If you have psoriasis, you probably have lesions on your body that cause inflammation and itchiness. If you want to do something at home in conjunction with your prescribed treatment to help calm your discomfort, use the following two-step home remedy for soothing the inflammation and irritation, as well as helping to prevent skin infections.
About The Ingredients
Before you begin, you will need to gather a few ingredients. You can find these in natural health stores, pharmacies and some supermarkets.
- Steel-cut oatmeal
- Tea tree oil
- Aloe vera juice
- Chamomile essential oil
- Fragrance-free and dye-free moisturizer
The oatmeal used in the bath mixture in the first step helps calm inflammation and swelling. It also coats the lesions on the skin, helping to soothe the irritation. Use steel-cut oatmeal, since this has been through less processing than the quick-cook varieties.
The tea tree oil used in both steps acts as an anti-microbial agent. Because your psoriasis makes you prone to skin infections, the oil helps kill any bacteria or fungus that could invade the lesions and make them become infected.
Aloe vera juice has several uses in this two-step treatment. It calms the redness and inflammation, as well as moisturizes the skin to reduce the irritation. It also reduces any burning that can sometimes accompany your flare-ups.
The chamomile essential oil used in step two helps reduce the swelling and cools the inflammation. It can also help reduce the appearance of scars caused by dried and healed lesions.
The fragrance- and dye-free moisturizer acts as a base for the lotion you will be making and using in the second step. When making your selection, make sure it has all-natural ingredients without any chemicals, since these could irritate your psoriasis and make your symptoms worse. You may want to ask the natural health store representative or your pharmacist for recommendations.
Step 1: Soak In An Herbal And Oatmeal Bath
The first step involves soaking in a bath infused with herbs and oatmeal. For this step, you will also need small bowl and a large bath towel that has been washed in clear detergent that contains no dyes or perfumes and dried without any fabric softener. This is because the chemicals can transfer to your skin from the towel's fibers, exacerbating your symptoms.
As your bathtub is filling with warm water, add three cups of oatmeal. Once the tub has your desired water level, let the oatmeal soak for about 10 to 15 minutes. While you are waiting, mix together two cups of aloe vera juice and 10 drops of tea tree oil in a small bowl. Then, pour it into the bathtub, and mix it thoroughly.
Soak in the water for about 15 minutes. After you get out, pat yourself dry with the towel. Then, go on to the next step.
Step 2: Rub On A Homemade Lotion
Once you have soaked in the bath and towel-dried yourself, this step involves rubbing a homemade lotion onto the areas of your body where you have psoriasis lesions. You will also need a small bowl.
In the small bowl, mix together a half of a cup of the lotion, a quarter of a cup of aloe vera juice, 6 drops of tea tree oil and 10 drops of chamomile oil. Rub on a thin layer, then let it absorb into your skin before dressing.
Using the above treatment once a day can help calm the inflammation and relieve the itchiness caused by your psoriasis. However, if you see no improvement or have an increase in your symptoms, you may want to speak with your dermatologist about other treatment options available to you.
