Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease in which skin cells grow very rapidly and form scales that can be very dry, red, itchy and painful. The cause, according to the Mayo Clinic, is a faulty immune system response in which the body reacts to healthy cells as if they were injured or invaded by foreign bodies. There is no cure as of 2009, but a psoriasis outbreak--whether it's your first or not--can be treated in a variety of ways to ease the pain and discomfort associated with this disease.
Step 1
Take a 15-minuted daily bath at the first sign of an outbreak. Make sure that the bath water is lukewarm and not hot, and add either Epsom salt or colloidal oatmeal to help soothe irritated skin and reduce inflammation.
Step 2
Expose the skin that's affected by psoriasis to sunlight. Keep in mind that too much sun can worsen the condition, so expose the affected areas to sunlight only in short increments of 5 to 10 minutes a day, building up your tolerance until you expose the skin to sunlight for about 30 minutes three to four times a week. Noontime sunbathing is recommended by the National Psoriasis Foundation. Use a sunblock that's rated at least 15 SPF on areas of the skin not affected by psoriasis, but do not use sunblock on the psoriasis outbreak itself.
Step 3
Use topical homeopathic applications. Creams and special homeopathic psoriasis shampoos can be purchased online or at natural health stores), and, according to the Mayo Clinic, have been helpful to some people suffering from psoriasis. Some homeopathic ingredients to look for include Calendula Officinalis, Azadirachta Indica, Thuja Occidentalis, Natrum Muriaticum, Aqua Solis, Curcuma Longa, Hydrocotyle Asiatica and Berberis Aquifolium.
Step 4
Try over-the-counter ointments and creams that contain coal tar or anthralin, dandruff shampoos (for scalp psoriasis), creams with salicylic acid or lactic acid as active ingredients (to remove scales), and cortisone creams--all of which can ease the symptoms of a psoriasis outbreak, according to the Maryland University Medical Center.
Step 5
Use an indoor humidifier. Particularly when the weather is dry and cold, it can exacerbate a new psoriasis outbreak, so the Mayo Clinic recommends to stay indoors as much as possible and to use a humidifier.
Tips and Warnings
- The best approach is to try a variety of these treatments and to experiment to see which combinations work best for your particular case. According to the Mayo Clinic, what works for one psoriasis sufferer may not work for another.
- Since psoriasis is a chronic condition, even if you "cure" your current outbreak, there most likely will be others later on. To treat severe cases of psoriasis, consult your doctor.
