Psoriasis is one of the most chronic skin diseases that is recognized by thick, red, silvery, scaled patches on the skin. It can be defined as an inflammatory skin condition. It affects both sexes and usually appears in the age of 15-35 years.Psoriasis can occur anywhere on the body, but is most commonly found in the following areas: scalp, elbows, knees, hands, and feet. Psoriasis causes the skin to become red and itchy, and often the skin is covered with scales or plaquesSkin injuries, strep infection, and heavy alcohol use may be causes. Stress may also be a culprit, though some experts say it isn’t. Often, the ailment itself brings on feelings of low esteem and depression- so dealing with the accompanying emotions is a vital part of the treatmentBitter gourd is considered valuable in treating psoriasis. In 1-cup fresh bitter gourd juice, add a tsp of limejuice. Drink it sip by sip on an empty stomach everyday for about 4-6 months.Cabbage leaves have been successfully used in the form of compresses in the treatment of psoriasis. They should be thoroughly washed in warm water and dried with a towel. The leaves should be flattened, softened and smoothed out by rolling them with a rolling pin after removing the thick veins. They should be warmed and then applied smoothly to the affected part in an overlapping manner. A pad of soft woolen cloth should be put over them. Then secure it with an elastic bandage.Mix 2 drops of calendula oil and a drop of oregano oil in a small cup of olive oil and apply. This solution may also be used on the scalp. Massage well into the scalp and remove with a mild shampoo followed by a cider vinegar or lemon rinse. Calendula oil is derived from marigolds and is often used to soothe skin inflammation, and oregano oil has strong antibacterial properties. If you have marigolds growing in your garden, boil four marigold heads in four cups of water for two minutes. Allow to cool and make a compress to apply the solution to the area or use as a scalp rinse.Treat psoriasis using aloe vera – Aloe vera works really well on all types of skin conditions. It also works wonders when you rub the flesh of the aloe vera into the red area of your psoriasis. Aloe vera is affective in treating the pain and itching. If you do not have aloe vera in your garden your local health food store will have it in the form of a gel, spray, lotion, liquid, cream and even capsules.Effective home remedy for psoriasis using Marigold lotion for an irritated scalp : Boil 4 marigold heads in 4 cups of water for two minutes. Allow to cool then massage this lotion well into the scalp. Wash with a very mild shampoo or a solution of soapwort. Add lemon juice or cider vinegar to the rinsing water to ensure a thorough rinse. This will give relief from psoriasis.

I hope this psoriasis article helps

Psoriasis is a skin disorder than can occur at any age in both men and women. Most commonly, psoriasis first appears as thick, flaky patches of skin on the elbows, knees, or other parts of the body. The patches may be silver or red.In some cases, psoriasis is so mild that people don’t know they have it. At the opposite extreme, severe psoriasis may cover large areas of the body. Psoriasis cannot be passed from one person to another, though it is more likely to occur in people whose family members have it.The underlying psoriasis cause is unknown. However, it can be genetically inherited or passed from generation to generation. Most researchers agree that the immune system is somehow mistakenly triggered, which speeds up the growth cycle of skin cells. A normal skin cell matures and falls off the body’s surface in 28 to 30 days. But a psoriatic skin cell takes only three to four days to mature and move to the surface. Instead of falling off (shedding), the cells pile up and form the lesions. Possible triggers include: Stress, injury, illness, infection, steroids, and reaction to medications. Psoriasis is not an infection and it is not contagious.Dry, red patches of skin are the most well-known symptoms of psoriasis. The skin replaces itself more quickly than normal, causing excess skin cells to pile up in thick layers. Roughly half of people with psoriasis also have irregular fingernail growth that results in pitting, crumbling, or discoloration of the nail. A smaller proportion of people also experience arthritis symptoms.Because psoriasis is a chronic condition that can progress over time, it is important to get an accurate diagnosis and to understand the challenges and risks that accompany the disease.There are a range of treatment options for psoriasis including topical (applied to the skin), systemic (taken internally) and phototherapy (ultraviolet light applied to the skin).Effective treatment of all but mild to moderate forms of psoriasis usually includes a combination of treatment options and requires a prescription and medical guidance.The treatment of psoriasis has improved greatly with the understanding of the role of the immune system in causing skin abnormalities. However, treatment of psoriasis has been limited by the side-effects of the medications used.The most commonly used medications such as topical steroids, methotrexate, cyclosporine, and psoralen plus ultraviolet A (PUVA) can only be used for a limited time. After stopping these medications, symptoms generally return over a variable amount of time. Amevive is unique in that it was well-tolerated in clinical trials and induced a remission of symptoms for up to 1 year after the treatment was discontinued.

