Mamas with Psoriasis?

[JustJacqueline]

Just wondering if anyone else suffers from the dreaded "P" on this board? I've had it noticeably since I was 11 - so 16 years now. It has progressively gotten worse. Wondering what you do to combat it? Most of the time I don't have insurance so pricey medications are out. I just started taking coconut oil and looking for other alternatives.

[randareena]

I've dealt with it since about 6th grade. At the moment, I just have it really bad on my scalp (from my ears down to the nape of my neck). I used to have it really bad on my knees and elbows and occassionally the weird random spot would pop up.

I found that if I do not scratch it, put lotion on it, or rub the spot in anyway that it goes away in a couple of weeks. For example, I had a new spot turn up on the top of my wrist about a month ago. I left it alone and let it scale and grow (eww I know) and the after about a week or so, it started diminishing in size. Now there is just a faint spot where it used to be (lighter than my skin tone). This is how I got rid of my super huge spots on my knees and elbows after high school.

Now my scalp, I have no clue how I would go for a week or so without touching it so I just use over the counter shampoos to get rid of the scales. I have found the Grandpa's Brand Pine Tar Soap/Shampoo to work really well at getting scales off and relieving the itching. I have noticed that my scalp tends to get *used* to the shampoo after a while so I used to alternate it with the Dermarest shampoo and/or scalp treatment until Wal-Mart and everyother store in my town stopped carrying it. Now I use the Neutrogena extra strength coal tar shampoo (it stinks, so I use a Bumble and Bumble tea tree oil spray on it when I'm done to get rid of the smell).

IMO, pricey meds just don't work anyway so why bother paying for them. My friend gets the shot and her psorasis looks worse than mine. Oh and try taking fish oil pills. These help the skin!

[JustJacqueline]

I scratch mine in my sleep - pull socks off or whatever! I hate that! I can't even use the sea salt soaks because since my skin is broken from scratching, it sets it on FIRE! I think it's interesting how doing NOTHING to yours makes it go away. I do take Omega 3s and Vitamin D3. Shellfish really sets it off so no more of that!

[dubhreubel]

I've had it as long as I can remember, although, thankfully it's limited to my scalp for the most part, and has been since I was about 14. Currently I use a regular shampoo, and conditioner, and only wash every third day or so... So far I'm finding that the natural oils that build up (while a bit gross) help more than anything else ever has. I've heard that tea tree oil shampoo can help a lot, but I haven't been able to find any...

[randareena]

Most health food stores have tea tree oil shampoo. I think it's made by a company that starts with a J. It's expensive and I didn't notice a difference when I used it. I would love to be able to skip washing my hair because I know that shampooing irritates it, but I hate, hate, hate the flakes.

[JustJacqueline]

Have you guys tried virgin coconut oil? I am using that right now - I put a tsp in my oatmeal in the morning and also rub it on my plaques and scalp ( mine is toward the nape of my neck so no one would be able to tell if I put the oil there because my hair covers it )It helps with the flaking and is very moisturizing. Hate the way it tastes though!

[Lovecarnievan]

Yep! Since I was 15 or so. I get mine in weird places... on my scalp, next to my nose, in my eyebrows and between my eyes, in my ears, on my fingers and the tops of my feet.

I find it always gets bad when I don't shower, like my own oil aggrivates it. So I'm meticulous about keeping my scalp/ face oil free as possible. When I'm about to ovulalte I get oilyer, so I use an astringent. Water based lotions only. Hydrocortisone, as high as you can get over the counter works well for me. Also, sunshine works pretty well, too. See if you can get one of those plant light bulbs for a few extra rays when it's dark out.

Denorex is for it, which can be ordered online from pharmacy.com, which uses tar. It's been associated with certain cancers, so use at your discretion. I find I only use it about twice a year or so, so it doesn't scare me.

