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Psoriasis

Sykk

Hey all,

So I have been to around 4 different doctors over a skin condition I've had for around a year. 2 didn't know and 2 said I have psoriasis. It's very annoying, looks bad, and has a chance of spreading...

I have it on some parts of my head and the doctor told me there is no cure for it, it's only containable.

I have done some looking up on the web about cures, and some people say it's not cureable, some say it is. I have yet to go to a dermatolisist (I've one booked) or a chinese herbalist.

Does anyone else have this skin problem? If so what are you taking for it? And does anyone know if it's actually cureable or not.

Thanks in advance.

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Gael23

Not getting on so good with the Cocois which I'm disappointed about so I'm switching to dovobet once or twice a week to see if that helps. I do gather it works quite slowly so maybe its just going to take a while but i'll go to my GP in the next few weeks, he has an interest in dermatology so maybe he;ll put me in the right direction.
Its really hard to change your regime and not use something you know will give you relief but I want to persevere as much as I can

NEDDURC

ryanf1 - surprised you were given Cocois. I've really gone off all those tar products. They smell for one and secondly they really dry the skin out. I think I used that Cocois on my hair before but never on my body. All they are really meant to do is slow things down. Did you say it was a fore runner to the light treatment for you?

When I was younger I was told to use tar stuff before the light treatment but last year when I did it agian they never said anything about that to me.

Gael23

NEDDURC wrote: »

ryanf1 - surprised you were given Cocois. I've really gone off all those tar products. They smell for one and secondly they really dry the skin out. I think I used that Cocois on my hair before but never on my body. All they are really meant to do is slow things down. Did you say it was a fore runner to the light treatment for you?

When I was younger I was told to use tar stuff before the light treatment but last year when I did it agian they never said anything about that to me.

Yes I'm on a waiting list for light treatment so using this until I get called. It does seem to be designed for the head but Brian Kirby is one of the top guys out there so it must be ok for the body too

Inspector Dhar

http://tinyurl.com/mpuc8v6

Hi. Have any of you good flakers tried this, or anything like it? I imagine it would be very time consuming if you had extensive psoriasis, but I'm wondering if it would be good for small patches. Any views?

Gael23

Inspector Dhar wrote: »

http://tinyurl.com/mpuc8v6

Hi. Have any of you good flakers tried this, or anything like it? I imagine it would be very time consuming if you had extensive psoriasis, but I'm wondering if it would be good for small patches. Any views?

Never tried it myself and would have some concerns regarding safety of it.
Does anyone know the difference between being treated with UVA and UVB?

Mountainsandh

I think UVB is stronger, that's why you need to sensitise the skin with psoralen before UVA treatment.

But UVA is supposed to be more efficient on hands and feet, I think that's why I was given that for my last treatment.

greenfrogs

Hi I have scalp psorasis. I use dovobet on it every few days. If I don't use it then my scalp is itchy and flaky. I have just read a few posts here about people being reluctant to use dovobet. What alternatives do you use? I also have danduff on the top of my scalp and my scalp line around the forehead. Is this common? And how do ye treat it?

Gael23

greenfrogs wrote: »

Hi I have scalp psorasis. I use dovobet on it every few days. If I don't use it then my scalp is itchy and flaky. I have just read a few posts here about people being reluctant to use dovobet. What alternatives do you use? I also have danduff on the top of my scalp and my scalp line around the forehead. Is this common? And how do ye treat it?

I have always used Bettamousse on my scalp. I only quite recently developed patches on my scalp line and I use either Protopic or a small amount of Hydrocortisone.

My health is just going from one nightmare to another. I have to get my wisdom teeth out next week which means that I won't be ale to apply the Protopic to my face for a while leading to an inevitable flare up. Also, it means the PUVA has to wait until after christmas

rubadub

Inspector Dhar wrote: »

http://tinyurl.com/mpuc8v6

Hi. Have any of you good flakers tried this, or anything like it? I imagine it would be very time consuming if you had extensive psoriasis, but I'm wondering if it would be good for small patches. Any views?

I made my own narrowband UVB lamp which has the exact same bulb as this. I use it on my scalp chest and legs. It is effective for me, some other poster got one and did not seem to get as good results as myself.

It is time consuming, you can get larger ones. I consdered getting another one. I would spend up to 25mins per session using it. Instead of this I might break it up over 2-3 days.

I have made many post about it in this thread. If you use the "search this thread" tool and just type in UVB you will see lots about it.

