Hi,

I have been looking looking for a soap free emollient based shampoo. So far I have come across a lot of so called Sulfate or SLS free shampoo's but when I look at the ingredients they still contain some kind of related soap(or detergent I should say) like chemical like sodium cocoate or laurate or something similar.

I have had some success with Aquanil which main ingredients include water and glycerin but there is a small amount of SLS and it seems my scalp psoriasis simply cannot tolerate any amount of any detergent like substance.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Hi all,
Thought I would let you know how I have been getting on with the UV treatments. Well I have been dashing from work to hospital back to work, 3x weekly, absolutely knackered! But boy has it been worth it! This time round, I have had such an amazing result. So far half of my psoriasis has cleared and the other half well on it's way! I still have another 4 weeks to go! I can't believe it! For the first time in years, I can see normal skin! I haven't flaked everywhere in a fortnight. I have no idea why it has worked so well this time, just ecstatic that it has. My hands are clear, elbows and arms clear, thighs clear, just legs and feet to go! I have had this treatment before and it has always helped but not to this extent. I also am so brown you'd think I was just back from some exotic holiday! So I am going to enjoy it while I can and for however long it lasts.
Hope you all have a good xmas.
Sandra

I had another post on this forum where I said baking soda will cure your psoriasis. I may have been a little bold and arrogant, but it did greatly reduce my psoriasis. If I were to take before and after pictures, I would say that my psoriasis got significantly better.

Now I believe I have found something that works even better than baking soda: --- Eucalyptus oil. With baking soda, it took a looong time to work. It tooks months of consistant application. And it would cause the application area to sweat profusely, and it would smell funky.

But with Eucalyptus oil, all you have to do is apply it strait to your skin undiluted (you can also use a carrier oil), and it's alot less messy than baking soda (if you apply it undiluted). A possible downside depending on how you look at it, you would now smell like eucalyptus oil.
I've been seeing way faster results with Eucalyptus oil than I did with baking soda, so Eucalyptus oil is the clear winner for me: No sweaty skin, less applications, faster results, smells ok.


With both baking soda, and Eucalyptus Oil, there is some minor discomfort involved. With baking soda, the salt in it would cause stinging to the raw red skin.
With Eucalyptus oil, the eucalyptol (I think) causes a super cooling sensation similar to menthol. So the super cooling sensation does sting, but it's less painful than baking soda.

I don't have red raw skin anymore because of the baking soda treatment, so I can imagine that Eucalyptus oil would be even worse for red raw skin. So... if you can take it strait, I would try to do that, but if not, you can mix it into a carrier oil, or you can add drops of oil to water bottle, and some water to it, swirl it around, and pour it on the affected area.

With both baking soda and Eucalyptus oil, it gets a little worse before it gets better. After applying these treatments, your skin will get a little more red and a little more sensitive, but after a few days, it gets better.


How to buy:

You can get a 1 oz bottle for $5 on amazon (including shipping) to try it out.
If you buy larger than the 1oz bottle, I can't guarantee that there will be a convenient built in euro dropper cap. I think 2oz should have a euro dropper cap, and I think I read that 4oz and larger doesnt have a euro dropper cap.


I bought the 1oz bottle from amazon just to try it, but if I buy it again I will buy it from bulkapothecary.com. They have good prices and don't gouge you on shipping if you order a few small things. If you live in the US I would definitely use them. If you live in Canada, newdirectionsaromatics.com might be cheaper.


They offer 4 different kinds of Eucalyptus oil. Whatever you do, don't pick Eucalyptus lemon oil, because it's like 75% citronellal instead of 70% - 87% eucalyptol like the other three.

If you order from bulkapothecary, your going to either get a dropper bottle with a built in dropper (my preferred way) or you can get a small dropper. I got one at my community college store for super cheap.

Or you could get a glass roll on bottle from some health food stores like whole foods, or at dollar stores if they carry them.

Another essential oil worth considering is camphor oil if you have an itchy scalp is camphor. It's stupid cheap from bulkapothecary. It may work for you, or it may not. No guarantees

Dear Jim,

Can you take a look at this?
LINK REMOVED

I think it is a scary article for you and for me. Look at the line at the end of "commercial", which says:

Quote:

---

Dimethyl fumarate in TECFIDERA has been determined to be a new active substance by the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, which would mean regulatory exclusivity in the EU for ten years (22 November 2013)

Mother of a sweet little fice year old. Suffering.
last winter was bad. I took soap away. Made natural detergents. Used jojoba oil to moisturize.
this year is worse. We are also big swimmers. In a heavilychlorinated pool. Looking for naturaltips.
thank you

I'm Michael Pollack from beautiful Brooklyn NY and just joined today.

