Posts by Chris Morgan67

Grace Green6 said:When I'm out on the coast, I spend the entire day soaking up the sun using nothing but this, and I never end up with a sunburn. My skin stays perfectly smooth... just like a baby's.

That’s a dangerous game to play... applying lotion while you're out in the sun like that...
A few different dermatologists have already told me the same thing, and I even saw it mentioned on WebMD... it can cause burns, so it’s definitely not something you want to be using out in the sun...

It’s also worth noting that St. John's Wort can make your skin significantly more sensitive to sunlight. It is quite vital to stay out of the sun while you're using this plant...

I've been looking into the latest health trends, specifically regarding how certain substances interact with our skin... It seems there is quite a bit to consider when it comes to light sensitivity and the potential for phototoxicity...
I’d personally stick to olive oil or sesame oil... they're both tried and true, and they provide a natural SPF of about 2...🙂

lonefalcon43 said:Is it possible for this to show up on the penis too? If so, what then? Is it the same procedure?

Haha, it's possible. You'd just need to apply the oil and undergo phototherapy. Just make sure no stronger creams get anywhere near that area...🙂

mistybear20 said:Where on earth do you find St. John's Wort infused in olive oil? I've been hunting for that exact thing without any luck; I can find them separately, but never together...

Every bottle of St. John's Wort you buy is already infused in olive oil.
There isn't really another way to get it. I pick mine up from Holy Planta for about five dollars...👍

Honestly, most people have flat feet and go about their lives just fine.

The only real fix would be investing in some high-quality sneakers and maybe getting a custom orthotic made...

Jose Murphy7 said:Question: We're currently treating our son with herbal therapy, but per the instructions, we only apply it below the waist. For the upper body, we were told to use brandy if he gets itchy, but that only provides relief for a few minutes before the itching returns. Does anyone have a recommendation for a neutral remedy?

Try applying a body lotion or baby oil to his skin. Something like Nivea...

That usually helps soothe the itching for me...👍

Robert Clark2 said:If you just have a bit of psoriasis on your elbows or knees, a simple ointment or cream might do the trick. But what happens when everything hits you at once—vulgaris, erythrodermic, and psoriatic arthritis...
I'd love to hear your thoughts.

In those cases, it’s likely a combination of treatments. Immunosuppressants, oral medications, physical therapy, topical creams, and phototherapy...

Robert Clark2 said:For treating psoriasis orally, there's an antipsoriatic called NEOTIGASON produced by Roche. I took it starting at 30mg, then lowered my dose by 10mg every month until I was back to 1mg every other day. It actually worked for me, but NEOTIGASON comes with a catastrophic list of side effects. On top of that, I had to get blood work done every ten days to monitor liver enzymes, lipids, glucose, and so on. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Luckily, I didn't experience any adverse reactions myself.

I'm familiar with that one too...😬

They are heavy medications with quite a few side effects...👎

Jose Murphy7 said:I prefer to believe that too, but seeing how much we learn from sharing experiences, I want to launch some independent sites. The domain is already secured; right now, I'm just mapping out the architecture. If anyone has suggestions for the organization or content, please let me know. Also, if you're interested in volunteering, feel free to reach out here or via email...

Check your PM🙂

Charles Chavez said:It’s all fine; I didn't expect it to be that simple. It just seems to me that all those miracle creams and ointments are a complete dead end. You can't fix a compromised immune system with topical creams. If there's a cure, it would be administered intravenously or orally...

True, but they haven't found an oral option for us yet😬 so they just prescribe creams instead.

Improving skin health certainly does wonders for a psoriasis patient's quality of life...👍

It’s interesting to note that psoriasis rates seem highest in places like Norway, where the diet leans heavily on fish.

To this day, nobody can say for certain what triggers psoriasis. We just know it's an autoimmune issue—the immune system essentially overreacting...

I've heard from several people that going gluten-free makes a noticeable difference, though not everyone with psoriasis reacts to gluten. Regardless, maintaining a balanced, light diet generally helps manage any chronic condition.👍

Jose Murphy7 said:I wonder if it might be worth establishing a national association for patients and their families here in the States...

There is an association for psoriasis patients here in America. They don't maintain a website, but they hold their conferences at the local Mayo Clinic...🤣 It really just comes down to a conflict of interest...

When it comes to dermatologists, they often have signed agreements with cream manufacturers, leading them to recommend the exact same products to everyone. That’s why you see them all pushing that Zorac gel lately, even though it belongs to a rather "old school" category of antipsoriatic treatments on a global scale...

The fundamental question remains: why hasn't Medicare started covering calcipotriol yet? It’s being prescribed everywhere else globally, and it clearly offers the fewest side effects and the longest-lasting results compared to other treatments. It feels like someone is intentionally blocking it...👎

urbangull said:Hi everyone. I wanted to switch things up here and ask a question. For about two months, I’ve been using Zorac at 0.05%, and it worked perfectly. However, for the last week or so, I’ve moved up to the 0.1% strength. The issue is that now my healthy skin is developing these red patches right after I apply the ointment. I'm not sure how to proceed—whether I should stop the treatment entirely or just go back down to the 0.05% Zorac. If anyone has experience with this, I'd appreciate some insight...

