Everyone dreams of a peaches and milk skin tone and one that stays supple and young forever, but sadly that doesn’t happen for most of us.

The fortunate ones get away with a mild breakout of acne or a zit here and there, but some of us have to deal with skin problems that are not only painful but also embarrassing. These problems not only affect our facial skin but can happen anywhere on the body. A skin problem that leaves our face and other parts with blotches or patches play havoc with our confidence.

The one thing we tend to overlook in such cases is that help might be closer home – we do have a potent medicine in our spice box – our very own humble turmeric.

Turmeric is a powerful therapeutic spice and all because of the curcuminoid, curcumin. The only problem is our home turmeric is not able to give us the right amount of curcumin so we need to look for curcumin supplements that can guarantee that we get the right quantity of this miracle ingredient.

Before we learn how curcumin works for us let us try and learn about psoriasis which is:

  •         An inflammatory problem and is generally chronic
  •         Genetic
  •         Of different kinds with plaque psoriasis being most common
  •         Can happen due to environmental factors
  •         Non-contagious

What is Psoriasis?

This is a chronic condition in which thickened and scaling plaques of the skin are formed. The dry flaking is caused by the rapid and excessive proliferation of the cells of your skin.

The white blood cells T-lymphocytes are said to trigger this inflammatory condition due to the chemicals they produce.

The elbow, knees and scalp are generally affected by psoriasis.

One may have a mild breakout, or more significant areas are affected with plaques, to red, inflamed skin affecting the entire body.

This condition is usually incurable and chronic and also there are periods where the state might suddenly improve or worsen.

What causes Psoriasis?

Repeated studies have not yet been able to ascertain the causes of this condition but it has been understood that a combination of genes and environmental factors cause psoriasis.

A compromised immune system which fails to control inflammation can also give rise to psoriasis.

Psoriasis can be:

  •         Psoriasis Vulgaris or plaque psoriasis (most common type)
  •         Guttate psoriasis (one develops small drop-like spots)
  •         Inverse psoriasis ( generally affects the folds of your underarms, navel, buttocks and groin)
  •         Pustular psoriasis ( small pus-filled blisters)
  •         Erythrodermic psoriasis (entire surface of the skin is affected): people with this kind of psoriasis may develop congestive heart failure (if they already have a heart problem)
  •         Nail psoriasis: affects the nails
  •         Scalp psoriasis affects the scalp and may cause hair loss, dandruff and itching.
  •         Psoriatic arthritis: psoriasis can affect the joints as joint pains are sometimes the first signal of the condition (your skin might be completely clear)

Signs to look out for:

  •         Red bumps which are small in size
  •         Itchy
  •         Usually happens in areas where friction occurs
  •         Pulling of dry flakes might expose skin and blood dots may be there, called the Auspitz sign
  •         Scalp psoriasis might look like severe dandruff

Diagnosis is generally made after a physical examination and skin history, lab tests of the skin tissue might also be done to confirm the type.

For prevention, you must:

  1. Be regular with your bath, keep your body clean
  2. Moisturize your body
  3. Ensure that you stay away from the environment that can trigger psoriasis
  4. Keep skin covered and wear sunscreen

Treatment:

This condition does not have a cure but with the right care it can go into remission and curcumin supplements are the best bet against psoriasis.

Why does curcumin work against psoriasis?

  1. Curcumin is nature’s most powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.
  2. Curcumin not only fights free radicals but also builds the immune system bolstering it against all kinds of skin problems.
  3. The potent anti-inflammatory action of curcumin checks inflammation and combats the discomfort and also inhibits the flares of psoriasis.
  4. A study published by The European journal of Dermatology about the effects of oral curcumin combined with visible light therapy on psoriasis patients. The results showed that people with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis might benefit from the combination therapy.
  5. The antioxidant action of curcumin flushes out free radicals, which helps check the spread of psoriasis.
  6. Curcumin has an effective immunomodulatory action, and this property in combination with the anti-inflammatory action boosts the immune system.

With this wonder ingredient, you can send psoriasis into remission and also keep the flare-ups at bay.