Psoriasis is a chronic, autoimmune disease that appears on the skin. It occurs when the immune system sends out faulty signals that speed up the growth cycle of skin cells. Psoriasis is not contagious. Psoriasis is a chronic skin disorder that is characterized by inflamed lesions and silvery white scales. It may appear in only a few isolated spots, or can be widespread over the body, and most typcially appears in people between the ages of 15 to 35.

There are five types of psoriasis: plaque, guttate, inverse, pustular and erythrodermic. The most common form, plaque psoriasis, appears as raised, red patches or lesions covered with a silvery white buildup of dead skin cells, called scale. Psoriasis can occur on any part of the body and is associated with other serious health conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease and depression.

Things You’ll Need:

* Vitamin A

* Zinc

* Evening primrose oil

* Aloe vera

* Flaxseed oil

* Vitamin C

1.       Get some sun. Natural sunlight has been shown to sigificantly improve, or clear, psoriasis. Get regular daily doses, but keep them short and avoid the sun from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., when the rays are strongest.

2.       Add over-the-counter tar solutions, bath oil, oatmeal, Epsom salts and Dead Sea salts to your bath. All of these will help soften the skin.

3.        Use moisturizers after bathing and periodically during the day. These may not clear the psoriasis, but will help reduce itching and retain moisture in the skin.

4.        Try using aloe vera gel, jojoba oil, vitamin E oil or natural vegetable oils as moisturizers. They are a natural and relatively inexpensive way to moisturize the skin.

5.        Take flaxseed oil or evening primrose oil according to directions on label. They supply essential fatty acids which are important for the skin and preventing dryness.

6.        Take natural beta-carotene, 25,000 IU per day. It helps protect skin tissue.

7.        Take zinc, preferably in the form of zinc gluconate lozenges, for maximum absorption. Do not exceed 50 mg per day.

8.        Try shark cartilage. Take 1 gm per 15 lbs of body weight. Divide it into 3 doses a day. Shark cartilage has been known to stop the spread of psoriasis, but you will need to give it 2 to 3 months to see results.

9.        Take vitamins A (10,000 IU daily) and E (400-1200 IU daily).

10.      Take Vitamin C (2,000 to 5,000 mg a day) in divided doses. It is necessary for immune system function and for formation of collagen and skin tissue.

11.      Brush scales lightly with a loofah, then apply an alcohol-free extract of the herb goldenseal. This will help reduce inflammation and swelling.

12.      Keep a record of your outbreaks. Psoriasis typically flares up and then improves. Write down what you were doing, eating, or what was going on in your life at the time of a flare-up. Triggers to flare-ups include stress, tension, illness, sunburn, certain drugs and alcohol.

13.     Decrease or eliminate red meat and dairy products. They contain arachidonic acid, a substance that can cause inflammation and, in turn, make your psoriasis lesions swollen and red.

This is a lovely product with clean but powerful ingredients.

Product Description
This complexion savior comes closest to a “Facial in a Jar”™. Known as the “Red Carpet Secret” for brightening the faces, décolletés and arms of Oscar nominees, winners and presenters, this multiple benefit product targets wrinkles, large pores and brown spots with dermatological strength ingredients. While it delivers amazing results this natural product feels luxurious, cooling and calming. Editorial reviews: “It leaves my skin glowing” says Susan Sarandon. ‘There are amazing ingredients in this very effective mask-every exfoliant from salicylic acid to pineapple enzymes to malic, tartaric and lactic acids! This is the equivalent of a doctors microdermabrasion…’” Voted 50 Best Anti-aging Beauty Finds.

Indications
Powerful enzymes, botanical skin lighteners and balanced fruit acids combine in a synergistic formula aimed at gently, yet efficiently resurfacing the skin: softening fine lines and wrinkles, minimizing large pores and safely lightening the complexion. This unique facial treatment while deeply cleansing and exfoliating is also designed to actually calm the skin, reducing redness and sensitivity. Recommended for all skin types including customers trying to avoid glycolic and/or retinol products due to their potential of causing redness, burning and stinging in certain sensitive individuals.

