Natural Remedies for Psoriasis

Causing itchiness and discomfort, psoriasis presents itself in small or large dry, flaky patches around the body, and can have an impact on overall self-esteem and quality of life. Because psoriasis can be extremely sensitive and easily aggravated, finding ways to manage psoriasis naturally is important for those looking for a nourishing remedy without further irritating skin with harsh chemicals.

Although it appears as a skin condition, psoriasis is an auto-immune condition that causes the skin production process to be fast-tracked. As a result, white blood cells will attack the skin cells in an attempt to fight against bacteria and infection. This will cause the skin production process to react and rapidly speed up and over-activate.

Usually, the skin production of cells begins underneath the skin and slowly ascends to the skin's surface, eventually falling off. This process occurs over a one month period, however, psoriasis speeds up this process causing it to occur over a few days. The fast build-up of skin cells results in flakey, scaling patches on the skin’s surface.

This is often accompanied by extreme dryness, inflammation, redness and can often crack, bleed and cause irritation. Psoriasis can appear on hands, feet, neck and face, while less common areas may appear on fingernails, mouth and around the genital and groin area.

There are five different types of psoriasis that can occur either during childhood or adulthood:

Plaque psoriasis:
This is the most common, causing large or small flakey patches around the body, including neck, scalp, face and elbows.

Guttate psoriasis:
This is more common in childhood, causing small pink spots around the torso, arms and legs.

Pustular psoriasis:
Is more common in adulthood, resulting in pus-filled blisters and widespread inflamed or red skin.

Inverse psoriasis:
Commonly flares up around skin folds, armpits and around the groin presenting as bright, shiny, red and inflamed skin.

Erythrodermic psoriasis:
This is very a rare form of psoriasis causing the skin to appear sunburnt and fall off in large patches or sheets. Erythrodermic psoriasis is known to cause fever and serious illness so it is important to seek medical attention if a flare-up occurs.

Psoriasis causes irritability, inflammation and severe flakiness of the skin, making it very easy to aggravate. Using natural ingredients to ease psoriasis symptoms provide a gentle alternative for irritable psoriasis symptoms.

Because psoriasis is an autoimmune condition it can be difficult to find the right solution to effectively ease symptoms. While medical treatment and topical, chemically-based creams are an option, some can only provide temporary relief and create side effects when used long-term.

Implementing a natural alternative into your skincare routine can avoid the harmful side effects of chemically-based products while gently soothing skin. It also works to protect your skin from the inside out without causing further damage.

Psoriasis can leave the skin extremely dry, flakey and irritated, so it’s important to implement ingredients that gently moisturise and nourish skin.

Natural ingredients can help ease psoriasis symptoms and are known to hydrate, moisturise, protect the skin’s barrier and soothe dryness and inflammation. Here are eight natural ingredients that are known to help with psoriasis:

Argan oil is rich in fatty acids, Vitamin E and antioxidants, making it a nurturing ingredient to moisturise and protect the skin from sun damage. Not only can it improve skin metabolism, but argan oil is known to have anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties to calm inflammation, dryness, swelling, itchiness and redness.

The nourishing properties of argan oil also protect hair from damage and heat while moisturising the scalp.

Sesame oil is rich in Vitamin E and fatty acids such as linoleic and palmitic acids for intense nourishment and hydration to the skin while protecting against radical damage and sun exposure. As a natural antioxidant, sesame oil also fights against damage to the skin cell structure, helping to reduce flakiness and soothe dryness.

Packed with anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, sesame oil also helps ease inflammation and swelling while fighting against viral properties that can cause hair loss and infection

Vitamin E is a rich antioxidant known to reduce inflammation, repair damage to the scalp and hair follicles, making it a source of intense nourishment for scalp care while promoting hair growth.

Shea butter is packed with fatty acids, paired with anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties to reduce the appearance of scarring, build moisture retention, and protect the skin barrier. Because of this, shea butter is a popular option for those with psoriasis because of its soothing abilities to calm inflammation and relieve itching.