Calmcookie84

Has any tried the Salcura range? I bought the DermaSpray in this brand and it works wonders on stubborn patches around my body. I have terrible patches of Psoriasis on my scalp. It's so itchy and I'm so conscious of it. I bought the DermaSpray initially for my scalp. It supposed to be non greasy. It's non greasy everywhere but on my scalp :-(. I'm going to try their shampoo and conditioner because the spray work so well on my body( elbows, legs, in step, eyelids and ears) Fingers crossed. I used to use Bettamousse for my scalp but it needs CONSTANT application.

brevity

Calmcookie84 wrote: »

Has any tried the Salcura range? I bought the DermaSpray in this brand and it works wonders on stubborn patches around my body. I have terrible patches of Psoriasis on my scalp. It's so itchy and I'm so conscious of it. I bought the DermaSpray initially for my scalp. It supposed to be non greasy. It's non greasy everywhere but on my scalp :-(. I'm going to try their shampoo and conditioner because the spray work so well on my body( elbows, legs, in step, eyelids and ears) Fingers crossed. I used to use Bettamousse for my scalp but it needs CONSTANT application.

Ya I tried the salcura stuff but i need the bigger spray and moisturiser and its not cheap. Hearing great things about it though.

Calmcookie84

No it's not cheap at all. I going to try the shampoo and conditioner. I just hope that it's not too greasy.

DonFred

I use the Salcura Conditioner and find it great. Ia wash my hair with a SLS free shampoo then apply the conditioner and leave it in for couple of minutes. I have notice Im not flaking as much.

wonga77

Nothing is cheap in this game!

greenfrogs

ryanf1 wrote: »

I have always used Bettamousse on my scalp. I only quite recently developed patches on my scalp line and I use either Protopic or a small amount of Hydrocortisone.

My health is just going from one nightmare to another. I have to get my wisdom teeth out next week which means that I won't be ale to apply the Protopic to my face for a while leading to an inevitable flare up. Also, it means the PUVA has to wait until after christmas

Yah I used use bettamousse as well. However it stopped working after a few months so I switched to dovobet. I think I will try give the hydrocortisone a go. Thanks for your reply.

Gael23

wonga77 wrote: »

Nothing is cheap in this game!

That is totally correct! Thankfully I have a medical card so that reduces the cost considerably, but I didn't for a good few years.

greenfrogs wrote: »

Yah I used use bettamousse as well. However it stopped working after a few months so I switched to dovobet. I think I will try give the hydrocortisone a go. Thanks for your reply.

I only recently discovered dovobet was safe to use there but I have been using Bettamousse for close to 10 years now and do find it works but I'll ask either my GP or Prof Kirby sometime. Didn't get to mention it to my GP last time and all going well I won't see him again until next March.

brevity

wonga77 wrote: »

Nothing is cheap in this game!

Amen!

rubadub

wonga77 wrote: »

Nothing is cheap in this game!

haha, there area few things I did. I made my own UVB lamp, I gave instructions to others on how to get one cheaper, i.e. buy the bulb and stick it in a suitable desktop lamp which can take the bulb. They sell them on ebay cheaper too.

They slap a huge premium on anything labelled as "medical".

I also got polytar coal tar emollient. This is very concentrated and intended to be added to bath water. So I can dilute it down in oils and apply it and it costs a fraction of the price of what I used to pay for polytar shampoo. Also the shampoo had foaming agents and other stuff in it that I would rather do without.

Feelgood

I haven't posted in a while. I suffered from psoriasis for 8 years, predominantly on my scalp. It's been a long journey but I have finally managed to get relief. I tried all sorts of wizardry and lotions and potions, shampoos, steroids and what not. None of which really worked long term.

As we are not allowed to give medical advice on boards, I would urge people to seriously investigate Candida overgrowth as a possible cause of psoriasis.

This particular study is what put on the Candida path:
Incidence of Candida in psoriasis. I also had blood tests which tested positive for Candida.

Candida is fed by SUGAR. Interestingly enough when I stop eating sugar my psoriasis starts to retreat within 3 days. Take 2 weeks of your life, quit sugar or drastically reduce it and see what happens to your psoriasis. This also includes fruit sugars.

Interesting article from someone with the same idea.
I cured my own psoriasis

I kept in touch with this guy and we both had the same results from the same candida theory.

What I have done:
1. Stopped eating sugar. I eat lots of veggies, lean meats, fish, eggs, salad, brown rice, quinoa and sweet potato. I don't do dairy, bread, spuds or coffee, tea, chocolate. I severely limit
fruit intake, its full of sugar. I take it as a treat, once or twice per week. Alcohol should be severely limited also until you get your skin under control.

2. I fast water fast 2 separate days per week (16+ hours). Stop eating at 7pm and then don't eat till 12pm or later the next day. Its quite easy. This helps immensely, giving the body a chance to recover and heal.

