Psoriasis [PLEASE READ FIRST POST!]

Lawrence Ramirez3 said:Could you tell us a bit about Israel? What was it like there—any real fear regarding terrorist attacks? How did the therapy affect the actual psoriasis versus the psoriatic arthritis? Are any Americans traveling there for treatment? If it isn't a secret, what’s the cost? If it is, maybe just a ballpark figure. What exactly is included in that price? How long does the relief last 😁—as in, how soon do the first symptoms return? Do many Americans head over there for these treatments?
Regarding those neutral creams and ointments, dermatologists also mention that even something like Vaseline works well.
Best regards 🙂

Honestly, there's no real fear; it's a tourist destination and everything is under control. They check passports at every transition between cities, but that's about it. And everyone walks around with guns on their hips, I guess. 😁
As I mentioned before, in my specific case, the treatment didn't quite work because I ended up with erythrodermia—which basically means everything flared up intensely since I had been using corticosteroids for a long time and then stopped them too abruptly. The only silver lining after the erythrodermia was that I was totally clear of psoriasis for about a month. As for the arthritis, the climate worked wonders—for about five months, I didn't have a single aching joint, not even needing a single painkiller.
Quite a few Americans head there—lots of people with vitiligo because the results are great, and plenty with psoriasis too. One night, there were fifteen of us sitting at the same table.
The price varies; the hotel stay is paid separately from the actual therapy, though there are different treatment combinations available. The basic package is just sun and sea, which is essentially the foundation for all conditions. I wanted extra stuff specifically for the arthritis—things like various massages, baths, mud applications, oils... I don't even know anymore since I couldn't try them due to the erythrodermia—and that, of course, costs extra. I think the whole thing came out to around $3,000 $0.00 (don't hold me to that, though, as my mother was the one paying 😁), but it all depends on the regimen, so the basic treatment shouldn't be too expensive.
With a single course of treatment (lasting 4-6 weeks), the condition usually improves by about 40% for most people, but you'd likely need to repeat it the following year to reach your goal, even if the skin cleared up completely. People generally go for treatment during the summer months, mostly from May through September.
As for the staff, they are incredibly kind. The hotel manager would greet us with a "good morning" and ask how we were doing; they truly care about their guests. Even the doctor joked that he was going to learn some American English, haha. 👍
So, that's the short version. Feel free to ask anything else, though even if it wasn't a complete cure for me, I have such wonderful memories of Israel—especially Jerusalem. Cheers!!

I’m reporting that after a month and a half of religiously using Lush cream (following Chris Morgan67's advice), the patches on my forearms have almost completely cleared up. I was applying it several times a day—basically whenever it popped into my head—and the results are huge. 🙏It’s not perfect yet, but man, it feels amazing.
I haven't used it on my legs because the situation there is way worse and I'm using stronger stuff, but my arms look fantastic.
Thanks, Chris Morgan67! 🙂

Maria Chavez55 said:I wanted to report that after about a month and a half of consistently using Lush cream (following Chris Morgan67's advice), the patches on my forearms have almost entirely cleared up. I applied it a few times a day whenever I remembered, and the results are quite visible. 🙏 It isn't a total cure, but it’s certainly encouraging...
I didn't use it on my legs since the condition there is much worse—I'm sticking to stronger treatments for that—but for my hands, this has been fantastic.
Thanks, Chris Morgan67 🙂

I am truly glad to hear that.👍
I use it on my hands as well, and honestly, it's better than any other hand cream I've tried...👍

For anyone interested, it's the Dream Cream from Lush.
http://www.lush.com/product?id=350

It’s me again—so, I ran into this woman yesterday (she’s about 70) who had been receiving treatment in Cuba, and she hasn't dealt with psoriasis in 16 years. She mentioned she tried just about everything imaginable before finding her way to Cuba—not that I want to go on and on about it, since she wasn't exactly an open book, but here is a link if you guys want to see what people are saying over there

I also have a quick question for everyone here—since I’ve managed to clear away all the scaling using just plain Vaseline and olive oil, I feel like I have things under control. The main issue now is this redness, which I just can't seem to get rid of with the Vaseline alone. I was wondering if maybe some essential oils, like lavender or perhaps St. John's Wort, could help soothe or fade it? I’m just not sure how to dilute them properly—or if it would even be a smart move to try.
Thanks, and best wishes! 😍

