Tips on how to protect your skin during winter months

From tristatehomepage.com

With the temperatures right now, it doesn’t quite feel like winter outside, but it’s still important to remember to keep your skin protected during this time of year.
The cold dry winter air can be rough on anyone’s skin, especially those who suffer from Psoriasis.
Psoriasis is a skin disorder in which the body’s own immune system becomes overactive and attacks normal tissues.

Cold air has an extraordinarily low moisture content, which can steal moisture from the skin.
People should make sure to protect themselves this winter by covering up outdoors.
Layer up and use moisturizers before going outside.

Inside, you should cut down on those long hot showers. Experts says hot showers strip natural oils from the skin.
Also, you should use a thick, fragrance-free body cream after showering and make sure you’re using the right soap.
Switch to a moisturizing soap and ditch the scented body wash to avoid itchy winter skin.

Just a reminder, just because it’s winter and less daylight, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be using sunscreen.

https://www.tristatehomepage.com/news/local-news/tips-on-how-to-protect-your-skin-during-winter-months/1678384437

Psoriasis: When Is Dry Skin A Sign Of Disease?

From medicaldaily.com

Among the many challenges that accompany winter, dry skin is a common problem. Due to a drop in humidity levels, you are simply more prone to dried, irritated skin which can include signs like redness and flakes.
But when is your dry skin a sign of a chronic condition known as psoriasis? Unlike the wintertime scenario mentioned above, psoriasis is not seasonal in nature. It is regarded as an inflammatory disease since the problem is related to the immune system.
In the United States, a little over 2 percent of the population — or an estimated 7.5 million Americans— have psoriasis. While stress, obesity, infections, and habits like smoking can increase one's risk, family history is believed to be the biggest risk factor as it is often passed on to children by parents.

Psoriasis is characterized by a reduced life cycle of the human skin cells. While our cells are normally replaced once a month on average, a person with psoriasis can have new cells develop every three to four days.

This build-up of excess skin cells leads to the development of plaques. These plaques are pink or red raised patches of skin covered with white or silver scales. This is the most common form of the condition, known as plaque psoriasis.
While the plaques can appear anywhere on the body, patients often report their occurrence on the scalp, elbows, knees, lower back, and genitals. The affected patches of skin can be extremely itchy and painful, even prone to cracking and bleeding. When large areas of skin are affected, one may also experience joint pain.

Previously, experts have discussed how skin conditions like acne can make a person feel anxious, isolated and self-conscious, taking a toll on their well-being. The case is no different for patients of psoriasis who may feel embarrassed about the appearance of their skin.
"It’s a real problem. A condition that’s visible like this is a disease that can change how people view you. It can change how you present yourself and even what you wear," Jennifer C. Cather, M.D., a dermatologist at Modern Dermatology-Aesthetics Centre, told SELF. Though psoriasis is not contagious, the misconception that it is, can also affect the self-image of patients.

If these signs sound familiar, it is possible that you may have psoriasis. It is recommended that you see a dermatologist who will help diagnose the condition.
Though there is no cure as of yet, treatment is available which focuses on reducing inflammation according to Gary Goldenberg, M.D., a dermatologist based in New York City. He explained to Women's Health Mag that many patients "can be almost completely cleared of their symptoms" with the help of steroid cream, pills, biologic injections, and even dietary changes.

https://www.medicaldaily.com/psoriasis-when-dry-skin-sign-disease-429076

Alternative medicine might help ease psoriasis symptoms

From reuters.com

(Reuters Health) - Complementary and alternative medicine approaches might help relieve psoriasis symptoms, a research review suggests.
Such approaches included acupuncture, meditation, and herbal remedies like indigo naturals or curcumin, according to the authors of the review.
Raised patches of dry, scaly, itchy skin are a hallmark of psoriasis. The inflammatory skin condition can be made worse by exposure to stress, cold, and infections. Symptoms may be eased by topical ointments and medications, but there is no cure.
Even though up to half of psoriasis patients use complementary and alternative medicine to get relief, research to date hasn’t offered a clear picture of what approaches might be most effective at clearing up skin or making it less uncomfortable, researchers note in JAMA Dermatology.
For the current study, researchers examined data from 60 studies of a wide variety of complementary and alternative medicine approaches to relieving psoriasis. While these studies were too varied in quality, design and outcomes measured to draw firm conclusions about the effectiveness of different types of non-traditional therapies, the results suggest that at least some complementary and alternative medicine interventions might help some people with psoriasis feel better, said study co-author Dr. Alexandra Price of the University of Miami in Florida.
“Certain complementary and alternative medicine therapies, such as indigo naturalis, curcumin, fish oil, meditation, acupuncture, and hypocaloric diets, have been shown to be safe and effective treatments for psoriasis in randomized controlled trials, although fish oil had conflicting results,” Price said by email.
Patients should still be cautious, however.
“While there are a number of natural therapies available over the counter, only a few of them have been studied in trials,” Price said.
Even when studies have been done, results may not be definitive, Price noted.

