Does anyone have or know about Psoriasis?

Hi Kaz

Sorry you're feeling run down.?

My BIL has psoriasis badly - he gets it all over his body and scalp in big red patches. I think he uses a specially prescribed shampoo and creams to control it as much as possible and also has UV treatment (like a sunbed) when it gets really bad!

It sounds like, if yours is psoriasis, it is probably fairly mild at the moment. I suggest speaking to a pharmacist or your GP because they can give you a definite diagnosis and recommend or prescribe a treatment that will help. Could it maybe be eczema? I get patches of that on my legs and have one on my wrist too at themoment - it's quite itchy at times and annoying. I find that using a moisturiser, like Diprobase or E45, can help and using a little hydrocortisone on the patches. I think mine is effected by the weather and by stress as well as by detergents etc.

I broke out in it at Uni during my finals due to stress, mainly on my arms, back and stomach. I tried special creams from the drs and chemist but the only thing that soothed it and eventually calmed it down was aloe vera moisturiser.

HTH

Sorry to hear this. I have psoriasis over a lot of my body (including my scalp) which appeared one day 7 years ago when I was 20. It sounds like you have a mild case (if you do have it) but I would go to your GP and they will tell you whether or not it is psoriasis straight away.

If it is, it isn't something that can be cured but it can be managed with various medication/creams/shampoo etc.

?

It certainly sounds similar to psoriasis. I have this and have done from a very, very young age. It comes and goes - mainly around at stressful times. I mostly get it on my scalp but do get break outs on my arms, chest & face too.☹️
Mine is much worse in the winter - due, I think, to less sunlight. Like a previous hitcher - I used to have sun-bed sessions when it was really bad in the winter as the uv light really does help to clear it up. Although this has to be managed carefully for obvious reasons. Also, I used to have long hair and would put it up wet. This made my psoriasis so much worse. I had it all cut off one summer and it was virtually all gone within two weeks.

You can get the shampoo I am prescribed cheaper in boots (cheaper than prescription prices) - it's called Polytar and is lovely. I also have Dovonex cream for my skin and Betnovate lotion for my scalp - both of which are prescribed by the docs.

Definitely go and get it checked out though.

Both OH , BIL and BIL's wife have this. BIL & wife is far worse than OH's
His is mainly in his scalp. He has a prescription for Cocois ointment and Capasal shampoo.

He applies the ointment to his scalp and then shampoos out with the Capsal. No he has it, there are definately things that aggrevate it - stress and alcohol are the main culprits.

Hi Kaz

I've had it for 20 years, since my teens (showing age icon). Mine is stress-related and have bouts of it being really bad and then manageable. I have it mainly on my scalp but at bad times it can go elsewhere but not for a long period of time. I've used all sorts of prescribed and over the counter lotions/shampoos.

I'd suggest a trip to your doctor to find out what yours is, at least then you can get something to hopefully help it.

Spange
x

I have it too and find that the best way to manage it is to keep moisturising constantly at the first sign of an outbreak (mine is stress related). I use extra virgin olive oil and sea salt on my scalp as I react badly to a lot of the stronger shampoos, but it can be very different for everyone.

Go to your GP Kaz, they're much better placed to diagnose and prescribe than your hairdresser. Try not to fret about it. It could just be a rash, mild eczema (as it sounds exactly like what I get too) or an allergy.

In the meantime, buy yourself some coal tar shampoo as that can help. Also, try taking an anti-histamine each day, just to see if it helps at all.

I have psoriasis - mainly on my scalp.

My Dad used to swear by Kerastase shampoo, and my brother who has it much worse than me used a shampoo called polytar. The active ingredient in the Polytar is tar... and it caused me to go photosensitive. I had red, itchy, nasty skin every time I went in the sun - including at my brother's wedding in the USA which was a bit of a pain in the arse.

All psoriasis is is where your skin goes mad and produces a few too many layers. This looks like a slightly red, raised flaky, patch of skin.

I agree about the stress factor though - nothing makes mine worse than stress.

?

I have it - it's in remission at the moment, and I have associated arthritis. It's a disease of the immume system, which is why some people find it flares when they're stressed or run down. I never had it in my hair, but I agree with everyone who said you need a proper diagnosis. That said, it took my GP three goes to work out what mine was. There's no cure for it but it is manageable usually. Beware of well meaning types recommending snakeoil and other bollocks that worked for their Aunty's neighbour etc etc, and get it treated properly. Best of luck.?

I have had it for years and it really flared up when we moved to Oz- the stress of organising.
Never had it in my hair, but during this stressful time, it spread.
Psoriasis is skin which replenishes in 2 days rather than the usual 17 days (or so). This means it can look OK, and just as quickly re-appear.

I was using emu oil to releive the itching and flaking. Strangely enough when I got pregnant, the itchiness disappeared and (so far) has not come back...daughter is 13 months. So maybe pregnancy is a cure????

quote:Originally posted by Eleda
I have it - it's in remission at the moment, and I have associated arthritis. It's a disease of the immume system, which is why some people find it flares when they're stressed or run down. I never had it in my hair, but I agree with everyone who said you need a proper diagnosis. That said, it took my GP three goes to work out what mine was.id="red"> There's no cure for it but it is manageable usually. Beware of well meaning types recommending snakeoil and other bollocks that worked for their Aunty's neighbour etc etc, and get it treated properly. Best of luck.?

id="quote">Same with mine - my mum kept taking me back. The doc though it was eczesma so took me off cows milk, kept giving my mum stronger and stronger creams that would burn my "normal" skin if she missed with it. Eventually he referred us to a specialist who took one look at me and diagnosed it as psoriasis. Gave my mum a huge tub of tar ointment and some stuff to chuck in the bath and my whole body was clear within a month. After months & months of pain. So definitely get it checked properly.

I started with this about 4 years ago, we had jsut got back from Egypt and I thought I had caught a weird illnes?

The stuff the doctors gave me for my arms works a treat (Dovabet) but my scalp was a different matter, I ended up losing quite a lot of hair, to the point where I had a bald patch[:I]

I had spent nearly 100 quid on prescriptions trying to find a cure when someone over on WP suggested pure coconut oil. I got this from superdrug for 99p and you massage it in to your scapl and leave overnight. It is a very messy process don't sleep on your best pillow cases?

Anyway 2 nights of that it had cleared

The only shampoo I can use now without a relapse is the sun silk one called for itchy flaky scalps....smells lush as well?

? only just got back to check on this. Soso many of you seem to have this pretty bad. Even if I do have it, thank goodness it's only very mild so I feel a slight fraud for posting. I've now got it on my right knee as well as the left so let's hope it doesn't keep spreading!

I have some of that coaltar shampoo actually from C having cradle cap so will give that a try ?