Itching All Over

What is Psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a disease which affects the skin and joints and commonly causes red scaly patches to appear on the skin. The scaly patches are areas of inflammation and excessive skin production. Psoriasis can cause pain, itching, burning and emotional distress. It affects both sexes equally and can occur at any age, although it most commonly appears for the first time between the ages of 15 and 25.

Today more than seven million Americans suffer with psoriasis. Recent studies show that there may be an ethnic link. It seems that psoriasis is most common in Caucasians, slightly less in African Americans and far less common among Asians and Native Americans.

Psoriasis is not contagious. You can’t catch psoriasis from another person or give it to someone by touching them, and you can’t spread it to other parts of your body.

What Causes Psoriasis?

The cause of psoriasis is not fully understood. Recent research indicates that it is likely a disorder of the immune system in which the excessive reproduction of skin cells is secondary to factors produced by the immune system.

Scientists now think that, in psoriasis, an abnormal immune system causes activity by T cells in the skin. Normally, T cells help protect the body against infection and disease, but in the case of psoriasis, they mistakenly attack skin cells instead. The body then produces other immune system responses, leading to swelling and rapid production of skin cells.

In areas affected by psoriasis, there seems to be a rapid increase in the speed at which skin cells are replaced. Skin usually takes about 28 days to mature and shed, but in areas affected by psoriasis it only takes three or four days. The dead cells build up on the skin, forming thick, flaky patches called plaques.

It is not known what initiates the activation of the T cells.

Several factors are thought to aggravate psoriasis: Infections, Diseases that weaken the immune system, Stress, Certain medications, Smoking, Certain chemicals, Severe sunburn

Psoriasis treatment

Today, there are many different treatments available to help control psoriasis.

No single treatment works for everyone. The goal is to find a treatment that works the best with the fewest side effects. One of the first principles of psoriasis treatment is to not create anything worse than the disease.

There are three basic types of treatments for psoriasis:

1. Topical treatment (medicated ointments or creams applied to the skin)

2. Phototherapy (UVB, PUVA and lasers)

3. Systemic (medications taken into the body by pill or injection)

Alternative Psoriasis treatments

The use of alternative psoriasis treatments are becoming more common as more and more people choose to treat their condition in more nontraditional ways. They have become tired of finding a traditional therapy that works, or may be concerned about the side effects many of those therapies produce.

Alternative psoriasis treatments are in most cases perfectly safe and include:

Acupuncture, Ayurveda, Manipulation Treatment, Osteopathy, Climatotherapy, Diet, Dietary Supplements, Homeopathy, Water Therapies (Balneotherapy, Heliotherapy, Phytotherapy, Thalassotherapy), Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatments, Meditation and Relaxation, Herbology, Hypnosis, Moisturizing Products, Magnets, Epsom salt, Neem oil, Fasting

more posts of interest:

• Psoriasis – What is it and how to treat it
• Understanding The Crohns Psoriasis Connection
• 2.2% Americans Has Psoriasis!
• Full Detailed Information on Psoriasis
• Psoriasis – Part 1

Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, as a more prevalent form of the skin ailment is a non-contagious disease that preys mostly on children, inflicting symptoms like continuous itching, inflammation and even rashes. This kind of disorder has been seen to co-exist with the presence of other allergic ailments like asthma and hay fever as well as stress factors. Besides children, even young men and women have fallen prey to this disorder with its concentration falling over several parts of the body like face, ankles, wrists, neck and between the fingers.

However, it has been observed that a majority of the victims of this disease falls under the infant category, with the particular disorder being termed as infantile eczema. In fact, about one-tenth of the entire infant population suffer from the disease, which seems to target the facial and scalp areas of the children. The intensity of the disorder can be such that the skin area inflicted by it would get encrusted and start releasing pus, although the condition gets down to the normal state steadily.

As this particular disease has displayed its full potential in targeting mostly infants, the pharmaceutical market has witnessed the emergence of eczema treatment in the form of several medications like hypoallergenic hair and scalp oil, hypoallergenic conditioning shampoo, moisturising cream, bath therapy and other formulas. All these formulas are non-medicated solutions without the presence of any side effects.

