Managing Psoriasis at Home
Psoriasis has the symptoms of flaking, scales, red patches, and can appear anywhere on the body. Why psoriasis happens is still not known completely – there are a combination of genes that psoriasis sufferers have that when triggered lead to the skin problem. It is something that runs in families not something that can be caught. For those with moderate to severe psoriasis it means hiding your skin to avoid stares, feeling ashamed and embarrassed – depression is more common in psoriasis sufferers. If you are looking for things you can do at home to control psoriasis (there is no cure for psoriasis yet) here are some things you can try.
Some sufferers find having a humidifier in the house helps as it keeps moisture in the air and that helps prevent your skin from drying out. Re-hydration is also important. Take frequent soaks in a bath to help with the itching and swelling and to soften up the harder patches. It will also help get rid of some of the scales but make sure the water is not too hot, it should be lukewarm temperature as hot water aggravates the condition.
When you bathe make sure you use soaps that are mild and that have moisturizing cream in them. Chemicals can make your skin worse and so can perfumed soaps. After bathing just blot yourself dry and then moisturize yourself to keep your skin supple and prevent cracking. Make sure you choose a suitable moisturizer free of perfumes, a Vitamin E cream would be a good choice.
Understanding your condition further will help you to manage psoriasis at home. Things like what medications can irritate your skin further like lithium, beta blockers and anti-malaria drugs. The doctor treating your psoriasis may be aware of this when prescribing drugs for you, but other doctors do not know until you tell them.
Some final pieces of advice to help you at home to control psoriasis. Look after your skin when you go out in the sun. Just because you have thick patches doesn’t mean you do not have to worry about sunburn. In fact sunburn can make it worse. However a little sun is good for your condition. Cotton may be the best material to wear and if you need to lose some weight this will also help manage the psoriasis.
Wondering what medication can help you in psoriasis prevention? Also, check out more info on coping with psoriasis.