Skin conditions

[inbetween]

I have it on my legs and it comes and goes in other places, I have a bigger patch on my chest at the minute which has been nigh on impossible to shift. To be honest they don't bother me that much. The worst is I developed and was diagnosed with scalp sebhorreic dermatitis about 5 years back which behaves like psoriasis, it is embarrassing because it causes dandruff like scales in the hair but I have a routine to control it a bit.

It does come back every time though if I don't keep it up so it can be an absolute nightmare. I have tried light therapy and all the shampoos but nothing has ever even remotely worked to make it go away. Even the coal tar stuff does absolutely nothing really. I do T/gel every other day plus every now and then the ketoconazole stuff but neither really does much beyond helping to remove the scales. I'm open to anyone who has this and how they control it because I struggle sometimes.

I could escalate it further with the doctors but I am not one to go on steroids or any weird stuff that might cause trouble elsewhere, I am all for a cure but not for sticking plasters. I have a big sweet tooth and a big gut so my next goal is to give up sugar and see how that goes.

My girlfriend had massive skin troubles a few years back, one episode hospitalized her because it was getting infected resulting in IV antibiotics. The only thing that fixed it long term was reducing stress and making lifestyle changes. Before that she had tried light therapy, many creams, steroids and in the end none of it helped her. I think many things like this are just down to genetics and the mind.

 

[Thaksinssoldier]

I have seen no research or heard of any reason why food affects Psoriasis. Have you been diagnosed with Psoraisis? I ask because other skin conditions can be affected by what we eat, drink etc. I dont know much about it but your face problems could well be Sebhorroic dermatitisis (sp) which can arise from allergies. It can be cleared with mild steroid creams.

Try washing whats left of your hair in T-Gel shampoo or ask your Doc for a tube of cocois.

The medical condition that mainly causes Psoraisis is a faulty immune system. It can be linked to Streptoccocal sore throats. Basically your immune system starts to fight the infection and when then infection is gone, the immune system does n close down. Anti immuno deficiency drugs such as Methotrexate and Ciclosporin are used to damp down your immune system.

I've heavy psoriasis and have done the whole medical dance for near 15 ish years now.

I can hand on heart tell everyone on this post, if you cut out nightshades(Tomatos and peppers especially, potatoes) that it will help massively. I've removed them all from my diet and am slowly seeing improvements, but more imporatantly I am not getting flare ups. Mine got so bad my skin would be bursting.

Psoriasis is 100% diet related. It seems to be a reaction caused in gut bacteria that causes the dermis to inflame, which in turn makes the skin look like crap.

I'm not saying medicine doesnt work, of course it does, but this is definitely a diet related illness. I did 4 months of paleo and saw a huge improvement.

Vitamin D3 definitely helps too.

It's a pox of a thing.

 

[Summerbuzz]

I have bouts of eczema, so I'm not going to pretend I know about psoriasis....but.... I'd second the T-Gel reccomendation. A little goes a long way, I usually end up using it as a shower gel too. I avoid all gels, bath gels, foam baths , and just use Pears. I use Nivea, Dove or Vaseline antiperspirants, and switch on a regular basis. I have a pure mosturiser that you can get from the pharmacy - I use Diprobase but there is at least one other clinical emoillent that's equivalent. Not vaseline, never e45.

 

[1.618034]

I've got mild psoriasis on the usual places, both knees & elbows but also behind my right ear and just above my right ankle and a tiny patch under my right eye, although it flared up on my right calf and left forearm last year when I was on morphine for a few months... It's gone on my arm but the calf area is now the worst and gets really itchy. I get an ointment from the docs called calcipitrol that I use very sparingly, once or twice a day and that keeps it in check. Although the areas where I've used it are now very pale as the pigment in my skin seems to have gone. But sun is the best medicine as is wearing T shirts and shorts as much as possible.