Ingredients
Gently exfoliating and anti-inflammatory Pineapple Enzymes (activate a gentle, yet thorough exfoliation without the risk of irritation), Botanical Skin Lighteners (provide a safe alternative to harmful chemical skin lighteners with maximum efficacy), re-texturizing Alpha-Beta Hydroxy Acids (exfoliate without the irritation often caused by glycolic products), Botanical Oxygen (discourages bacterial growth and improves skin’s metabolism), a stimulating and refreshing blend of exotic essential oils (calm the mind and soothe the skin while naturally preserving the product).

Clarcon Biological Chemistry Laboratory Inc. of Roy, Utah, is voluntarily recalling skin sanitizers and skin protectants sold under several brand names because the products may be contaminated with bacteria that could make users sick, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said.

The agency issued a news release warning consumers to refrain from using all products made by the company. It said an analysis of several samples revealed disease-causing bacteria, some of which are associated with unsanitary conditions. The germs could cause dangerous infections of the skin and underlying tissue, the FDA added.

The products — promoted in some cases as antimicrobial agents that can prevent infection in open wounds — should not be used and be disposed of in the household trash, the agency said. A partial list of affected products includes:

Citrushield Lotion

Dermasentials DermaBarrier

Dermassentials by Clarcon Antimicrobial Hand Sanitizer

Iron Fist Barrier Hand Treatment

Skin Shield Restaurant

Skin Shield Industrial

Skin Shield Beauty Salon Lotion

Total Skin Care Beauty

Total Skin Care Work

To report adverse events associated with these or other consumer products, contact the FDA’S MedWatch reporting program at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Most skin care authorities that would agree that our skin is a direct reflection of the health of our inner landscape. The other factors at play are the effects of our environment, topical skin care habits, and of course, genetics. But I believe that our diet and lifestyle is the one facet that we have the most control over and that will produce the most profound results with regards to our skin. 

Here is a list of the top ten lifestyle habits to integrate into our lives that will help to create healthy, glowing skin from head to toe!

One –  Eat Well
Eating a simple, clean diet is so important for the health of our bodies, including our mental health, and in effect, our skin. Choose foods that have not been processed and are not man-made. Fresh fish, vegetables and an abundance of raw fruits and greens make us look and feel amazing.

Two – Have Fun 
Balance is key!  Life is to be enjoyed and laughing and playing is not just for kids. Try having a some amount of ‘fun’ each and every day. Isn’t this why most of us work, so we can have more fun. Induce a sense of humor as often as possible to keep things light and in perspective. 

Three – Hydrate 
Pretty basic idea that is an oldie but a goodie. Make it happen.  Avoid drinking with meals. Sip instead of gulp. Consider the best quality water you can afford. You’re worth it and you’re skin will appreciate it.

Four – Exercise 
Another oldie but goodie. Find something you truly enjoy. It all works – dancing, walking, swimming, gardening, hiking. Recruiting a partner can double the fun factor.  

Five – Give
There is much scientific proof that the side effects of ‘giving’ to others is giving to ourselves. Doing volunteer work or giving regularly to charitable organizations has a very positive effect on our mental and physical body. This is not a reason to be generous with our time or money but simply a beautiful fact within the gesture.

Six – Do What You Love
I’m not necessarily suggesting quit your job and go live on the beach in Hawaii, however, there really are no limits with this one.  We all need at least one thing in our lives that we are truly passionate about, something that transcends time and money – mentoring, a charity, a project, a garden, a hobby! 

Seven – Sleep
Sleep is great. The benefits of quality sleep are so abundant.  I believe the quantity varies from one person to the next, however, the average number is six hours. Try to ensure complete darkness in a clean room with fresh air. Upon awakening decide to make the first thought a happy one. If this doesn’t come naturally, fake it till you make it a habit.

Eight – Sunshine
The sun is our friend and, in moderation, it can be the simplest and least expensive health ally ever. If you’re out for more than a few minutes at a time a quality sunscreen is advised.  We still get plenty of Vitamin D and all the other wonderful things from the sun through our eyes and scalp.

