15 Natural Alternatives To Tackle Psoriasis For Good

Psoriasis is a fairly common condition, occurring in around 1-3% of the population. It’s more common in temperate climates and it affects men and women equally. In this post, I will show you a variety of natural alternatives to tackle psoriasis in a natural way.

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The term psoriasis is used to describe a number of conditions including plaque, guttate, pustular, erythrodermic, and light-sensitive psoriasis, as well as psoriasis that occurs on various body areas, such as the palms and soles, scalp, fingernails, elbows, knees, in skin folds, and between the buttocks.

Affected areas usually start as dark red, scaly areas that coalesce, forming round or oval plaques.

The scaly areas are silvery-white and when scratched or rubbed they can bleed; this is called the “Auspitz sign.”

These plaques may or may not itch. The scales can be very dense, especially on the scalp.

The most common areas for psoriasis are the elbows, knees, scalp, between the buttocks, and fingernails.

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The causes of psoriasis are not known, but it runs in families and there is an inflammation and immune aspect to it that is important to understand when discussing treatment. 

Another common aspect of psoriasis is skin cell overgrowth: psoriasis skin cells can grow at a rate a thousand times faster than normal skin cells.

Psoriasis can develop after trauma to the skin, such as sunburn, surgery, or scratching, and can be made worse by medications such as lithium, steroids, and beta-blockers (used in cardiovascular disease).

People with psoriasis often suffer not only from the condition but also from emotional and psychological problems due to the way psoriasis makes them see and feel about themselves.

Here we’ll see a variety of approaches to help you deal with this condition in a natural way.

Natural Alternatives To Tackle Psoriasis

Thermal Baths

Changes in lifestyle can be very helpful to treat psoriasis.

Thermal baths in high-salt water followed by twice-daily sun exposure for approximately 3 hours a day resulted in some very marked improvements in 73-88% of psoriasis patients. 

The best results were obtained in spas and clinics with very high salt content, similar to that found in the Dead Sea in Israel.

High salt content seems to be very important in successful treatment, it doesn’t necessarily have to be Dead Sea salt, but the bath HAS to be about 33% salt compared to regular seawater which is about 3% Salt.

You can also use Epsom salt and Himalayan salt in your bath water for similar results.

Elimination Diet

In naturopathic medicine, the skin is considered an organ of excretion (any toxins you ingest can be excreted through the skin) and can cause problems.

There is some evidence that eliminating gluten and dairy may improve symptoms for some people.

There is no specific diet that has been tested for psoriasis patients, but a healthy, well-rounded diet with a minimum of processed foods or beverages is always recommended.

If you suspect a specific food sensitivity, try an elimination diet to see if that helps your psoriasis or helps you feel better overall.

Supplements To Help Treat Psoriasis

There are a number of supplements that have been used to treat psoriasis; however, what works for one person sometimes doesn’t work for another, so you may need to try a few different things.

As always, make sure you’re working with a knowledgeable healthcare professional who understands supplements.

The following supplements are proven to help ease the condition:

• Fish Oil: Fish oil high in omega-3 fatty acids is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. Several studies have shown that people with psoriasis can benefit from taking up to 5.4 g of EPA and 3.6 g of DHA. Side effects were mild, mainly the fishy taste. Fish oil has also been applied directly to the skin with improvement in symptoms and appearance.

• Zinc and Selenium: both have been reported to be low in psoriasis patients and the addition of these minerals as supplements has shown some positive results. It’s important to establish a deficiency in those minerals beforehand to avoid over-supplementation.

• Vitamin D: Vitamin D has been studied and shown some slight improvements.

• Neem Oil: Neem oil comes from the neem tree (Azadirachta indica), which is an evergreen tree found mainly in India. The active ingredient in the bark is nimbidin, which has sugar-lowering, wound-healing, and cell-growth effects. Nimbidin is a more potent inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis and therefore a better anti-inflammatory agent than aspirin. 

Herbal Remedies For Topical Use

Herbs can be taken internally or they can be applied topically and absorbed through the skin.

It’s always best to use a combination of both approaches, often using topical products that feed the skin as well as providing medicinal support internally through diet or supplementation.

Whether you choose to use those herbs in cream or ointment form, it’s always important to choose products with the least chemicals added for increased benefits.

The ideal scenario would be to choose homemade products from a qualified master herbalist.

An ointment is often best on very dry, flaking patches and is good to use at night. Creams are easier during the day.

Below, are a few herbs that can help to soothe the skin discomfort and appearance of psoriasis:

• Aloe Vera: Aloe vera has properties to relieve pain and itching; it’s also anti-allergy, healing and anti-inflammatory and has been used topically to successfully treat psoriasis plaques.

• Oregon Grape (barberry, Mahonia aquifolium): this herb has been used for centuries in Chinese medicine and it’s known to relieve symptoms of psoriasis – it also has an antibacterial effect.

• Yarrow (Achilleae millefolium): Yarrow is particularly effective in speeding the healing of the skin, keeping it free from bacteria and improving its softness.

• Milk thistle: due to its anti-inflammatory and restorative properties, Milk thistle is good to balance the moisture of dry and cracked skin when used topically.

• Burdock (Arctium): the anti-inflammatory and antibacterial components in Burdock are known to help many different types of skin conditions including psoriasis.

• Calendula (Calendula officinalis): Calendula calms the redness and eases skin discomfort. It’s anti-inflammatory and soothing.

• Dandelion (Taraxacum): used for many skin conditions due to its germicide and antifungal compounds, Dandelion detoxifies and improves skin conditions.

• Nettles (Urtica urens/dioica): the natural astringent properties in Nettle are great for treating many itchy and inflamed skin issues including psoriasis.

• Common Gypsyweed ( Veronica officinalis): with extraordinary healing properties, this herb contains high amounts of Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Vitamin K. It soothes and protects the surface of the skin.

Final Thoughts

Psoriasis may be a common condition among the world’s population, but this doesn’t make it less challenging.

It may become manageable, though, and easier to live with when these natural tips are diligently employed – give them a chance, as you have nothing to lose and much to gain.

Always remember to consult a health practitioner before starting a new treatment to rule out any undesirable medicinal interaction.

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