Psoriasis/Eczema

[didcot]

I have had Eczema all my life and about 18 months ago was diagnosed with Psoriasis as well. I have it all over my body and I seem to chase it from one place to another. I developed it on my hands and fingers over 20 years ago whilst on the shop floor. Nasty fluxes and autosol polish were the catalyst.

Whilst I'm more of a weekend engineer, my days are spent in design and project management, I'm still plagued with it on my hands. Its most prevalent in my left had, I'm left handed. It gets to a point that I bleed on everything, the scaring prevents me from fully bending my fingers when its really bad. I drop stuff, water stings and I can't go near anything hot. Hand sanitiser prior to shopping is awful. Its really getting me down. I can't do any modelling or DIY. I have tried all the pills and potions the GP and Hospital can through at me and it still won't go. I've lathered my hand in creams, worn cotton gloves over night only to have them stuck to the dried blood in the morning. The only respite from the pain and itching is warm salty water. My Grandmother swore by it.

Has anyone tried anything herbal or alternative that might help? It can't have any nuts in though.

Thanks.

[alastairq]

I have Psoriasis on a greater or lesser scale, with a sudden onset around 40 years ago.

 

I used to see flare-ups on pressure points, like the front of my right knee, elbows, etc. 

 

Sometimes large patches, often just small ones.  The knee issue more or less ceased after I gave up full time bus driving.

Most flareups  in more recnt times occured on my head, under my hairline. [Of which I am endowed with plenty. Hair, that is]

For my scalp, I used Polytar shampoo, and avoided the more general shampoos.  

[There was a brief period recently when Polytar, for ingredient reasons, IE, lack of,  halted production. This caused a flare-up, which has since subsided.]

 

Salt water bathing is very helpful [Hence, the Dead Sea resorts in Israel are , or were, popular as health treatments for Psoriasis]

 

Use of tar related cleaning products is better than normal soaps, etc.. If they can be obtained?

 

There are tubes of creams available via one's GP. Some, I believe, are steroid-related?

 

However, I suspect the greatest cause of flare-ups of Psoriasis is down to stress.

 

A reduction of stress [especially the 'negative' stresses] has been a major benefit personally.

 

 

[didcot]

I would agree that stress is a factor. My skin is generally an accurate indicator of my stress levels and mental health wellbeing.

[Bernard Lamb]

1 hour ago, didcot said:

I have had Eczema all my life and about 18 months ago was diagnosed with Psoriasis as well. I have it all over my body and I seem to chase it from one place to another. I developed it on my hands and fingers over 20 years ago whilst on the shop floor. Nasty fluxes and autosol polish were the catalyst.

Whilst I'm more of a weekend engineer, my days are spent in design and project management, I'm still plagued with it on my hands. Its most prevalent in my left had, I'm left handed. It gets to a point that I bleed on everything, the scaring prevents me from fully bending my fingers when its really bad. I drop stuff, water stings and I can't go near anything hot. Hand sanitiser prior to shopping is awful. Its really getting me down. I can't do any modelling or DIY. I have tried all the pills and potions the GP and Hospital can through at me and it still won't go. I've lathered my hand in creams, worn cotton gloves over night only to have them stuck to the dried blood in the morning. The only respite from the pain and itching is warm salty water. My Grandmother swore by it.

Has anyone tried anything herbal or alternative that might help? It can't have any nuts in though.

Thanks.

If all the standard treatments have failed then try to arrange to see a specialist in psycho dermatology. SWMBO specialised in this at one time and it can produce results when all else fails. There does not seem to be a permanent cure but several of her patients were work colleagues and I was shown the before and after condition and the improvement was amazing. I know what you are going through. Some were able to be kept clear for years at a time. Pester your GP as not many are aware of what treatment is available. I hope you can find assistance. A lot can be done to improve your situation. From what I have seen improvement always results, from making your life more comfortable to getting back to almost normal.

Bernard

[didcot]

Thanks Bernard. I will drop the Dermatology Doctor a line to see what is available. 