 

[I'm Blue]

Just thought I'd add..
My bother also suffers with psoriasis (30 years+), elbows and knees mostly, patches probably about 12 inches by 6 inches.
Bright red and very dry and flakey, he never treated it just put up with it.
So about 6 months ago the doctor prescribed him some calcipotriol ointment and a moisturiser (not sure of the name but could find out if needed).
It's working really well on him, about 3 months back I went round to see him and he was showing me how well it was working.
The dry and flakey skin had disappeared completely and what was left was a red patch (shame size as before he started), he was cuffed to bits.
Even though it looked 50% better, I honestly thought it was just cos he'd been moisturising it everyday.
Then about 2 weeks ago he came round to my house wearing shorts and it was the first thing I noticed when he walked through the door, the red patches are now a very light pink colour and barely noticeable, it's still there, but the difference is night and day.
The cream is not a steroid cream so he can use it everyday, he's also signed up to pay for his prescriptions for the whole year, which keeps the cost down as he goes through a lot of it.
It's obviously taken nearly 6 months for him to see a major improvement but that is because its not a overly strong cream, which as I said means he can use it everyday and long term.
Now as we know with psoriasis there is no guarantees, as one treatment can be working really well, then it just doesn't work anymore for whatever reason, also what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another.
Thought I'd post anyway as it may be worth a shot for anyone who hasn't tried it or are struggling finding a treatment that works.
You never know... : )

 

[I'm Blue]

I've got mild psoriasis on the usual places, both knees & elbows but also behind my right ear and just above my right ankle and a tiny patch under my right eye, although it flared up on my right calf and left forearm last year when I was on morphine for a few months... It's gone on my arm but the calf area is now the worst and gets really itchy. I get an ointment from the docs called calcipitrol that I use very sparingly, once or twice a day and that keeps it in check. Although the areas where I've used it are now very pale as the pigment in my skin seems to have gone. But sun is the best medicine as is wearing T shirts and shorts as much as possible.

Just noticed this post above mine, glad too see calcipotriol is working for you too : )

 

[smudgedj]

I have it on my legs and it comes and goes in other places, I have a bigger patch on my chest at the minute which has been nigh on impossible to shift. To be honest they don't bother me that much. The worst is I developed and was diagnosed with scalp sebhorreic dermatitis about 5 years back which behaves like psoriasis, it is embarrassing because it causes dandruff like scales in the hair but I have a routine to control it a bit.

It does come back every time though if I don't keep it up so it can be an absolute nightmare. I have tried light therapy and all the shampoos but nothing has ever even remotely worked to make it go away. Even the coal tar stuff does absolutely nothing really. I do T/gel every other day plus every now and then the ketoconazole stuff but neither really does much beyond helping to remove the scales. I'm open to anyone who has this and how they control it because I struggle sometimes.

I could escalate it further with the doctors but I am not one to go on steroids or any weird stuff that might cause trouble elsewhere, I am all for a cure but not for sticking plasters. I have a big sweet tooth and a big gut so my next goal is to give up sugar and see how that goes.

My girlfriend had massive skin troubles a few years back, one episode hospitalized her because it was getting infected resulting in IV antibiotics. The only thing that fixed it long term was reducing stress and making lifestyle changes. Before that she had tried light therapy, many creams, steroids and in the end none of it helped her. I think many things like this are just down to genetics and the mind.

I had exactly the same on my scalp and ended up using Betnovate scalp application, 3 days is all it took, disappeared and then controlled it with selsun shampoo once a week.

 

[kaz7]

I have it on my legs and it comes and goes in other places, I have a bigger patch on my chest at the minute which has been nigh on impossible to shift. To be honest they don't bother me that much. The worst is I developed and was diagnosed with scalp sebhorreic dermatitis about 5 years back which behaves like psoriasis, it is embarrassing because it causes dandruff like scales in the hair but I have a routine to control it a bit.

It does come back every time though if I don't keep it up so it can be an absolute nightmare. I have tried light therapy and all the shampoos but nothing has ever even remotely worked to make it go away. Even the coal tar stuff does absolutely nothing really. I do T/gel every other day plus every now and then the ketoconazole stuff but neither really does much beyond helping to remove the scales. I'm open to anyone who has this and how they control it because I struggle sometimes.

I could escalate it further with the doctors but I am not one to go on steroids or any weird stuff that might cause trouble elsewhere, I am all for a cure but not for sticking plasters. I have a big sweet tooth and a big gut so my next goal is to give up sugar and see how that goes.

My girlfriend had massive skin troubles a few years back, one episode hospitalized her because it was getting infected resulting in IV antibiotics. The only thing that fixed it long term was reducing stress and making lifestyle changes. Before that she had tried light therapy, many creams, steroids and in the end none of it helped her. I think many things like this are just down to genetics and the mind.