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Psoriasis is a condition of the skin that is little understood. The underlying cause appears to be an autoimmune disorder that causes the body to produce new skin cells at an accelerated rate that leads to the inflammation and itching that is characteristic with psoriasis. Normally skin cells take 28 to 30 days to grow to maturity, but in people who have an outbreak of psoriasis this process is shortened to 3 to 6 days. The scaling, itching and inflammation of the skin is caused by the over build-up of skin cells.
It is believed that the main cause of psoriasis is driven by a certain type of white blood cell known as a T-cell. T-cells are one of the body’s defenses against disease and infection, but in the case of psoriasis they leap into action unintentionally and begin to trigger other immune systems which accelerate the creation of new skin cells. Because the skin cells grow and mature quicker then normal they also die off much faster, creating a build up of dead skin cells on the surface. This build up of dead skin cells forms the characteristic plaques, or flaky patches, that sufferers of psoriasis are familiar with. The redness and inflammation of the underlying skin is a product of the increased blood supply needed to feed the new skin cells that are growing at an accelerated rate below the plaques.
While anyone at any age can suffer from psoriasis researchers have found that people in their thirties and sixties are more likely to develop this skin condition than people in other age groups. Why this is the case no one knows. It is also apparent that heredity can be a marker for an increased chance of contracting psoriasis. Children who have one parent who suffers from psoriasis have a ten percent chance of contracting the disease. That percentage goes up dramatically to fifty percent if both parents have this condition. Scientists, who have done studies on families afflicted with psoriasis, have been able to identify genes that are known links to the condition.
The exact causes of psoriasis remains something of a mystery but there are known triggers that are linked to outbreaks. Many people who suffer from this disease notice that there are times the condition is worse and times it seems to get better. Reactions to certain drugs, such as lithium and beta blockers, have been shown to trigger a psoriasis outbreak and in extreme instances make the condition worse.
Because psoriasis is caused by a faulty immune system anything that stimulates the body’s defenses can bring about an outbreak. An injury such as a cut or bruise or an infection, particularly strep, can all cause an outbreak.
Another factor that can cause an outbreak of psoriasis is stress. People who suffer from psoriasis have noticed that as their stress levels go up so does the potential for a severe outbreak of their skin inflammation. Psoriasis in and of itself also causes stress leading to a self perpetuating problem of continual outbreaks that increase in severity as a person’s stress level increases.
One way that psoriasis cannot be caught is through contact with someone who suffers from the disease. It is not a contagious skin condition, and although it is unsightly and can cause repulsive reactions from those who do not suffer its affects it is important to remember that those who suffer from it need the reassurance and support of friends and family along with proper treatment to help them live a normal life.

I hope this psoriasis article helps

Psoriasis is a non-contagious skin disease which causes patches of thick, red skin covered with silvery scales. Itching and burning accompanied by pain are the common symptoms of psoriatic skin. The inflammations are observed mostly on the hands and legs, but they could spread to the fingernails, the toenails and even to the mouth and the genitalia.

In complicated form, psoriasis may cause pain in the joints and cracked skin. If there is an injury or a insect bite in the affected part, then there could be severe pain and aggravation, accompanied by bleeding.

Causes of psoriasis are not properly known. There may be a family prevalence of the disease, as 33% of psoriatic patients have another close family member suffering from the same disease. It may be due to viral and bacterial infections, obesity, remaining away from sunlight for long periods of time, stress, cold climate, abrasions on the skin and even alcohol consumption and smoking.

