Psoriasis Skin Care

Psoriasis skin care includes a variety of options.

Topical psoriasis skin care treatments includes

corticosteroids,
calcipotriol/calcipotriene,
tazarotene,
tars, and
anthralin.

Oral psoriasis skin care treatments include:

Methotrexate

Acitretin (a retinoid with properties similar to vitamin A)

Cyclosporine (an immunosuppressant psoriasis medication used in organ transplantation)

Light therapy is a highly effective skin care treatment for a number of skin diseases like psoriasis. A doctor's prescription is required for home phototherapy equipment.

Scientific medical studies done at respected institutions have shown that phototherapy is effective in clearing up anywhere from 80% to all of the skin scaling associated with psoriasis.

Here are some other things you can do.

Experts agree that the most important skin care step in controlling psoriasis is to keep skin well moisturized. Plain petroleum jelly is good, but a commercial moisturizer that contains lactic acid is better. Eucerin cream works well as a moisturizer for those with psoriasis.

Add some moisturizing liquids to your bathwater. Get in the tub first, so your body soaks up the water, and then add a little olive oil, or mix two teaspoons of olive oil in a large glass of milk and add that to your bath.

Be extra careful stepping out of the tub because oils can make surfaces very slippery.

Moisturize after bathing. Pat yourself dry and apply the moisturizer liberally all over your body--not just on psoriasis plaques.

Get some sun. A moderate amount of sunlight enhances the production of vitamin D, which may be effective in controlling psoriasis.

Stay away from alcohol. No one's sure why alcohol exacerbates psoriasis, but it does. Alcohol may increase activity of a certain kind of white blood cell that's found in psoriasis patients but not in other people. It's also possible that drinkers experience more stress and are therefore more likely to get psoriasis.

To soothe itching caused by dry skin and psoriasis, dissolve 1/3 cup of baking soda in a gallon of water. Soak a washcloth in the solution, wring it out, and then it apply to the itchy area. Or add a cup of apple cider kitchen vinegar to the water and apply that to the skin.

If your skin is cracked because of psoriasis, cover the cracks with cow cream. A product called Bag Balm has gotten good reviews from psoriasis patients.

Avoid stress as much as possible. Stress is a known trigger of psoriasis, so exercise and relaxation can help keep psoriasis under control.

Be careful with infections and injuries. Infections can lead to an outbreak or worsen your condition. New lesions may also appear on injured skin, so try to avoid cuts and scrapes.

As with most other health conditions, diet is important. It appears a diet high in oily fish--such as tuna, mackerel, sardines and salmon--helps reduce the itching and inflammation of psoriasis.

Conversely, there are certain foods you should avoid. Tomatoes and tomato-based dishes usually have high acidity levels. Some doctors have reported a decrease in psoriasis plaques when their patients avoided or limited pork products and other fatty meats, as well as caffeine.