View Full Version : Psoriasis
Just wanted to know if there was anyone else here that suffers from Psoriasis? And what creams or methods you use to prevent it from getting worse?
Everything I seem to get from the doctor doesn't help at all. I used to have bad scalp psoriasis from about the age of 12 to 17 but my scalp seems to have cleared up now. But since my scalp was cleared it spread to the body and now I look diseased. :( I'm trying to go for UV treatment but have been having trouble getting a good appointment with a consultant at raigmore. Finally got a good time so going down on the 5th May.
butterfly
29-Apr-09, 03:39
I have pmed you Matthew.
Hi I suffer from it too,and I hate to admit it but the only thing that has completely cleared mine are sunbeds :eek: or being pregnant which isnt really an option for you! I do use creams but none clear it completely but they do seem to help it a bit.Diet does help too,and Brian Lamb does a course that really helps but the taste is terrible!x
There have been a few good threads on here about psoriasis with lots of advice and support. Try a search and you'll find them.
Here's a link to a helpful forum too
http://www.psoriasis-help.org.uk/community/
good luck
I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis as a teenager - psoriasis was fairly mild in comparison to the arthritis and tried various creams from doctor. I was then prescribed methotrexate for my arthritis and my psoriasis cleared up. Both my late father and sister also had psoriasis but more severe compared to me.
teenybash
29-Apr-09, 11:47
Psoriasis are hateful...I have a patch on each of my elbows so I always wear long sleeves...........the psychological and self esteem effects are just as bad as the blotches.
It is believed the cause is an over active immune system.
Some things work for some and not for others and I have opted not to use prescription creams etc as many can lead to creating other problems with the skin.
Some home remedies are interesting.
1. Banana peel rubbed over the affected areas can give positive results within 48 hours.
2.Sudo cream applied and later followed with zinc and castoroil cream to moisturize.
3. Oatmeal tied into a muslin cloth, soaked in warm water and then rubbed over the patches.....you can try it the easy way and do this in the bath.
4. To quel the itch a dab of vinegar.
5. Take oil of evening primrose capsules.
6. Treat yourself to a small sunlamp and use every second day, following guidelines on exposure.
7. Take vitamin D supplement.
8. We should all move to the Medeterranean and bask in the sun lit days and have skin as smooth as ripened olives!!!!!!:Razz
dragonfly
29-Apr-09, 18:50
I've suffered with *P* since I was 18 and it has progressively gotten worse over the years with the exception of when I was pregnant when it cleared up almost completely.
I now have it on both elbows down to my wrists, on both legs from ankle up to knees 2/3 of the way around my legs and various patches elsewhere.
Tried all sorts of creams/ointments and everything works for a short time before it stops being effective :( this year has been the worst so far but so far this has been my worst year emotionally
I'm not that bothered about the appearance of it apart around friends and family but do feel self conscious when on holiday etc - what does irritate the life out of me is the itch so I will try your suggestion of dabbing with vinegar Teenybash - does it matter if its brown or white and do you dilute it or just slap it on neat??
does anyone else's get worse with a sore throat or when the seasons change especially from Winter to Spring and Summer to Autumn or is that just me!!
edited to say that I've just read your bit about an over active immune system - I hardly ever get ill other than mild colds, I've never caught any of the childhood diseases so maybe there is some truth in that - my Mum was the same, can't recall her ever having a cold or such like and she always maintained that if you had psoriasis you wouldn't get cancer - hopefully she was right in that too
teenybash
29-Apr-09, 19:35
Dragonfly people like us with the dreaded P seem to escape the normal health problems...tummy bugs fly past me, colds and flu......what's that, so in a way we are lucky.
I always use Cider Apple vinegar if I'm have an itch scratch itch day as a quick fix. Somethingelse that is very good is a few drops of teatree oil and a 1/4 cup cider vin in the bath...itch free.
A local called comfrey...I wish I had some can be made into a cream and applied or simply add the leaves to some olive oil and heat gentle until the oil turns dark green.....cool, put in a jar or bottle and use each day.....you will also develop a brilliant tan!!
flowertot
01-May-09, 10:22
I can confirm that Hemp Face Protector from the Body Shop works.
One of my family members as this condition and tried the cream and it has helped them big time :D
I can source it for anyone interested in giving it a go, please pm me
dragonfly
01-May-09, 10:51
unfortunately I have it everywhere but my face ;)
flowertot
01-May-09, 22:07
unfortunately I have it everywhere but my face ;)
They also do body butter for the body, obviously and they do hand & feet cream.
Get in touch if you require further info
hobbes1962
03-May-09, 10:04
I've recently had a patch of really dry skin on my forehead (not sure whether eczema or psorisis) and although moisturiser helped promote skin growth, the new skin would just fall off again so it just kept getting bigger and redder. I've been using Bio Oil for the last three weeks now and it is so much better. Its no longer red and apart from still being slightly dry, its nearly all gone.
