Your doctor says you have psoriasis – a disease characterized by red itchy patches on the skin. But the more you scratch, the worse it gets. What on Earth should you do?

To make the most out of your condition, follow your doctor’s instructions carefully. Whatever you do, avoid scratching the affected areas since this could cause the patches to thicken and lead to infection.

“New psoriasis can form at the site of an injury for some people. This process called Koebnerization also occurs on the scalp. Digging the scalp with a sharp-toothed comb or even incessant scratching can break the skin. The result: injury and new psoriasis,” according to the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) in Portland, Oregon.

“There is another reason to be careful in removing scales. If scales are not softened and are simply scraped away without much preparation, hair can come with it,” the NPF added.

To control itching and flaking of scalp psoriasis, here are some suggestions:

The gentle use of a comb is the most effective tool in removing scales. Applying a lubricant like baby oil on the scalp for a few hours or overnight can loosen the scales prior to combing.

After combing, a shampoo will help remove additional scales and the product that helped to loosen them. A tar shampoo is probably not the best one to use at this period since it is designed for medication and not for cleansing or cosmetic purposes. Any inexpensive shampoo may be used.

A tar shampoo can follow the cleansing shampoo with lather left on the hair as indicated by the product directions. Thorough rinsing is important – the tar has done its work and does not need to remain on the hair or scalp.

Conditioners and other rinses may be used and rinsed out of the hair before prescribed topical medications are applied to the scalp.

Remember that shampoos that treat will also dry the hair and scalp. Thorough rinsing, lubrication and moisturizing can help combat itching. Antihistamines by mouth may also give some relief.

Hair dyes and sprays should be avoided if they irritate the scalp.

Short hair is preferable if one has scalp psoriasis.

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When everything else fails, the person plagued with psoria­sis can turn to methotrexate. This drug, which can be taken either by mouth or by intramuscular injection, was initially used to treat certain cancers in the late 1940s.

Low doses of methotrexate were later found to be effective for other diseases as well. Since the early 1960s, it has been prescribed for severe and/or disabling psoriasis.

“Methotrexate is a drug that is used in low doses to treat the lesions of severe psoriasis that have not been responsive to conventional therapy. It is also used to treat psoriatic arthritis. It can restore function to those emotionally or physically disabled by psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis,” according to the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) in Portland, Oregon.

The people who respond well to methotrexate are those suffering from extensive psoriasis involving at least 30 percent of their skin or those with acute pustular psoriasis which is characterized by deep seated lesions on the palms and soles surrounded by red patches.

Severe psoriatic arthritis, a crippling form of the disease marked by inflammation and stiffness in the joints, is another indication for methotrexate therapy.

This drug can be taken in three ways: as a single, weekly oral dose of three to 10 tablets ranging from seven to 20 milligrams; a weekly divided oral dose of three 2.5 to five milligram tablets over a 36-hour period; or a weekly intramuscular dose.

Improvement of symptoms can be seen in four to six weeks but may take as long as two to three months of starting methotrexate therapy. Once the lesions have cleared, the patient remains free of symptoms for a few weeks to a year after stopping therapy.

However, methotrexate is an extremely toxic drug even in small doses – the reason the patient should be closely monitored by a physician. Short-term side effects include nausea, insomnia, loss of appetite, fatigue, hair loss, and a reduction in white blood cell count which can make one susceptible to infection.

Other less common side effects which should be reported to a doctor are unusual sensitivity to the sun, acne, headache, drowsiness, fever, blurred vision, painful urination, reduced sperm count, convulsions, ringing in the ears, bloody urine, and breathing problems.

“Methotrexate can trigger a unique and dangerous form of lung disease anytime during your course of therapy. This reaction can occur at doses as low as 7.5 milligrams a week. Symptoms of this condition are cough, respiratory infection, difficulty breathing, abnormal chest X-ray, and low blood concentration oxygen. Any change in your breathing or lung states while taking methotrexate should be reported to your doctor,” warned Drs. Gilbert I. Simon and Harold M. Silverman in “The Pill Book.” (Next: Other side effects of methorexate for psoriasis.)

To strengthen your body, take Immunitril – your first line of defense in maintaining a healthy immune system. For details, visit http://www.bodestore.com/immunitril.html.

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Is psoriasis inherited? Can this disfiguring skin disease be helped by acupuncture?

While the exact cause of psoriasis is unknown, most patients appear to have a genetic predisposition to the disease even if this is not easily noticeable in relatives.

“Psoriasis seems to involve a strong hereditary factor although only one third of its victims can recall having a relative with the disease,” said the editors of Consumer Guide’s “Family Health & Medical Guide.”

Not all people, however, develop the silvery scales of psoriasis immediately. In some, the disease may start as a few small pimples or it may follow injury to the skin such as a cut or burn.

“Occasionally, psoriasis will begin as a group of little pimples instead of scaly patches. This is especially common when the onset is triggered by a sore throat or a similar streptococcal infection,” according to Dr. Robert Walther, associate clinical professor of dermatology, in “The Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Complete Home Medical Guide.”

“In severe cases, the patches may spread and run together or the body may be vertically covered with a red bumpy rash,” he added.

Acupuncture won’t solve your problem since the disease has nothing to do with nerves but in the abnormal prolifera­tion of the top layer of the skin. Moreover, there is a danger of contracting hepatitis, AIDS and other infections from improperly sterilized needles – doing more harm than good to the patient.

While there is no cure for psoriasis, many modern therapies can make the disease less annoying and embarrassing. Consult a dermatologist for the right treatment.

More information is available from the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) located at 6443 S.W. Beaverton Highway, Suite 210 in Portland, Oregon.

To strengthen your body, take Immunitril – your first line of defense in maintaining a healthy immune system. For details, visit http://www.bodestore.com/immunitril.html.

