Water Can Be Painful If You Have Psoriasis
Bathing and psoriasis can be a painful experience. Have you been to see your doctor or dermatologist with regards to your psoriasis? If you have, then you will probably have been instructed how to properly care for your skin. I will cover two of the most important topics with regard to your skin and psoriasis, namely moisturizing and bathing. Bathing can be a great way to deal with the itching, pain and uncomfortable sensations that psoriasis can cause.
Your doctor may advise against taking long baths or showers and possibly instruct you to avoid hot water. When you have psoriasis, you don’t want your skin to be too soaked in hot water, and if possible all bathing should take place quickly in lukewarm water. My recommendations are for you not to bathe every day if possible, doing so can actually be more harmful to the skin by needlessly drying it out. Bathe every two or three days is best. Once you have finished with the shower or bath, pat yourself dry gently with a soft towel and ensure that you moisturise the skin thoroughly afterwards to lock in the moisture. This will prevent the premature drying out and cracking of the skin that may lead to infections.
Bathing with psoriasis can be very beneficial, especially if the water has been enhanced with beneficial natural additives. It’s not just about moisturizing your skin, by adding something as simple as a cup of organic apple cider vinegar you will be doing your skin a favour. You will be reducing the acidity of your skin, and this is a very important but often overlooked part of bathing. You will soon learn that sodium bicarbonate does the same thing.
Try Not To Bathe Every Single Day
I have found that some psoriasis patients can even want to bathe twice daily, thinking that they are healing the skin faster, when in fact they cause a problem with the skin. You see, your skin will want to dry out after it gets wet, and it can dry out too much if proper care is not taking right afterward. And dry skin can be a real nightmare for someone who suffers from psoriasis because dry skin can mean itchy and cracked skin. Having an itchy skin can lead to yet another flare-up, and so the cycle continues.
There is nothing wrong with taking a shorter shower or bath, and if the weather is not too hot it may pay to have your shower every second day. You could even hand wash some parts of your body, avoiding any areas which are currently flared up which will save them from getting too wet (and drying out afterward).
Moisturize After Your Bath Or Shower
For some psoriasis patients I know, taking a shower can help aid in alleviating their symptoms of psoriasis and can give their body much of the moisture it needs. However, it is very important to capture and lock in that moisture by applying skin creams and lotions soon after that shower or bath. Once you get into this habit, you will find that your skin will feel much more comfortable.
When drying off with your soft towel, avoid quick rubbing motions that you may be used to as they may damage affected areas of skin. Take your time and relax, gently pat yourself dry thereby removing the excess water from your body. Remember, you don’t have to be completely dry to moisturise, that little bit of water needs to be there in order to keep the skin hydrated. Straight after toweling off, apply your lotion so the access water doesn’t evaporate.
It may help to add some oils into the bath like an olive oil, almond, wheat germ or sunflower oil, or vegetable oil. All these oils will help soothe the skin and fight of inflammation. Adding in some bath salts or Epsom salts will help relieve some of the symptoms as well, and help keep those dry, patchy spots at bay. Try sea salt, it may be of assistance as well in the bath – all trial and error. Some patients swear by baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), others have told me that they like to soak a bag of rolled oats in the bath before they get in, because it alleviates the itch.I do hope that you have found some of these psoriasis bathing hints and tips successful. To summarise: Keep baths and showers short and infrequent and use lukewarm and not hot water. Moisturise soon after bathing and try a few different oils to see what is successful with your skin, and what is not. What will work for one may not be suitable for the other.