The diabetes thread has advice for going sugar free,don't go with the extreme advice but get checked out at the docs and tell him what you want to do and he can give you advice as well,i've lost 3 stone on it so you can get rid of that belly of yours
@inbetween

 

[Rascal]

I have it on my legs and it comes and goes in other places, I have a bigger patch on my chest at the minute which has been nigh on impossible to shift. To be honest they don't bother me that much. The worst is I developed and was diagnosed with scalp sebhorreic dermatitis about 5 years back which behaves like psoriasis, it is embarrassing because it causes dandruff like scales in the hair but I have a routine to control it a bit.

It does come back every time though if I don't keep it up so it can be an absolute nightmare. I have tried light therapy and all the shampoos but nothing has ever even remotely worked to make it go away. Even the coal tar stuff does absolutely nothing really. I do T/gel every other day plus every now and then the ketoconazole stuff but neither really does much beyond helping to remove the scales. I'm open to anyone who has this and how they control it because I struggle sometimes.

I could escalate it further with the doctors but I am not one to go on steroids or any weird stuff that might cause trouble elsewhere, I am all for a cure but not for sticking plasters. I have a big sweet tooth and a big gut so my next goal is to give up sugar and see how that goes.

My girlfriend had massive skin troubles a few years back, one episode hospitalized her because it was getting infected resulting in IV antibiotics. The only thing that fixed it long term was reducing stress and making lifestyle changes. Before that she had tried light therapy, many creams, steroids and in the end none of it helped her. I think many things like this are just down to genetics and the mind.

Sorry to hear that pal.

Legs can be the hardest place to clear, it was explained to me, and simplified for me its about blood flow and being further away from the heart. Extremities always appear harder to clear. There is a type of Psoriasis called Palmoplanter which only affects hands and feet and can be particularly painful. Although the patch on your chest could be different. Psoriasis has a few forms such as Plaque, Guttate,Palmoplanter and eythrodermic.

Steroids are often confused with those bodybuilders take and i can understand why people have fears about them. Mild steroid creams taken short term should have no effect on you at all. Strong steroid creams taken over a long length of time can lead to thinning of the skin which in my case means i am a little more likely to bleed from a small cut and are prone to sunburn. Taken properly they should cause no problems and are very safe. You can always dilute steroids too, in hospital i take a mix of 1 in 10 betnovate RD which is 10% steroid and 90% moisturiser (white soft paraffin). It is very effective for me.


As for your scalp, the best thing i ever did was shave all my hear off. It makes your scalp easier to treat. Cocois applied before bed and washed off 24 hours later and repeated works a treat for me. Makes a mess of your bedding mind. Moisturiser on your scalp (white soft paraffin) will remove scales but will leave redness and that is when cocois or similar is needed.

As for your girlfriend, infections with skin problems are common and IV is sometimes needed. Genetics do play a part although there is as of yet no definitive proof, but research is ongoing and hereditary factors play a part. Lifestyle changes help and reducing stress is also beneficial. My Prof bangs on at me about smoking, that is a huge factor in skin problems, and of course alchohol does not help either.

Good luck pal.

 

[Rascal]

I've heavy psoriasis and have done the whole medical dance for near 15 ish years now.

I can hand on heart tell everyone on this post, if you cut out nightshades(Tomatos and peppers especially, potatoes) that it will help massively. I've removed them all from my diet and am slowly seeing improvements, but more imporatantly I am not getting flare ups. Mine got so bad my skin would be bursting.

Psoriasis is 100% diet related. It seems to be a reaction caused in gut bacteria that causes the dermis to inflame, which in turn makes the skin look like crap.

I'm not saying medicine doesnt work, of course it does, but this is definitely a diet related illness. I did 4 months of paleo and saw a huge improvement.

Vitamin D3 definitely helps too.

It's a pox of a thing.

Im pleased it is working for you, but there is no evidence at all that diet is associated with Psoriasis. Psoriasis is an auto immune disorder. There is a girl associated with the #getyourskinout campaign on twitter that has brought a book out about diet and how it has worked for her which is great and im open to anything. But i think you have to be very careful when making definitive statements such as 100% when there is simply no medical evidence to back up your claim.Myths surrounding Psoraisis are many and they are hard to dispel.

Out of interest mate, what treatments have you had over the years?