The formulations and doses of curcumin and indigo naturalis that have been effective in clinical trials are not widely available for patients to buy, Price said. That means when patients buy these products, they may get untested versions.
Fish oil, the most common alternative therapy for psoriasis, has been effective in some studies but not in others, making it unclear how much it helps, Price added.
In the current analysis, fish oil showed no meaningful improvements in psoriasis in 12 controlled experiments that randomly assigned some people to use this product and others to use a placebo or alternative remedy. But other less rigorous types of studies found daily fish oil did appear to help improve symptoms.
“Traditional treatments for psoriasis, such as topical corticosteroids, topical vitamin D analogues, retinoids, and biologic therapies, currently have the most data supporting their use, and therefore, should remain first treatments for psoriasis,” Price advised.
When patients do want to explore other options, they should consider the relative risk associated with different types of complementary and alternative medicine, said Dr. Steve Xu of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.
“With topical and oral complementary and alternative medicines, there is a greater potential for harm for adverse events, lesser clinical evidence for efficacy, and unclear manufacturing processes for ingredient purity and consistency,” Xu, who wasn’t involved in the study, said by email.

At the same time, there may be little harm in trying low-risk things like meditation or other stress reduction techniques in combination with traditional medicine, even if trials don’t decisively prove that these alternatives help, Xu added.
“If it works for my patient and they feel like they derive a benefit from it - who am I to discourage it or be a naysayer,” Xu said.

https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-psoriasis/alternative-medicine-might-help-ease-psoriasis-symptoms-idUKKCN1MF2L5

Lessons Learned From Living With Psoriatic Arthritis

From healthcentral.com
By Diane Talbert

Like many people, I was diagnosed first with psoriasis and then psoriatic arthritis. The diseases go hand in hand. My biggest challenge over the years was finding a doctor that believed I had psoriatic arthritis and that I wasn’t being a hypochondriac for 25 years. I have worked diligently with my doctors to understand my psoriatic arthritis and find out what works for me. Knowledge is power. If I had known now what I knew 25 years ago things would have turn out so much differently for me. Here are nine lessons I’ve learned.

You don’t have to suffer in silence

The biggest lesson I have learned is that you don’t have to suffer in silence. I used to feel like I was the only person who was going through this, but I learned that we are not alone. I have met so many people over the years that lived with this disease. They have given me the courage to move on. You need to stop blaming yourself for your disease; there was nothing you could do to stop it. I ran a support group for years. This was one of the most rewarding things that I could have done for myself. I got to share my pain with people who were like me.

Learn to recognize change

When the swelling began in my fingers and toes I knew this would be a life-changing thing for me. I had to find the best doctors and listen to them. Cold packs became my best friend to help for pain and swelling. You can also use heat. Remember that life teaches us lessons over and over again until we get it right. Let’s try to improve things in our life if possible.

You can help others

Helping others has been one of the most rewarding things for me to do. I have tried to make it my mission to not miss meetings or events because of pain. This doesn’t work always, but I try. I believe I have a journey to complete, to learn new things and have a great time doing it. I volunteer as much as possible, even if it’s just visiting nursing homes, which is very rewarding to me. I love to see our elderly smile — just because.

Ask for help

Asking for help was a hard one for me. I thought I could conquer the world alone, but when you get so much pain in your body that you can’t walk, you need someone to help you. Don’t think you’re weak for asking. We are all reluctant to ask for help. We should all ask for help more often. If you don’t ask for help, people will assume that you are ok. There are times you will need help from family and friends.

Find a good doctor

I have been seeing doctors my whole life but it took me 25 years to get diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. If in your heart you know something is wrong, find a good doctor. Ask lots of questions. Only you have the knowledge about your unique condition. The right doctor will listen to what you have to say and incorporate that information into your treatment.

You are not weak

Having this disease does not make you weak. We are just as strong as everyone else. We just have more pain to deal with. There are days I can’t open a jar or walk up a flight of stairs, but that doesn’t stop me from trying. Make the distinction between being weak and being ill. Even in your illness, you are strong.

Know your body

You can have signs of psoriatic arthritis everywhere, inside and out. I started out with the scaly rashes and the pitting in the nails very early in life. I didn’t get the sausage fingers until later. I started having joint and pain at age 25. It was many years later before it attacked my spine and I started having stiffness. My worst pain now is my shoulders and knees that keep me from doing what I must do. Medications have help a lot. Pay attention to these signs. Know your body.

Practice self-care

Having this disease makes you very fatigued and tired. I have learned that I must practice self-care and treat myself gently. Drinking plenty of water and eating well are two things that help me a great deal. I also try to get some exercise, even of it’s a few minutes a day. Don’t try and do everything by yourself. Ask for help. Get plenty of rest and follow your doctor’s orders.

Be your own advocate

Be your number one advocate. Explain to people that you do get tired easily, so there are some things you might not feel like doing right now. Explain that saying no has nothing to do with them. If I talk too much about my disease, I apologize. I just want to be a part of the cure and offer suggestions. Remember, anyone can get it, not just older people. Being your own advocate means going the extra mile to get the right treatment. See a rheumatologist to get the proper diagnosis. He will look for swelling, pain, do X-rays, MRIs to check for joint damage. Ask lots of questions.

https://www.healthcentral.com/slideshow/lessons-learned-from-living-with-psoriatic-arthritis