Any of you that read this month’s newsletter know that it is National Psoriasis Month. In honor of this, I thought it appropriate to discuss psoriasis. Psoriasis is a lifelong disease of the immune system that varies from person to person, both in severity and how it responds to treatments. The symptoms of the disease are shown on the skin. The most common form, plaque psoriasis, appears as raised, red patches or lesions covered with a silvery white buildup of dead skin cells, called scale. According to a 2006 article by the National Institutes of Health, approximately 4.5 million U.S. adults suffer with psoriasis.
Most people that suffer with psoriasis find themselves spending a lot of time with doctors discussing treatments for this condition. The good news is that there are over the counter (OTC) alternatives for psoriasis treatment. While every person may find something that works for them, not every treatment will work for every person. The objective of psoriasis treatments is to both soften and lift scales. The most commonly used active ingredients for these treatments are Salicylic Acid and Coal Tar. The FDA approves both of these active ingredients, but the National Psoriasis Foundation also recognizes several other OTC options. Two of these options are moisturizers and bath solutions. What they recommend are moisturizers that help to lock moisture into the skin, and a Dead Sea Salt bath solution.
Incase there is anyone who is unaware of the products we offer that have these treatment qualities, here is a list of those products:
- Dead Sea Salt
- Baby Me Bath Bar
- Shea Butter Lotion Stick
- Tea Tree Lotion Stick
- Oat and Honey Bath Bar
Psoriasis can be a very difficult disease to deal with and we understand that. If you know someone who is suffering with psoriasis, let them know what OTC treatment options are out there. Show them what we have to offer, or just send them a gift.
For any additional information, feel free to look at www.psoriasis.org, or www.nih.gov.