Causes and Treatments for Psoriasis

Psoriasis is one of the skin conditions that still baffle doctors and medical professionals. The root cause of psoriasis is unknown, but it is believed by a lot of researchers that the combination of genes and triggers from the environment can cause psoriasis.

What is Psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a condition of the skin where your skin cells age about five times faster than normal skin. In addition, compared to normal skin where the old skin cells just slough off, psoriasis causes these old skin cells to pile up and stay there.

What Causes Psoriasis?

A wide range of possible triggers can cause psoriasis, and these include stress, injuries, infection, and certain medication which you may have a reaction to. Allergies, your diet, the change in weather from dry and cold and vice versa, smoking, and alcohol are also other triggers which have been linked to psoriasis. However, this is not a complete picture of what causes this skin condition, and extensive research is still needed in order to complete the puzzle.

How to Treat Psoriasis

In choosing how to treat psoriasis, one option is through the use of topical creams. The use of topical creams as a form of psoriasis treatment is advised for mild cases of psoriasis only. For more severe cases, a combination of topical creams plus oral medications may be prescribed. Look for topical creams which have Vitamin D, as these decrease the growth of psoriasis cells, as well as anti-inflammatory properties which suppress the psoriasis cells and slow down skin turnover.

Another way how to treat psoriasis is through phototherapy treatments. Phototherapy as a psoriasis treatment makes use of natural or artificial ultraviolet light to kill off the T cells which are present in the skin. Other forms of psoriasis treatment similar to phototherapy treatment include photochemotherapy, UVB phototherapy, and combination light therapy.

Depending on the severity of your psoriasis and the affected area, your doctor can recommend different ways of treating psoriasis. Your doctor may also recommend a combination of certain treatments – creams plus oral medication, or oral medication plus therapy – as needed.

Natural Ways to Treat Psoriasis

If you are not comfortable with applying creams or taking medications, or if you cannot afford the costs associated with medical treatments for phototherapy, you can opt for a psoriasis natural treatment. There are plenty of home remedies for psoriasis, and you can apply some of these treatments at home. A psoriasis natural treatment is also less expensive, but you may wait a little longer to see results as compared to medications and therapy.

One of the psoriasis natural treatments you can try at home is to mix apple cider vinegar in your bath water. Apple cider vinegar is known to soothe skin and have anti-inflammatory properties which can help your skin during your psoriasis breakout. If you have psoriasis on your scalp, warming olive oil and massaging it onto your scalp is said to soften and remove the dry skin. There are plenty of other home remedies available, but you should consult with your doctor to find out if these home remedies are suitable for you.