Causes and Treatments
by Ellin Mahloney
Psoriasis is one of the skin
conditions that still baffle doctors and medical professionals. The root cause
of psoriasis is unknown, but it is believed by a lot of researchers that the
combination of genes and triggers from the environment can cause psoriasis.
What is Psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a condition of the
skin where your skin cells age about five times faster than normal skin. In
addition, compared to normal skin where the old skin cells just slough off,
psoriasis causes these old skin cells to pile up and stay there.
What Causes Psoriasis?
A wide range of possible triggers
can cause psoriasis, and these include stress, injuries, infection, and certain
medication which you may have a reaction to. Allergies, your diet, the change
in weather from dry and cold and vice versa, smoking, and alcohol are also
other triggers which have been linked to psoriasis. However, this is not a
complete picture of what causes this skin condition, and extensive research is
still needed in order to complete the puzzle.
How to Treat Psoriasis
In choosing how to treat psoriasis, one option is through the use of topical
creams. The use of topical creams as a form of psoriasis treatment is advised for mild cases of psoriasis only.
For more severe cases, a combination of topical creams plus oral medications
may be prescribed. Look for topical creams which have Vitamin D, as these
decrease the growth of psoriasis cells, as well as anti-inflammatory properties
which suppress the psoriasis cells and slow down skin turnover.
Another way how to treat psoriasis is through phototherapy treatments. Phototherapy
as a psoriasis treatment makes use
of natural or artificial ultraviolet light to kill off the T cells which are
present in the skin. Other forms of psoriasis treatment similar to phototherapy
treatment include photochemotherapy, UVB phototherapy, and combination light
Depending on the severity of your
psoriasis and the affected area, your doctor can recommend different ways of
treating psoriasis. Your doctor may also recommend a combination of certain
treatments – creams plus oral medication, or oral medication plus therapy – as
Natural Ways to Treat Psoriasis
If you are not comfortable with
applying creams or taking medications, or if you cannot afford the costs
associated with medical treatments for phototherapy, you can opt for a psoriasis natural treatment. There are
plenty of home remedies for psoriasis, and you can apply some of these treatments
at home. A psoriasis natural treatment is also less expensive, but you may wait
a little longer to see results as compared to medications and therapy.
One of the psoriasis natural treatments you can try at home is to mix apple
cider vinegar in your bath water. Apple cider vinegar is known to soothe skin
and have anti-inflammatory properties which can help your skin during your
psoriasis breakout. If you have psoriasis on your scalp, warming olive oil and
massaging it onto your scalp is said to soften and remove the dry skin. There
are plenty of other home remedies available, but you should consult with your
doctor to find out if these home remedies are suitable for you.