Hello newbie (James) here. I've had mild psoriasis for about 15 years now, aged 44. I really should have joined up to the forum before now, not sure why I didn't but here I am now.
I'm relatively lucky compared to most I think. I get it worst on my hands, especially around the finger joints. There may be an exczematic link on the hands, and I did have that as a child, but everyone who looks at it says psoriasis is the main thing. I only have a few long-term, persistent small body plaques.
I've had every ointment and cream prescription under the sun and was on Acitretin for a while, a couple of years back, with zero effect. Now the people at the NHS derma clinic want to put me back on a systemic but I don't like the sound of the one they mentioned, it being an anti-cancer drug that could need weekly injections Sorry, forget the name.
They've tried PUVA on the hands a couple of times but had to stop the treatment after I got a rash on the back of the hands from the PUVA drug I had to soak my hands with prior to the twice-weekly treatment. I've just been for allergy patch testing and came back with a complete blank there. I do have a high alcohol intake, which they are now picking up on and saying "binge drinking" can cause flare-ups. Can't say I notice it makes any difference how much I drink but I am trying to bring down that intake. My bloods previously showed a vitamin D deficiency and they put me on some tablets but they ran out many months ago and they've dodged the topic since and I've not forced the issue.
It's almost as if the hands do what they want, regardless of what treatment I use. I do know stress from work makes it worse, as does anything like travelling where you're constantly lifting bags and making cuts worse on the hands. I use Haelan tape or Duoderm dressings to cover up any sore bits or cuts and I have to carry a little batch of pre-cut slips with me almost wherever I go.
I also have a "it-comes-and-goes" line tracing the bottom of the scalp, and behind the ears. When it's active like now, I get quite a few flakes coming down and it's pretty itchy, red and can be raw. I've been switching between using Capasal and Dermax for the last few years with no real change in how often it flares up.
I've seen the advice elsewhere in the scalp threads to avoid sodium lauryl sulphate and wanted to try that with the rosemary oil mix for the scalp and maybe bjmac's vitamin D regime too, as a general measure.
My question is, should I move away from Capasal and Dermax? I'm not sure if they're SLS-free or not. I note that Capasal has
triethanolamine lauryl sulphate in it; is this the same as sodium LS or related to it?
Dermax lists sodium lauryl
ether sulphate in it so I think it's safe to assume I should try dropping this for a bit if I want to be SLS-free?
I'm due a visit to the clinic on Tuesday. I think I will tell them I plan to try some more herbal-style remedies and further alcohol reduction for the next few months and that they can forget about putting me back on systemics. Ill also hammer them about the vitamin D.
