Psoriasis is a common skin condition that affects around 2% of people in the UK.
The statistics show that psoriasis will affect a large number of white people at some time in their lives.
Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be a cause…
…but it is thought that there is an inherited defect in the skin which is triggered by certain factors.
This can be an infection caused by streptococcus or some trauma to the skin which can produce the lesions associated with psoriasis.
Emotional episodes or mental stress can trigger outbreaks but it isn’t thought to be a specific cause.
It can appear at any time, but is common between the ages of 15 and 30 and it often occurs in someone who has a parent with the condition.
From time to time I get enquiries regarding suitable products and, although I don’t specifically make products for this condition, I have found that many of my customers can use Mellow products without a problem.
How Does It Present?
There are raised patches of pink, thick, new skin covered with flakes of dead skin, caused because the production rate of new cells is accelerated. Attacks of psoriasis are quite erratic.
There may be long periods of time when the skin is really clear and then it appears but you can’t put a time factor on it to disappear. Fortunately it doesn’t seem to leave scarring.
People with psoriasis often like the summertime because natural sunlight seems to help the condition.
The treatment generally offered by medical professionals are cortisone-based products in severe cases. Of course these have their place because they relieve the symptoms quickly, but they can damage your skin over time and so are best avoided if at all possible.
During my aromatherapy training we learned about tea tree products which seem to have no known side effects and are useful for people with psoriasis.
Most households can lay their hands on sodium bicarbonate but did you know it helps to reduce the body’s levels of acidity which is useful to treat psoriasis? Add 1-5 tablespoons to your bath water every other night. In acute cases start with 1 tablespoon and gradually increase to 5 tablespoons over a couple of months. Stay in the bath for 15 minutes. Rinse briefly in cold water, dry and keep warm.
Finally, if you want to comment on what helps your psoriasis or would like more information on tea tree products or shea butter cream, we would love to hear from you over on our Facebook page.
Until next time, Carole x