According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, at least ten  percent of the general population are believed to have the genetic makeup that leaves them susceptible to psoriasis, but only two to three percent ever develop symptoms.¹   The first flare-up can be can be triggered by a variety of things, and at the top of the list is stress.

Some stress in life is expected and can even be useful, for example in pushing us to complete a task on time.  However, if you have become overwhelmed by the things you have to deal with in your life, that stress can take a toll on your health.  If you have a predisposition to psoriasis, you may experience the first outward symptoms at a time of increased stress.

In working to eliminate stress from your life it is helpful to take a step by step approach.  First, figure out where your stress is coming from.  Once you have identified the causes, you can formulate a plan to eliminate it.  Managing your time better, taking better care of yourself, and learning to control thoughts that cause you to worry may be part of the plan to avoid stress.  Exercise or meditation can also help you manage it.²

The National Psoriasis Organization has great information on dealing with psoriasis, including a webinar scheduled for March 20, 2012 on dealing with stress.  To register for the webinar, click here.

1) http://psoriasis.org/about-psoriasis/causes
2) http://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-management-topic-overview

If you suffer with psoriasis you may be doing all the right things to treat your condition, but are still having difficulty getting it under control.  You know there are prescription drugs available for topical and oral use, but you may prefer to treat the condition without prescriptions, using a more natural regimen.  This may include a topical product to provide moisture and soothe inflammation.

You know what to DO.  But do you know what NOT TO DO?  As with many conditions, psoriasis can be made worse by neglecting the affected areas.  This sensitive skin is vulnerable to damage and will have more difficulty healing than healthy skin.  It will also be more prone to flare ups if it’s not taken care of.

Here are five important tips to remember for psoriasis sufferers¹:

1.    Don’t leave the skin open to injury.

2.    Don’t cleanse vigorously.

3.    Don’t ignore dry skin.

4.    Don’t get sunburned.

5.    Don’t scratch plaques.

To read more about these tips, click on the link below.

1)    http://inhealth.cnn.com/stepping-up-your-psoriasis-treatment/five-skin-care-donts-for-psoriasis-sufferers

Plaque psoriasis is a skin disease that has been long known in humans. It is categorized as an autoimmune disease, but according to Dr. Michael F. Holick, a leading authority on vitamin D and author of The Vitamin D Solution, this may not be completely accurate. His research has led him to believe that the disease begins with a defect in the skin cells that causes them to reproduce out of control, thus calling on the immune system to respond, making the problem worse.

Treating psoriasis with drugs that suppress the immune system doesn’t address the defective skin cells where the problem begins and these drugs are well known to have serious side effects.

In treating psoriasis, patients and doctors alike have long known that moderate sun exposure was useful in improving the condition, even before it was determined that vitamin D therapy would help. It is now understood that the sun exposure activates vitamin D in the skin which helps regulate the over-proliferation of skin cells.

Even though vitamin D from the sun can be a good thing, too much sun can be bad for psoriasis. If you are using sun exposure in your treatment regimen, you must be careful to gauge exposure in order to receive the optimum dose before becoming pink. SkinHealth Technology’s Natural Vitamin D UV Activation Sensors are a good way to ensure this.

Holick, Michael F. The Vitamin D Solution. New York, NY: Hudson Street Press, 2010. 109-112. Print.

Summer weather, with its sunburn, bug bites, scrapes and scratches is hazardous to the skin. But for people with sensitive skin or conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, winter can be much worse. The drying effect of the harsh cold combined with an overly warm and arid indoor atmosphere can remove needed moisture from the skin. These skin conditions are more prone to flare, generalized flaking and cracking are common and dark skin is more likely to become ashy.

Below are some tips to help relieve dry winter skin:

1. If the indoor air is extremely dry, use a humidifier to add moisture to the atmosphere.
2. Use balm type moisturizers for extra dry, cracking, flaking, or ashy skin.
3. Hydrate your body by drinking plenty of water.
4. Exfoliate the skin if it is flaky. Be sure to moisturize right after exfoliation.
5. As tempting as it is, don’t take long, hot showers or baths. This dries the skin more.
6. Layer your clothing so that softer items are closer to the skin and scratchy sweaters, etc. are on the outside.

SkinHealth Technology’s line of conditioning skin and sun care products are the perfect addition to your winter routine.

Click here for more detailed advice on keeping your skin comfortable and conditioned during the winter months.

It is not surprising that people who suffer from skin conditions can develop related emotional problems. The two conditions often fuel one another and create a cycle that is difficult to break. What is surprising is the extent to which this occurs.

In fact, there is an emerging sub-specialty of psychology, called psychodermatology, that helps patients deal with this aspect of their condition.

Here are some findings from the American Academy of Dermatology and other skin groups:¹

• Major depression is one of the main results of chronic skin disorders.
• Suicidal thoughts are another consequence. Consider some statistics on psoriasis. About 5% of the 4.5 American adults with psoriasis have suicidal thoughts – three times the rate of the general population.
• Other psychosocial side effects of skin conditions are social withdrawal, anger, frustration, and lack of confidence.
• 26% of people with moderate to severe psoriasis have been forced to change or discontinue their normal daily activities.
• Adults with acne face higher rates of unemployment than the general population.
• Kids with skin disorders suffer, too. Two out of five of these children have some psychosocial impairment.

SkinHealth Technology’s line of effective dermatological skincare products are designed to treat chronic skin conditions like acne, rosacea, psoriasis, eczema, and benign purpura–the often severe bruising that can occur as skin ages.

