Psoriasis is a chronic incurable skin disease characterized by thick red lesions on the skin covered by silvery scales. The patches usually appear on elbow, knee, limbs, lower back, scalp, face, and sometimes on palms and soles. The exact reason for psoriasis is not fully established, but scientists believe it is due to malfunction of immune system.
The immune system mistakenly triggers acceleration in production of skin cells which leads to unsightly red patches on the skin with accumulation of dead silvery skin flakes. The red inflamed patches are painful and itchy. Skin redness occurs because of excess accumulation of white blood cells, mainly the T cells.
There are various conventional as well as natural treatment modalities available to alleviate all the symptoms of psoriasis together, but very few options focus on addressing redness of psoriatic patches. Psoriatic patches come off and on and go. An episode remains for 15 to 20 days or even months before subsiding. However, in milder cases redness can be subsided within few days with home remedies. Thus the patient may have less pain and itching.
Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Redness Caused By Psoriasis
Redness from psoriasis is due to inflammatory changes in skin.
- Water is considered to be the best natural moisturizer. Soak your affected part of skin for 10 to 15 minutes in water. If there are many lesions in various parts soak in a bathtub containing lukewarm water. Make sure the water is not too hot, as it can aggravate the condition. You can add oatmeal or Dead Sea salt to the bath water. Both are effective in soothing the irritated skin.
- The skin of psoriatic patches is extremely dry, especially in winter months. Therefore it needs deep moisturizer to prevent dryness. Certain natural oils such as coconut oil and olive oil contain fatty acids which can go deep down the skin and hydrate it for long duration. It helps to alleviate itching and inflammation.
- Use a moisturizer cream which contains aloe vera, as it is known for its beneficial effect in reducing redness and itching. Its effect is enhanced when you apply immediately after taking bath. Avoid rubbing your body with a towel; instead dab the skin so that the cream has added advantage of trapping the moisture remaining on the skin. During winter season, apply the moisturizer three to four times in a day.
- Fish oil contains omega 3 fatty acids. It has proven benefits in reducing inflammatory changes on skin. Take fish oil supplements to reduce redness.
- Turmeric is time tested natural remedy to reduce redness from psoriasis. The powerful anti inflammatory properties of turmeric is beneficial in reducing redness and pain which are common in psoriatic skin disease.
- Exposure to UV rays of sunlight is beneficial in reducing skin redness of psoriatic patch. Photo-therapy with either artificial UV rays or natural sunlight destroys the triggers responsible for causing redness. However, take care to expose your body only for 10 to 15 minutes as too much of sun exposure can be detrimental for the lesions.