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Skincare for psoriasis sufferers
Today marks World Psoriasis Day, and anyone who suffers from the painful, red and flaky skin condition will know that as winter approaches, symptoms typically flare up. Patches of psoriasis, known as plaques, can spring up everywhere from scalp to face to thighs, and the physical and mental impact can range from the mild to the practically unbearable. Given that psoriasis is a chronic disease with no cure, it requires constant management, and everything from medication to alcohol to stress can trigger an ‘outbreak’.
It’s not known exactly why some people suffer from psoriasis, but it’s thought to run in families and first develop in children and adults under the age of 35. Psoriasis occurs due to the immune system attacking healthy skin, ramping up the production of skin cells. As such, whereas skin cells normally regenerate every three to four weeks, for psoriasis sufferers that cycle is reduced to between three and seven days. As you can imagine, or know full well, that involves a lot of itching, cracking, shedding and, often, soreness. Prescription ointments, oral or injected medicines and light therapy are all forms of treatment to discuss and consider with your GP, but here’s a selection of products that could prove soothing when your skin’s on fire…
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