1) Grosbart PhD, Ted. “The Emotional Impact of Skin Problems.” Psychology Today 9 Jan. 2010: 9 pars. Web. 26 Sept. 2011. .

Recently, on her show, Rachel Ray did a segment on skin conditions with her personal physician, Dr. Anne Chapas. Rachel wanted to know the difference between simple dry skin and other more troublesome skin diseases.

Rachel asks, “The changing of the seasons can have a drying effect on our skin, but how do we know when a little moisturizer will do and when a trip to the doctor is in order?”

“Everyone has dry skin at some point in their life,” says Dr. Chapas, “but if it doesn’t respond to moisturizers, or it’s itchy or painful, it’s probably caused by a skin disease and you really should go see your dermatologist.”

Dr. Chapas explains some of the most common skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis and seborrhoeic dermatitis.

Click the image below to listen to the conversation:

Polysaccharides are carbohydrate structures that produce a long chain of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen cells. They are formed with glycosidic bonds which hold the chain together. In nutrition, polysaccharides are digested in the body and used as potential energy sources. There are many benefits to this macro-molecule. Polysaccharides are a broad term for any sugar molecule that has a glycogen bond.¹

In the skin, polysaccharides are the sugar molecules that create the moisture binding gel-like substance. These molecules can bind up to 1,000 times their weight in moisture and are responsible for the skin’s hydration.²

Polysaccharides are natural components of the skin that potentially have antioxidant properties.³

ExtremeSkinCare Intensive Treatment Balm is a powerful formula that combines polysaccharides, peptides and botanical emollients– with a proven skin protectant to help combat even the most serious skin conditions. This soothing balm helps reduce the unsightly appearance of psoriasis, eczema, and rosacea. Relieves inflamed and irritated skin without steroids!

The new SkinHealth Technology formula contains two marine-based polysaccharides that decrease skin inflammation, protect the skin’s elasticity, and allow more oxygen and nutrition to reach injured skin cells.

1) iHealth Directory

2) Imedeen

3) Cosmetics Cop

No. Psoriasis is not contagious.

It is a non-communicable disease, which means it cannot be passed from one person to another. The disorder is a recurring condition that varies in severity from minor localized patches to complete body coverage.

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that occurs when the immune system sends out signals that speed up the growth cycle of skin cells. There are five types of psoriasis: plaque, guttate, inverse, pustular and erythrodermic.

The most common form, plaque psoriasis, is commonly seen as red and white hues of scaly patches appearing on the top first layer of the skin. In plaque psoriasis, skin rapidly accumulates—which gives the plaques a silvery-white appearance. In contrast to eczema, psoriasis is more likely to be found on the outer side of the joint.

According to the Mayo Clinic: Psoriasis treatments can be divided into three main types: topical treatments, light therapy and systemic medications.

The various treatments aim to:

Interrupt the cycle that causes an increased production of skin cells, thereby reducing inflammation and plaque formation.
Remove scales and smooth the skin, which is particularly true of topical psoriasis treatments that are applied to the skin.

ExtremeSkinCare Intense Treatment Balm is a powerful, topical formula that combines cutting-edge ingredients with a proven skin protectant to help reduce inflammation, irritation and redness. Helps remove built-up scale and clear affected skin of psoriasis plaques without steroids.

Peptides occur naturally in the body, and like proteins, are composed of amino acids. There are twenty different amino acids in the human body. Peptides and proteins in the body are comprised of different combinations and sequences of those amino acids. When a chain of amino acids is over 50 acids long, it is called a protein, when it contains less than 50 amino acids in the chain it is a peptide. So, a peptide is a portion, or a building block, of a protein.

All peptides influence or direct the cells of the body in some way. Different types of peptides influence different types of cells. The peptides used in SkinHealth Technology’s skincare products communicate with and direct the skin cells to behave in a certain way to help heal tough conditions like psoriasis, eczema, rosacea, bruising, and acne.

They utilize glycosaminoglycans, which are peptides that inhibit enzymes that degrade and ultimately destroy the skin’s collagen network. Pollution, ultraviolet rays and age decrease the skin’s ability to resist external irritants. These peptides restore the skin’s normal equilibrium, decrease irritation and help the skin resist external assaults.

According to WebMD, psoriasis is a chronic skin condition that causes skin cells to grow too quickly, resulting in thick, white, silvery, or red patches of skin. Normally, skin cells grow gradually and flake off about every 30 days. New skin cells grow to replace the outer layers of the skin as they shed, but in psoriasis, new skin cells move rapidly to the surface of the skin in just days. They build up and form thick patches called plaques. The patches range in size and appear most often on the knees, elbows, scalp, hands, feet, or lower back.

Medical experts believe psoriasis occurs when the immune system overreacts, causing inflammation and flaking of skin. Things that can cause flare-ups include cold or dry climates, infections, stress, dry skin and some medications.

Psoriasis can be mild, with just small areas of rash. When psoriasis is moderate or severe, the skin gets inflamed with raised, red areas topped with loose, silvery, scaling skin. If psoriasis is severe, the skin becomes itchy and tender and large patches may form.

For help with psoriasis, check out SkinHealthTech.com. They’ve developed a new treatment for psoriasis that relieves inflamed, irritated, scaling skin without steroids.

ExtremeSkinCare Intense Treatment Balm is a powerful formula that combines cutting-edge ingredients–peptides, polysaccharides and botanical emollients– with a proven skin protectant to help combat even the most serious skin conditions.