There are other forms of eczema treatment in the market for other victims as well in the likes of balms that possess all the sources of natural herbs, the kind of which has mystified medical research with high healing properties. As a positive booster to glowing and healthy skin, these solutions help in the process of doing away of the damaged tissues and bringing about the lost glory once again.

more posts of interest:

• Eczema Treatment Keep your Skin Healthy and Beautiful
• Eczema Treatment: Get Cautious, not Scared
• Eczema Or Atopic Dermatitis, Anyone?
• Eczema Treatment the Perfect Solution for Healthy Skin
• Eczema Treatment Stay Close to Stay Healthy

No matter how diligently you apply sunscreen when you remember to, there are times when you don’t do it often enough or forget to bring it or miss a spot or two. The resulting sunburn can be painful,embarrassing and in the worst case scenarios can make you or someone you love miss precious vacation days and fun!

And if your kids are burned that compounds the misery because you suffer along with them even if you’re not the one affected. You’ll want to find the fastest most effective relief available, for you and your family, true?!

Living on Maui, I see victims of improper (or lack of) sunscreen use practically every day and I want to stop each and every one of them and enlighten them about what they can do to: relieve the pain, make the red turn brown and keep from peeling. You read that right! They don’t believe me when I tell them either, but I’ve had the advantage of having the solution at hand and have proven that it works time after time.

Remember: when your skin is burned, continuing to go out into the sun before it is healed without proper protection will only make the situation worse and you or your child will burn MORE. Here’s how to heal sunburn, the fastest way I’ve found.

When you see red skin or sunburn, the first thing needed is moisture…at the cellular level! It is through moisture that skin cells acquire the ability to reproduce and repair themselves.

Most people just want to apply aloe and Aloe Gel straight from the plant is a great skin healer. But on its own, aloe is astringent. And most of the time we don’t have a plant that we can freely hack at accessible.

Many will opt for the green or blue aloe gels available in local drug stores. Here you still have the disadvantage of the astringent and drying nature of the aloe itself along with the fact that most of these aloe products purchased over-the-counter contain alcohol. The alcohol will further dry the skin, inhibiting its healing abilities. Additionally, they are usually made from an inferior form of the aloe plant, not the healing extract.

The fastest and most effective relief for a severe sunburn is combination of two Absolutely Natural products: Aloe & Tea Tree Recovery Gel AND Rosehip & Aloe Lotion.

When you go in from the sun, put the products on ice or in the refrigerator, have the sunburned victim take a warm shower – not so hot it hurts, just warm enough to open the pores. WITHIN 5 MINUTES, apply the Rosehip Lotion liberally to get moisture to the cells and start the healing process.

Then, also liberally, apply the Aloe and Tea Tree Gel. Aloe Vera and Tea Tree Oil are amazing skin healers and work quickly and effectively. This is a gel, so when it dries it will feel tight and flaky – just wipe the flakes away and re-apply the Rosehip Lotion. A couple of hours later, repeat the process – you don’t have to re-shower – and if you’re still up for a while, then apply the Lotion once again before you go to bed. The more moisture supplied to the skin cells, the faster the skin will heal – and you’ll all be able to go back out in the sun and have FUN!

For just a little pink, the Rosehip Lotion alone will give fast relief from the discomfort, start the skin cells to healing themselves right away and you’ll see results as soon as the next morning. Once your skin is healed, you can tan.

I actually had occasion to “save a vacation” this last week. A friend of mine and her daughter, visiting Maui from Nebraska to celebrate the daughter’s thirteenth birthday and entry into teenager-dom, went to Ka’anapali Beach and didn’t use any sunscreen. She explained that she’d been to another beach a couple of days before, late in the day on fairly cloudy days & they hadn’t used any then, but this was a bright, sunny day and we played on the sand, in the water and snorkeled for about 3 hours.

She’s always been a very organized person, so I just assumed that she had put her sunscreen on and was sure she made her daughter do so. Not the case. They FRIED! They were so red, they were practically glowing and in a lot of pain! So, I took them home, provided mom with bottles of Aloe and Tea Tree Gel and Rosehip Lotion and the instructions above. (Additionally, ibuprophen will help with the pain so that you can sleep.)