[Ozexpatriate]

My grandfather had psoriasis. My mother told me stories that it would get so bad that he would bleed through the sleeves of his shirt.

 

She was mortified to see it on the back of my neck when I was about six.

 

Like other autoimmune diseases, the susceptibility to psoriasis can be inherited. Both my sister and I have it. I believe it to be progressive. I have many little patches, mostly on my legs, arms and torso. The largest are on the front of my shins, which have grown in size over the years and are now about 6 to 8cm in size. Besides the itch, I mostly just have dry skin scaling and occasional bleeding in spots.

 

A topical steroid did clear these up but my doctor is reluctant to prescribe this too much - apparently it weakens the skin (along with other side effects).  At one point I was on a course of steroids for an unrelated autoimmune condition. The psoriasis went away like magic. Once the steroids were discontinued, the psoriasis returned in the same spots.

 

I use a topical ointment of Calcipotriene (a synthetic vitamin D) daily. It does not make the psoriasis go away but does mitigate symptoms.

 

Here in the US there are several powerful systemic medications (TNF Inhibitors) that are advertised for psoriasis. I understand that these were drugs originally developed for other purposes that had side effects of eliminating psoriasis and were re-labeled for this therapeutic effect. They can have other serious side effects - like Lymphoma.

 

Do see a dermatologist.

 

 

[didcot]

I have been prescribed Acitretin by the Hospital. It can have some nasty side effects and stays in your system for a number of years. I was getting severe stomach cramps and was off to the toilet alot.

I've had dermovate, various moisturising creams and other steroid ointments as well. I know people who take methotrexate, but having seen the side effects in my youngest son and Dad who take it I'd rather not. My son has juvenile arthritis and when the Hospital found out I had psoriasis they checked him again and rediagnosed it as Psoriatic arthritis. I now have to keep an eye out for it as well.

Edited February 25, 2021 by didcot

[Bernard Lamb]

7 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

My grandfather had psoriasis. My mother told me stories that it would get so bad that he would bleed through the sleeves of his shirt.

 

She was mortified to see it on the back of my neck when I was about six.

 

Like other autoimmune diseases, the susceptibility to psoriasis can be inherited. Both my sister and I have it. I believe it to be progressive. I have many little patches, mostly on my legs, arms and torso. The largest are on the front of my shins, which have grown in size over the years and are now about 6 to 8cm in size. Besides the itch, I mostly just have dry skin scaling and occasional bleeding in spots.

 

A topical steroid did clear these up but my doctor is reluctant to prescribe this too much - apparently it weakens the skin (along with other side effects).  At one point I was on a course of steroids for an unrelated autoimmune condition. The psoriasis went away like magic. Once the steroids were discontinued, the psoriasis returned in the same spots.

 

I use a topical ointment of Calcipotriene (a synthetic vitamin D) daily. It does not make the psoriasis go away but does mitigate symptoms.

 

Here in the US there are several powerful systemic medications (TNF Inhibitors) that are advertised for psoriasis. I understand that these were drugs originally developed for other purposes that had side effects of eliminating psoriasis and were re-labeled for this therapeutic effect. They can have other serious side effects - like Lymphoma.

 

Do see a dermatologist.

 

 

But that is only treating the symptoms.

My suggestion was to go to the next stage and try to find the cause.

Bernard

[Rods_of_Revolution]

Water fasting is a very good approach to take and I know several people who have cured various ailments through it. There is a process in the body called 'Autophagy' during which time the body purges and recycles defective cells. The process only really kicks in after 24-48 hours of fasting (no calories). Going without food for a few days was common during human evolution and we thus evolved to make use of this time to repair our bodies. These days, most people have never gone 24 hours without food, so they develop all sorts of longterm and usually minor ailments which autophagy would have prevented in our ancestors.

 

It's worth doing a bit of research on 'autophagy' and water fasting online, then go and discuss it with your GP to see whether they think it's worth trying and whether it is safe for you to personally undertake.

 

Here's a acedemic paper on fasting and how it relates to skin health: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6413166/

 

I hope this is of some use.

 

All the best,

 

Jack