Folk remedies for psoriasis: a review of effective recipes

Dermatological diseases give a person a lot of problems: both aesthetic and general. The skin is unattractive in appearance, and constant itching, pain, swelling, and irritation affect quality of life. Psoriasis is one of those problems that can be worrisome for many years, gradually progressing, increasing the duration and frequency of the periods of exacerbation, spreading throughout the body. Are alternative treatment methods effective here and which one is better to use?

What is psoriasis?

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

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

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, merging with each other in large plaques, which are areas of chronic inflammation. There are pale or gray spots in the center that look like hardened wax. They mostly form in the folds (outer and inner zone), but they can also appear in:

• scalp;
• buttocks;
• back;
• palms
• plantar part of the feet;
• external genital organs.

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

• Psoriasis of the flexor surfaces (or reverse) - inflamed red spots rise slightly above healthy skin, almost do not peel off, are found only in the folds. The areas of the external genitalia, the armpits and the groin area 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 from the lesions.
• Drop-shaped - the elements of the lesion are small, dry, red or purple, in the shape of a drop or a small dot. Large areas of the dermis are eroded, appearing mainly on the thighs, shoulders, forearms, and back. This form often develops after a strep infection.
• Pustular (exudative): the most severe form, characterized by the formation of blisters filled with transparent inflammatory exudate (pustules). The nearby dermis is hot, edematous, compacted, prone to exfoliation. With a secondary infection, suppuration appears.
• Arthropathy: the cutaneous manifestations are accompanied by an inflammatory process in the joints or connective tissue, which mainly affects the phalanges of the fingers or toes. With a severe course of the disease, the disability of the patient is not excluded, to the point of being bedridden.
• Erythrodermic - the inflammatory process and peeling in this form of psoriasis are generalized (generalized), the skin actively exfoliates. There may be severe itching, swelling, and pain when touched. Psoriatic erythroderma can occur as an exacerbation of an unstable vulgar form, especially in the context of glucocorticoid rejection, and does not exclude a fatal outcome.

In ICD-10, psoriatic onychodystrophy is also mentioned: 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 bed (yellowing, whitening), the appearance of small spots or dots on the plate and under it, transverse grooves. Thickening of the adjacent skin, especially lateral ridges, delamination of the nails, brittleness or their complete loss is not excluded.

Treatment of psoriasis at home with home remedies.

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

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

Neither drug therapy nor home remedies provide a complete and final cure for psoriasis, so they are about equal in effectiveness - if you choose the right regimen, you can quickly improve the condition, prolong the period of remission, and reduce the severity of acute illness. stage. To achieve maximum efficacy, alternative treatment must be comprehensive: act internally and locally, to pursue the following objectives:

• eliminate the cause of the exacerbation (external factors, general or nonspecific hypoallergenic diet);
• relieve symptoms (local compresses and lotions based on herbal infusions, grated raw potatoes, cabbage pickle, homemade ointments, vegetable oils);
• increase the general defenses of the body (taking decoctions of herbs and tinctures of alcohol or water inside).

An important element in the therapeutic regimen for psoriasis is diet. The patient must reject alcohol, sweets, animal fats, any store products with preservatives, aromatic and flavoring additives, colorants. If it is known what type of food causes exacerbations, they reject it. According to the rules of a nonspecific hypoallergenic diet, it is necessary to eliminate from the diet:

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

Before treating psoriasis with home remedies intended for internal use, alternative medicine experts advise cleaning with activated charcoal. The general condition improves, but the drug does not affect psoriatic plaques, so it cannot be considered an independent remedy. Cleaning is done like this:

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: one figure up to 5 - down, one figure after 5 - up. So, weighing 46 kg, a person needs 5 charcoal tablets.
2. In the evening, take the tablets by chewing finely and drinking 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.

The principles of alternative treatment.

Regularity and consistency are the basic rules that are relevant to all alternative medicine methods. Be prepared for the fact that home remedies for psoriasis will not give an instant result, and if the disease is chronic, you will have to go through several courses intermittently. Make sure you adhere to the following guidelines:

• Observe the indicated doses. With increased sensitivity, you can reduce them, but you should not increase them without consulting a doctor.
• Follow a set schedule for local treatments (especially baths).
• Do not combine home remedies with hormonal drugs (except for a prescription).
• Do not try to peel the scabs off the psoriatic plaques on your own, avoid damaging the skin.
• If the condition worsens, the chosen remedy should be canceled and an appointment with a doctor made.

Ointment for psoriasis at home.