I've had mild plaque Psoriasis for 10 years or so.

Been to 3 Dermatologists - all prescribed steroid creams which did nothing.

I've been treating myself with topical Glycerin and Witch Hazel, topical Coal Tar
cream and topical Salicylic Acid cream.

I've been taking 3000mg Black Cumin Seed Oil orally daily (1500mg AM 1500mg PM)
daily.
I also take Ginseng daily and am drinking American Saffron (Safflower ) tea twice daily (as recommended by Edgar Cayce).

Nice to meet you all - I feel that most of you are suffering much worse than I am
as I never have more than 15 plaques on my body. All the plaques are on my arms and legs.

I hope to contribute and learn here.

PS: I am a volunteer Tour Guide in New York City - an organization called
Big Apple Greeters which gives free 'tours' of the city to visitors.
If any of you plan on visiting you can contact me to arrange a free walk
around the city with a NY native - me!

This study published in The British Journal of Dermatology assess the safety profile of Stelara (ustekinumab) in the treatment of patients with psoriasis who have concomitant hepatitis B or hepatitis C.

Quote:

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Objective:
To assess the safety profile of ustekinumab in the treatment of patients with psoriasis who have concomitant hepatitis B or hepatitis C.

Methods:
This study included 18 patients with concurrent psoriasis and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (14 patients) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (four patients) who were treated with at least two ustekinumab injections. Viral loads were measured at baseline and each time before the administration of ustekinumab. Relevant clinical data were recorded.

Results:
Among 11 patients positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), two out of the seven (29%) patients who did not receive antiviral prophylaxis exhibited HBV reactivation during ustekinumab treatment. No viral reactivation was observed in the three occult HBV-infected patients (HBsAg-negative/hepatitis B core antibody-positive patients). One patient with HCV, liver cirrhosis and treated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) experienced HCV reactivation and recurrent HCC during the ustekinumab treatment. No significant increase in aminotransferase levels was observed in any patient.

Conclusions:
Antiviral prophylaxis appears to minimize the risk of viral reactivation in patients with concurrent psoriasis and HBV infection. Without effective anti-viral prophylaxis, the risk/benefit of ustekinumab treatment should be carefully assessed in patients with psoriasis and HBV or HCV infection and/or HCC. Close monitoring for HBV and HCV viral load is recommended, particularly for patients with high-risk factors. Serum aminotransferase determination may not be useful for early detection of viral reactivation.

This is a meta-analysis of 59 studies with up to 18,666 cases and 50,724 controls which quantifies the level of cardiovascular disease risk factors in patients with psoriasis.

Objectives:
To quantify the level of cardiovascular disease risk factors in order to provide additional data for the clinical management of the increased risk.

Methods:
This was a meta-analysis of observational studies with continuous outcome using random-effects statistics. A systematic search of studies published before 25 October 2012 was conducted using the databases Medline, EMBASE, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, PASCAL and BIOSIS.

Results:
We included 59 studies with up to 18 666 cases and 50 724 controls. Psoriasis cases had a higher total cholesterol [weighted mean difference 8·83 mg dL−1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2·94–14·72, P = 0·003 (= 0·23 mmol L−1)], higher low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [9·90 mg dL−1, 95% CI 1·56–18·20, P = 0·020 (= 0·25 mmol L−1)], higher triglyceride [16·32 mg dL−1, 95% CI 12·02–20·63, P < 0·001 (= 0·18 mmol L−1)], a higher systolic blood pressure (4·77 mmHg, 95% CI 1·62–7·92, P = 0·003), a higher diastolic blood pressure (2·99 mmHg, 95% CI 0·60–5·38, P = 0·014), higher body mass index (0·73 kg m−2, 95% CI 0·37–1·09, P < 0·001), higher waist circumference (3·61 cm, 95% CI 2·12–5·10, P < 0·001), higher fasting glucose [3·52 mg dL−1, 95% CI 0·64–6·41, P = 0·017 (= 0·20 mmol L−1)], higher nonfasting glucose [11·70 mg dL−1, 95% CI 11·24–12·15, P < 0·001 (= 0·65 mmol L−1)] and a higher HbA1c [1·09 mmol mol−1, 95% CI 0·87–1·31, P < 0·001 (= 2·2%)].

Conclusions:
From a preventive medicine perspective, the weighted mean differences between cases and controls are significant, and therefore relevant to the clinical management of patients with psoriasis.

Source: NO LINKS ALLOWED

Thought this would be appropriate place for this question.