3. Drink a crapload of water everyday.

4. Take a really good probiotic and a good dose of vitamin C daily.

That is about it really. This diet is not forever, though when you start to see results you might want to stick to it. As an added bonus, chances are you will lose a bit of weight, have more energy and feel a lot better. A good starting point for information is here: http://www.thecandidadiet.com/

Anyway, I hope this info helps someone out. Its an awful disease, but it can be beaten.

Cheers.

EDIT: Also forgot to mention virgin coconut oil and apple cider vinegar. Both are really good for combating candida.
I cook with coconut oil and make salads with apple cider vinegar. I also take baths with about a cup of apple cider
vinegar and 2-3 tablespoons of virgin coconut oil. Really helps with itching and scaling. Apple cider vinegar with
the 'mother' included is the best. This one is particular Braggs Apple Cider vinegar. Don't use the clear ones available in the super market, they are too refined.

Feelgood

This is also worth a read, lots of good info and talks about Candida and fasting.

I guess the main thing is to start thinking about healing psoriasis from the inside
and not with creams. Hope this helps.

Mod note: Removed attachment. Psoriasis Revolution book can be bought online.

Mountainsandh

Feelgood has your psoriasis been cured ? Completely ? To what extent ?

Feelgood

Mountainsandh wrote: »

Feelgood has your psoriasis been cured ? Completely ? To what extent ?

Hey mate. I had psoriasis for 8 years so there is still some scaring left. I don't know if that will ever heal to be honest. My scalp was around 80 - 100% covered with thick heavy scales. Now its more like 5 - 10% with barely noticable little pink patches and no scaling. Pink and flat.

If I go nuts with sugar again I will get a massive flare up. So for me, limiting sugar is doing the trick. All I can say is try it and see how you go.

Doctors and dermatologists deny any connection with diet, but you have to remember there is no profit to be made in a cure. They just want to keep flogging you 200 euro creams. Think outside the box and look at what you are putting into your body. Psoriasis is an external manifestation of an internal problem.

brevity

Congrats FeelGood! I've been off the wagon when it comes to diet but will get back on it after Christmas. Feel that it will be the only thing that gets rid of it.

Calmcookie84

Wow! I'm willing to give it a go but I don't know how sustainable such a strict diet will be. I'm glad you've managed to clear up most of your psoriasis :-)

Feelgood

brevity wrote: »

Congrats FeelGood! I've been off the wagon when it comes to diet but will get back on it after Christmas. Feel that it will be the only thing that gets rid of it.

Thanks brevity. The key is definitely diet. It took me 8 years to figure that out after numerous falling outs with dermatologists.

Best of luck with the diet. The first fast I did was for 24 hours, the next day I had a massive flare, the day after that my scalp died down by about 50% and stayed that way. Fasting is very powerful, definitely worth looking into for psoriasis sufferers.

The 5:2 fast diet is worth checking out. Combine this diet with very limited
sugars and you should see major improvements in a very very short time.

Feelgood

Calmcookie84 wrote: »

Wow! I'm willing to give it a go but I don't know how sustainable such a strict diet will be. I'm glad you've managed to clear up most of your psoriasis :-)

Cheers Calmcookie84 :-)

The diet is strict, but remember its just until you get your skin under control then you can introduce things back into your diet. If you flare again, just go back to the diet and fasting.

A side effect of not eating much sugar is that you will stop craving sugar rich foods. I find myself craving weird things now like avocado and sweet potato instead of chocolate and muffins.

Gael23

Feelgood wrote: »

Doctors and dermatologists deny any connection with diet, but you have to remember there is no profit to be made in a cure. They just want to keep flogging you 200 euro creams. Think outside the box and look at what you are putting into your body. Psoriasis is an external manifestation of an internal problem.

Do you really think any good Doctor would withhold curative treatment form a patient to make money? Absolutely not.
A Doctors job is to make people better but medicine has not yet found a way of fully achieving hat aim so Doctors use methods to alleviate the symptoms instead. Im having phototherapy in the new year which, if successful, will mean I can stop using some of my creams.
Im still to be convinced in relation to diet, some fairly mixed opinions out there.

Mountainsandh

Feelgood wrote: »

Hey mate. I had psoriasis for 8 years so there is still some scaring left. I don't know if that will ever heal to be honest. My scalp was around 80 - 100% covered with thick heavy scales. Now its more like 5 - 10% with barely noticable little pink patches and no scaling. Pink and flat.

If I go nuts with sugar again I will get a massive flare up. So for me, limiting sugar is doing the trick. All I can say is try it and see how you go.

Feelgood, I've had psoriasis for 20 years.
I have tried withdrawing bits off my diet at times with no difference.
The only spectacular difference I have recently come across, the best clearing I have had in relation to diet, is that I have been juicing plain old bog standard fruit for the last while, and it has cleared my hands to a relatively good extent.

