8 Home Remedies for Psoriasis You Won’t Believe

home remedies for psoriasis young girl with back rash

Approximately 7.5 million people in the US are currently suffering from psoriasis. It’s a disease spread much wider than one would believe, which prompted us to create this list of wonderful home remedies for psoriasis you can start trying as we speak. Medicines and special ointments are recommended as well, but when the cure lies in your pantry, wouldn’t it be better to give that a try?

What Is Psoriasis?

Simply put, psoriasis is a very pesky skin condition, extremely persistent and very hard to cure. The basic science behind it is that people who suffer from this disease have skin cells that multiply some 10 times faster than normal ones do. When the layers of skin cells underneath reach the surface, as they need to, then dry out and die, the sheer quantity is so big that they become a type of reddish plaque covered in white scales.

Psoriasis is most common in elbows, knees, and one’s scalp, but it may also occur on the palms and soles of the feet and the torso.

There are seven types of psoriasis known to us today.

  • Plaque psoriasis

It’s the most common type seeing as about 8 in 10 people who suffer from this disease actually have this type. This percentage is also the reason why plaque psoriasis is also called ‘vulgaris.’ The patches it produces are exactly as described above – reddish and with white scales on top. They can also burn and feel itchy at times. Also, this kind of psoriasis can appear almost anywhere on your body.

It’s typically triggered by stress, other lesions to the skin, tonsillitis, strep throat, and particular drugs, the likes of beta-blockers.

  • Inverse psoriasis

Unlike the common kind, inverse psoriasis produces the same bright, shiny red spots, but without the silvery, white scales on top. It usually develops under the breasts, in the armpit and groin regions, and in the skin folds around the buttocks and genitals. It can also get a lot worse if the person sweats a lot, rubs it or has a yeast infection.

  • Pustular psoriasis

It’s very uncommon and happens mostly in adults. The ever-present red skin develops additional bumps filled with pus, which are called pustules. Although they might look infectious, they are entirely benign to people surrounding the patient. However, they are not safe for him. If you have psoriasis and notice these pustules evolving on your skin, you need to go to the doctor immediately. They can give you fever, nausea, weakness, increase your heart rate, and chills.

  • Erythrodermic Psoriasis

The least common type, this one is very serious as well. If you notice the following signs, you must go to the emergency room as you might need to be hospitalized. It’s characterized by widespread red patches, which might take up all of your skin and which appear as though you were severely burnt.

If left untreated, it may lead to pneumonia, heart failure, and infections.

  • Nail psoriasis

As the name suggests, it’s that type of psoriasis that affects your nails. It’s very common, seeing as half the people who suffer from this disease have it. Symptoms include your nails looking pitted, and them turning yellow-brown in color. They might also separate from the fingers themselves and develop residue that looks like chalk underneath. Evidently, they will also be very tender and painful to touch.

  • Psoriatic Arthritis

This condition combines arthritis and psoriasis and locates the latter in the joints. People who have it typically complain of stiff and sore joints, especially when they get up in the morning and during the day after they rest. They also complain about their fingers and toes swelling up and about their joints becoming warm and somewhat discolored.

home remedies for psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis

What Are the Best Home Remedies for Psoriasis?

There are quite a few home remedies for psoriasis that you can use to relieve some of the pain it causes. If used correctly and on a regular basis, they might also help with the unaesthetic and unappealing part of the ailment. Here are some of them.

#1. Making Use of Supplements

Dietary supplements are an excellent way to start when it comes to home remedies for psoriasis. You might already have them in your medicine cabinet, so it will be incredibly easy to give them a try. These dietary supplements include fish oil, milk thistle, vitamin D in any form, and evening primrose oil. As far as fish oil goes, you can ingest it, but you can also rub it onto those areas of your skin that have been affected by psoriasis.

A word of caution here – be very careful to take only supplements, oils, and vitamins that do not interfere directly with your primary treatment for psoriasis or with treatments for other ailments of which you might be suffering. It’s also crucial you test them all, so as not to be allergic to any. To achieve this goal, it’s best you discuss this course of action with a physician prior to starting it.