The next day, they weren’t glowing any more but still a little pink, so they opted to stay out of the sun altogether. (Not a winning proposition for the new teenager!) However, they both exclaimed that the pain was gone and raved at how good it felt to put the lotion on their skin, especially when it was chilled. She continued to apply the lotion periodically during the day to both herself and her daughter. On day two after the burn, the pink was entirely gone, they looked tan and healthy and felt great. They applied Absolutely Natural SPF 25 and were able to head out to the beach to surf. Sometimes I’m even surprised at how fast it heals your skin!

Then there’s the added bonus of making a teenager a lot less miserable. We all know how they can get and when you compound that with a sunburn and instructions to stay out of the sun because of it…well, you get the picture. I was a hero to both of them, and they had lots more fun on their vacation.

I’ve used Absolutely Natural products on myself and my family for years and will continue to do so! They are the best! So, remember what Aunty Connie says: apply sunscreen often, properly and liberally…and if you don’t and you get a sunburn, there is a solution.

more posts of interest:

• Severe Sunburn Symptom
• Eczemaderm – Naturally Medicated Treatment Cream for Eczema
• How to soothe your skin after sunburn
• Sunburn Remedy: Feel The Burn
• Psoriasis defined

Most everyone has an idea of what an allergy is. Allergies are so common, in fact, that it seems acceptable to discuss allergy symptoms at a cocktail party with perfect strangers.

An allergy is an abnormal reaction by a person’s immune system to a normally harmless substance. A person without allergies would have no reaction to this substance, but when a person who is allergic encounters the trigger, the body reacts by releasing chemicals which cause allergy symptoms.

In children, allergic disease first occurs as atopic dermatitis (eczema) or food allergies. Children with atopic dermatitis are then at an increased risk of developing allergic rhinitis and asthma; both are more likely to occur in school-age children.

Typically, atopic dermatitis goes away by adulthood, as do many types of food allergies.

Allergic rhinitis and asthma, however, most often start during the adolescent, teenage and young adult years, and are likely to persist throughout a person’s life. The severity of allergic symptoms, however, may wax and wane, and even temporarily disappear during a person’s life.

Atopic Dermatitis

This is typically the first sign of allergies and is seen in 10 to 20% of all children, frequently during infancy. Atopic dermatitis, or eczema, is characterized by itching, with rash formation at the sites of scratching. The rash is typically red and dry, may have small blisters, and can flake and ooze over time.

In infants and very young children, this rash involves the face (especially the cheeks), chest and trunk, back of the scalp and may involve the arms and legs. This distribution reflects where the child is able to scratch, and therefore usually spares the diaper area. The location of the rash changes in older children and adults to classically involve the skin in front of the elbows and behind the knees. Food and environmental allergies have been shown to worsen atopic dermatitis.

Food Allergies

Food allergies can occur at any age. Almost all people with food allergies will have a skin symptom, such as hives, swelling, itching or redness of the skin, as a result of eating the culprit food. These symptoms typically occur within a few minutes of eating the food in question, although they can be delayed up to a couple of hours.

Other symptoms of food allergies can include nausea, vomiting, stomach aches, diarrhea, breathing difficulties (asthma symptoms), runny nose, sneezing, and lightheadedness. In some cases, children can experience a severe allergic reaction, called anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening.

Nasal Allergies

Allergic rhinitis occurs in up to 30% of adults and up to 40% of children. Symptoms of allergic rhinitis include sneezing, runny nose, itchy nose and eyes and nasal congestion. Some people may also experience post-nasal drip, allergic shiners (dark circles under the eyes), and a line across the nasal bridge from an upward rubbing of the palm of the hand on the nose, a sign called the “allergic salute.”

Asthma

Allergies are a major cause of asthma, a condition that occurs in about 8% of all people. Though it can occur at any age, it is most often seen in males in the pre-teen years and in females in the teenage years; asthma is the most common chronic disease in children and young adults. Sometimes asthma is difficult to diagnose in very young children, and may require a physician who is an asthma specialist.