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

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

Using tar

Treatment of psoriasis with folk methods necessarily involves the use of birch, juniper or pine tar, which is capable of disinfecting the skin, reducing inflammation and drying. If there is no allergic reaction, tar can be applied in a single thin layer to the areas of inflammation (do not touch the face), leaving it for 15 minutes before going to bed. The safest drugs are made according to the following recipes:

• In equal proportions, take petroleum jelly, tar, fresh celandine juice (introduced last). Mixture. Treat 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 ointment on the spots in the morning and at night. The course of treatment is 14-20 days.

Based on propolis

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

• Melt in a water bath (low heat! ) 500 g of butter, add 50 g of propolis powder until obtaining a state. Let the mixture cool and return to its plastic form, apply on a thick layer of cheesecloth folded three times, apply as a compress on psoriatic rashes. Keep it on for 2-3 hours. The procedure is done once a day for a month.
• In a water bath, heat 100 g of butter and 30 g of finely grated propolis. Stir, add grated beeswax (20 g), crushed apilak tablets (10 pieces) and bee bread (1 tablespoon). When all the components are dispersed and the dough becomes homogeneous, remove from heat, allow to cool. Enter camphor oil (1 tablespoon, can be replaced with fish oil). Use it up to 3 times a day for psoriatic rash or large plaques. Duration of treatment: until the condition improves.

Baths for psoriasis at home.

Moisturize the epidermis, stimulate the elimination of toxins through open pores, eliminate itching, pain and inflammation - this is what therapeutic baths contribute to. In folk medicine, this is one of the important therapeutic methods for most dermatological diseases. Baths are prescribed when the symptoms of exacerbation subside, while:

• the water temperature is between 35 and 37 degrees;
• before bathing you need to wash in the shower;
• do not eat before the procedure (range: 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, established by the doctor. What to bathe with is also determined individually - popular recipes for psoriasis based on decoctions of herbs, turpentine, soda and salt solutions are popular. For the therapeutic bath, the following 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 needles extract (100 ml per 250 l, pour into the bath);
• medicinal herbs in combination or separately: chamomile, sage, yarrow, eucalyptus, nettle, field horsetail (decoction - 2 tablespoons per 500 ml, diluted in a bath).

soda

Cleansing the body of toxic substances and toxins, smoothing the skin, drying, exfoliating - these qualities make soda a good folk remedy for psoriasis. Its internal and external use is recommended. Systemic treatment consists of drinking a glass of warm water on an empty stomach, in which 1/2 teaspoon is diluted. sodium bicarbonate. 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 and intestines. For external use, the recipes are as follows:

• Pour baking soda with warm water in a 1: 1 ratio; You need a very thick porridge, which is applied to a cotton swab in an even, thick layer and applied to the affected area. It is removed after an hour, the procedure is repeated 2-3 times a day. The duration of the treatment is until the elimination of the plaques, but if there is no effect after 10-14 days, the remedy is discarded.
• Make a concentrated solution of 3 tsp. baking soda and a glass of hot water (no more than 60 degrees). Moisten the folded gauze three times in it, apply as a compress on the affected skin and keep until cool. Do this in the morning and at night until the condition improves.

Linseed oil

Elimination of flaking, smoothing of the affected skin, stimulation of its regeneration, hydration and nutrition are the main properties of flaxseed oil, which is a good popular remedy used locally for psoriasis. The easiest way is to treat the inflamed areas with pure unrefined oil several times a day. An alternative is compresses and ointments according to such recipes:

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

Treatment with iodine

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

• disruption of the endocrine system (especially thyroid pathology);
• vascular disease;
• heart failure;
• liver disease;
• tuberculosis;
• age up to 3 years.

Topically, iodine is applied (do not dilute, do not mix with anything) to psoriatic patches if they have a small area of coverage. Do this 1 r / day or less often if absorbed slowly. Do not cover the treated area with a bandage. Inside, iodine is taken in 5 drops, diluted in warm water (100 ml), in the morning and in the evening. Such therapy is carried out no more than 12 days.

Decoction of bay leaves

The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties due to the high content of essential oils in the chemical composition are the main reasons why bay leaves have 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, and removes excess salts from the body. To obtain the result, the broth must be drunk for 3 weeks, and it is prepared like this:

1. Take 7-10 dried bay leaves, pour 400 ml of boiling water.
2. Bring to a simmer, covered, and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Let the broth rest on a warm burner for another 15 minutes. Filter through cheesecloth.
4. When the product has cooled down to room temperature, you can use it. A single dose: 50 ml, 3 times a day, a quarter of an hour before a meal or an hour after.