As a natural antioxidant, shea butter is packed with Vitamins A and E, working wonders on skin elasticity and protecting against radical damage while absorbing rapidly into the skin. This not only repairs the epidermal barriers but also boosts collagen production and provides fast relief for irritation and itching.

Sea buckthorn dates back to Chinese remedies due to its high concentration of omega-3 and omega-7 fatty acids, and Vitamins A, C, and E. Filled with anti-inflammatory properties, sea buckthorn is great for soothing inflammation, reducing redness and scabbing while hydrating dry, scaling skin.

In fact, a 2019 study found that sea buckthorn extract improved psoriasis lesions in patients when applied twice daily over a four week period, and continued to do so after an eight week follow up. Patients also reported higher levels of quality of life during the same time period.

Camellia tea oil is packed with fatty acids, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anti-aging properties as has been used by Japanese Geishas for centuries. As a natural antioxidant, camellia tea oil is great for restoring skin elasticity and improving skin smoothness. It is also known to act as a protectant against radical damage while soothing broken, dry and flakey skin, perfect for calming psoriasis symptoms.

Hemp seed oil has extremely high levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and anti-inflammatory properties. Because of this, hemp seed oil is also great for strengthening skin against bacterial infections. With its rich fatty acid content, hemp seed oil also has a high level of linoleic acid, providing a nutrient-rich treatment for skin production and moisture retention.

Known to prevent psoriasis flare-ups and offer pain relief, jojoba oil has natural anti-inflammatory abilities and can increase moisture levels in inflamed and broken skin. In fact, a 2012 study found jojoba an effective ingredient to actively calm skin lesions associated with dry, flakey skin and redness while strengthening the skin barrier.

Black Chicken Remedies offer natural remedies uniquely formulated to all skin types. Perfect for sensitive, dry, irritated or inflamed skin, Black Chicken Remedies provide natural body balms and hair treatments to hydrate, moisturise and soothe your skin and scalp without the use of harsh chemicals.

As an autoimmune condition, there are several natural remedies known to help calm the overactivity of your autoimmune system, including:

Aloe Vera: Aloe vera has been known to calm psoriasis symptoms upon application by reducing redness and irritation.

Dietary supplements: Taking fish oil, aloe vera, and Vitamin D are known to help ease psoriasis symptoms from the inside out.

Eat a healthy diet: Implementing foods with a high fatty acid content such as fish, seeds and nuts can reduce psoriasis symptoms. On the other hand, reducing your intake of red meat, alcohol, saturated fats and refined sugar may reduce flare-ups.

Reduce stress: Stress can worsen symptoms and further aggravate flare-ups, so take the time to implement stress management into your routine by taking a bath, meditation, or yoga.

Taking a bath: Adding Epsom salts, olive oil, milk or oatmeal to a lukewarm bath can also help to lessen psoriasis symptoms. Make sure the water temperature is not too hot as this can aggravate the skin.

Maintain a healthy weight: Excessive weight gain and obesity can worsen psoriasis symptoms. To maintain a healthy weight include vegetables, protein and fruit into your diet, reduce carbohydrate intake and undertake regular exercise.

Natural ingredients provide a nutrient-rich source of vitamins, antioxidants and fatty acids to replenish, nourish and soothe. Implementing natural ingredients into your skincare routine also builds and retains moisture levels, reduces redness, calms inflammation and promotes healing for psoriasis.

It is easy to aggravate irritated skin with harsh products filled with chemicals. Implementing a natural skincare routine will moisturise and soothe skin without damaging your skin with harmful toxins. Using natural ingredients will provide a clean and cruelty-free alternative to heal the skin and protect it against radical damage from the environment.

Black Chicken Remedies offers a selection of natural body balms, natural hair care and skincare products formulated with natural ingredients easily implemented into any skincare routine to help with inflamed, irritated skin.

From balms, exfoliants to deodorants, Black Chicken Remedies have an award-winning product range focusing on clean, replenishing and natural skincare for all skin types.

Sources

Check out where we found some of the information used in this article in the sources below.

https://www.skinhealthinstitute.org.au/page/97/psoriasis

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6327666/ 

https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/338076