I have not withdrawn anything, in fact I have added sugar to my diet with the juice.

It's great if your diet helps clear your psoriasis a bit, well done, and I hope it works for a lot of other people.
I personally think clearance due to diet is simply related to the level of inflammation. It does not cure psoriasis, it simply doesn't manifest itself as much (which is great), because you are reducing inflammation. Something to that effect.

Doctors and dermatologists deny any connection with diet, but you have to remember there is no profit to be made in a cure. They just want to keep flogging you 200 euro creams. Think outside the box and look at what you are putting into your body. Psoriasis is an external manifestation of an internal problem.

That's not really thinking outside the box.
Anyone who's had psoriasis for a few years would pretty much understand by then that creams and ointments only go so far.

"external manifestation of an internal problem" applies as much to a genetic pathological condition of immune system as anything else.

I am very open to possible explanations of what causes psoriasis, ie candida, Crohn's, IBS, ... but to believe any of them, I need confirmation by doctors/specialists other than "healthy diet" proponents.

As I said I'm happy for you and for anyone who finds great relief by following such drastic dietary changes, well done.

I don't think GPs and big pharmas are milking the psoriasis sufferer for what it's worth. They just haven't found the explanation nor the cure, simple as. Hopefully they will, some day.

Feelgood

ryanf1 wrote: »

Do you really think any good Doctor would withhold curative treatment form a patient to make money? Absolutely not.

That comment regarding profit was directed more at derms than doctors ryan. You have to understand my frustration. For 8 years I went to doctors that took money off me and then sent me to "specialist" skin doctors at 200 euro a pop. These specialist doctors tell me, you have this disease for life but we can try and control it with these extremely expensive steroid creams.
I'd say I have easily spent over 10k.

I've seen at least 3 specialists and maybe 4 derms in 8 years and I have asked every one of them, hey is there any chance I am eating something wrong that might be causing this?. No, no, no there is no evidence that diet is in anyway related to psoriasis. Its pseudoscience. Psoriasis is genetic.

8 years on, I stop eating sugar and fast 2 days a week and my psoriasis is more or less gone in a matter of weeks. No creams, no lights and the solution isn't costing me a single cent. So after that experience would you have faith in conventional medicine?.

Im having phototherapy in the new year which, if successful, will mean I can stop using some of my creams.
Im still to be convinced in relation to diet, some fairly mixed opinions out there.

Best of luck with phototherapy, I hope you get some relief. I know there are mixed opinions out there and its hard to know what to believe.
What is your opinion?. Have you actually tried to control your psoriasis through diet?. Try it for yourself, make you own opinion.

I'm basically just relaying information that has helped me immensely.
I wish I had this information 8 years ago. All I can say it research it for yourself and give diet try for 2-4 weeks. A few weeks of a diet compared to a year of phototherapy is worth a go I reckon.

Gael23

Feelgood wrote: »

That comment regarding profit was directed more at derms than doctors ryan. You have to understand my frustration. For 8 years I went to doctors that took money off me and then sent me to "specialist" skin doctors at 200 euro a pop. These specialist doctors tell me, you have this disease for life but we can try and control it with these extremely expensive steroid creams.
I'd say I have easily spent over 10k.

I've seen at least 3 specialists and maybe 4 derms in 8 years and I have asked every one of them, hey is there any chance I am eating something wrong that might be causing this?. No, no, no there is no evidence that diet is in anyway related to psoriasis. Its pseudoscience. Psoriasis is genetic.

8 years on, I stop eating sugar and fast 2 days a week and my psoriasis is more or less gone in a matter of weeks. No creams, no lights and the solution isn't costing me a single cent. So after that experience would you have faith in conventional medicine?.

Well I suppose some of that is down to how the system works. My GP put me on an ointment that is quite possibly the best thing I have ever used some time ago but after a while passed, he wanted a Dermatologist to make a judgement on the safe usage of that ointment in the future, turned out to be fine but GPs don't have the expertise to make those decisions and so refer onwards.
It is expensive and I do understand your frustration but sometimes you just have to say this is the hand we've been dealt. I have only had 3 Dermatologist visits since diagnosis in 2005 and have had various GPs within that time, some just hand you a prescription for Dovobet while others, one in particular, really tried to help me.
I am unconvinced there is a ink with diet, I never looked at it and could well be wrong because I eat what I want but its not a theory I believe in. Psoriasis isn't totally genetic either, its a deficency of the immune system where the skin cells multiply uncontrollably.

I'm basically just relaying information that has helped me immensely.
I wish I had this information 8 years ago. All I can say it research it for yourself and give diet try for 2-4 weeks. A few weeks of a diet compared to a year of phototherapy is worth a go I reckon.