Folk remedies for psoriasis - a review of effective recipes

Dermatological diseases cause a person many problems: aesthetic and general. The skin looks unattractive, and constant itching, pain, swelling, and irritation impair quality of life. Psoriasis is one such problem that can be bothersome for many years, progressing gradually, increasing the duration and frequency of periods of exacerbation, which spread throughout the body. Are alternative treatments effective here and which is better to use?

What is psoriasis

An alternative name for this disease is scaly lichen. Psoriasis is a chronic dermatological disease (dermatosis) of non-infectious origin. According to most doctors, it is based on autoimmune disorders: when the pathological production of a large number of antibodies is noticed in the body. A few important points:

• In 30% of patients, the onset of the disease occurs within 15-25 years. People of both sexes were equally frequent.
• Psoriasis is characterized by a wave flow, in which exacerbations are spontaneous or caused by the influence of external factors (alcohol consumption, smoking, stress).
• The course of the disease may look different even in the same patient in different periods of exacerbation and remission.

The clinical picture of psoriasis depends on the specific form it has taken. The main symptom is red papules: very dry, raised above the skin, which merge with each other into large deposits, which are areas of chronic inflammation. In the middle are pale or gray spots that look like hardened wax. They are mainly formed on the folds (outer and inner zone), but can also appear on:

• scalp;
• buttocks;
• back;
• palms;
• plantar part of the foot;
• external genitalia.

Vulgar or simple psoriasis is the most common form (occurs in 80-90% of patients) and is characterized by the formation of foci of inflamed, hot skin covered with silvery-white scales. The affected area is compacted, when the gray layer is removed, the skin beneath it bleeds, it is easily injured. As the disease progresses, whole plaques of psoriatic plaques appear. There are several other forms of the disease recorded in ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases):

• Psoriasis of the flexor surfaces (or vice versa) - inflamed red spots rise slightly above healthy skin, almost do not peel, they are found only in the folds. The areas of the external genitalia, armpits and groin are mainly affected. In women, spots may appear under the mammary glands. Often the disease is complicated by a fungal infection due to increased sweating lesions.
• In the form of a drop - the elements of the lesion are small, dry, red or purple, they have the shape of a drop or a small dot. Large areas of the dermis are eroded, mostly appearing on the thighs, shoulders, forearms and back. This form often develops after a streptococcal infection.
• Pustular (exudative) - the most severe form, characterized by the formation of blisters filled with clear inflammatory exudate (pustules). The nearby dermis is hot, edematous, compact, prone to peeling. In secondary infection, suppuration occurs.
• Arthropathic - skin manifestations are accompanied by an inflammatory process in the joints or connective tissue, which mainly affects the phalanges of the fingers and toes. In the severe course of the disease, the patient's disability is not excluded, as long as he is not bedridden.
• Erythrodermic - inflammatory process and peeling in this form of psoriasis are generalized (widespread), the skin is actively peeling. There may be severe itching, swelling, pain on touching. Psoriatic erythroderma can occur as a worsening of an unstable vulgar form, especially in the background of glucocorticoid rejection, and does not exclude a fatal outcome.

ICD-10 also mentions psoriatic onychodystrophy: the disease in this case does not affect the dermis, but the nail plates. The result is a change in the color of the nail layer (yellowing, whitening), the appearance of small spots or dots on the plate and below it, transverse grooves. Thickening of adjacent skin, especially lateral ridges, nail deposition, brittleness or their complete loss is not excluded.

Treatment of psoriasis at home folk remedies

The search for an effective way to fight the disease begins with determining the cause of its occurrence. There is no single method for treating psoriasis, much depends on the severity of the patient's condition, age, the presence of additional pathologies, the specific form of the disease, so doctors allow the use of traditional medicine in tandem with pharmaceutical preparations. They can have the following properties:

• anti-inflammatory;
• antibacterial;
• decongestant;
• antifungal;
• anti-healing;
• antiallergic.

Neither drug therapy nor folk remedies provide a complete and definitive cure for psoriasis, so they are almost equal in effectiveness: if you choose the right regimen, you can quickly improve the condition, prolong the remission period and reduce the severity of acute stages. For maximum effectiveness, alternative treatments should be comprehensive - acting internally and locally, to pursue the following goals:

• eliminate the cause of deterioration (external factors, general or non-specific hypoallergenic diet);
• relieve symptoms (local compresses and lotions based on herbal infusions, raw grated potatoes, cabbage brine, homemade fats, vegetable oils);
• strengthen the body's general defenses (taking herbal decoctions and internal tinctures of alcohol or water).