I have a problem, my psoriasis. It's reasonably bad. I have "paint brush psoriasis" covering my whole body with the plaque psoriasis on knees, elbows and scalp. I moisturise all the time probably 4-5 times a day with phototherapy treatment starting in a few days. My problem/question is;

The constant persistent f******g shitting ITCHING! ITCHING! ITCHING!!! To the point it's driving me wild, my psoriasis is so F'ing sore anyway but scratching that itch is all I can do, to the point I make myself bleed under the 'scab' so to speak..... I know this makes it worse.

Any ideas or known cures for itch relief would be very much appreciated before this happens

Cheers, Justin

Is it safe to drink alcohol whilst on medication for psoriasis ?

The Queen Mary University of London is working with King’s College London, the University of Manchester, Liverpool University and Newcastle University to develop a targeted approach to psoriasis treatment.

Quote:

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The partnership – named Psoriasis Stratification to Optimise Relevant Therapy (PSORT) – also includes 10 pharmaceutical and diagnostics companies, the Psoriasis Association and NHS partners supporting healthcare of patients.

Professor Richard Trembath, Vice Principal for Health at Queen Mary University of London, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, comments: “Stratified medicine is central to the progress of our healthcare and applying this approach to a condition such as psoriasis, where identifying the most effective treatment is difficult, is an area we can hopefully make a huge difference.

"Through this partnership we will use cutting-edge techniques to assess factors – such as drug levels in the body, genetic make-up, skin and blood differences – which may affect how successful various psoriasis treatments are for individuals. We believe this approach will lead us to better evaluate which treatment is right for different patient groups and people with psoriasis will receive tailored treatment which is ultimately more effective. This is an exciting project and we look forward to working with our partners and showcasing the expertise and knowledge Queen Mary has to offer.”

The Medical Research Council has invested £5 million in funding for this project and industry partners have contributed an additional £2 million. PSORT is also supported by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Guy's and St Thomas' and King’s College London.

The study have been designed to ensure outcomes meet the needs of patients, the healthcare system and industry, as well as informing future medical research. The findings will also help scientists to understand the mechanics behind this difference in response from patients, and may improve treatment of other immune inflammatory diseases, such as arthritis and Crohn’s disease.

Hi, my name is justin I'm 27 from the uk.

Have had psoriasis that long I can't remember not having it. Usually just had plaque on my elbows and knees..... Until it disappeared for months on end..... Happy day!

It is now back with vengeance and around 50% of my body is covered! I hide away from my wife, can no longer take the kids swimming. Had a little cry about it.

This is my first time seeking outside help but feel pretty low and desperate.

Thanks for listening

I'm pretty sure psoriasis is caused by a fungus. I notice that my skin gets worse during the winter. I believe it gets worse in the winter because I take longer hotter showers in the winter.

When I applied baking soda (which is an antifungal) to my psoriasis affected skin, I noticed that the skin would get sweaty. Could this be due to a fungus trying to fight the baking soda treatment, by creating a moist environment which they like?

I think you might also be able to make the argument that it is indeed a fungus, by
looking at the known treatments that are proven to work, and whether those treatments treat fungus' too. If not, then I am wrong.

If psoriasis is indeed caused by a fungus, then any anti-fungal should be effective against it.

Tea tree oil is a good antifungal. It's not that expensive. It smells ok. It's non irritating (I apply it undiluted to my skin).

Wikipedia says that a 10% tea tree oil cream is as effective as well as Tinactin (which is an antifungal) in treating athlete's foot: "a 10% tea tree oil cream works about as well as tolnaftate 1% cream" in treating symptoms of athlete's foot, although being less effective than clotrimazole or terbinafine."

If 10 percent is effective as an over-the-counter antifungul, then I would just use 100% tea tree oil, and apply it undiluted (I have done this many times without problems)

I think camphor oil is also an antifungal, but it does smell kind of bad and it's used in tiger balm for it's iceyhot properties. And there are other essential oils which are antifungals. But I would stick with tea tree oil...

I would get a 1oz NOW Foods Tea Tree Oil bottle from amazon. It's a good value, and the 1oz bottle has a built in dropper in the cap so you don't have to mess with a glass dropper. If you're going to buy more tea tree oil, I would either buy the NOW brand or from bulkapothecary.com which is cheap and good (but no built in droppers in the cap)

Stay away from people who say the essential oils can cure depression and stuff like that. If they say it cures everything... it doesn't

every time I google psoriasis an ad appears publicising this cream and it's apparently on sale in a large department store as well as drug stores. I don't know whether it's just a Spanish or international product, but with the English name i'm hoping that it is available elsewhere.
As usual with every winter, i'm now beginning to find new spots beginning to appear in various parts of my body and i'm hoping to use a less aggressive ointment to fight them this time around before they start to grow. So if anybody has any info on Blue Cap please let me know

My dermatologist is always telling me diet and exercise can help with psoriasis, so she will no doubt be reminding me after reading this study published in the British Journal of Dermatology

Quote:

---

Background:
Increased body mass index and weight gain are risk factors for psoriasis, and the prevalence of obesity in patients with psoriasis is higher than in the general population. Limited data exist regarding the role of diet in psoriasis. Here we assessed the impact of a dietary intervention combined with physical exercise for weight loss on improving psoriasis in overweight or obese patients.

