The Best Soaps for Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a genetic and chronic skin disorder. Some common symptoms of psoriasis may include dry, cracked skin that may bleed or itch, red patches with silvery scales, burning and soreness.There is no known cure for psoriasis but doctors may prescribe expensive cleansers and creams to help treat psoriasis symptoms. And although this treatment/regime may prove helpful for some, others have purchased equally effective products for a fraction of the cost. When selecting a good soap for psoriasis, it is helpful to read and understand the ingredients. The more natural the ingredients, the easier to understand. However, a soap containing all natural ingredients doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s beneficial for cleaning psoriasis skin. Sometimes the word “psoriasis” appears on the package yet, when one reads the ingredients, they quickly see just how ineffective and even harmful it may be for psoriasis sufferers.
We’ll go through a few of these and see which ones are beneficial and which ones are to be avoided.
Magnesium helps your skin absorb water and lowers inflammation.
Iodine is applied to the skin for disorders such as eczema and psoriasis, to kill germs and heal wounds.
Pine tar has been shown to be suitable for the topical treatment of psoriasis and other dry, itchy, flaky or inflamed skin conditions.
Sulfur tends to dry out the surface of your skin. While drying out dead skin cells and removing excess oil (sebum) is beneficial for acne it is not the best solution for psoriasis.
Sulfate is often present in detergents and is commonly found in products like shampoo, body wash, face cleanser, and toothpaste. People with sensitive skin and conditions like psoriasis should avoid using sulfates as they have been reported to cause skin irritation.
Fragrances are added to make products smell good or aroma therapy is known to relieve stress which is often a precursor to many skin flare-ups. However, people have reported that fragrant soaps have aggravated symptoms associated with psoriasis. These side-effects outweigh the benefits of stress relief so, in order to avoid making your psoriasis worse, aim for a fragrance-free product.
Sodium Palmate, Cocoate, Gluconate and Palm Kernelate are all salts that are synthesized by combining plant oils with sodium hydroxide. While salt is an effective cleansing agent and removes impurities quite well, individuals who have sensitive or dry skin have reported redness and irritation as a result. This is not to say that all salt is bad for psoriasis; in fact, Dead Sea Salt immersion is an extremely effective therapy for a psoriasis flare-up.
Dead Sea Salt, Mud and Minerals - In one study, participants were asked to bathe one of their arms with psoriasis symptoms in a solution containing 5% Dead Sea salt for 15-minute sessions over the course of 6 weeks. They bathed the other arm (also symptomatic) in tap water during the same period for comparison.
Results were that the arms submerged in Dead Sea salt water had significantly improved skin hydration and reduced roughness and redness after 6 weeks whereas the tap water showed little to no improvement. The cause for this may be due to magnesium levels in the Dead Sea which facilitate the binding of water into the skin.
Coconut, Lavender, Rose and Tea tree oils – Although oil alone is not considered to be an effective cleanser (soap), when combined with other ingredients it can moisturize and replenish skin smoothness, boost circulation and stimulate oxygen flow through the skin. Most other oils such as Argan, Avocado and Shea butter have also proved to be beneficial in maintaining healthy skin and hair.