An important element in the therapeutic regimen of psoriasis is diet. The patient should refuse alcohol, confectionery, animal fats, all products in the store with preservatives, aromatic and aromatic additives, dyes. If it is known what kind of food causes exacerbations, they refuse it. According to the rules of non-specific hypoallergenic diet, it is necessary to remove from the diet:

• chocolate;
• coffee;
• citrus;
• potato;
• flour;
• eggs.

Before treating psoriasis with folk remedies intended for internal use, experts in alternative medicine advise cleansing with activated charcoal. The general condition is improving, but the drug does not affect psoriatic plaques, so it cannot be considered an independent drug. Cleaning is done as follows:

1. Calculate the daily dose of charcoal: take 1 tablet for every 10 kg of weight. Rounding is done according to the classical rules of mathematics: number up to 5 - down, number after 5 - up. So, with a weight of 46 kg, a person needs 5 tablets of charcoal.
2. In the evening, take the tablets, chew finely and drink half a glass of warm water for 3 days. Some experts advise drinking charcoal during the day, for 40 days, but such actions are not safe for the digestive tract.

Principles of alternative treatment

Correctness and consistency are the basic rules that are relevant to all methods of alternative medicine. Be prepared for the fact that folk remedies for psoriasis will not give an immediate result, and if the disease is chronic, you will need to take several courses intermittently. Be sure to follow these guidelines:

• Adhere to the stated doses. You can reduce them with increased sensitivity, but you should not increase them without consulting a doctor.
• Stick to a set schedule of local treatments (especially baths).
• Do not combine folk remedies with hormonal drugs (except for a doctor's prescription).
• Do not try to peel the crusts from psoriatic plaques yourself, avoid injuring the skin.
• If the condition worsens, it is necessary to cancel the selected drug and make an appointment with a doctor.

Ointment for psoriasis at home

Dermatologists call the most effective local remedy an ointment based on solidol: you can buy it at the pharmacy or make it yourself at home. To do this, you need to buy the main component (pharmacy) and combine in equal proportions with baby cream. After that, buckthorn oil is introduced here (for 4 parts of the mixture - 1 part oil), it is mixed until it becomes smooth, and the plaques are treated 3-5 times a day. The treatment lasts until they disappear. A few more effective recipes:

• Take 1 tbsp. l. fat, Vaseline and liquid honey, add raw beaten egg (you can only yolks), 1 tsp. chopped oak bark. The mixture is infused for 2-3 hours, stored in the refrigerator. The application of ointment is possible with a frequency of up to 3 r / day until the plaques are completely removed.
• Light a little rod to get the ashes. Mix it in equal proportions of Vaseline. Apply the ointment before bed on inflamed and swollen areas. The duration of treatment is 3-4 weeks.

Use of tar

Treatment of psoriasis by folk methods necessarily involves the use of birch, juniper or pine tar, which is able to disinfect the skin, reduce inflammation and dry out. If there is no allergic reaction, tar can be applied in a thin layer to the areas of inflammation (do not touch the face), leaving it for 15 minutes before bedtime. Safer drugs are produced according to the following recipes:

• In equal proportions, take Vaseline, tar, fresh celandine juice (last introduced). Stir. Treat the affected areas in the morning, afternoon and evening for 3 weeks.
• Burn the birch branches, mix the resulting ash 1: 1 with tar until smooth. Apply the ointment to the stains in the morning and evening. The course of treatment is 14-20 days.

Based on propolis

Bee products have the ability to accelerate tissue healing and disinfect them well, and propolis is considered a powerful natural antibiotic that kills pathogenic microflora. Ointments based on it reduce inflammation and flushing (redness), act as an antiseptic. The most effective folk recipes:

• Melt in a water bath (over low heat! ) 500 g butter, add 50 g of propolis powder to the state. Allow the mixture to cool and return to the plastic form, apply to a three-fold folded thick layer of gauze, apply like a poultice to psoriatic rashes. Hold it for 2-3 hours. The procedure is performed once a day for a month.
• Heat 100 g butter and 30 g finely grated propolis in a water bath. Stir, add grated beeswax (20 g), crushed apilak tablets (10 pcs. ) And bee bread (1 tbsp. ). When all the components are scattered and the mass becomes homogeneous, remove from the stove and allow to cool. Enter camphor oil (1 tablespoon, can be replaced with fish oil). Use up to 3 times a day for psoriatic rash or large plaques. Duration of therapy - until the condition improves.