#2. Moisture Is Your Friend

All home remedies for psoriasis should begin and end with moisture. There are several ways in which you can introduce more of it to your surrounding environment or to your body itself. For example, you can buy a state-of-the-art humidifier that will keep the air in your home, office, and other places you spend a lot of time in nice and moist. Don’t forget to bring it with you if you go on vacation as well. It has the amazing ability to prevent dry skin before it even has a chance to develop it, which makes it one of the best home remedies for psoriasis.

Another way in which you can keep your skin moist is by hydrating it as well as you can. Use special creams and moisturizers that were created for sensitive skin only. They will help your derma stay supple, light, and no more plaque will be able to form on its surface.

#3. Perfumes and Dyes Are Forbidden

Another great tip on our home remedies for psoriasis list says you should steer clear from makeup and personal hygiene products that have been enhanced with perfume. Unfortunately, most soaps, creams, shower gels, and lotions are built that way, so you need to read their list of ingredients very carefully.

They are very nice, indeed, and they make your skin smell wonderful, but the perfume they contain will also make your psoriasis flare up. If you have the chance, buy organic or homemade products, labeled ‘for sensitive skin’. Smell them before buying. If they have no fragrance, you’re good to go, but if they do, feel free to inquire the retailer what is the source of the scent. Some homemade products smell good due to their highly organic compounds, such as lavender and jasmine, but they are quite rare and tend to be expensive.

#4. Make Use of a Healthy Diet

Home remedies for psoriasis also include healthy foods. Indeed, they will not so much cure your psoriasis as they will help you manage it better. Therefore, to achieve this, you need to keep away from fatty foods and red meat. Instead, get acquainted with what The National Psoriasis Foundation calls ‘the functional foods.’ Eat as much chocolate, soy, nuts, cranberries, and olive oil as you can.

Speaking of olive oil as part of your list of home remedies for psoriasis, you can use it externally just as well as you do internally. Dab it onto the red patches or the white scales. You can do this right after you take a shower so that it locks in as much moisture as possible. Don’t forget your scalp, if your psoriasis has acted up there also. Warm up very slightly just a few tablespoons of olive oil and gently rub them into your scalp next time you’re in the shower. It will loosen all the plaque and help you get rid of it.

olive oil in home remedies for psoriasis

#5. Bathe with as Much Care as You Possibly Can

When suffering from psoriasis, bathing time needs to be looked upon with a lot of seriousness. However, if you want to apply the home remedies for psoriasis we are recommending you, here are some tips for making the best out of bathing time. These tips work for both shower and bath.

  • Be careful not to take too many baths or showers, as they will have the reverse effect of drying your skin rather than moisturizing and loosening it. During the hot season take one bath every other day and during the cold seasons take a bath or a shower every three days.
  • Go for lukewarm water. Although you might be tempted to make the shower hot because you think it will help soften the skin, you are wrong. Hot water dehydrates. Building on this idea, don’t make the water too cold either.
  • Seeing as plain old water can actually suck hydration out of your skin, add some ingredients that will help you. When you get into the bath, soak there for a few minutes and then add bath salts, all sorts of oils you are fondest of or oatmeal that is finely ground.

#6. Get Some Much Deserved Sun

This particular tip regarding home remedies for psoriasis needs careful consideration. Sunlight does indeed help with your condition, but not sunburn and prolonged exposure. You must always wear sunscreen that has at least 30 on the SPF scale. It also has to be rich in zinc oxide, and it must be used on those areas of your skin that do not have psoriasis.

Make sure to put a limit on how much time you spend in the sunlight. Start off by spending some 20 minutes three day a week. Then you can make your way up from there. If you are already using some medicinal treatments prescribed by your doctors, especially ointments, discuss the idea of spending time in the sun with your physician first. Some creams should not be exposed to sunlight, and he or she will be able to tell you if you’re safe or not.

#7. Stop Smoking if You Can

Not only does it affect your health on the whole, but smoking worsens psoriasis as well. Our home remedies for psoriasis enumeration includes the fact that you should really give up smoking as soon as possible.

