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Psoriasis


In March 2000, I found out I had psoriasis, a genetic disorder that makes my itch horribly and gives me ugly lesions. The worst attack so far covered about %10 of my body. The itching gets so bad that you can't think or sleep. It took a while to figure out what was wrong. For more general info, check out the National Psoriasis Foundation.

The most wonderful substance on the face of the earth is coal tar. This stuff has made my life liveable by relieving the psoriasis to the point where I can be human. It's wonderful. I use:
MG217 ointment
Neutrogena T-Gel
But be careful, some products have made my symptoms worse. These worked for me but might not be compatible with you. Usually, if I use something and it burns a little, I know it won't help. Sunlight also helps a lot (Ultraviolet), but if I screw up and get a sunburn, it's hell for a few weeks.

I have a baseline level of the disease almost all the time, but I have had periods of complete clearance. This usually seems to occur for a week or two in the summer when I can get a lot of sun. My triggers seem to be stress and certain chemicals. My skin doesn't like certain products. It helps me a lot to use unscented soaps, laundry detergent, and certain shampoos as well (but deoderant is usually OK).


Updated February 24th, 2003