Baths for psoriasis at home

Moisturizing the epidermis, stimulating the removal of toxins through the openings that open, removing itching, pain, inflammation - this is what therapeutic baths contribute to. In folk medicine, this is one of the important methods of therapy for most dermatological diseases. Baths are prescribed when the symptoms of exacerbation subside, while:

• water temperature is within 35-37 degrees;
• you have to wash in the shower before the bathroom;
• do not eat before the procedure (interval - 1, 5-2 hours);
• baths are taken every other day, the duration of the procedure is 10-20 minutes.

The number of sessions is determined by the severity of the disease and the form, which is determined by the doctor. What to bathe with is also determined individually: recipes for psoriasis based on herbal decoctions, turpentine, soda solution and salt are popular. For therapeutic bathing can be used:

• sea salt (for itching, burning; 1 kg per 10 liters);
• baking soda (for itching, irritation; 300 g for the whole bath);
• any starch (for edema, inflammation; 800 g per 2 l, pour into the bath);
• pine needle extract (100 ml per 250 l, pour into the bath);
• medicinal herbs in combination or separately: chamomile, sage, yarrow, eucalyptus, nettle, horsetail (decoction - 2 tablespoons per 500 ml, diluted in a bath).

Soda

Cleansing the body of toxic substances and toxins, softening the skin, drying, peeling - these properties make soda a good folk remedy for psoriasis. Internal and external use is recommended. Systemic treatment consists of taking a glass of warm water on an empty stomach, in which 1/2 teaspoon is diluted. soda. When the powder is dispersed, the solution should be drunk in small sips. The procedure is repeated for 2-3 weeks and is contraindicated in diseases of the stomach, esophagus, intestines. For external use, the recipes are as follows:

• Pour baking soda in warm water in a ratio of 1: 1 - you need a very thick paste, which is applied to a cotton swab in an evenly thick layer and applied to the affected area. It is removed after an hour, the procedure is repeated 2-3 times a day. Treatment lasts until the plaques are removed, but if there is no effect after 10-14 days, the drug is discarded.
• Make a concentrated solution of 3 tbsp. baking soda and a glass of hot (not more than 60 degrees) water. Moisten three times folded gauze, apply it like a compress on the affected skin and hold until cool. Do this in the morning and evening until the condition improves.

Flaxseed oil

Peeling, softening the affected skin, stimulating their regeneration, moisturizing and nourishing are the main properties of flaxseed oil, which is a good folk remedy used topically for psoriasis. The easiest way is to treat the inflamed areas with pure unrefined oil several times a day. An alternative are compresses and ointments according to such recipes:

• Add 2 tablespoons to 50 g of calendula fat. l. linseed oil, stir. Before going to bed, treat the plaque without plaque. Repeat the procedure for 10-14 days.
• Mix plantain juice with linseed oil 1: 3, stir. Soak gauze or cotton pads with this mixture, apply lotions to the affected areas. Remove after half an hour. Treatment is carried out during the exacerbation of the disease with a frequency of 1-2 r / day.

Iodine treatment

The disinfectant, anti-inflammatory, healing and hemostatic properties of iodine have made it a good folk remedy to help combat psoriasis. Local and internal use of the drug is allowed, but the latter option has a number of contraindications:

• endocrine system disorders (especially thyroid pathology);
• vascular diseases;
• Heart Failure;
• liver disease;
• tuberculosis;
• age up to 3 years.

Locally, iodine (do not dilute, do not mix with anything) is applied to psoriatic spots if they have a small coverage area. Do this 1 r / day or less often if it is slowly absorbed. Do not cover the treated area with a bandage. Inside, iodine is taken in 5 drops, diluted in warm water (100 ml), morning and evening. Such therapy is carried out for a maximum of 12 days.

Decoction of bay leaves

Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties due to the high content of essential oils in the chemical composition are the main reasons why bay leaf has become a popular folk remedy in the fight against psoriatic plaques. In addition, it reduces tissue swelling, prevents the development of arthropathic forms of the disease, removes excess salt from the body. To achieve the result, the soup should be drunk for 3 weeks, and it is prepared as follows:

1. Take 7-10 dried bay leaves, pour 400 ml of boiling water.
2. Bring to a boil over low heat, covered and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Leave the soup to stand on the hot burner for another 15 minutes. Filter through gauze.
4. When the product has cooled to room temperature, you can use it. One dose - 50 ml, 3 times a day, a quarter of an hour before a meal or an hour after it.

