Folk remedies for psoriasis - a review of effective recipes

Dermatological diseases cause a person many problems: both cosmetic and general. The skin looks unattractive, and the constant itching, pain, swelling, and irritation impairs quality of life. Psoriasis is one such problem that can be troubling for many years, progressing gradually, increasing the length and frequency of periods of exacerbation, spreading throughout the body. Are alternative treatment methods effective here and which are the best to use?

What is psoriasis

Another 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 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 wave 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 at different periods of exacerbation and remission, may look 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 into large patches, which are areas of chronic inflammation. There are pale or gray spots in the center that look like hardened wax. They are most often formed on the folds (outer and inner area), but they can also appear on:

  • scalp;
  • buttocks;
  • back;
  • Palm trees;
  • plantar part of the feet;
  • external genitalia.

Common or simple psoriasis is the most common form (occurs in 80-90% of patients) and is characterized by the formation of foci of hot, inflamed skin covered with silvery-white scales. The affected area is compacted, when the gray layer is removed, the underlying skin bleeds, it is easily injured. As the disease progresses, entire patches of psoriatic plaques appear. There are several other forms of the disease noted in 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, armpits and 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 of the lesions.
  • Drop-shaped - the elements of the lesion are small, dry, red or purple in color, have 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 neighboring dermis is hot, edematous, compacted, prone to exfoliation. With secondary infection, suppuration appears.
  • Arthropathic - skin manifestations are accompanied by an inflammatory process in the joints or connective tissue, mainly affecting the phalanges of the fingers or toes. With a severe course of the disease, the patient's disability is not excluded, up to being bedridden.
  • Erythroderma - the inflammatory process and peeling in this form of psoriasis is generalized (widespread), the skin actively exfoliates. There may be severe itching, swelling, pain to touch. Psoriatic erythroderma can occur as an exacerbation of an unstable vulgar form, especially against the background of the refusal of glucocorticoids, 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 plaques. The result is a change in the color of the nail bed (yellowing, bleaching), the appearance of small spots or dots on the plate and under it transverse grooves. Thickening of the adjacent skin, especially the lateral ridges, delamination of the nails, brittleness or their complete loss are not excluded.

psoriasis on the hands how to treat folk remedies

Treatment of psoriasis at home with folk remedies

The search for an effective way to fight a disease begins with establishing the cause of its appearance. There is no single method of treating psoriasis, it depends a lot 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 in combination with pharmaceutical preparations. They can have the following properties:

  • anti-inflammatory;
  • antibacterial;
  • decongestant;
  • antifungal;
  • anti-healing;
  • Anti allergen.

Neither drug therapy nor folk remedies allow psoriasis to be completely and permanently cured, therefore they have almost equal effectiveness: if you choose the right regimen, you can quickly improve the condition, extend the period of remission and reduce the severity ofacute crisis. to organise. For maximum effectiveness, the alternative treatment should be comprehensive - act internally and locally, to pursue the following goals:

  • eliminate the cause of the exacerbation (external factors, general or non-specific hypoallergenic diet);
  • relieve symptoms (compresses and local lotions based on infusions, raw grated potatoes, cabbage brine, homemade ointments, vegetable oils);
  • increase the general defenses of the organism (take decoctions of herbs and tinctures of alcohol or water inside).

An important part of the treatment regimen for psoriasis is diet. The patient should refuse alcohol, confectionery, animal fats, all store products containing preservatives, aromatic and flavoring additives, colorings. If it is known what kind of food causes exacerbations, they refuse it. According to the rules of a non-specific hypoallergenic diet, it is necessary to remove from the diet:

  • Chocolate;
  • Coffee;
  • citrus;
  • Potato;
  • plain flour;
  • eggs.

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

  1. Calculate the daily dose of charcoal: take 1 tablet per 10 kg of weight. The rounding is carried out according to the classical rules of mathematics: a digit up to 5 - down, a digit after 5 - up. So, with a weight of 46 kg, a person needs 5 charcoal tablets.
  2. In the evening, take the tablets, chewing finely and drinking half a glass of lukewarm 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 for all alternative medicine methods. Be prepared for the fact that folk remedies for psoriasis will not give an instant result, and if the disease is chronic, you will need to perform several courses intermittently. Make sure you adhere to the following guidelines:

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

Ointment for psoriasis at home

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

  • Take 1 tbsp. the. 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 complete removal of the plaques.
  • Burn some rose hips to get ashes. Mix it with equal proportions of petroleum jelly. Use the ointment before bed on the inflamed and swollen areas. The duration of treatment is 3 to 4 weeks.

Using tar

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

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

Based on propolis

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

  • Melt in a bain-marie (over low heat! ) 500 g of butter, add 50 g of powdered propolis to a state. Let the mixture cool and return to a plastic form, apply to a thick layer of cheesecloth folded three times, apply as a compress on psoriatic rashes. Keep it for 2-3 hours. The procedure is carried out once a day for a month.
  • In a bain-marie, heat 100 g of butter and 30 g of finely grated propolis. Stir, add grated beeswax (20 g), crushed apilak tablets (10 pcs. ) And bees bread (1 tbsp). When all the components are dispersed and the mass becomes homogeneous, remove from the heat, leave to cool. Enter camphor oil (1 tbsp, can be replaced with fish oil). Use up to 3 times per day for psoriatic rashes or large plaques. Duration of treatment - until the condition improves.

