Psoriasis is a persistent, auto-immune disease that you can see on the skin, and usually on a person’s elbows, scalp and knees. In some very bad cases, Psoriasis can be found anywhere on the body and sometimes all over the body.
It is not contagious, but there are 5 forms of psoriasis –
* Plaque Psoriasis (the most common form)
* Pustular Psoriasis
* Guttate Psoriasis
* Erythrodermic Psoriasis
* Inverse Psoriasis
Generally a sufferer has only one of the above at any given time. That’s not to say though that if one from of Psoriasis clears, another will generally appear in response to some trigger. It would appear that the sufferer’s immune system is inadvertently triggered, appearing to cause swift acceleration of skin cell growth.
Rather than a normal skin cell taking approximately 29 days to mature prior to being shed by the body, a skin cell in a psoriasis sufferer only takes 3 or 4 days to establish and rather than shedding this skin cell , the cell piles up on the surface of the skin, forming psoriasis lesions. What you see are red, raised patches on the skin covered with a silvery white buildup of dead skin cells.
Psoriasis is sometimes associated with other severe health conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes. 3% of the populations are sufferers which in Australia means more than 600,000 people. In the USA, some 8-9 million people are sufferers. (According to the National Institutes of Health). You can experience Psoriasis at any age (even as a baby) but it generally tends to present itself in both males and females, in their late teens or early twenties. Many sufferers do grow out of the condition over time but others do not and some tend to have a second peak when they reach their fifties.
WHAT CAUSES PSORIASIS?
Similar to many other skin conditions the exact cause of Psoriasis appears to be unknown. Research indicates that a combination of a person’s immune system and genetics contributes to the development of Psoriasis. Although only 2-3 % of the population develops Psoriasis, it is suspected that 10% or more actually inherit one or more of the genes that create a predisposition to Psoriasis.
Apart from being genetically predisposed to Psoriasis, the condition will not appear to develop without some exposure to external triggers. A little like epilepsy, the triggers seem to be specific to the sufferer. However the known Psoriasis triggers include infection, some medications, injury and stress. If you suffer from Psoriasis, check with your doctor as to any medications you may be taking that could worsen the condition. Known as the Koebner phenomenon (also called the “Koebner response” or the “isomorphic response”), Psoriasis can develop in areas of the skin that have been injured or traumatized in some way.
COMMON TREATMENTS FOR PSORIASIS
Common treatments for Psoriasis are:
Over-The-Counter Medications – sold without a prescription from the Doctor, there are hundreds of products, creams, lotions and treatments for the scalp. Generally most of these do not appear to work and are usually full of chemicals and toxins which can actually inflame the situation.
Prescription Medications –Given under the guidance of a Doctor they can only be received via a Doctor’s prescription. These medications have unreliable results but none are actually a cure for Psoriasis.
Other Treatments– Ultraviolet phototherapy systems are used for treating Psoriasis, and is the application of mid wave light energy (Ultraviolet-B light [UVB]) or long wave light (Ultraviolet-A [UVA]). While Ultraviolet phototherapy appears to slow down abnormal growth of normal skin cells there is risk associated. Exposure to UV light over prolonged periods is known to increase the chances of contracting skin cancer.
WHAT IS THE PRODUCT FOR PSORIASIS?
Tamanu or more specifically, Tamanu Oil (scientific name is Calophyllum Inophyllum) is a relatively undiscovered solution for several skin care problems. One of which is Psoriasis. There has been numerous studies on Tamanu Oil, however the research has been limited, due in the most part to the product not being known outside Pacific Island countries such as Vanuatu.
Sufficient scientific studies have been conducted in Europe and the USA to know that Tamanu oil has the distinctive capacity to encourage the formation of new skin tissue and that it contains anti-inflammatory, anti-neuralgic, antibiotic and antioxidant properties. It is also completely natural, no chemicals or toxins.
To learn more about Tamanu Oil and its natural healing qualities go to: http://www.volcanicearth.com.au/skin-problems.html and download your FREE Report.