Wellness with tea

Herbal teas, used internally, are an important part of the therapeutic regimen for psoriasis. On its basis, concentrated decoctions, prescribed in small doses, or lighter infusions can be prepared, which should be drunk instead of tea. They help cleanse the body and skin, boost immunity, relieve inflammation, and improve general well-being. Note that herbs are allergens, so they can provoke an exacerbation in case of individual intolerance. Effective home remedies for psoriasis on the body and face:

• Chamomile tea: 1 teaspoon Prepare flowers with boiling water (200 ml), leave for 10 minutes, drink warm. You can add honey, mint leaves, lemon balm, vanillin on the tip of a knife (recent studies by American scientists have shown that it helps reduce inflammation in psoriasis). Drink 2 glasses of this tea a day. Treatment lasts 1-2 months.
• Monastic tea: prepare in a thermos with a liter of water 2 tablespoons. l. collection of violets, St. John's wort, burdock and licorice roots, hop cones, poplar herb buds. Insist for 8 hours, drink 400 ml per day, divided into 2 portions. The treatment lasts one month. Then they take a break and repeat the course. Throughout the year they do 6 courses with a month of rest between them.

Kalanchoe

For skin problems, dermatologists recommend trying to use aloe or Kalanchoe juice externally and internally (they have similar properties). For local use, an ointment is prepared based on honey, warm water and Kalanchoe juice (ratio 1: 3: 1 by volume), which must be infused for 3 days in a dark and cool place. After the resulting product, the affected areas are lubricated in the morning and at night. You can apply compresses with this ointment for 2-3 hours before going to bed. Duration of treatment: until the condition improves.

Using hydrogen peroxide

Daily washing of psoriatic plaques with 1. 5% undiluted hydrogen peroxide is the easiest way to use this remedy. 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. Also, in the absence of problems with the digestive tract, you can carry out the following treatment:

1. In the morning, drink 1 drop of peroxide (1. 5%) diluted in half a glass of warm water on an empty stomach.
2. The next day, take 2 drops.
3. Increase the dose daily to 10 drops. Then reduce similarly. The full course will last 20 days.

How to Quickly Cure Psoriasis

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

• Combine the floss and alcohol (vodka can be used) 50g each in a glass container, keep in a cold place for 10 days. Squeeze the herb, mix the tincture with lanolin and petroleum jelly (30 g each). The resulting ointment can be used in the morning and evening for psoriatic spots, and tren alcohol tincture can be additionally prepared separately and drunk 10-15 drops (dissolved in 50 ml of warm water) during the day. Treatment lasts 3 weeks.
• Cabbage brine contributes to the rapid regeneration of the dermis and the healing of plaques: they need to moisten the affected areas 6-8 times a day (until the rash disappears). You can also use milk foam (bring to a boil in an enameled saucepan and drain).
• Pour the clover flowers (4-5 tbsp. L. ) With a small amount of boiling water (100 ml), let it steep (10-15 minutes). Place them on a double-fold gauze, apply a compress to the inflamed area for a couple of hours. The procedure is repeated every day until improvement occurs.

How to get rid of psoriasis once and for all

Local treatment, according to experts, predominantly has a symptomatic effect. If you need home remedies for psoriasis that work from within and provide more significant results, consider herbal teas taken internally. They should be drunk for a long period (3-6 months or more), but even they are not a guarantee of the complete elimination of the problem, since psoriasis is difficult to treat. Effective recipes:

• In the first part, cranberry leaves, helenium root, corn silk and celandine are taken. St. John's wort, marsh calamus root and a succession: 3 parts each. By the 2nd Art. L. the resulting collection add a couple of inflorescences of black elderberry, pour the 400 ml of boiling water. Heating the broth over low heat under a lid for 10 minutes, insist for half an hour and filter. Drink 100 ml after meals one hour in the morning and at night. The course of treatment is 4 weeks. In diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the safety of using this folk remedy should be discussed with a doctor.
• Mix black, violet, chamomile, and calendula elderflowers with sage, string, and celandine (equal ratio). Prepare 5 tablespoons. l. collected in 1 liter of boiling water, leave to act for 3 hours. Drink 100 ml before meals for half an hour for a month. The remedy is most effective in the chronic form of the disease.
• If the rash is small and covers a small area (it is not common throughout the body), home treatment for psoriasis can be done with fir water. For 40 days they drink it in 100 ml between meals or in the morning on an empty stomach (the latter option is more effective). After that, you need to take a break for 14 days and drink fir water for another 30 days.