In Ayurveda, diseases such as Eka-kushta, Kitiba-kushta and Sidma-kushta are quite alike to the condition of psoriasis. These are vata vitiations. Treatment is through a very carefully prescribed dietary regimen and drug therapy.(1) Useful Herbs in the Treatment of Psoriasis

- Black Nightshade (Solanum nigrum)

The juice of the leaves of the black nightshade can be applied locally on the affected regions. It helps in reducing the inflammation of the skin, and also has beneficial properties in allaying the pain and the itch.

- Garlic (Allium sativum)

Garlic is a blood purifier. Eating a few cloves of garlic every morning on an empty stomach filters the toxins out of the blood and provides protection against psoriasis.

- Jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum)

The flowers of the jasmine have good effects in the treatment of psoriasis. The flowers are crushed, made into a paste and are directly applied on the inflamed parts. This application reduces the pain and the itchiness of psoriatic inflammations.

- Onion (Allium cepa)

Onion has blood purifying properties. Hence, it is made an important part of the diet of a person suffering from psoriasis.(2) Dietary Treatments for Psoriasis

A strict dietary regimen is very important in psoriasis. The wrong kind of foods can aggravate this condition, whereas the right foods can help in early treatment. The following dietary guidelines must be followed:-

- Avoid all hot, spicy and pungent foods. These take long time to digest and cause toxins in the blood, known as ama. When the ama builds up in the body, the psoriasis can spread to a great extent. Also, avoid all foods that cause constipation.

- Salts and curds must be avoided as they can inflame the skin further. This will cause greater itching and hence more discomfort. Rock salt can be taken in small quantities for flavoring, but not the salt readily available in the market.

- Cut down on fats, animal proteins and sugars. Also consume less quantity of food.

- Bitter tastes are preferable. These foods help in purifying the blood and also facilitate the kidneys to flush out the toxins from the blood. For this purpose, foods like bitter gourd, the bitter variety of drumstick and neem are very ideal.(3) Ayurvedic Treatments for Psoriasis

The Panchkarma therapy is utilized in Ayurveda for the treatment of psoriasis. This is the first step because unless the toxins are removed from the body, it will not respond to any medication. In severe cases, purgation and bloodletting is done to cleanse the body internally. Oleation is employed using medicated ghee with bitter herbs. Commonly used herbs are neem, kutki and guduchi.

Once the purification of the body is done, Mahatikta ghrita or Panchatikta ghrita are prescribed to the person. The dosage is given in one teaspoon quantity twice a day for a month. Any guggulu preparation can be given together for better results.

There are also some popular Ayurvedic oils for external application. These are Mahamasha taila, Pinda taila, Kasisadi taila and Chandana Bala Lakshadi taila. Kushta Rakshasa taila is prescribed only for application when there is severe itching. This oil reduces the itchy sensation and prohibits the psoriasis from spreading.(4) Home Remedies for Psoriasis

- Take one teaspoonful of sandalwood powder in three cups of water. Boil it till it is reduced to one-third the quantity, i.e. to one cup quantity. Add some rose water and sugar to it. Take this thrice a day.

- Make the powder of some almonds and boil them thoroughly in water. This is used for external application on the affected part. Keep it overnight and wash it next day with water.

- Shikakai (soap nut) boiled in water and applied on the affected parts also gives good relief.

- Attach a fresh thin banana leaf on the affected part.

- Fry thin slices of onion in ghee and eat them.

- Apply lime juice that has been diluted with water externally on the psoriatic patches.

- Cabbage soup is good for treatment of psoriasis. Drink one bowl of it everyday.

Exercise is good for psoriatic people, but care must be taken not to perform exercises like jogging and running which will put more pressure on the knees. Cycling and waling are good. Leading a sedentary life will aggravate the psoriasis further. It is also important to keep the mind stress-free through yoga. Stress can aggravate psoriasis.

I hope this psoriasis article helps