Robin Robinson8 said:It's me again. Yesterday I happened to meet a woman (around 70 years old) who received treatment in Cuba and hasn't had psoriasis in 16 years. She tried everything imaginable before finding her way to Cuba... I won't go into too much detail since she wasn't one to boast, but here is a link if you want to see what they say over there

I also have a question for everyone here. Since I've managed to clear all the scaling using just plain Vaseline and olive oil, I can keep things under control, but the redness persists. Vaseline doesn't seem to touch it. I was wondering if an essential oil, maybe lavender or St. John's Wort, might help soothe the redness, but I'm not sure how to dilute it or if that's even a wise move.
Thanks, best regards! 😍

The link isn't showing up 🤷 🤷

Whatever you do, don't use lavender oil. It can cause serious skin irritation...
St. John's Wort isn't an essential oil, and I actually recommend using it. 👍 You can apply it as often as you like without needing to dilute it. It's great for soothing the skin and helping small wounds heal. I use it constantly...

Just keep in mind that you shouldn't go out in the sun after applying St. John's Wort, as it makes your skin extremely sensitive to light, which could lead to spotting... 🙂

Right now, I'm using Lush Dream Cream and Nivea body oil, applying the latter to damp skin right after every shower... 🙂

Chris Morgan67 said:The link isn't showing up🤷 🤷

Whatever you do, don't use lavender oil—it can cause some pretty bad skin irritation.
St. John's Wort isn't an essential oil, and I’d definitely recommend using it. 👍 You can apply it as much as you want without needing to dilute it; it’s great for soothing the skin and helping little scrapes heal. I use it all the time.

Just one thing to keep in mind—you shouldn't go out in the sun after applying St. John's Wort, because it makes your skin super sensitive, which might lead to spotting. 🙂

Right now, I'm using Lush Dream Cream and Nivea body oil, which I apply to damp skin right after my shower. 🙂

Sorry about that link issue, I must have messed something up. Here it is again: www.histoterapia-placentaria.cu

Thanks for the advice! I usually stay out of the sun anyway since my skin is quite sensitive, so I'll start leaning on that St. John's Wort oil. Everything is fine for now, though I did just start coughing and sniffing today—if I catch a full-blown cold, I'm toast.
Best, 😍

Robert Clark2 said:Hi there!

I figured I’d jump in here—just wanted to let you know I’m going through something pretty similar. I’ve been dealing with vulgar psoriasis for almost 40 years now, and about three years ago, erythrodermia and arthritis kind of hit me all at once.
At that point, my skin started thinning out so much—honestly, it felt no thicker than a sheet of cigarette paper. My feet were swelling so badly that I couldn't find any shoes that actually fit. Since it was summer, I ended up walking around in wool socks just to cope because I was always freezing—my body temperature just wouldn't stay steady.
Where I am now, I have to say I’m grateful for Neotigason, starting with a 30mg dose. In the meantime, I’ve been using white petroleum jelly mixed with olive oil and St. John's Wort oil.

I think I recently read somewhere—maybe in the New England Journal of Medicine?—that adding about 3-5% salicylic acid to petroleum jelly works well for the body, and for the scalp, mixing salicylic acid into olive oil might help.

That’s all for now.

Best regards!

I'm sorry I didn't get back to you sooner,
but unfortunately, we’ve been in the exact same boat—except I couldn't even stand up because the pain was so intense, and since I have anemia, my iron levels dropped to 2, which caused me to pass out constantly. I completely agree about the coldness, too—I actually ran fevers as high as 105.8.😁
My goodness, I even took photos of my hands and legs while I was in the hospital; they were swollen like balloons—I looked like I had gained 200 pounds.🤣
Apparently, that swelling happens due to a protein deficiency, so the doctors in the hospital had to supplement my intake.

