Chapter 5 – Self-Care for Psoriasis Sufferers

Chapter 5 – Self-Care for Psoriasis Sufferers The Reality of Curing Psoriasis by Caring For It Instead The suggestions listed in this section will not cure psoriasis.  There currently is no cure, but after several flare ups some patients then remain without symptoms for much of the remainders of their lives.  Some times a flare up will disappear without any treatment, but most frequently the affected areas need care.  These suggestions listed below may help improve the appearance and feel of damaged skin, and following several of these suggestions may make a real difference in the daily life of many patients.  Any inflamed areas that cause concern should be brought to the attention of a physician. First, take extremely good care of the skin.  A daily bath will help remove the scales and calm reddened and inflamed skin.  There are several items that can be added to the bathwater, such as bath oil, oatmeal, Epsom salts or Dead Sea salts.   Do not add these ingredients all together to one bath, but experiment with them to determine which are more beneficial in calming the skin inflammations.  Use lukewarm water and soak for at least fifteen minutes.  Avoid using hot water or harsh soaps that may only increase inflammation.  If using soap, use a mild soap with added oils or fats, such as soaps made with avocado or other natural oil.  Neutrogena is one cleanser used by many psoriasis patients.  Another type of bath additive that might be used occasionally is a bath soak with coal tar, an ingredient especially effective in removing scales. After the bath is complete, blot all of the skin with a soft towel.  It is important not to rub the skin while removing the excess moisture.  Once the skin is dry immediately apply a heavy moisturizer while your skin is still soft and moist after the bath.  If the patient has very dry skin, a moisturizer with oils may be the best choice, as these types of moisturizers tend to stay on longer than moisturizers that are a rub on lotion.  They also tend to be more effective at preventing water from evaporating from the skin.   As the weather changes, keep a tube of moisturizer available and reapply it whenever it seems advisable.  Typically cold weather will require reapplication of the moisturizer several times during the day.   In addition to moisturizer, an over-the-counter cortisone cream (0.5 percent or 1 percent), can be applied for a few weeks when the symptoms are especially uncomfortable.  Having a humidifier in the house is also helpful, especially in the areas used for sleeping. When retiring for the evening, cover the inflamed areas during sleep.  First, make sure that the area is clean and blotted dry.  After this apply a good moisturizer and wrap the area with plastic wrap overnight.  After awaking the next morning, remove the wrap and wash away any shedded scales in a bath or shower.  Again, after any bath or shower, make sure to follow the suggestions above. Sunlight can be both helpful and harmful to patients who suffer from psoriasis.  A few people have symptoms that become worse even with a little exposure to the sun, but the large majority of patients see their patches become much improved with a reasonable amount of sunlight.  Everyone should be aware that a large amount of sun typically triggers or worsens symptoms, and also increases the risk of skin cancer.   Using the sun as a treatment for psoriasis should start with short sessions of sunbathing about three times a week.  Keep a record the dates and duration of each session in order to help avoid overexposure. Also, this record can be a good reference to exactly what amount of sun will get the best results.  Be sure to protect healthy skin with a sunscreen of at least 15 SPF, especially the areas of the ears, hands and face.  Doctors who are familiar with treating patients with psoriasis are usually happy to suggest a moderate program of sunbathing as one way for the patients to be more comfortable.  One additional treatment that can be done at home to minimize the symptoms of psoriasis is phototherapy.  A physician (typically a dermatologist) can prescribe an ultraviolet B unit to be used at home, and give strict instructions on how to use it.  These can be of great help to some people, but the directions need to be followed precisely. Take time to educate family and friends about the disease.  Even though people may be very close, psoriasis inflammations are very noticeable, and people instinctively tend to turn their gaze or have other reactions.  Understand that these reactions can be quite common, and are not intended to hurt.  Also, education of family and friends can be an emotional support, and in a number of cases find and give new information to the patient with psoriasis. Many patients find that a support group is a great help.  Consider joining a support group for psoriasis with other members that have inflammations and understand the many problems of the disease.  Just talking about it and sharing experiences is a big help, especially since the embarrassment and discomfort of this disease have a huge impact on the psyche.  Often physicians know of local support groups, or they can easily be found online. Do not be troubled by feeling that the inflammations need to be covered up.  The inflammations of psoriasis are difficult enough to manage, and so any method to increase comfort is very acceptable.  This includes using clothing to cover the areas, or using cosmetic products, such as a concealer or other makeup.  However, cosmetics should not be used on open lesions, cuts, or fissures, as they can irritate the skin. Another treatment that might be considered is psychological counseling.  The number of physical problems to deal with are compounded by the problems of the time it takes to manage the disease, as well as the reactions of people in the community.  There are a number of people who have changed jobs due to feeling uncomfortable about the way the work environment reacted to psoriasis.  There are also people who have gotten divorced due to the results of the disease.  Often this is because of the time and attention it consumes, rather than the lesions themselves.  Many people with psoriasis would benefit greatly from regular appointments with a professional counselor.