[momma2j&g]

Ugh!! Yes! I also have psoriac arthritis. The arthritis was worse the the psoriasis, until after the birth of my yds. Then it got HORRIBLE!!! NOTHING was/is working! I was nursing so they wouldn't let me take Enbrel, which really helps my arthritis. Since pp af started last week, I've noticed it's a tiny bit better, not much, but I'm hoping that as my hormones get back to normal, it will go back to how it was. I have it everywhere, scalp, arms, legs, back, ears, stomach, everywhere. Sometimes, it hurts so much, like after a shower, then it itches and I stratch myself raw. It sucks

[JustJacqueline]

Dead Sea Salts work great - but right now I can't use them because I scratch my skin raw in my sleep and the salts set me on fire! When I can use them as a soak, I notice my P goes nearly away! I have it on my scalp which is why I never wear my hair up, sometimes on my hands, REALLY bad on the tops of my feet and ankles, in my ears, little patches on my eyelids, around my nose, elbows, knees. I have always been thankful it is not worse on my face. I can hide the rest, but not my face. I have read lots of articles and lots of books about how to combat Psoriasis, but it's hard to stick with them. I've even done a juice fast and it did help, but once I go back to regular eating it comes back. My mother is convinced that it started because when I went to public school they use city water which is chlorinated and before I was in the county elementary school which had well water and at home we had well water. I dunno though :dunno:

[GypsyMama2MEA]

My poor dd has been dx with guttate psoriasis so I am very interested in this thread. So far we haven't found anything that works this round...it's been about 2 months.

[randareena]

Originally Posted by JustJacqueline

Dead Sea Salts work great - but right now I can't use them because I scratch my skin raw in my sleep and the salts set me on fire! When I can use them as a soak, I notice my P goes nearly away! I have it on my scalp which is why I never wear my hair up, sometimes on my hands, REALLY bad on the tops of my feet and ankles, in my ears, little patches on my eyelids, around my nose, elbows, knees. I have always been thankful it is not worse on my face. I can hide the rest, but not my face. I have read lots of articles and lots of books about how to combat Psoriasis, but it's hard to stick with them. I've even done a juice fast and it did help, but once I go back to regular eating it comes back. My mother is convinced that it started because when I went to public school they use city water which is chlorinated and before I was in the county elementary school which had well water and at home we had well water. I dunno though :dunno:

Psoriasis is one of many auto immunity disorders. It is a genetic condition and is not caused by environmental issues (they might exacerbate it, but they don't cause it). My mom has Chron's Disease (an auto immunity disorder) and I have psoriasis. My Grandma had a heart/liver issue (I forget the exact name) that was an auto immunity disease as well. Psoarsis is just your bodies way of reflecting that genetic mutation, like my mom's is by having Chron's Disease.

[A&M_mama]

Yep, it's limited to my scalp but occationally will get behind ears or on eye lid. My grandmother has it all over and my brother has it on head/feet.

Stress makes it worse (stayed stressed out since DD birth pretty much too).

I did read yesterday on a psoriasis website that trauma makes it worse so that could be why the no touching thing works. It's so hard for me not to pick at it on my scalp though.

[JustJacqueline]

Originally Posted by randareena

Psoriasis is one of many auto immunity disorders. It is a genetic condition and is not caused by environmental issues (they might exacerbate it, but they don't cause it). My mom has Chron's Disease (an auto immunity disorder) and I have psoriasis. My Grandma had a heart/liver issue (I forget the exact name) that was an auto immunity disease as well. Psoarsis is just your bodies way of reflecting that genetic mutation, like my mom's is by having Chron's Disease.

Interesting. My father has Chron's. He has not had a problem with it for years.

[randareena]

My mom almost died when I was in third grade and has had minor flare ups since then. She doesn't use traditional medicine to treat it anymore; she uses homeopathic and diet to control hers.

[Sweetforestcat]

oh I am not alone!

so far pregnancy and breastfeeding have kept it at bay but it gets worse during postpartum and in winter so we shall see. I also have arthritis and have had difficulty getting the two linked.