Burning,Sore,Itchy Flare Up

Hi,thanks for reply... I have gone back to work this week and we are cleaning a lot of things out and also it has got cold again so yeah you could be right I am going to ask about my D3 levels when I see the doctor next. I eat blueberries anyway and no different for me... No don’t drink either. I just can’t wait for the summer ☀️

I have the same thing, scalp is so itchy and burning and when I find myself scratching and then ending up with a headache. Does anyone else get headaches from scratching their scalp psoriasis?

when I had a flare-up of guttate ps a few years ago, my scalp itching was driving me mad. The best relief I got was from "Alphacade PSO shampoo". A bonus was that it did not dry my hair too much. I even took it to the hairdresser and asked them to use it when they washed my hair. You need to shop around to compare prices, but i bought it several times from: https://www.cocooncenter.co.uk/item-dermatologie-alphacade-shampoo-pso-severe-cases-of-dandruff-200ml/14313.html

Enstilar foam 100% stops the burn and itch, in under 10secs. Like a magic potion. But it is only for small spots, very short-term, and a temporary relief. Not a permanent fix (due to steroid). It sounds like "severe" psoriasis. The main way to tackle bad P is via UVB light-therapy, or an effective biologic (such as Skyrizi). Creams don't work for severe P, because, by this point, the immune system is way too out of control.

Hey Rick, Yeah, don't think anybody really knows yet. Is bad skin causing a bad immune system? Or is a bad immune system causing bad skin? Is it both at the same time? Based on a rough count, there are today around 200 drugs approved by UK and US authorities for "treating" psoriasis, but (as far as can be seen) less than 10 of them are truly effective. The other ~190 just tinker at the edges and don't really work for most people. P is a very complex affliction.

Topical steroids may reduce redness for a day or week, but are often followed by fierce "rebound". Changing diet or eliminating alcohol could ease symptoms (like burning), but don't appear to reverse psoriasis. Teetotalers and elite athletes get psoriasis, too. (Although, the "eat 20 blueberries a day" thread here is encouraging, so far, on face value, for a food-based treatment). The studies for D3 seem inconclusive. Harvard Uni, for example, points to high-dose vitamin A as a treatment, but not vitamin D. But even vitamin A has weak results (and can have nasty side-effects). Etanercept has just 20% chance of 90% clearance for psoriasis and is low efficacy. Studies suggest it is much less effective than newer biologics (like Skyrizi at 75% for 90% clearance). UVB is highly effective as a temporary treatment, often giving 90-100% clearance, but most patients appear to get "rebound" as soon as the light stops. Have seen stats suggesting 75% of folks see psoriasis "come back" after a few months. No easy answers.

Hi Sarah Your symptoms are similar to what I experienced. Are you being treated at your local hospital? If not get your GP to refer you. My treatment started with Cyclosporine. Then changed to Methotrexate. My Psoriasis is 95% clear. I have blood tests every six weeks to check liver function. I hope you can get the help you need.

Hi Sarah, I can totally sympathise with your situation. I was awake almost all night last night because the bed sheet felt like sandpaper! I want to win the lotto so I can buy a floatation tank to sleep in! (If only!) Also, @Melissa4545, I don't so much get a headache from continual scalp scratching, but I do get a constant neckache and sore neck/shoulder muscles. For treatment, I'm latterly relying on something called exorex lotion (I don't know whether you're in the UK or elsewhere, but I got this on prescription from my GP). It's smelly, but I don't care, I'm sick of feeling like I've got an all-over sunburn inside my clothing/bed! Also, I'm learning about functional medicine which is a thing in the States, from what I've learned. Sounds promising - I'm starting with a list of anti-inflammatory foods I can add into my diet fairly easily. I'm hoping it'll help, as applying lotion top to toe 2-3 times a day is just not really feasible. Good luck!

Hi Sarah I’ve never considered using chamomile lotion for the itching but this is now on my radar so thank you! My current go to is propolis gel (bonus it smells amazing!) followed by o’keefes skin repair body lotion. Feels a bit more of a treat than the standard dermol 500 I was getting from the doctor. N.B This is alongside the steroid based creams I use from the doctor. Cannot wait from some sunshine though. All the best!