In patients with psoriasis, proper body care using dermocosmetics (over-the-counter preparations available only in pharmacies) plays a key role. It helps alleviate the symptoms of psoriasis and supports local treatment.
You should use gentle cleansing preparations with a pH close to the skin's, and provide the skin with appropriate hydration and lubrication. It is worth choosing preparations with soothing and anti-inflammatory properties that will help regenerate the epidermis and relieve itching.
Good skin hydration is the most effective and simplest method of reducing dryness, itching and flaking of the skin. Choose natural moisturizing creams or ointments without the addition of harmful chemicals. Avoid heavy formulas. Opt for lighter ones that are easier to absorb. Apply the cream or ointment immediately after bathing - this will significantly improve the effect of the preparation. Pay special attention to skin care on cold and dry days.
Before purchasing preparations, it is worth comparing their INCI compositions (In
ternational Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients), i.e. a legally regulated list of substances they contain. The ingredients include shea butter, unrefined coconut oil, D-Panthenol, glycyrrhetinic acid, urea and cocoa shell ash, ichthyol, vitamin A and E. To choose the right care, you can also consult a cosmetologist or dermatologist. Remember that care is an important part of the entire therapy. Its aim is to extend the period of remission.
Some people struggling with psoriasis notice a significant improvement in their skin condition with regular tanning. However, when going out into the sun, you need to use common sense - you should not stay in the sun for too long, and your skin should be previously protected with a cream with a filter that protects against the harmful effects of sunlight. It is no secret why psoriasis symptoms worsen in winter - that is when the level of sunlight is quite low. Therefore, in the autumn and winter period you need to take special care of your skin. Ultraviolet (UV) light and sunlight can slow the growth of skin cells, so small doses of sun can be a good way to soothe, improve, and even heal psoriatic lesions.
Skin of head
Scalp psoriasis is often confused with dandruff. Due to excessive keratinization, the flakes falling on the arms are white and dry. The rash is itchy and often painful. Even minor scratches cause wounds to appear quickly. After cleaning the scales, you can see redness and translucent blood vessels, which are shallower in patients than in healthy skin. The hair becomes thinner and sparser. Please remember that psoriatic scalp is more susceptible to any inflammation that is difficult to extinguish.
To remove flaky epidermis, wash your scalp every day with preparations intended for psoriatic scalp. When washing, it is recommended to use a cleansing shampoo or peeling and then apply a soothing shampoo. Keratolytic preparations containing ingredients such as salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and urea are helpful. It is important to exfoliate the scalp with enzymatic or trichological preparations in order to stimulate scalp cells to grow new hair. When cleansing, it is also important that the preparations contain anti-inflammatory, healing, antibacterial, anti-itching and scalp-strengthening ingredients. For example, these may be: comfrey extract, green clay, tar.
Treatments performed on the scalp should not damage, irritate or disturb the natural lipid layer of the epidermis, as such damage causes the formation of new psoriatic lesions. An important aspect of psoriatic scalp care is moisturizing it. You should choose delicate moisturizing ingredients such as aloe, provitamin B3 and B5, and cannabinoids.
Face
Spots may appear all over the face. Particular attention should be paid to the eyelids due to their thin and delicate skin. These are places that are extremely painful when eruptions appear on them. Use products with moisturizing, anti-inflammatory and soothing properties for your eyelids. We can confidently recommend arnica, chamomile or aloe gel and tea compresses.
Facial care treatments cannot interfere with the deeper layers of the epidermis, so as not to irritate the skin and cause further inflammation. Any treatments that mechanically irritate the facial skin are not recommended. Skin cleansing should be gentle and should be done using enzymatic ingredients that gently exfoliate by dissolving the epidermis, not abrading it. The most important step is also moisturizing and soothing inflammation by selecting natural preparations that do not contain irritating ingredients such as alcohols, fragrances, ALS, SLS and sulfates.
Nails
Nail psoriasis is sometimes confused with mycosis due to the symptom of yellow-brown spots on the nail plate. These "oil stains" are caused by excessive keratinization of the skin under the nail. Unsightly discoloration in the form of red or brown petechiae also occurs due to blood congealing under the nails when