Different researchers have performed studies to investigate the link between psoriasis and cigarettes. As it turns out, smoking worsens your bouts of psoriasis and might even cause it to develop into a more severe form. The same studies show how these effects proved to be stronger regarding women who had already had the disease. Letting go of your smoking habits will be one of the best things you will do in your life.

no smoking as home remedies for psoriasis

#8. Take Care of the Psychological Aspects

When you feel good, you look good. How many times have you heard this motto? Now it’s time to bring it to life. Apart from all the health problems, psoriasis also affects the way the patient looks. Because of this reason, it may make him or her feel ugly, unattractive, and consequently, unwanted.

One of the most important things you can do for yourself besides all the other home remedies for psoriasis is to make yourself feel good. Remember it’s only a skin condition and it does not speak for who you are whatsoever. Do not let it affect your self-esteem at all.

However, if you feel it does, you can always discuss with a therapist that will help you get through the hard times. Apart from that, if you want, you can join a special support group for people suffering from this disease. Spending time with them will help you to a great extent. You will notice that they understand what you’re going through and that they have advice which you might find useful.

When it comes to home remedies for psoriasis, the tips and tricks are simple and very handy. All you need to do is look through your cupboard and take a few long and relaxing baths. Just remember not to let this disease stress you out more than it should!

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Tips for Covering Psoriasis

It can be so hard to have psoriasis, especially when it flares up. Though you love yourself, it is likely you will have times where you want to cover it up to feel just like everyone else. This is when these tips will help you out greatly!

Don’t Ditch Showing Skin

It can be hard to build up the confidence to show your arms and legs. But it is important that you don’t hide. Anyway, in the summer and spring seasons, it is such torture to wear long pants and shirts all the time. Instead, you can try out some simple fixes such as tinted stockings or leg airbrush. Both of these options look very real and will allow you to feel confident in your skin.

Dry skin is associated with dry air, which is terrible news for people with psoriasis. Using a humidifier in a room will raise the humidity.

Certain medications, including antimalarials, beta-blockers lithium, and others, can worsen psoriasis in some people.

 Contact Doctors who treat skin conditions and if a current medication appears to be irritating your psoriasis, possibly reduce the dosage.

Pick soaps that are not dry which will irritate your skin and increase itching, choose a milder soap.

Many mild soaps that contain moisturizers, such as Basis, Alpha Keri, Purpose, Nivea Cream Bar, and Oilatum, are excellent alternatives.

You can also choose many soap-free cleansers.

I have listed some here Lowilla Cake, Aveeno Cleansing Bar, or pHisoDerm Dry Skin Formula if your skin is already dry and irritated. 

Ask your pharmacist or doctor which products to choose for Psoriasis And no matter what product you choose, be sure to rinse off thoroughly and then apply moisturizer immediately to prevent itching and drying.

Because the skin is unusually susceptible to irritating substances, use products such as hair dyes, perms, or straighteners with caution.

Shedding unwanted pounds can make psoriasis easier to deal with daily. 

At this point, there is currently no cure for psoriasis; there are simple, natural treatments and self-help steps that make a living with psoriasis easier. 

Directions on how to make a vinegar dip

Some psoriasis sufferers have said they have had success in treating with Aloe vera, and Apple cider vinegar are common agents used to soothe minor burns and other skin inflammations, and it’s also a disinfectant.

It also makes an excellent soak for affected fingernails and toenails. Put in a small glass bowl and dip your nails in for a few minutes. Also, prepare an apple cider vinegar compress.

1 cup of apple cider vinegar 

1 gallon of room temperature water

apply it to the skin to ease itching by soaking a washcloth in the mixture 

Get Creative with Fashion

There are so many pieces you can purchase that cover you in a fashionable, freeing, and breathable way. If you have a flair up and need a quick way to cover your neck and chest area, purchase a pretty scarf and rock your look. If you are trying to draw attention away from your psoriasis, you can use a popping lip color or a nice hair accessory or some noticeable jewelry that you love.

Find Great Makeup

Now that you know how to moisturize your face, go and purchase some good makeup that will work with healing your face as well as covering up your psoriasis. Make sure to do your research and choose your foundations and all other types of makeup very carefully. As you know, your skin can flare up because of anything, so it is important to purchase healing products! Get ready to test it out, try all the ways of doing the makeup that you see in tutorials, and find what works.