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Coal Tar – A Traditional, Effective Psoriasis Treatment

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009

Coal tar has been used as an effective treatment for psoriasis for over a century. It is a by-product of carbonized coal.

Coal is carbonized when it is processed and distilled for use as coke or coal gas. Though many of its components have not been identified, it seems to slow the growth of skin cells. This improves the skin’s appearance by reducing the inflammation and scaling characteristics of the psoriasis. Coal tar is found in many products developed for skin conditions, from shampoos to creams and bath gels. It is also used in combination with phototherapy to improve the condition of the skin.

The side effects of coal tar are few and for most, insignificant. It can irritate the skin, causing it to redden and dry the skin. These symptoms can usually be reduced by using moisturizer. Tar makes the skin photosensitive, which makes it more prone to burning than usual. Liberal use of sunscreen is recommended after phototherapy used in conjunction with the application of an ointment or cream containing tar.

Many people discard the possibility of using coal tar products, as they can stain the skin and clothing.  They also have a very strong accompanying odor and, when applied to the scalp, may temporarily discolor one’s hair.

Despite the messiness and odor, many psoriasis patients prefer products with coal tar over other remedies that contain steroids. The side effects for steroids are numerous and vary from patient to patient. There are some concerns about the safety of products that use tar. The FDA and the National Psoriasis Foundation have deemed it a safe, effective and inexpensive treatment for a variety of skin conditions. The concentration is between 0.5% and 5% and they carry warning labels that meet California’s Prop 65 requirements.

This puts them in the category labeled as No Significant Risk Levels. Solar radiation, alcoholic beverages and tobacco products are similarly labeled. Formulas that utilize more than 5% are categorized as Group1 carcinogens and cannot be purchased over the counter. Despite 75 years of documented safe use, there is some controversy over its possible carcinogenic affects and the use of tar in some consumer products, such as cosmetics, is banned in several European countries As a result, many products that used to contain coal tar have been modified, replacing the tar with salicylic acid.  Many, however, feel that salicylic acid is not as effective.

Neutrogena’s T/Gel is a common over-the-counter coal tar shampoo that I use on a regular basis — my scalp would not be able to survive without it.

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Can Turmeric (Curry) Cure Psoriasis?

Thursday, October 29th, 2009

Turmeric (an element of curry) is a yellow-colored spice found in many Indian foods, which is also believed to offer a wide range of health benefits when taken as a dietary supplement.  In addition to it’s effects on psoriasis, researchers are also looking into how turmeric (or its relative, curcumin) might help people to recover from some kinds of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, digestive ailments and traumatized skin.  Much testing still needs to be done before turmeric / curcumin can earn its place as mainstay in the medical community since some studies have found that it also might be carcinogenic.

Turmeric has been used traditionally as an anti-inflammatory agent, which is not doubt related to the therapeutic effect it can have on psoriasis.

Turmeric as a medicinal agent can be administered in the form of topical cream or as a pill supplement.

One of the few risks to eating turmeric (curry) is that one might become allergic to it over time.

An increasing number of people are turning away from harsh, expensive and sometimes dangerous psoriasis treatments to more affordable, gentler, natural treatments as a long term solution for this troublesome condition.   The right dietary supplements and lifestyle changes can build up the body’s defenses, which can then better fight off psoriasis.  This can be a more sustainable and more effective treatment regimen over the long run.

There are many medical conditions that require drastic medical intervention, but because of the nature of psoriasis, it can be more beneficial to seek recovery via natural means.  The cause of psoriasis is still somewhat of a mystery, as is it originates in a fundamental failure in some basic bodily functions.  It’s not a stretch to say that bringing these same bodily functions back to normal would be the most effective cure for psoriasis.

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What is Phenol and Is It an Effective Psoriasis Treatment?

Friday, September 25th, 2009

Phenol can be used as a secondary treatment for psoriasis — it remove scales so that other topical psoriasis treatments can access affected areas more directly.  Other kinds of keratolytics (chemicals that remove dead skin) include salicylic acid, urea and lactic acid are used for a similar purpose.

Other medical uses of Phenol include disinfecting and preserving dead bodies.  Prolonged exposure to phenol can cause skin irritation, or with higher concentrations, chemical burns.   It is also suspected to be a cancer-causing if exposure is concentrated and spread out over a long period of time.

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Another Kind of UV Phototherapy: PUVA

Friday, September 25th, 2009

UV radiation is widely accepted psoriasis treatment.  PUVA, which stands for psoralen + UVA light radiation, is a variation of this method.

UVA light, like other kinds of UV light is invisible.  It has longer wavelengths than UVB light and thus has a different effect on the skin.  The drug psoralen, which can be administered as a cream or orally, increases the skin’s sensitivity to UVA light.  In other words, psoralen causes your skin to soak up UVA rays much more than normal.

These two treatments working together are supposed to attack skin cells affected by psoriasis more vigorously than UV light would on it’s own, but the more I read about this treatment, the more it seems to be unhealthy as a long term treatment.

Since I am from Phoenix, I am accustomed to avoiding the sunlight as a general rule, taking in only sometimes and in only measured doses.  For example, if I pull weeds with no sun block on the back of my neck, I will get at least a mild sunburn within about a half hour (and I don’t burn easily compared to most people).

So, being a Phoenician, it is difficult for me to believe that soaking up so much UV light can be a good idea overall (though it may kill some psoriasis symptoms for a least a little while).  My inclination is that regular old sunlight is strong enough — I would worry about the damage being done to my skin cells from amplified sunlight.  I don’t like psoriasis, but skin cancer might be worse.

One of the most discouraging side effects of psoralen is nausea, which can be offset by other natural remedies.  Other side-effects include headaches, redness, itching (more itching?!), and severe sunburns / blistering.

One of the most common forms of psoralen is a medicine called “Oxsoralen Ultra.”

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