Psoriasis

There is a product produced by Abbott called Humira that is a treatment for psoriasis and rhumatoid arthritis and other conditions. Its an immunosuppressant so I'd be very cautious about using it. There can be some side affects, serious side affects. Personally I don't think I'd ever use it after reading what the side affects are. Google it for more info or check out this link, www.humira.com/

RuthyB wrote: »

I've had psoriasis most of my life. Its quite prevalent in my family (my bro has it too and a few cousins and aunts/uncles have it too)

Ive tried loads of different creams and lotions (Dovobet, Dovonex, Coal Tar, Urea, Cortisone, Dithrocream,Psoriderm to name a few) Ive done two lots of PUVA treatments and am waiting to start my third. There's a 10 week waiting list just to get the patch testing done. Sunlight is on of the only things that helps to clear mine

Although I always have patches of it, stress and strep throats make mine flare and it can take months for it to go away.

I find that Oilatum products are fantastic for keeping it moisturised. The bath emulsion is fantastic if you have a lot. Just stick a capful or two into the bath and soak yourself for about 10-15 mins and pat yourself down after with a towel (dont rub... just pat). This usually keeps me baby smooth for about 48 hours. I also get big tubs of White Parafin Gel (can buy it over the counter for about 7 euro) I put it on in the shower when my skin is wet and then rinse off the excess. Makes my skin nice and soft. (take care getting out of the bath/shower after using these products as they make make them quite slippy!)

To the OP: I'd recommend getiing referred to a dermatologist to get a definate diagnosis. Try and get as much literature about the condition as you can. I find that a lot of GP's dont know a lot about the condition so the best thing you can do is read up on psoriasis, and the different treatments available to you. Unfortunately anything you see on the internet offering a cure is a scam. There is no cure for psoriasis, it is a chronic condition. Some of these products on the web may well offer you some relief, but unfortunately there is no cure .

If you do want any support you should go to this site. http://www.psoriasis-help.org.uk/community/ Everybody who posts here either has psoriasis or has somebody close to them with it. There is an enormous amount of info in the boards, and they really are a great bunch of guys

Yep it runs in my family as well.

The constant itch is driving me insane lately.

I have allergies and asthma and I read these are linked with psoriasis also.
Thanks for all the info

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

Polytar? Smells awful but works for me...

Yes used Polytar for 5years(with not so much result) use it now and again. Also use some prescribed tar cream called cocois might give it a go again.

Hi, when my younger sister and brother were born both had eczema when they were born. My sister had it very bad, cracked bleeding skin under the armpits and backs of the knees, ect.., she was on some sort of steroid cream which worked for a while but was less effective after a while. Our local district nurse was a nun who suggested goats milk so out of desperation, my parents decided to try it. This was back in the early eighties so you couldn't get it at your local supermarket, however they found a man who had a few goats about 10 miles away. Within a week of her using the milk, her skin totally cleared up , so much so we bought a goat. My brother had it while on formula milk, and when he was put on the goats milk, his cleared up also. The've never had it back. Hope this helps anyone.

Oh psoriasis is the devils work!! Have it for years too especially on my scalp with is a nightmare. Tried everything and spent a fortune too!! Some work for a while. But read today in The Irish DAily Mail about this indigo ointment. Some chinese herbal stuff. I google it and lots came up but none about buying it. Wonder if anyone could shed some light on this?? Goat milk shampoo is very good though.

Moonbaby wrote: »

:eek: 12 hours in a bath of wriggling nibbling fishes.....I'll take the psorasis thanks.

I'll try the fish... so long... and thanks for the...!!

Well, the good weather is here and that always provides a bit of relief !

No, was nothing in the paper. Its a pity cause would rather buy in shop or from Irish/UK site. ITs worth a go I say.

Im pretty sure i got this over the last while.

I've always had terrible dry skin and scap dry patches but now i got the red patches on my body!

Flippin annoying, got to go to the doc.

My psoriasis is really bad at the moment especially my scalp. Can anyone recommend me a good one? Tried Capasal and its useless. Am giving chemical free stuff a chance so am using Goat milk shampoo and a bar from Lush called Soak and Float but need a good coal tar based one. What do people think of Dermacinz? http://www.dermacinz.co.uk/

Cheers all.

I have had psoriasis for the last 20 years since i was about 2 months old. If you have bad psoriasis or really want to get rid of it, ask your dermatologist about a tablet called cyclosporin, i'm on it for the last 8 weeks and i have improved hugely and its brilliant because you only have to take a tablet twice a day and you don't have to spend 15 minutes at night putting on creams, also i found that the dovonex and dovobet creams worked wonders for me a few years back. The producers of dovonex (Leo laboratoires) have released a new scalp solution back in january called Xamoil which is the best one i have ever used. Cocois is also a good scalp solution that really calms down the psoriasis. If you want to calm down your psoriasis in the short term i would reccomend a cream called betanovate which is very fast acting but it can only be used short term because it is a steroid.