Symptoms of asthma may include:

- Coughing — This can be the only symptom in some people who have “cough-variant asthma.” The cough is often dry, hacking, and may be worse with allergic triggers and after exercise. The cough may only be present at night. Cold air may also trigger this symptom.

- Wheezing — This is a high-pitched, musical-like sound that can occur with breathing in and out in people with asthma. Wheezing usually occurs along with other asthma symptoms, may get worse with exercise and with allergic triggers.

- Shortness of breath — Most people with asthma feel as if they’re not getting enough air at times, particularly when they are physically exerting themselves or when an allergic trigger is present. People with more severe asthma have shortness of breath at rest or wake-up with this symptom during the night.

- Chest tightness — Some people describe this as a sensation that someone is squeezing or hugging them. Children may say that their chest hurts or feels “funny.”

Many asthmatics have symptoms with exercise; this does not necessarily mean that their asthma is severe or uncontrolled.

more posts of interest:

• Symptoms And Treatment For Eczema.
• Atopic Dermatitis, and Other Types of Eczema
• Spongiotic Dermatitis – How Do You Identify It?
• Spongiotic Dermatitis – Medical Terminology for Acute Eczema
• Eczema – Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Sunburn is a literal pain. It makes your skin hot, sensitive to touch and leaves you generally feeling unwell. Knowing how to identify the severity of your sunburn, learning how to treat your sunburn at home and determining when to seek professional treatment for your sunburn is essential to it healing properly. Sunburn care and prevention is not complicated, but it must be done correctly to be effective.

Identifying the severity of your sunburn is an important step in determining the level of care your sunburn may require. Mild sunburn results in reddening and irritation of the skin about 2-6 hours after sun exposure. More severe cases of sunburn may include blistering of the skin, chills, fever, nausea, vomiting, headache, flu like symptoms and skin loss or severe peeling. You should seek care immediately and consult your physician if you suspect that you have developed a severe case of sunburn. If you develop confusion, faint, have severe skin blistering , have severe pain or any other exaggerated symptom you may consider going directly tot he emergency room. Severe sunburn symptoms should never be ignored, because they may indicate more life threatening damage has occurred.

Mild cases of sunburn can be effectively treated using home sunburn remedies. Pain relief for sunburn should start with an over the counter medication like Aspirin, Ibuprofen or Naproxen. Cool compresses are also extremely helpful in relieving pain caused by sunburn. Applying cool clothes, cool tea bags, diluted apple cider vinegar or a burrow solution for about 20 minutes are all great additions to your standard cool compress. Taking a cool or tepid bath, followed by a light moisturizer can also be helpful. Aloe Vera is also a great natural sunburn relief remedy and can be used in conjunction with other therapies. Naturally, replacing any fluids lost and getting out of the sun is another important aspect of treatment.

Treatment of more severe cases of sunburn and caring for a baby with sunburn are different than caring for mild sunburn. If you have a severe case of sunburn or your baby has sunburn you should always consult a physician. For severe cases of sunburn your physician may prescribe special creams like Thermazene or an oral steroid. Fluid therapy and a pain relief regimen may also be prescribed by your physician. Babies with sunburn should be closely monitored for symptoms of severe sunburn. They can be bathed in a cool oatmeal bath to control itching or wrapped in a cool towel to relieve skin irritation. Under the advise of your baby’s physician you may also use over the counter infant pain relievers and antihistamines to make a sunburned baby more comfortable.

Sunburn is very preventable when proper precautions are taken prior to sun exposure. Using a sunscreen that protects from both UV-A and UV-B is essential to preventing sunburn and sun damage. Sunscreens should be reapplied at least every two hours and more often if you are sweating or swimming. Covering up outside is another important tool in sunburn defense. Using hats, sunglasses, umbrellas and cover-ups will help to lessen the amount of skin exposed to the suns damaging rays.

more posts of interest:

• How to Treat Sunburn
• Natural, Simple and Cheap Sunburn Remedies
• Aloe Vera Can Soothe Your Sunburn
• Guide to surviving sunburn – Part 6
• Sunburn Cure – Nature Has Your Answer