I would thoroughly recommend giving Bio Oil a shot.
Im using my dads account here as i cant get one of my own :lol:
I've been a sufferer since I was 5 im now 24 been hospitalized twice because of my psoriasis the last time I was in hospital i had Dr Vesty as my consltant and well we didnt see eye to eye he offered me the chemo drug the last time i was in i was 18 years old and because i said no he told me i needed mental help :lol::lol:anyways i have used all the creams but good old fashioned sun does it for me and i also found eating thick skinned fruit breaks my skin out aswell especially bananas.
I now use a sea salt body wash from avon and it works wonders.
Hope this can help u.
Hi there - Alternative Vitality sells light therapy equipment for home use for psoriasis and also a range of organic products which can be very beneficial (I'll pm you the details)
George Brims
04-May-09, 23:30
That's two posts I have read today where Lelebo promotes his/her business "Alternative Vitality". Is this considered appropriate use of the forum?
Hope no-one minds me posting this but I saw something about a woman using these fish in Ireland and she and another woman thought that they were beneficial. I have seen them used for beauty treatments ie pedicures but this was definitely psoriasis. Don't know if anyone in this country offers the treatment but might be worth finding out, if you could stand the wee fish nibbling.
http://www.psoriasisfishcure.com/researches/doctor_fish.htm
butterfly
05-May-09, 00:38
Hi there - Alternative Vitality sells light therapy equipment for home use for psoriasis and also a range of organic products which can be very beneficial (I'll pm you the details)
lelebo,can you pm me the details too please,thanks.
butterfly
05-May-09, 00:39
That link was very interesting Wifie,i have never heard of that before.
That's two posts I have read today where Lelebo promotes his/her business "Alternative Vitality". Is this considered appropriate use of the forum?
Is anyone really bothered, apart from yourself? I think it's useful to know of somewhere local that can help. ;)
Thank you for all the help. Got my appointment today with Dr Vesty. Hope it goes well!
That's two posts I have read today where Lelebo promotes his/her business "Alternative Vitality". Is this considered appropriate use of the forum?
I believe inappropriate use would be to sit back knowing I knew something that could help and say nothing - I see absolutely no benefit to that. I deliberately did not include any contact details in the mail and left it open to the person as to whether they wanted to find out more. People are always free to take advice or leave it and of course to source light therapy or organic products or any other treatment from anywhere but I do think it's useful for them to know the option is there - particularly locally.
How do you add rep to people? :)
Matthew click on the scales to the right of the post.
Hi there - Alternative Vitality sells light therapy equipment for home use for psoriasis and also a range of organic products which can be very beneficial (I'll pm you the details)
BE VERY CAREFUL WITH LIGHT BOXES...............
I say this as someone who suffers from psoriasis, someone who treats patients with psoriasis, and someone whos wife is both a GP and has the Cardiff Uni Dermatology diploma, and who treats a lot of dermatological conditions. At times i have had 80 percent coverage, and at one stage contracted bad septicaemia which bed bound me for several months along accompanying psoriatic arthritis, but through diet, excercise, regime and an adequate emollient routine, and some comp medicine and psychology managed to get it under reasonable control, to the point i can once again train full contact martial arts, and i now treat a lot of people with complementary and clinical psychology along with nutrition and regime work.
I would not advise using a light box, any UV product without speaking with your consultant dermatologist or GP. I do find the advertising of this product on here, worrying. We have seen patients badly burnt with misuse of light boxes.
If anyone wants advice or some know how on their conditions and creams etc, either myself of Dr Natasha would be more than happy to help out. Just PM us or email us at the surgery, andrew@dunbeathsurgery.co.uk. As a former sufferer myself i will also offer my services at the surgery FREE to anyone who wants to see someone who has experienced the worst of it and is making good recovery.
Andrew.
Andrew.
Anything, when used inappropriately can be dangerous. It's good practice to obtain a light therapy prescription from a trained DERMATOLOGIST - they can tell you which light box would be best suited for home use (if any) and also how long should be spent. The light boxes availble for home use are of much lower strength than those used in hospitals and guidelines are given along with the products as to maximum times - these should NEVER be extended without professional advice.
The problem with many of the light boxes, stand up, hand etc is that the skin can get too much exposure as they tend to only cover a small area, and what tends to happen is that when the person uses it from place to place unaffected areas tend to get over lapped and get too much exposure, as we have seen with many people using products such as your Dermalight 80 UV Comb Donna. We have a Comb at the surgery, and you need to be really, really careful using it. If you use it right, and DILIGENTLY then they can be great, but a lot of people especially with wide spread conditions get bored with the time involved, as it takes a long time to treat lots of areas at minimal exposure rates, and then get sloppy, and get burnt.......
The other issue is sensitivity and skin type, and how long you should be exposed. Many people just overuse these products not realising how damaging to normal skin UV exposure can be. The guidelines also do not take into consideration how much use someone has previously had, often do not describe in full long term effects and exposure, nor really go into any detail about the need to test an area to exposure etc.