Hope this is of some help to people.

Anyone know where UVB lamps can be bought? The sun seems to be good for my psoriasis, but who knows when we'll see that again!

DonFred wrote: »

My psoriasis is really bad at the moment especially my scalp. Can anyone recommend me a good one? Tried Capasal and its useless. Am giving chemical free stuff a chance so am using Goat milk shampoo and a bar from Lush called Soak and Float but need a good coal tar based one. What do people think of Dermacinz? http://www.dermacinz.co.uk/

Cheers all.

I use nothing else now Don, I have been using the Dermacinz producsts for over 2 years now , and the shampoo is fantastic , I get it from the above web site you mentioned , but they also have another site http://www.dermacinz.com this one goes into a lot more details about the products etc ..... anyone considering it give it a try ..

Gerry
om

Just thought I'd share my own experience!

I've had patches of plaque psoriasis on my elbows since I was a teenager. They were never very big or noticeable, and never really bothered me all that much. I only ever used ordinary moisturiser on them, whatever I happened to be using at the time.

Also, back then, I could use any shower gel, moisturiser, body lotion, fake tan etc that I wanted without getting any reactions - totally took it for granted, can't do that anymore unfortunately!

Anyways, about three years ago when I was 22, I noticed a couple of very small red flaky patches appearing in random places. Within two weeks, my body was covered in them - pretty much everywhere except my face and neck (thankfully!) The chemist recommended E45 Hc45 Hydrocortisone Cream, which had no effect at all.

So I went to the doctor, who diagnosed guttate psoriasis, and prescribed me Dovobet. It cleared up the psoriasis pretty much completely after just 3-4 days, however no matter how slowly I'd try to wean myself off it by reducing quantity/frequency of application, the psoriasis would come back - no worse than before, but every bit as bad, with all the little patches in the exact same places. I was on the Dovobet for maybe 2-3 months altogether ... while I'd hate to go back on it, it's good to know that it works at least short-term, if I wanted to get rid of the psoriasis for a big occasion or something. By the way, there are all sorts of reasons why you shouldn't stay on the Dovobet long-term, and also its not actually meant to be used on guttate psoriasis, which is why I'm not using it as a long-term fix.

So, I switched to Dovonex. When I cut out the Dovobet, the psoriasis got bad again - but the Dovonex worked on it slowly but surely, and it was under control within about three months, and I was able to stop using the Dovonex. So, in my own experience, it might work far more slowly but is a better long-term solution.

Anyways, after that, I quickly realised that I needed to pay attention to what skincare products I used. I could no longer just use whatever was in the bathroom! I tried LOTS of the special products, e.g. E45, Aveeno, coal tar stuff, Oilatum, various emolliant creams, aqueous cream, and various other brands recommended by the doctor and chemist. They all made me flare up, and I needed to go back on the Dovonex to calm my skin down again.

After a lengthy trial-and-error process, I found that what works for me is: Nivea "Creme Soft" or "Sensitive Balance" shower gels. And Dove Silk Glow moisturiser, the one in the little tub. And that's it! Can't use Dove shower get or Nivea moisturiers, can't even use other Dove moisturisers, etc.

I can't use fake tans, except for Sally Henson for legs, I'd only use that very occassionally though.

More recently, I have discovered Bio-Oil - amazing stuff. I've only a few stubborn little patches left, and the Bio-Oil is really clearing them up. I'm currently using the Nivea shower get, as above, and just using Bio-Oil as moisturiser, and it seems to be working very well at the moment.

What I eat doesn't seem to affect it very much - the only things that I find make it worse are if I eat a lot of tomatos or drink a lot of alcohol. But I'd need to be eating/drinking a lot several days in a row for it to have any effect.

So basically, it's all pretty much under control now. I suppose, in my experience, as others have said it's really just a matter of experimenting for yourself and finding out what works for you. And it's not necessarily going to be the expensive products that everyone raves about that will work! Keep an open mind, and hopefully you'll find a solution for your own skin eventually.

allsaintssue wrote: »

Hey,
... there is a really great cream called Emulsifying Cream....

KatCookie wrote: »

...emulsifying cream...

Doesn't exist, folks. You might be referring to Emulsifying Ointment, or to Aqueous Cream, but there ain't no such thing as Emulsifying Cream.