Skin Allergy Snapshot: Psoriasis

The third instalment of my Skin Allergy Snapshot series will focus on one of the more frustrating skin conditions: psoriasis.

2% of men and women in the UK are diagnosed with psoriasis. As a chronic auto-immune disease, it is impossible to prevent and can remain or recur throughout a sufferer’s lifetime.

As with all skin allergies, the effects of psoriasis vary from person to person. While acute cases may only cause minor irritation, severe psoriasis can have a serious impact on quality of life.

What is psoriasis and what does it look like?

Psoriasis appears as red, flaky, crusty patches of skin that are covered in silver scales.
It usually appears in small patches on the knees, elbows and scalp, but can occur anywhere on the body.

Psoriasis is caused by the acceleration of skin cell turnover. New cells are formed at the deepest level of our skin and move up to the most outer layer as they mature.

This process usually takes 21-28 days, but in psoriasis it takes just two to six days, and so excess cells build up and bunch on the skin’s surface.

Despite its aggressive appearance, psoriasis is not contagious.

Causes and Triggers

It is not known exactly why this acceleration occurs, but it seems to be a result of the immune system cell T lymphocyte attacking healthy skin cells.

Psoriasis and the tendency to contract it runs in the family, but can often skip generations.
Research also suggests that it is linked to wider health conditions, so if you do suddenly develop psoriasis it is advisable to see your doctor.

Psoriasis has no known cause; however there are a number of things that are thought to trigger flares, including:

• Chest and throat infections 
• Skin damage or injury 
• Certain medicines

Extreme stress is often another major trigger. It seems that the psoriasis gene lies dormant in prone individuals until incidents of trauma or grief cause it to erupt.

Treatments

Though there is no cure for psoriasis, lots can be done to improve its appearance and ease aggravation.

Regular moisturising reduces dryness and scaling of the skin, and may be sufficient treatment in mild cases of psoriasis.

Pai’s Comfrey & Calendula Calming Body Cream will intensely hydrate these sore patches as well as relieve any itching or irritation.

Sufferers of more severe psoriasis have reported good results from bathing in The Dead Sea. Natural sunlight is a good psoriasis healer, and at the Dead Sea the thicker atmosphere absorbs some of the dangerous UV rays and allows you to lie out for longer before burning.

This combined with the uniquely high concentrations of salt in the sea water seems to drastically improve the appearance of psoriasis and reduce the frequency of flare-ups, albeit temporarily.

For those of you looking for something a little closer to home, floatation tank sessions are a good alternative.

Though it is of course easier said than done, avoiding stress can also ease psoriasis and reduce its recurrence. For advice on how to maintain emotional balance, see last month’s blog – Happy Mind, Happy Skin.