Methods:
This study included 303 overweight or obese patients with moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis not achieving clearance after 4 weeks of continuous systemic treatment. They were randomized to receive a 20-week quantitative and qualitative dietary plan associated with physical exercise for weight loss, or simple informative counseling at baseline about the utility of weight loss for clinical control of psoriatic disease. The main outcome was any reduction of the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) from baseline to week 20.

Results:
Intention-to-treat analysis showed a median PASI reduction of 48% (95% confidence interval, 33.3 to 58.3%) in the dietary intervention arm and 25.5% (95% confidence interval, 18.2 to 33.3%) in the information-only arm (P=0.02). Among secondary outcomes, PASI50 significantly differed between study arms (49.7% with dietary intervention vs. 34.2% with information only, P=0.006). The weight-loss target (a ≥5% reduction from baseline) was reached by 29.8% of patients in the dietary intervention arm compared to 14.5% in the information-only arm (P=0.001).

Conclusions:
A 20-week dietetic intervention associated with increased physical exercise reduced psoriasis severity in systemically treated overweight or obese patients with active psoriasis.

Hello all, I've now suffered psoriasis for around twenty years and have managed to get it down to lower legs and elbows. I now work in sunny Catalonia as a gardener and am still waiting for the sun and vitamin d to do their job and make the psoriasis go away but after fifteen years still no luck.
I've tried many things both prescribed, and natural remedies and up until now the only attempt with any success has been bath, Wrights coal tar soap, scrubbing brush followed by a moisturiser. Unfortunately I now live in a small house with a bath made for Hobbits so it's back to the drawing board.
Hoping to find some new ideas but more importantly just hear how others are coping with the day to day, glad to have found you

Thanks Yoyo for the welcome note. I realized I have psirosis few months back when my scalp becomes so itchy that it needs constant scratch. A visit to dermatologist confirms that it is not a typical dandruff problem. Besides scalp, there are few patches on my arm and neck. I am now using tea tree oil syampoo sometimes twice a day if the itch gets too unbearable. I try to avoid stress but it is quite hard to escape work stress.

Hello.... again....


Things have been crazy since I last posted......

I can't remember if I got back to you guys on the plan but I definitely have Psoriatic arthritis, apparently very little skin involvement, but several joints and enthesis is where I am now...... after a big fight with the insurance company, Humiar was approved for me......

I started Humira last week and the 5th day after the injection I developed a severe cellulitis in my elbow.....We are hoping it is not in the joint..... the big concern was whether it was bursitis and also there is a concern about MRSA....... I have been loaded up with antibiotics and the plan is to restart the Humira after I finish 2-3 weeks of antibiotics......

Even in this short time, with the Humira and a job change where I am able to move around more, I was starting to feel better..... now my right arm is so swollen and painful that I can hardly do anything.......


I am hoping this is just a small setback.....

I will post pictures as soon as I figure out how to do is..... Cellulitis is a possible side effect of Humira and mine started with pain.... well when you have different pains all the time, it is hard to know when it is something to worry about, I ma glad that I called right away and have a great Doctor since she said one more day would probably put me in the hospital for IV antibiotics......so i want everybody on Humira to know about it........

Hi everyone!

I am Rini from India, new on this forum .Psoriasis affected me at a very young age. I had taken homeopathic treatment but it it didnt help me a great deal. M not takin any treatment now...i only apply dipsalic that to occasionally.. my P isn't bad but as its winter now..chances of flare up is somethin which is botherin me :(

Hello,
I have only had psoriasis for the last seven years and my first time on a forum.
Just about to start 3rd course of phototherapy. It has been really difficult to manage/control, though consultant is really good. For all those who are perhaps using Dead Sea salt, I thought I would let you know what my consultant had to say. He was involved in extensive research into the affect of Dead Sea salt and the results were it has no effect on psoriasis whatsoever. He also said why pay for sea salt if you believe salt works, just use table salt as cheaper! It appears there is still a lot to learn about psoriasis and a lot of new treatments. I have so far refused to use anything but topical and phototherapy treatments even though I am currently experiencing my worst outbreak yet! However I don't let it stop me doing anything, I even went to work in bare feet, because the psoriasis meant wearing shoes was agony, thank goodness we had a great summer!
Glad to have found you.