Wellness with tea

Herbal teas, used internally, are an important part of the psoriasis treatment regimen. On their basis, concentrated decoctions can be made, prescribed in small doses, or lighter infusions, which should be drunk instead of tea. They help cleanse the body and skin, increase immunity, alleviate inflammation and improve the general well-being. Keep in mind that herbs are allergens, so they can cause worsening in case of individual intolerance. Effective folk remedies for psoriasis on the body and face:

• Chamomile tea: 1 tablespoon of flowers boil with boiling water (200 ml), leave for 10 minutes, drink warm. On top of the knife, you can add honey, mint leaves, lemon balm, vanilla (recent research by American scientists has shown that it helps reduce inflammation in psoriasis). Drink 2 cups of this tea a day. The treatment lasts 1-2 months.
• Monastic tea: boil in a thermos under a liter of water 2 tbsp. l. collecting violets, St. John's wort, burdock and licorice roots, hop cones, buds from the grass. Insist 8 hours, drink 400 ml daily, divided into 2 meals. The treatment lasts a month. Then they take a break and repeat the course. During the year, they hold 6 courses with a monthly vacation.

Kalanchoe

For skin problems, dermatologists advise that you try to use aloe or kalanchoe juice outside and inside (similar properties). For local use, an ointment based on honey, warm water and Kalanchoe juice (ratio 1: 3: 1 by volume) is prepared, which must be infused for 3 days in a dark and cool place. After the product is obtained, the affected areas are lubricated in the morning and evening. You can put compresses with this ointment 2-3 hours before bedtime. Duration of therapy - until the condition improves.

Use of hydrogen peroxide

Daily rinsing of psoriatic plaques with undiluted 1. 5-3% hydrogen peroxide is the simplest way to use this drug. You can make a lotion on a cotton pad, cover with a bandage and leave for half an hour, repeat the procedure 3-4 times a day. In addition, in the absence of problems with the digestive tract, you can carry out the following treatment:

1. In the morning on an empty stomach drink 1 drop of peroxide (1, 5%) diluted in half a glass of warm water.
2. Take 2 drops the next day.
3. Increase the dose daily until you reach 10 drops. After that, reduce similarly. The whole course will last 20 days.

How to cure psoriasis quickly

There are a number of effective folk recipes that help treat psoriatic rashes in a short time, but for each patient the set of the most effective is individual. For general cleansing of the body you can drink 2 tablespoons 3 times a day. l. fresh juice of celery (from stalks). In addition, experts advise you to try the following options:

• Combine thread and alcohol (vodka can be used) per 50 g in a glass jar, keep in a cool place for 10 days. Squeeze the grass, mix the tincture with lanolin and Vaseline (30 g each). The resulting ointment can be used in the morning and evening for psoriatic spots, and the alcoholic tincture of the train can be additionally specially prepared and drink 10-15 drops (dissolved in 50 ml of warm water) during the day. The treatment lasts 3 weeks.
• Cabbage brine contributes to the rapid regeneration of the dermis and the healing of plaques: it is necessary to moisturize the affected areas 6-8 times a day (until the rash disappears). Similarly, you can use milk scum (boil and drain in an enamel bowl).
• Pour the clover flowers (4-5 tbsp. L. ) with a small amount of boiling water (100 ml), leave to cook (10-15 minutes). Put them in a double-folded gauze, put a compress on the inflamed area for a few hours. The procedure is repeated daily until improvement occurs.

How To Get Rid Of Psoriasis Once And For All

Local treatment, according to experts, has a predominantly symptomatic effect. If you need folk remedies for psoriasis that work from the inside and give more significant results, consider herbal teas that are taken internally. They have to drink a longer course (3-6 months or longer), but even they are not a guarantee of complete elimination of the problem, because psoriasis is difficult to treat. Effective recipes:

• In the first part, cranberry leaf, elecampane root, corn silk and celandine are taken. St. John's wort, the root of the marsh calamus and a series of them - 3 parts each. Until Art. 2. l. add a few black elder flowers to the resulting collection, pour with all 400 ml of boiling water. Heating the broth over low heat under a lid for 10 minutes, insist half an hour and filter. Drink 100 ml after a meal for one hour in the morning and in the evening. The course of treatment is 4 weeks. In diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the safety of using this folk remedy should be discussed with your doctor.
• Mix black elderflower, violet, chamomile and marigold flowers with sage, wire and celandine (in equal proportions). Boil 5 tbsp. l. collect in 1 liter of boiling water, leave for 3 hours. Drink 100 ml before meals for half an hour a month. The drug is most effective in the chronic form of the disease.
• If the rash is small and covers a small area (not common throughout the body), home treatment for psoriasis can be done with fir water. Forty days drink it in 100 ml between meals or in the morning on an empty stomach (the latter option is more effective). After that you have to take a break of 14 days and drink fir water for another 30 days.