerful. I was no longer just reacting. I was able to once again take charge of my mind and my body. Instead of feeling defeated, I was hopeful. With each practice of autogenic training, I would fill my consciousness with positive thoughts; eventually positivity began to prevail. No longer was I self-loathing; rather, I was proud.

• Members logged-in can post a thread in the Help using the forum section this may get you an answer quicker by other members, or you can send me a PM.
  
• If you are a member but can't log-in, please try here first: Lost Password/Username If that didn't help please use the "Contact Us" button bottom left making sure you include your username.
  
• Do not contact us with requests for advertising, recruitment, or offers of SEO. We are very proactive against spam and do report it, so you will be wasting your time.
  

Following a long time trying I have found a solution so you can now post live internal links on Psoriasis Club, It's been tested by out chief testing department But if you do find any problems please let me know.

I have had psoriasis since I was 17 and as I have said in other posts I have had varying success with all sorts of treatments.
My latest treatment Fumaderm has been very successful keeping my psoriasis at bay, until the last few days.
I have been really stressed with the worry of radiotherapy for my other problem not the psoriasis. Now I have noticed 3 or 4 plaques starting up on my body and arms.
I am hoping this is stress related and a few stiff gins will pull me through..
In the meantime to supplement my Fumaderm I will apply a little dermovate and hope it helps

Quote:

---

You see what appears to be your favorite brand name eye shadow, eye liner, or fragrance for sale at a flea market or on an unfamiliar website. You notice the price is lower than what you normally pay at your favorite retail store or through an authorized online dealer.

Before you hand over your hard-earned money, though, keep this in mind: It could be counterfeit, and—in addition to buying something that’s not the real deal—you are also risking your health by buying and using products that may contain substandard or even dangerous substances.

The National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Center—of which the FBI is a partner—wants you to know that the volume of all sorts of counterfeit cosmetics and fragrances coming into the U.S. is definitely on the rise…that’s according to our industry partners as well as law enforcement. Why is this happening? Because the Internet has given counterfeiters widespread access to customers, and because criminals increasingly view dealing in counterfeit personal care products—as well as other knock-off consumer goods as well—as a relatively low-risk crime since many of the perpetrators are located outside of the U.S.

Government and industry studies and testing have discovered that some of the ingredients that make up counterfeit cosmetics and fragrances are downright dangerous:

Phony cosmetics often contain things such as arsenic, beryllium, and cadmium (all known carcinogens) along with high levels of aluminum and dangerous levels of bacteria. Some of these products have caused conditions like acne, psoriasis, rashes, and eye infections.
   
Counterfeit fragrances have been found to contain something called DEHP, classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as a probable human carcinogen. These phony perfumes and colognes, which sometimes contain urine as well, have been known to cause serious skin rashes.

Indicators of Counterfeits

- The packaging differs slightly from the authentic brand (might be a different color or different lettering on the product), and/or the product’s wrapping appears haphazard.

- The product is being advertised as a “limited edition” even though the authentic manufacturer doesn’t offer it as a limited edition.

- The price is either slightly or drastically lower.

- For cosmetics, the product’s consistency or texture just doesn’t feel or look like the authentic brand.

- For fragrances, there’s something a little off about the scent, and the color of the fluid in the bottle might be different than the original.

- For both products, they’re being sold at non-authorized retailers, including flea markets, mall kiosks, and over the Internet.

It's refreshing to come to this website and be able to go from post to post without annoying popups and ads at the top and bottom of pages.
I respect Fred for not buckling in to google just to get higher listing on their search engine.
I think we should all try to help Fred get higher in the rankings where possible as requested in the newsletter.
I am sure Fred has the strength of character to resist requests for live links and advertising. He has said if you want a link made live and it is deemed suitable he will make it live. After all it is his site and he makes the of which there aren't many.
Long may the site remain independent and I am sure it is one of the reasons people keep coming back time and time again

How do i post my avatar?

Has anyone tried black seed oil? i was healed by 50% after my first bottle. i am on my 4th bottle now and healing has stalled but i have no new legions and no spreading. i am very happy with this.

Hello from Canada, i am Denise, 57, living near Toronto, Ontario.

I have had plaque P for about 3 years now and i treat it with Black Seed Oil.

I am looking forward to getting to know everyone here.

Hi everyone,

I am John Redfern, 34, living with psoriasis for 20 years now, but last 2 have been more or less psoriasis free (or I should say under control).

I would like to tell people how I have gotten it under control and it is basically as follows

1. Cut out the crap food - no gluten, no sugar, no dairy, no nightshades.

2. Detox using the following colon cleanse method - Bentonite + Psyllium Husk drink. Also start taking an anti-fungal like Caprylic Acid 350 mg daily to kill any yeast overgrowth and add a probiotic to help your leaky gut heal.

3. Start taking Vitamin D3 daily along with either fish oil or turmeric supplements (both are highly anti -inflammatory)

4. Start drinking a raw vegetable shakes (1.5l over course of the day)

5. Start taking a Multi - digestive enzyme that includes Bethaine HCL before meals to break down your protein intake more efficiently

6. Use extra virgin coconut oil or jojoba oil as a moisturizer 3 times a day minimum

7. De-stress through one or all of the following; exercise, massages, acupuncture, meditation, yoga

8. Last but not least - Talk about it, don't bottle up your feelings and don't be embarrassed to tell people you have psoriasis. Everyone has their own problems, so your problem will be of little consequence to them.

Within 6 to 12 weeks you should see your skin turning pink and healing, you can cut back on the detox treatments and keep it under control by just taking a strong multivitamin daily and continue to moisturize with the jojoba oil twice a day. Just make sure you stick to the healthy diet.