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Psoriasis and Social Pressures

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

As anyone who has psoriasis knows, unsightly flare-ups tend to appear at the worst times. On a first date, for example, it can be awkward to explain away a patch of scaly skin that developed recently.  Psoriasis and social pressures are issues that come up for a lot of people, and the social stigma of having a skin disorder can at times be even worse to contend with than the actual physical symptoms themselves (though they are certainly no picnic). This can lead to a loss of confidence and feelings of inadequacy, as rash-looking skin can be difficult to cover up with makeup alone.

For those who are dealing with psoriasis and social pressures that stem from trying to hide outbreaks of this disease (which can, incidentally, mimic other skin disorders or severe acne when it’s on the face), there are fortunately some ways to avoid triggers. If you have noticed that psoriasis flares up after eating certain foods, for example, then avoid them. Alcohol and cigarettes can be two big triggers for many people, as is overexposure to the sun. Wearing sun screen and following a healthy lifestyle is a good way to look your best anyhow, beyond simply combating psoriasis.

While most people won’t develop psoriasis until they are in their late teens or early 20’s, psoriasis and social pressures can be a very real problem for some schoolchildren who may be subject to teasing or bullying by their peers during those awkward adolescent years. If your children are suffering from outbreaks be sure to pay close attention to what they are eating as well as applying topical creams to minimize discomfort. This is not a fun disease for anyone to have, but for children or adolescents the social stigma can be worse than the symptoms themselves.

It’s important for people of any age who are going through this to realize that they are not alone. This is a very common autoimmune illness. Most people at least have a friend or relative who suffers from psoriasis. This means that psoriasis and social pressures are all relative. Even if you feel like your disorder is obvious to everyone, chances are it’s not as bad as you think. For serious cases of isolation or anxiety related to this issue, it can be helpful to join a support group or seek out the company of others who are going through the same problems to see how they have coped.

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Visit the Dead Sea While You Can

Thursday, November 26th, 2009

People wading in the Dead Sea (courtesy of Flickr)dead sea psoriasis

According to a recent news article released by Yahoo, the Dead Sea is evaporating fast enough to disappear altogether in about 40 years.  This isn’t news exactly since people have known for a while now that industry and general man-made interventions are preventing water from flowing into the Dead Seah.

The dead Sea is salty because water doesn’t drain out of it (as is the case for most lakes), instead it only evaporates out.   The Jordan river runs into it and the water steadily vaporizes, thus leaving all the minerals that the river carries behind.

If you have psoriasis, this should matter to you since the Dead Sea (both the general climate and the water itself) has helped thousands of people recover from psoriasis.

The sunlight at such a low level is extremely well filtered by the sun because of all the layers of atmosphere the UV rays must pass through.  This makes it possible for people with psoriasis to lay outside for longer periods of time, soaking up sun rays with minimal negative effects (no burning).  Sunlight by itself can be a very effective psoriasis treatment.

The water, which is hyper-saturated with salt and other minerals, has also been proven to promote skin health, which in turn helps in the psoriasis recovery process.

I have read many accounts of people claiming almost miraculous improvements in their (plaque) psoriasis as a result of being around and in the Dead Sea for a few weeks.   Google “Dead Sea Psoriasis Treatment” it in case you’d like to find out for yourself.

What does this mean for you?  It means you’d better plan a trip sometime in the near future, maybe within the next few years.  I’ve heard the Dead Sea is also a fabulous vacation spot in addition to all the relief you can get for that pesky psoriasis.

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Taking Steps Toward a Natural Recovery from Psoriasis

Friday, October 30th, 2009

Psoriasis is a highly unpredictable condition, so much so that it is an elusive target for even the strongest modern medications.  The malleable nature of this disease has led many to develop their personal health to fight it off rather than experiment with any other potentially harmful drugs. Natural remedies also tend to be much less expensive than prescription drugs.

Some non-strenuous exercises such as yoga, walking and general stretching can help to loosen up the joints, get the blood flowing, strengthen the immune system and promote mental health, all of which are useful for fighting off every kind of psoriasis.

Supplements such as vitamins A, C and D as well as fish oil and folic acid are also known psoriasis killers.  In the case of vitamin and mineral supplements, however, keeping a balance is more important than loading up upon one thing or another.  Some supplements can have adverse effects when combined with other medications, so proceed with caution (and consult your doctor of course).

Baths treated with either minerals/salts or a small amount of bleach has been shown to bring about significant improvements in plaque psoriasis.  Bleach, it is believed, kills bacteria and infection, thus reducing the chances of psoriasis outbreaks (which are instigated by any kind of infection or irritation).

The most famous mineral bath in the world is probably the Dead Sea, where psoriatics come from around the world to soak up the super-salty water and therapeutic mud.  If you get the chance to visit the Dead Sea, you probably should also soak up some of those gentler sun-rays, as this has also proven to help battle off psoriasis.  Both UVA and UVB rays have been attributed to significant improvements for people with psoriasis, especially when combined wither other treatments.

Changing your diet can help you recover fully from psoriasis as well.  Generally, it is better to consume less red meat, pork, caffeine and alcohol.  On the other hand, it is better to eat more fruit, veggies and anything that isn’t process or loaded with preservatives.

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UV-A and UV-B Light – What’s the Difference?

Thursday, October 8th, 2009

Ultraviolet rays are invisible, but are natural part of the sunlight that hits the earth all the time.  There are three kinds of UV rays — A, B and C — but UV-C (the shortest wavelength) never makes it through the atmosphere.

UV-A light isn’t as effective as UV-B rays at treating psoriasis.  This seems to be related to the fact that UV-B light is  harsher on the skin than UV-A light — UV-A tans the skin while UV-B burns it.

UV-B light has been proven to treat psoriasis all by itself, while UV-A light can treat psoriasis as long as it is coupled with a drug called “psoralen.”  This drug-sunlight combination has earned the nickname “PUVA.”  Psoralen can be administered orally or topically to enhance the skin’s sensitivity to light.  This doesn’t seem like such a good idea to me since sunlight can cause so many complications for the skin all by itself.   In any case, many people claim that PUVA works wonders for their skin.

Since UV-B rays have proven to treat psoriasis without help from any other drug, this kind of light has been singled out in UV emitting machines designed to treat psoriasis.

Keep in mind that UV rays have been proven to cause wrinkling (at best) and skin cancer (at worst) over extended periods of time.  So please exercise temperance along with any UV treatment (and you should consult with your doctor too of course).  Artificial UV light treatment in particular (as opposed to regular old sunlight treatment) should be administered under the watchful eye of a dermatologist since it’s easier to overdo it in the comfort of your own home.

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