I don't have personal experience with it, but I am familiar with the medication. It’s relatively new to the US market and quite aggressive, which is exactly why I tend to avoid it...

I was told you should only apply it strictly to the psoriasis patches, because if it touches the surrounding healthy skin, it can cause irritation and redness.

It shouldn't be used long-term either; otherwise, it loses its effectiveness, irritates the skin, and could potentially lead to internal organ damage.

My suggestion would be to either take a break from the Zorac for a while or simply revert to the 0.05% version...

Jose Murphy7 said:I’ve managed to read through most of the posts in this thread (skimming some, of course). I originally stumbled upon this forum while searching for answers regarding psoriasis, though I have to admit I’ve encountered far more bickering here than actual concrete answers. Still, within our corner of the web, this remains the most information-dense spot for psoriasis...
We’ve been dealing with this for just over a year now. Unfortunately, it isn't me struggling with it, but my son. I say unfortunately because I suspect his experience is much harder than mine would be at his age. My wife has more history with this since her father dealt with severe psoriasis—though he hasn't shown symptoms in quite some time—so getting the diagnosis for our child was a moment of pure panic for her...

In my online research so far, I’ve run into mountains of contradictory info. One thing helps one person but hurts another; one person recommends one thing while someone else suggests the exact opposite; some claim it's incurable while others argue otherwise...
It’s a lot of misinformation and very little substance...

My question (mainly for those who have been following this topic for a while): Does it make sense to launch a dedicated website specifically for psoriasis (if one doesn't already exist—I haven't found one)? I’m thinking of a platform that centralizes all relevant medical literature on the condition, lists and explains various medications and treatments, offers professional advice, includes a forum (naturally), and so on...
Of course, we would need to find doctors, herbalists, and other specialists willing to contribute to the content. But above all, we would need a group of volunteers to help update pages, organize texts, moderate the forum, and lobby for expert input... As for the initial costs, I don't see an issue there (design and hosting are essentially taken care of)...

To repeat: is there any interest in such a project, and are there any volunteers willing to jump in?...

Unfortunately, a project like that doesn't exist. I've been planning to start a site focused solely on psoriasis for a long time, but I simply don't have the bandwidth between work and college...👎
If you actually move forward with this, I would be happy to provide plenty of useful information. I feel I have mastered the theory behind this condition...😳

This is currently an INCURABLE chronic disease, and all preparations merely alleviate the symptoms rather than curing the psoriasis itself...

Lawrence Ramirez3 said:I read that article about Palm Springs. I don't have anything against it if it works, but Vaseline treatments are much better. They also have a small thermal pool there that's great for psoriasis, alongside the petroleum-based therapy which is the main focus. People with psoriasis travel from Northern Italy for it—some even think it beats the Dead Sea in Israel. You see travelers from Canada, Russia, and even former Soviet republics. You can also buy specialized petroleum creams and oils there.
Best regards to everyone 🙂

Honestly, that kind of petroleum treatment doesn't appeal to me at all, and my doctors wouldn't recommend it anyway. First of all, I met a woman once where the petroleum actually had the opposite effect; immediately after her treatment, her entire body broke out in psoriasis and she ended up in the ER.👎

It’s essentially crude oil, and frankly, I'm afraid to put that on my sensitive skin. It might be natural, but it seems like a pretty aggressive treatment...

Plus, an old neighbor of mine who is 70 ran away from those retreats because the crowd was just too boring...🤣

So, if I go anywhere, it'll probably be to Canada first. Their spas are a step above what we have here...

@goldenstag213/">@@goldenstag213 I suppose you can doubt the waters in Palm Springs if you like. Personally, I’m planning a trip there to soak for a while once I have some extra cash... it could be a nice way to unwind 🙂

And one more thing—I'm with all those brave psoriasis fighters who refuse to fall for the gimmicks. One day, when a real cure is finally found (and it will be), it'll almost certainly be an oral medication rather than just another cream.

After all, psoriasis is just what shows up on the skin; the actual issue is happening deep inside our bodies...🙂

Kimberly Nguyen said:whenever someone mentions astigmatism, I just lose it...
about four years ago, I decided to visit this highly recommended eye clinic to see a renowned specialist. She ran through all the motions—swapping lenses in those ridiculous testing frames, having me play that little computer game with the road and the balloon, and using those eye drops that left me practically blind for two days... she certainly seemed thorough. In the end, she told me my prescription wasn't high (just 0.75), but that I had astigmatism... so, naturally, I bought the glasses from them and called it a day.
I started wearing them, though it took months of "adjusting." I kept going back to her because everything felt so off. Wearing them made me feel shorter, too. She even warned me to watch out when walking near traffic or curbs, saying I just needed to get used to it...
Finally, after what felt like six months, I got used to them. By pure coincidence, my company held its annual physicals, which included an eye exam. This different ophthalmologist tells me I don't have astigmatism at all (???)... I asked if it could be cured, and he said astigmatism is permanent, so the conclusion was a wrong diagnosis (those glasses cost me about $0.83)... Well, I figured maybe the doctor was mistaken. I just kept wearing them since I’d already adjusted and they felt fine.
During this year's physical (with the same doctor), he told me again that I don't have astigmatism, but that my brain has adapted so much now that it would take time to correct it...
So, my advice is to go get a second opinion from another specialist...