Nine – Don’t fall asleep at the wheel
Sometimes we get caught up in the day to day and lose sight of the big picture of our lives. Months may pass by and suddenly we take notice that some things have gotten out of balance. We need to stay in touch with our goals and dreams. It’s helpful to make it a regular practice to check in and see what needs our attention the most. If there is an area of our lives that has been suffering we can take action. One step at a time in the direction that feels right. Walking, laying in the grass, meditating, whatever creates the space for us to survey what we’re manifesting.

Ten – Friends and Family
According to many global studies, this is the most important thing in life contributing to our overall fulfillment and happiness in life. Love is the best. 

The Wrinkle Hypothesis 

In April 2008, researchers at the Tokyo University of Technology reported that long-term skin aging studies supported their hypothesis for a mechanism of wrinkle formation, whereby inflammatory cytokine expression is activated by UV irradiation. This cytokine expression sets up an inflammatory cascade, which triggers dermal fibroblasts to increase the expression of elastase. The increase in elastase production in turn results in the deterioration of the three-dimensional architecture of elastic fibers, reducing skin elasticity, and finally leading to the formation of wrinkles.

Dr. McDaniel, who has extensively studied the impact of solar radiation and other environmental stress and injury on accelerated aging in skin, agrees with this model and believes it could be further amplified, particularly since UVA/UVB affects the up-regulation of inflammatory cytokines within the cell, as well as inducing a cascade of reactive oxygen species (free radical attack). These processes attack the cellular membrane and other diverse targets within the cell. Dr. McDaniel believes both pathways are significantly responsible for assaulting the tissue, resulting in damage to the micro-architecture of the skin, leading to wrinkle formation and accelerated aging. 

While many active ingredients claim to up-regulate collagen and elastin production, until the catabolic processes are switched off through inhibition of ROS (reactive oxygen species) and suppression of inflammatory activity, these pro-collagen effects will have limited benefit.

Alpha Linolenic Acid & Wrinkles 

In 2002, Japanese researchers demonstrated that dietary ALA inhibited the erythema score after UVB irradiation. They also demonstrated that UVB-induced prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production was significantly lower in the group fed an ALA-rich diet compared with the control group. The researchers concluded from their results that the type of fatty acids—n-6 or n-3—is critical for the suppression of UVB-induced skin lesion when the “skin” fatty acids are modified by dietary manipulation. Anti-inflammatory activity of diet with a relatively high ALA and low linoleic acid content was demonstrated in UVB-irradiated hairless mice model.

Tocotrienols & Wrinkles 

The significance of tocotrienols in skin care (and in particular gamma-tocotrienol) has come to light during the past few years. Researchers at Sugiyama Jogakuen University in Japan had previously shown that a vitamin E admixture extracted from palm oil could result in specific distribution of vitamin E isomers in an animal model. This research group concluded that when fed as part of the diet, tocotrienols were selectively taken up in the skin. They also claimed the skin to be a unique tissue in its ability to discriminate between various vitamin E analogs. 

In a more recent study presented in April, the same research group investigated whether the increased presence of tocotrienols in the skin could confer a specific anti-aging health benefit, such as protecting the skin from the accelerated aging effect of UVB over-exposure. The group concluded that dietary tocotrienols do indeed protect the skin from damage (including tumor development) induced by UVB, more strongly than the more common form of vitamin E—alpha-tocopherol. 

The Role of Other Antioxidants 

One reason vitamin E has not performed well in earlier studies is that it doesn’t work well in isolation, especially the tocotrienols. As far back as 2000, Lester Packer and colleagues from the University of California, Berkeley, during a presentation at Experimental Biology, noted that tocotrienols are uniformly distributed on the surface of the cellular membrane where they easily collide with ROS and facilitate the recycling activity of the chromanoxyl radical. Dr. Packer reported that vitamin E, as a class of compounds, does not work in isolation from other antioxidants, but instead forms part of an interlinking set of redox reactions with antioxidants such as vitamin C. 

