does anything help?

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Permalink Reply by Kathleen Lynch on August 7, 2010 at 10:56pm

Angie, my symnpathies.. I went through most of my twenties with it becoming an increasing issue.

In terms of the Psoriasis across my face, I found only two things helped with at least the visible symptoms.

I used to get horrendous issues with this coming down from my scalp right across my face, and I was extremely embarrassed to be out in public like that. I tried multiple things for about ten years without success. The issues with my scalp only started coming under control when I started using Ional T Shampoo to wash my hair. http://www.epharmacy.com.au/product.asp?id=5611&pname=Ionil+T+S... It's a coal tar shampoo, it smells disgusting but it can work.

I will mention that my friend Chris who has Psoriatic Arthritis doesn't get a result from Ional T but I do.. What I'm saying is it's worth a shot.

The other thing I started doing was using a lot of the Body Shop Vitamin E range. My skin can't take anything with a lot of chemicals in it due to the Psoriasis, but I found that range was reasonably gentle and got things under control a bit.
http://www.thebodyshop.com.au/SubCategory.aspx?Id=65 I use their Almond Hand cream for the same reason.

The main thing I found is, whatever you pick unless you absolutely need to go down the medical route to suppress your immune system (some of us do), keep things as gentle with as minimum chemicals as possible.

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Permalink Reply by Jax Gregory on August 8, 2010 at 11:06am

OK, first off, educate yourself like you're doing here on this forum. The web is your friend! Second, realize that most derms don't know crap about psoriasis -- most are just focused on simple stuff like acne or botox. So find yourself a derm in your area who specializes in psoriasis. I know you said you couldn't find one in your area, but it's worth driving to see one. Four times a year I drive an hour and a half to visit my derm and its 100% worth it.

Once you have a derm who knows what they're talking about, talk to them about biologics like Enbrel, Humira, Stelara (not sure how old you have to be for biologics, but if you've got it all over your body, it's worth talking about). These are injectable drugs and they can have a good impact on psoriasis, but they can also have some nasty side effects, which is why you need to have a knowledgable derm to discuss the options with you and your folks. These drugs are crazy-expensive, but many pharmaceutical companies will work with you on the costs.

Even if you are a candidate for biologics, your derm will likely make you try a series of topicals first, which can relieve the pain and cracking you're dealing with now. I've had a lot of success on that front with a combination of Ultravate (which does come in a cheaper generic) and Dovonex (which does not). One flattens the plaques, the other takes some of the red out. You mileage may vary, there are a ton of topicals out there and everyone responds a little differently, so again, you need to work with your new derm to see what works best.

Light treatments, I know, are very popular and work for some. I've never done these treatments, but I'm sure some folks on here will pipe in to talk about those. The only trick with those is you either have to live close enough to your derm to visit them 2-3 times a week or you need to buy a special UV bed for use in your home (and I suspect that's pricey).

Now, if a derm is really not possible at all, the only thing I can suggest is looking on the web for homeopathic ways to deal with psoriasis. Most, if not all, of these options won't clear you, but they may help relieve the pain. I've used tar soaps, castor oil and even Head & Shoulders as a skin creme (which worked surprisingly better than expected, but was still not a solution). Exfoliating body scrubs, of course, can help reduce flaking. With homeopathic remedies, as with all things, please use your common sense!

One last thought, which I hesitate to mention because you are young and because you are thin already, but just as reducing your caloric intake can make your hair duller (because the lack of calories puts the body into "starvation mode" and forces it to rechannel its energy expenditures away from non-critical body functions like growing shiny hair to more vital body functions), I've found that reducing your caloric intake can actually improve psorasis for the short-term. I lost a ton of weight before my wedding and my skin became 100% clear and stayed clear for about a year, but it crept back -- after all, you can't keep your body in starvation mode for very long without, you know, actually starving.

But, honestly, if you really want to treat this stuff for real, you have to take control of your own treatment -- and you have to do it under the guidance of a doctor who specializes in psoriasis. If you're on Medicaid, someone there should be able to help you find a doctor, but it may mean you have to drive for treatment.

Good luck, sweetie -- and keep us posted on your progress!

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Permalink Reply by Molly Rose Anderson on August 10, 2010 at 12:44am

Kids in school are VERY cruel and I hate to hear of another beautiful girl getting judged by this ailment. Jax has a lot of good ideas, pretty much everything I would have said. Just one addition, a very nice man from my neighborhood saw my skin and confided in me his similar affliction. He gave me a cream called "vanicream", you can buy it at walgreens or another drugstore. So far, it has helped with redness. As for flaking, I scrub obsessively in the shower, after the shower, before the next shower, so I don't experience the plaques like I used to. Although this may not be the recommended treatment for the flakes, mine seem to be slowing their turn over rate with this over involved regimen. Don't worry about the kids, try not to, half of the battle with psoriasis is not getting rid of it, but learning how to accept yourself with it.

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Permalink Reply by Martha Garner on August 19, 2010 at 1:53pm

If you have insurance now...go on either of these.
Cyclosporine.. this will help..only can be on for one year.
Stelara- this is very expensive without insurance. It is a shot that you would get every 3 months.
I have been on it for 4 years (in a study) and 100 % clear.

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Permalink Reply by fem on August 25, 2010 at 3:31pm

hi. i am currently using Clobex... it comes in a spray and shampoo (foam too i think) it worked very good for me. i have some stubborn spots left that i am still using Clobex on but in conjunction with Scytera which is a coal tar foam that is supposed to break down the thick plaques.

seperately, my father has p much worse than me and he is currently using UV light treatment (with a pill- i don't know the name of the pill) and it has COMPLETELY cleared him up.

good luck!!

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Permalink Reply by shanika mccrae on September 7, 2010 at 11:28pm

the cheapest & most effective for me has always been the vaseline & saran wrap! After i get out the shower and put vaseline on my legs & arms fairly thick & then wrap them up in saran wrap and sleep that way... its not comfortable but neither is psoriasis & after a few nights you should notice a difference! i know how you feel though im 20 and ive had it since i was 12 but the more you stress over it the worse it will get...mine didnt get bad until i was diagnosed then i started worrying & within a year i was covered from head to toe, literally! The older you get the easier it becomes to accept it & for other people to understand. Good luck to you!

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Permalink Reply by Mary Barreiro on September 11, 2010 at 9:49pm

I know how you fill . I was going to a derm for a long time . It did not help my psoriasis at all I don't think the derm's know what they are doing there is a site that I buy my med's from the med's work give it a try www.naturalproductscenter.com and also washing in dead sea salt and washing ith deadsea salt soap you can buy the soap and salt on ebay and also eating a lot of good veggies and no red meat or pork the only meats that you can eat is fish and turkey , chicken and takeing flaxseed oil pill 2 or 3 times a day it works for me and i hope it will work for you .

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