🙏 🤣
I can't help but laugh. You spent a few years wandering the streets like a madwoman...
maybe seek out a few more opinions...😕

Don't ruin your eyes, please. That happened to me once—I got a fresh prescription and everything looked distorted. I went straight back to the doctor, and it turned out they had ground the lenses incorrectly! Honestly. Thank God I'm on contacts now. 👍

wearywalker9 Asks:
Hello...
Just one quick question...🙂 Do you deal with scalp psoriasis, and if so, which shampoo actually works for you? I feel like I’ve cycled through a hundred different brands and nothing has made a dent. I just picked up some Asebon, and though I’ve only used it twice, it seems to be performing better than anything else so far...🙂

I'm not using any at the moment. Just let me know the exact name of that Aesop shampoo so I can give it a try...🙂

In this week's issue of National, there's an extensive feature on the black water in Moravian Springs... supposedly quite effective for treating psoriasis.

Casey Miller9 said:We finally caught a bit of a breather today. We saw a third dermatologist over in San Francisco, and honestly, he was excellent. He thinks it isn't psoriasis after all, but rather allergic dermatitis, which has a 90% chance of clearing up on its own during puberty. We’ll see, but we're hopeful. It feels like a relief compared to a psoriasis diagnosis. Thank you and Chris Morgan67; everything played out exactly as you predicted. Wishing you the best—I'll be sticking around this forum, perhaps contributing something useful down the road. Best regards.

I am truly happy to hear about your son! Please give him my best.🙂

Just a quick word regarding those various peddlers of "miracle cures." It is a shame to see people exploiting others based on their illnesses... I don't think it gets any lower than that.👎
Have you no shame?😠

Elizabeth Mitchell80 said:It was something like this:

I also lived in Cleveland for a while recently—I’m a few years older than you, and I’ve been dealing with psoriasis for about ten years now. For my first appointment, I went to a dermatologist through my insurance, and the diagnosis was basically, "We aren't quite sure what this skin issue is; it could be a hundred different things." They gave me some ointment that, predictably, did nothing... later, I saw a private specialist for an entirely different matter and asked him about the skin flare-up on the side. He identified it as psoriasis immediately.
The main point I wanted to make is this: he told me straight away that while medicine has made massive leaps forward in most fields over the last few decades, dermatology seems to be stuck in place. He said the ointments used thirty years ago are essentially the same ones being used today, just rebranded with slightly different absorption properties, but the core ingredients haven't changed. His advice was not to waste money on overpriced products, and time has proven him absolutely right. Of course, I’ve tried everything under the sun, but nothing really worked. For me, the only things that help are sunlight, the ocean, and Belmond ointment. Everything else is just throwing money away, and there are plenty of charlatans in this field looking to profit from people's struggles. There is no cure for psoriasis, so all those teas and specialty creams being sold are complete nonsense.

As for the talk about alcohol and smoking, it's nonsense to me too. I’ve tested both scenarios, and there was no difference at all. Regarding stress, I think it might have a minor influence on making things worse, but far less significant than what mainstream medicine claims. Stress can be a "trigger," sure, but once that stressful situation passes, the psoriasis remains...
So, don't go looking for a dermatologist who promises miracles. Even with the best intentions, they can't do much for you. The difference lies in how they approach the patient, which matters deeply, but there are also those who see you as nothing more than a paycheck, knowing they can't actually help much and that you'll eventually have to come back.

Now, a question for anyone who knows more about Psoriasis ointment. I used that ointment a long time ago; I picked it up at a pharmacy in Trieste, and it wasn't even expensive, but it didn't help one bit. I remember the tube warned strictly against sun exposure while using it because it could cause permanent skin changes. Is this the same ointment you guys are mentioning here, or is it something else altogether?

You need to use Psoriasis ointment for a longer period.
You can expose yourself to the sun and even try phototherapy... though you obviously have to be careful beforehand...😬
It’s the same deal with all these creams and ointments...

Lawrence Ramirez3 said:Reading those medical lifestyle magazines—you know, the "Healthy Living" or "Doctor at Home" types—you’d think doctors could cure anything with one hand tied behind their backs. But if you actually look closer, skin conditions seem to be a complete mystery to them, not to mention several other ailments. It's unfortunate that without doing your own research, you can end up being treated quite incorrectly, as this text suggests...

And they don't even bother looking into how oils affect the skin. It hasn't occurred to anyone to investigate those little Garra Rufa fish they've been using in Turkey for centuries to treat psoriasis...
🙄