I hope this psoriasis article helps

Because of his or her appearance, the person with psoriasis may be tempted to try a number of questionable cures. While most of these quack remedies are probably harmless (except to your wallet), some of them are dangerous and should be avoided.

A few may appear to work mainly because psoriasis is characterized by flare-ups and remissions. So a quack cure might be credited with helping a patient when, in fact, the disease may have long periods of inactivity.

The psoriatic patient must bear in mind that there is no known cure for the disease, but that doesn’t mean he is helpless. Many effective therapies are available so consult your physician or dermatologist regarding treatment options to find one that works for you. In the meantime, stay away from people who promise to cure psoriasis with the following:

Nutrition – like other people, the psoriatic patient must follow the golden rule of good nutrition. The patient must eat a variety of foods everyday. No special food or diet will clear up the scales that characterize the disease but that hasn’t stopped enterprising salesmen from pushing their phony diets.

“Diets low in calories, proteins, tryptophan, and taurine are apparently of no benefit, though they have been advocated for more than 60 years,” according to Kurt Butler and Dr. Lynn Rayner of the John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, in The Best Medicine.

In 1976, French researchers, who believed that psoriasis may be an allergic condition, suggested a gluten-free diet to help patients. They advised psoriatics to avoid wheat, rye, barley, and oats. However, the role of gluten sensitivity in psoriasis has not been established. If you’re one of those contemplating a dietary change for psoriasis, forget it! Stick to a normal diet instead unless your doctor says so.

Herbs – various herbs have been promoted as cures for psoriasis. The problem with herbal concoctions sold in health food stores is that they aren’t potent enough to do any good. Others are marketed for dubious purposes. One of these is comfrey.

The roots and leaves of the comfrey plant (Symphytum officinale) have been used as a folk remedy for thousands of years. Its healing property supposedly comes from allantoin which is used in treating wounds. Herbalists claim that allantoin also works for psoriasis and they recommend soaking the affected area in a strong solution.

But this is unlikely since allantoin stimulates cell growth which could make matters worse for psoriatics. Besides, most of the “evidence” related to this matter is anecdotal; there are no hard studies to support comfrey’s use in psoriasis.

While the external use of comfrey is safe, don’t make the mistake of taking it internally. This herb may contain small amounts of pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can cause liver cancer.

“An herbal tea manufacturer recently issued a nationwide recall of its comfrey tea because of a poison found in the mixture. Comfrey is widely used in herbal preparations and teas. It contains a dangerous group of chemicals which can cause liver damage. Although an occasional cup of comfrey tea is not harmful, frequent consumption as a tea or home remedy may cause buildup of the dangerous substances in the body leading to long range damage,” revealed Annette Natow and JoAnn Heslin in Megadoses: Vitamins as Drugs.

To strengthen your body, take Immunitril – your first line of defense in maintaining a healthy immune system. For details, visit http://www.bodestore.com/immunitril.html.

I hope this psoriasis article helps

The more potent the steroid, the greater potential for skin damage. That’s why steroids should be used with caution, especially if you have psoriasis.

To guide you in this matter, here are more tips on steroid use:

When stopping steroid therapy, taper off gradually. Stopping suddenly can cause a flare.

Steroids can cause skin damage not always apparent to the patient. A physician should check the skin periodical­ly.

Steroids generally clear psoriasis lesions for variable periods of time depending on the individual.

Use steroid medications sparingly. In this instance, more is not better.

“Steroid creams and ointments do not smell or stain and are pleasant to use. Unfortunately they are not that effective in clearing plaques of psoriasis and the psoriasis tends to rebound after withdrawal, often in a more unstable form. Local steroids are therefore not recommended for chronic plaque psoriasis. Nevertheless, steroids are indicated for certain types of psoriasis. The skin on the face tolerates tar and anthranol (which were previously discussed in this series) poorly, and one percent hydrocortisone ointment is the treatment of choice; more potent steroid preparations should not be used,” explained Dr. S.M. Going, clinical assistant, department of dermatology at the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh, in The British Medical Journal.

“Flexural psoriasis (which is characterized by well-defined red areas and minimal scaling) is another form where tar and anthranol are likely to irritate the skin and steroids are indicated. It is often useful to choose a preparation which combines a mild or moderately potent steroid with antifungal and antibiotic agent as secondary infection in these warm moist areas is often a problem. Systemic steroids should not be prescribed in psoriasis,” Going concluded.

Psoriasis can also be controlled using ultraviolet radia­tion. This can be done in two ways: through ultraviolet B or ultraviolet A therapy.

In the former, which is called phototherapy or UVB, the skin is exposed to shortwave ultraviolet light in a cabinet filled with 16 or more UVB lamps. This is effective against moderate to severe psoriasis, particularly those with small plaques or guttate psoriasis which is characterized by small pink macules or discolored spots on the skin. UVB therapy doesn’t work well in patients with very thick or big lesions.

Phototherapy can be done at home or at a physician’s office although the latter is preferable for advanced cases. The idea is to expose the skin to gradually increasing doses of UVB light until it turns pink.

When the skin becomes accustomed to a certain dose and no longer takes on a pink color, the UVB exposure time is further increased until the lesions disappear.

“The first exposure to the light is usually short, lasting as little as 15 to 30 seconds, depending on the person’s skin type and the number of UVB lamps in the unit. People with a lighter skin type are more sensitive to the UVB so they may start out with a lower exposure time than a person with dark skin,” according to the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) in Portland, Oregon. (Next: Enhancing the effects of phototherapy for psoriasis.)

To strengthen your body, take Immunitril – your first line of defense in maintaining a healthy immune system. For details, visit http://www.bodestore.com/immunitril.html.

I hope this psoriasis article helps