It doesn’t matter if you are rich and famous or not – acne does not discriminate. In fact, some very notable and beautiful celebrities have struggled with acne in the past, or even occasionally may show up on the red carpet with a blemish!  Of course, this is rare when they have any dermatologist they want at their disposal before major events, but we all know how newsworthy it is when one is photographed with a zit!

Take for example, poor Katie Holmes.  I’m not sure what it was on her face, but it was a blemish of some sort, although it may not have been acne but rather perhaps a cold sore of some type.  Boy, you would have thought that was international news that a celebrity actually had – gulp – a visible imperfection.  Or how about when you see nowadays a beautiful actor of actress on that great new high definition television, with a big plump zit on their forehead?

I recently was watching a TV series and saw a particular actress with a definite zit on her forehead.  You could tell the cameramen were advised to shoot around it and light it so that it was less noticeable, but when the light caught it just right, there was no mistaking it was a raging pimple.  But it’s not just the occasional zit that celebrities may struggle with.  Some of them have talked about how they suffered horrible hormonal acne in the past, in their teen years.

One successful celebrity has said that she suffered from acne when she was younger, and still has to watch her naturally oily skin even as a woman in her thirties.  That actress is Cameron Diaz. Vanessa Williams, who won a beauty queen title and went on to a successful singing career and is known as a great beauty, has suffered from acne since she was a teen.  There is a little bit of noticeable pitting in her face, but in general her face has recovered beautifully from her earlier acne struggles.  She is actually a spokeswoman for a major brand of acne treatments currently, which fits perfectly since she really did struggle with this skin condition as a youth, and may even still struggle with it today, although you’d never know by looking at her.

Another notable star, Victoria Beckham, and the lucky woman who snagged the highly desirable, gorgeous David Beckham, had acne when she was younger and her skin emerged unscathed, although you can tell she has naturally oily skin when you look at some of her photographs, so she may suffer a breakout or two here and there still.

Alicia Keyes, another woman with flawless skin today, had acne problems in the past.  Jessica Simpson has also said that she suffered from acne in her teens, but now keeps it under control as an adult.  By the way, she also happens to be a spokesperson for Proactive as well.  I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen her with a zit, but I’ll have to take her word for it.

What you have to remember with celebrities is that since they have an army of skin care specialists at their disposal if they so choose, if they happen to have a horrible acne breakout before an event where they will definitely be photographed, they can get this taken care of with a shot of cortisone, which usually makes a large, inflamed acne postule go down almost immediately, so don’t feel bad when they seem to have perfect skin all the time, it’s because they have the resources to look like that at all times, and it literally means their career sometimes to keep perfect skin all the time.

Now, onto the male celebrities.  There are actually a lot of male celebrities that have had acne in the past, and because their skin tends to show acne scarring and pitting a lot more for some reason, or maybe they just weren’t as cognizant of getting it corrected, you can tell that these men have acne scars now in their adulthood and probably had acne as teens.  One of the more noticeable ones is Ray Liotta.  His handsome face has acne pitting on the sides of his cheeks, and yet it somehow fits his features.

Another is James Woods, and Brad Pitt.  You wouldn’t know it to look at Brad unless you see a close up, but there is definitely some acne scarring going on there, although his face still looks irresistible to most women!  Teen idol Ricky Martin had struggled with acne, but his pretty face still looks great today, so it is hard to tell.  Most men are beginning to wriggle with discomfort as the tables continue to turn and the world is starting to pick apart their every body part just as they have with women. More men are becoming self conscious about their skin, especially the ones before the camera. 

I always appreciate when actresses and actors that are in the spotlight and admired by so many are honest about their imperfections. It makes the rest of us more realistic about our struggles with cosmetic imperfections. Furthermore, celebs spend an average of $100 000 EVERY YEAR on cosmetic tune-ups, from facials to line fillers to the best brow shapers, hair dressers, and so on. If we spent that on our appearance, we would also look like a million bucks, hands down.