If not used correctly, you can get a bad blistery burn, we have seen a lot of people of the years with bad effects. Used sensibly then they can be beneficial, but they are not the same as used professionally, and often the quick fix remains just that.
good advice - always best to use things carefully and to the instruction. Do you offer a light therapy treatment facility at your practice? Might be an idea? It's something people have asked me to offer but not an area I plan to pursue. Do you have a relationship with a prescribing dermatologist?
lele
Natasha is qualified to provide Dermatology treatment. She has a big interest in dermatology which is why she undertook the postgraduate qualification in Detmatology at Cardiff University (Medical Faculty). She provides treatment as per NHS guidelines, and therefore she would only use light treatment to registered patients of the practice.
However she would do so in conjunction with a dermatology consultant.
A majority of the lightboxes on the general market are really aimed at only maintaining conditions as they are not set up for wide spread conditions and their management.
Patients who have a dermatological condition are advised to go see their GP, as they can advise on an appropriate treatment plan. There are many ways you can help your skin condition also, such as bathing, good use of proper emolients etc. If anyone wants any information then please speak to their GP, or contact us and we will assist where we can.
That's very interesting - and great to hear there's someone in the county with this knowledge - I'll certainly be referring people on who want to learn more. Can Natasha treat people outwith her own practice or would they have to be private? Not sure of the workings of the NHS...
D
Outwith would be private, but we would just refer back to their GP,as any condition has to correctly assessed and diagnosed, and dermatology is an NHS service and a specialist area at that. We wouldnt just give UV, too many factors need to be considered, such as the depth of the conditions, systemic drug use, etc, and it would be inappropriate without case histories etc.
Like anything, allopathic, complementary, builder, joiner, etc, right tool for the right job, or you will end up with a botched job, and maybe in this case a blotchy job :)
Oh, i should add, we are not the only practice in Caithness with deeper dermatology knowledge, i believe a few other practitioners may have done the Cardiff diploma, and i sure there will be some GP's who did a stint in a dermatology ward as part of their medical training, and all GP's will have both knowledge and experience as Dermatology is presented relatively frequently in practice.
Natasha maybe has more of an interest than some due to the fact she enjoyed her time on the dermatology wards , and had considered being a consultant dermatologist before moving into general practice, and she as most people probably wont know, is an Anatomy and Physiology tutor, and creator of an international course in differential Diagnosis, and she is also a licentiate of the faculty of homeopathy going for full membership, and through this dermatology has become an ongoing interest area. Most GP practices will have a GP with an area of interest or enhanced service, in this case it just happens to be Dermatology.
George Brims
05-May-09, 20:14
Is anyone really bothered, apart from yourself? I think it's useful to know of somewhere local that can help. ;)
I didn't say I was bothered. I asked if it was appropriate. The org does have commercial advertisers, who don't post for free, so I wondered if it was right for services to be dropped into the conversation by the person selling them (rather than a satisfied customer or someone who happens to have heard of them).
butterfly
06-May-09, 03:09
Is anyone really bothered, apart from yourself? I think it's useful to know of somewhere local that can help. ;)
I think it will be useful to me Venture and i for one am glad Lelebo let me know about it.Soon i will be investing in a uv lamp even though i have read the above warnings and i am also thinking about trying the chinese herbalist in Inverness. Has anyone else tried the chinese herbalist for skin problems?
aw, i hope ye get on alrite wi yer appointment matthew...
when i wis yownger i hed severe psoriasis, it wis called guttered psoriasis, it wis lek it hed rained on me then all 'e bitys joined tilgither....i wis lek a beeg walkin scab....wi bits o' skin dropin off me at every movement!!
no a guid look when yer 18 or 19 :(
anyway i went til ma doc (auld pearson) an he wis totally hopeless!! kept gien me 'iss yucky ointment that stained all ma clothes. telt me til use it on ma face an scalp too!! never helped one bit.
i went til see him every week for 3 months an it wis getin worse an worse. all he said wis ''keep putin yer cream on'' if i wis bleedin at 'e bum am prity sure he wid o' said 'e same. i probly wis actually :eek:
anyway i changed ma doctor an within 3 days i hed an appointment wi a dermatologist, 3 days later i wis taken til hospital as an emergency case for 5 weeks.
got lots o' light treatment an wrapped up in coaltar an bandages. came oot wi a luvly tan an beautiful clear skin :D
10 years on i only hev a wee spot on ma leigs an elbows which disna bother me atall, tho i do be scratchin, sometimes drawin blood!!
if ye hev it on yer face use canestin...ats 'e blue choob, no 'e reid...ats for thrush!!
guid luck, i really do wish ye all 'e best....if all else fails ask for methretrexate...really powerful drug that is bad for yer liver...ye hev til get yer blood checked every week so prepare til be jagged regularly if 'ats 'e case.
oncemore i wish ye luck.....
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