Baths for psoriasis at home

Hydrate the epidermis, stimulate the elimination of toxins by opening the pores, eliminate itching, stiffness, inflammation - this is what therapeutic baths help. In traditional medicine, it 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 the bathroom you need to wash in the shower;
  • 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, set by the doctor. With what to take a bath is also determined individually: popular recipes for psoriasis based on herbal decoctions, turpentine, soda and salt solutions are popular. For therapeutic baths, you can use:

  • 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);
  • extract of pine needles (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).
sea ​​salt for the treatment of psoriasis

A soda

Cleanse the body of toxic substances and toxins, soften the skin, dry, exfoliate - these qualities make soda a good folk remedy for psoriasis. It is recommended to use it internally and externally. Systemic treatment consists of taking a glass of lukewarm water on an empty stomach, in which 1/2 teaspoon is diluted. baking 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 and intestines. For external use, the recipes are as follows:

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

Linseed oil

Removing peeling, softening the affected skin, stimulating its regeneration, hydration and nutrition are the main properties of flax seed 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 ointment. the. linseed oil, stir. Treat plaque without plaque before bed. Repeat the procedure for 10-14 days.
  • Mix plantain juice with linseed oil 1: 3, stir. Soak gauze or cotton in 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.

Iodine treatment

The disinfectant, anti-inflammatory, wound-healing and hemostatic properties of iodine have made it a good folk remedy to help deal with psoriasis. Local and internal use of the drug is allowed, but the latter 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 (do not dilute, do not mix with anything) is applied to psoriatic spots if they have a small area of coverage. Do 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 lukewarm 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, removes excess salts from the body. To achieve the result, the broth should be taken for 3 weeks, and it is prepared like this:

  1. Take 7-10 dry bay leaves, pour 400 ml of boiling water.
  2. Bring to a boil over low heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
  3. Let the broth stand on a hot burner for another 15 minutes. Filter through cheesecloth.
  4. When the product has cooled 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, which are used internally, are an important part of the treatment regimen for psoriasis. On their basis, concentrated decoctions, prescribed in small doses, or lighter infusions, which should be drunk instead of tea, can be carried out. They help cleanse the body and skin, increase immunity, relieve inflammation, and improve overall well-being. Keep in mind that herbs are allergens, so they can cause exacerbation in case of individual intolerance. Effective folk remedies for psoriasis on the body and face:

  • Chamomile tea: 1 teaspoon Infuse the flowers with boiling water (200 ml), leave for 10 minutes, drink lukewarm. 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 per day. The treatment lasts 1-2 months.
  • Monastic tea: infuse in a thermos under a liter of water 2 tbsp. the. collection of violets, St. John's wort, burdock and licorice roots, hop cones, poplar grass buds. Insist for 8 hours, drink 400 ml per day, divide into 2 portions. The treatment lasts a month. Then they take a break and repeat the lesson. Throughout the year, they take 6 lessons with a month of rest between them.

Kalanchoe

For skin problems, dermatologists advise to try using aloe or Kalanchoe juice externally and internally (they have similar properties). For local use, an ointment is prepared on the basis of honey, warm water and Kalanchoe juice (proportion 1: 3: 1 by volume), which should be infused for 3 days in a dark, cool place. After the product obtained, the affected areas are lubricated morning and evening. You can apply compresses with this ointment for 2-3 hours before bedtime. Duration of treatment - until the condition improves.

Using hydrogen peroxide

Daily washing of psoriatic plaques with 1. 5-3% undiluted hydrogen peroxide is the easiest way to use this remedy. You can make a lotion on a cotton ball, 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 perform the following treatment:

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

How to cure psoriasis fast

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

  • Mix the string and alcohol (vodka can be used) 50 g each in a glass container, keep cool for 10 days. Squeeze the grass, mix the tincture with lanolin and petroleum jelly (30 g each). The resulting ointment can be used in the morning and in the evening for psoriatic spots, and the alcohol tincture of the train can be additionally prepared separately and drunk 10-15 drops (they are dissolved in 50 ml of warm water) during thedaytime. The treatment lasts 3 weeks.
  • Cabbage brine contributes to the rapid regeneration of the dermis and the healing of plaques: they should moisten the affected areas 6-8 times a day (until the rash disappears). Likewise, you can use milk froth (bring it to a boil in an enamel saucepan and drain).
  • Pour in the clover flowers (4-5 tbsp. L. ) With a little boiling water (100 ml), let steep (10-15 minutes). Place them in a double-folded gauze, apply a compress to the inflamed area for a few hours. The procedure is repeated daily until improvement.
decoction of clover flowers for the treatment of psoriasis

How to get rid of psoriasis once and for all

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

  • Lingonberry leaf, elecampane root, corn silk and celandine are taken in the 1st part. St. John's Wort, Marsh Calamus Root and Succession - 3 parts each. By the 2nd art. the. the resulting collection adds a few inflorescences of black elderberry, pour every 400 ml of boiling water. Warming the broth over low heat under a lid for 10 minutes, it is insisted for half an hour and filtered. Drink 100 ml after meals one hour in the morning and in the evening. The duration 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 elderberry, violet, chamomile and calendula flowers with sage, string and celandine (equal ratio). Infuse 5 tbsp. the. collection in 1 liter of boiling water, leave 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 (uncommon 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 14-day break and drink fir water for another 30 days.