Could you tell me if your erythrodermia flared up right after you stopped taking corticosteroids?
I'm guessing you must have been using topical creams for a long time if your skin has become that thin. Luckily, my skin has recovered and feels like a normal thickness again.😉
Oh, regarding what you read about adding salicylic acid to petroleum jelly—that’s actually used for those thick scales on the body, and it works well for that. Personally, I don't deal with very thick scales because I try to keep things under control with good hygiene. For the scalp, you could use salicylic acid in olive oil or even lard, then cover it with a shower cap. I prefer using lard—it’s just easier for me.
I really hope you're doing better now and that things aren't getting worse. Take care!😍

My scalp has been acting up quite a bit lately. 👎
Quick question: what kind of shampoos or treatments have you all found effective for scalp issues?

I love this stuff. It completely calmed my scalp down and all my sores are finally gone. The shampoo is called Squafane and you can grab it at any pharmacy. It’s specifically made to get rid of dandruff.

Maria Chavez55 said:I’ve had great results with this; it completely calmed my scalp and healed all my sores. It's a Squafane shampoo from the pharmacy, specifically designed for dandruff control.

Hehe, I've been using that one for years, but lately, it just doesn't seem to do much anymore...🤷

I've tried everything from Alverde to Aesop and Phytol—all targeted at dandruff... I'm running out of ideas...🤷

Chris Morgan67 said:My scalp has been acting completely wild lately. 👎
Quick question: what kind of shampoos or treatments are you all using for your scalp?

You might want to give the "Psorex" ointment from El Paso a shot. If you happen to have darker hair, it’s almost invisible since the color is this sort of olive-brown shade. If you're blonde😉, maybe consider dyeing it a bit darker; I'm sure you'll get your scalp back under control within a few weeks. You just apply it once a day—it smells pretty terrible, I won't lie—but it was honestly the only thing that cleared up my dandruff for any significant amount of time without needing corticosteroids.
You can find it in Washington, D.C., and it costs about $57 (though in El Paso it's around $40/ 19 miles). Since you aren't supposed to expose it to direct sunlight, now is actually the perfect time to start.
By the way, I went through two whole containers of Lush products, but didn't see much of a real difference. It helped soothe the itching a little, but I found that St. John's Wort oil works much better for me, and it's far easier to apply. As for those little patches, I occasionally notice small spots of clear skin without any redness appearing on my torso or legs where the irritation used to be 👍

Chris Morgan67 said:Heh—been using this stuff for years now, but lately? It just doesn't do a damn thing.🤷

I’ve already cycled through Alverde, Asebon, and Fitoval for my scalp—all specifically targeting dandruff—and honestly? I’m officially out of ideas. What else is there left to try?🤷

I’ve been using Ducray’s Keratol for oily dandruff—been at it for about two years now, I think. It actually works.

I've tried everything from Alverde to Asebon and Fitoval—all the anti-dandruff stuff out there... I'm officially out of ideas.🤷
Same here. None of those dandruff shampoos actually work for me; if anything, they just make my scalp even more irritated. You might want to try Vichy Dercos for sensitive scalps—the one with the red square meant for normal to dry hair. It doesn't exactly work wonders, but at least it doesn't sting and actually calms things down.

That’s why you need to go after the oily flakes—it's basically seborrhea, which is pretty similar to what triggers psoriasis. The dry kind of scaling? That’s the typical stuff we don't actually have here—and of course, using a shampoo meant for dry scalp just ends up making things worse.

Mark Fox44 said:Try using "Psorex" ointment from El Paso. If you have darker hair, you won't even notice it because the color is this weird olive-brown shade! If you're blonde😉, just dye your hair darker; you'll definitely get your scalp under control in a couple of weeks. You apply it once a day—it smells pretty bad, but it’s the only thing that actually cleared my dandruff for good without needing steroids.
You can find it in Washington, D.C., and it costs $57 (in El Paso, it's $40/ 19 miles). Since you aren't supposed to expose it to sunlight, now is the perfect time to use it.
By the way, I went through two packs of Lush, but didn't see much of an effect. It helped soothe the itching a bit, but St. John's Wort oil works better for me and is easier to apply. As for the patches, little spots of clear skin without redness occasionally pop up on my torso and legs where the irritation was. 👍

Mark Fox44, it's obvious you don't know anything about hair dye😉 Honestly, the worst advice you could give someone with an irritated scalp is to go and slap hair dye on top of open wounds.😁

