First, and most important – you are not alone. What you have, is just a disease that is visible on your skin. It has nothing to do with the brilliant personality you are. Despite all the complications it brings to your life, do not let it control your mind or how you live. Successful psoriasis treatment begins inside your mind, this is important not to forget.

Psoriasis is a chronic, meaning lifelong, condition. At this moment it is not curable. People experience flare ups and remissions. They learn how to control the signs and symptoms throughout their life.

Treatment of psoriasis is usually complicated due to the unknown origin of the disease. Conventional medicines can only treat the symptoms of psoriasis. They do not address the fundamental cause and in fact provide temporary relief only. Treatment of psoriasis is focused on control of the symptoms and prevention of secondary infections. It varies with the extent and severity of the disorder.

Some forms of psoriasis can be very resistant to treatment even though they are not categorized as severe. They include:

• psoriatic arthritis
• psoriasis on the palms and soles
• inverse psoriasis (which occurs in the folds of the skin)
• scalp psoriasis

Psoriasis is neither cancerous nor contagious.

• In general, studies report the following features:

• the condition almost always relapses. In a few cases, large areas of plaque can persist for years.

• psoriasis nearly always goes into remission, often clearing up on its own. In one study, 30% of patients reported untreated psoriasis going into remissions that lasted from one year to fifty four years.

• psoriasis can improve during pregnancy, especially during the second and third months. Increased level of estrogen may be responsible for this improvement. Relapse may occur after giving birth.

• psoriasis remission periods typically last for 5 years.   

Psoriasis treatment

Many specialists believe that psoriasis is curable by using the right natural treatments. They believe that treating psoriasis from the inside and from the outside can reduce or cure it. Treatments from the outside relieves the symptoms and provide temporary relief. Treatment from the inside are intended to build up your immune system, and reduce or eliminate future outbreaks.

In any case, building up your immune system is the key to long-term psoriasis relief.

Psoriasis lesions that cover all or most of the body are an emergency symptom that require hospitalization. Quite often severe relapses are seasonal – spring and autumn bring the most flare-ups. The disorder may be acutely painful. The body loses vast quantities of fluid and is susceptible to severe secondary infections that can become systemic, involve internal organs and even progress to septic shock and death. Treatment includes analgesics , sedation, intravenous fluids, and antibiotics . Some of old methods are not used anymore due to their low effectiveness and high toxicity.

Other psoriasis treatments may include moderate exposure to sunlight or similar therapy. The skin is sensitized by the application of coal tar ointment or by taking oral psoralens (a medication that causes the skin to become sensitive to light). The person is then exposed to ultraviolet light.

Avoiding sunburn, which can worsen the condition, is always the rule.

However, despite all the new treatment methods, the problem of psoriasis remains unresolved.

It is only during the last decade that over 10 000 medical research papers were published fully dedicated to the psoriasis treatment problem around the world. It makes psoriasis the most studied dermatosis, however, the doctors face the same problems they faced 100 years ago.

There have always been rumors of a “new magic treatment”. But after a while, when the euphoria passes, sufferer are left to face their disease. Some patients take all the drugs possible hoping that “some of them” may help. Obviously, such self-treatment is dangerous. Only proven methods should be used.

If you have psoriasis, there are several simple rules to follow:

- Avoid stress including over-working

- Maintain good general health to reduce the risk of flare-ups

- Get adequate rest and exercise

- Quit smoking and alcohol completely

- Eat a well-balanced diet

- Treat respiratory and other infections promptly

- Maintain good skin hygiene to prevent secondary infections

- Daily baths or showers are recommended

- Avoid harsh scrubbing, which can irritate the skin and cause new outbreaks.

Read more about psoriasis treatment related issues in our Psoriasis Relief Handbook.