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Psoriasis – A Major Issue within the World of Dermatology

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

Many turn to dermatologists to help get them through particularly troublesome psoriasis outbreaks, which can include any combination of itching and burning skin. Psoriasis treatments can include a heavy emphasis on moisturizers, which help replenish lost fluids and elasticity within the skin, leaving a person feeling refreshed and with a sense of relief.  Following up on home treatments with a proper dermatologist is extremely important for those who have chronic psoriasis in particular, to make sure that the outbreak is really taken care of and that life can go on as normal.

There are over the counter psoriasis treatments, including topical steroid creams and other more natural alternatives, that can be very beneficial and are often recommended by dermatologists to treat psoriasis. These offer wide range of potency, which in turn have varying results for the purposes of treating psoriasis. For steroid based medication, a patient just beginning treatment should most likely start off on the lighter side, though a dermatologist can certainly prescribe something stronger for more severe cases.  On the other hand, soothing botanicals and other natural remedies will oftentimes improve patients’ psoriasis symptoms as much if not more than steroid based medications. Some examples of natural supplements include vitamin C, grape seed oil and any other emollients that can rejuvenate tired and irritated skin.

If topical treatments fail to ameliorate a severe case of psoriasis, there are stronger options that are available at a prescription level. These that can be obtained as per your dermatologist’s guidance and can include oral medications as well as injections that go directly to the source underneath the skin. Because this is a genetic, immune system related disease, the most direct route seems to address the immune problem. Some of these newer, more experimental medications do just that, helping put a stop to the constant regeneration of skin cells that lead to the scaling effect we associate with this disease.

Anyone interested in curing their psoriasis would do well to avoid common outbreak triggers, which tend to include smoking to alcohol consumption. Certain foods or allergies can also lead to outbreaks, and stress is usually a big factor as well. Ultimately, all of these factors will depend on each individual. When experiencing a particularly nasty outbreak, it’s helpful to make a note of what transpired right before it. Was there a stressful incident? Or was it something unusual that you ate? Keeping a diary of sorts will go a long way in helping pinpoint these triggers, in order to avoid them in the future.

Food Allergies and Psoriasis

Sunday, October 4th, 2009

Allergic reactions can trigger psoriasis outbreaks.   In particular, the food you eat on a regular basis might be keeping your body in a state of continual allergic irritation, thus compounding your psoriasis symptoms.

Rotating your meals, or eating different foods on a regular basis, will allows you observe your body’s reactions to different foods, thus narrowing down what food groups you might be allergic to  You can also have allergy tests done using skin a blood samples.  Just keep in mind that these skin and blood tests all by themselves tend to be insufficient to for determining food allergies.  It is better to have an idea of what your food allergies are based on everyday observation and then request a blood or skin lab test based on your observations/suspicions.

After you eat something your body is allergic to you might notice any of the following: Rashes, nausea, abdominal pain, headaches or heart palpitations.  Generally, an allergic reaction will throw off some of your basic bodily functions.

People with psoriasis have reported sensitivity to the following foods:

  • Nuts (peanuts in particular)
  • Cow’s milk
  • Bananas
  • Beef (red meat)
  • Eggs
  • Pork
  • Caffeine (including chocolate)
  • Wheat
  • White rice
  • Processed food (anything with a lot of preservatives)

This list doesn’t represent all the food you must be allergic to, these are just some of the more foods that people with psoriasis commonly have issues with.

Much like psoriasis, your allergies will probably evolve over time.  People can “outgrow” their allergies, which is good, but then the old allergies may be replaced with new ones, so you’ll have to keep on your toes in any case.