Maria Chavez55 said:Mark Fox44, it’s pretty obvious you haven't spent much time playing around with hair dye before. 😉 Honestly, if you want to be truly unhelpful, the absolute worst advice you could give someone dealing with head wounds is to suggest they slap some hair dye on top of them. It’s just a recipe for disaster, really. 😁

Honestly, I’m just trying to figure out if Chris Morgan67 might actually be a blonde.😂Oh, goodness me—I have to admit, I am completely out of my element here! To be perfectly honest, I don't have even a lick of experience when it comes to dyeing hair. It all seems a bit daunting, doesn't it? 🤷Well, look, if her hair is already blue and she can't exactly go in for a dye job right now because of those wounds, then this will just end up looking like regrowth. Honestly, that’s not even a huge deal!
Just as a quick little heads-up for anyone following my routine: I only wash my hair every few days—usually every three to five days, if I'm being honest. And I make it a point to stick exclusively to much gentler options, like baby shampoos or something similarly mild. It’s been working quite well for me so far!
Anyway, Chris Morgan67, are you a blonde or what? Let's just move past that and stop overanalyzing things!😉

No, I’m as dark as night🤣😂 so theoretically, I could apply it to my scalp, but being a woman, I think the smell might be a bit much for me...🤣

Another issue is that my hair is thick and curly, which makes getting any kind of ointment onto my scalp quite a struggle.🤷

I need to give this some more thought... though I'll probably start by trying something from Ducray or Vichy.

Thanks so much to everyone for all the advice.😍

Selsun Blue is a solid shampoo for dandruff

With faith in the Lord

Hey there, fellow psoriasis warriors! I finally decided to jump into the conversation and share what’s been going on with my own struggle. I've been dealing with this for 25 years now, and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that this stuff is incredibly individual. What works for one person might do nothing for another—it's all about finding that specific medication or cream that helps you actually feel human again or keeps things under control. For me? It’s Neotigason. Honestly, just that and nothing else. I use it for about 18 months at a time, then I take a break to let my system reset. My body seems to have adjusted to it pretty well, too; even on a daily 50 mg dose, my triglycerides and cholesterol levels don't really spike. I’ve been using it on and off for five years now and I'm super happy with the results. In fact, during an 8-month stretch, my skin was totally clear, which feels like a massive win! Dealing with topical creams is such a massive headache, so having these capsules has been a total lifesaver. The only little nuisance is how dry my skin gets after a shower, so I just use some neutral Pavlovic ointment to smooth things over. Anyway, that's just my experience... hope everyone is doing okay!👍

Sophia Martinez3 said:Hi everyone dealing with psoriasis—I figured it was finally time to jump into the conversation about our shared struggles. I've been dealing with this for 25 years now, and I truly believe it’s a highly individual thing—whether a specific medication or a cream will actually help us feel better or just keep things under control. In my case, it’s Neotigason—just that, and nothing else. I use it for about six months at a time, then take a break to let my system clear out. My body seems to have adjusted to it quite well, too; even at a daily 50 mg dose, I don't see major spikes in my cholesterol or triglycerides. I've been using it for five years total and I'm very happy with the results—I managed to go eight months totally clear, which feels like a massive win. Dealing with topical creams is such a hassle, so the capsules have really made my life easier. The only minor issue is how dry my skin gets after showering, so I use a neutral ointment like Pavlovic—anyway, that's just my experience... Best to everyone!👍

Hey there, welcome to the group—it's great to have you here.
Just a quick suggestion: maybe try some plain white Vaseline whenever your skin feels dry. It works wonders for me. Of course, everyone reacts differently, but it's inexpensive, neutral, and since it helped me with similar issues, I suspect it might work for you too. Also, is that Pavlovic ointment you mentioned? If so, that's fine by me, though personally, I find Vaseline a bit easier to spread—it just feels better to me.
Regarding the Neotigason, I think it takes about three years for the body to fully clear it out—at least, that's what my doctor told me when she was warning me about pregnancy, since it's a teratogen. 👎
Anyway, I'm really glad it's working for you. Cheers!!