Before we proceed with a discussion on moringa, its effects as one of nature’s most powerful extracts, and how it can help address the symptoms of psoriasis, we’ll need to first go in-depth on the skin condition.
We’re sure you’re here because you want to find the answer to this question: “Is moringa good for psorias?” And the straightforward answer to this query is yes.
Read on to find out why and how moringa oil for psoriasis can help alleviate the symptoms that keep many people up at night.
What is Psoriasis?
Psoriasis, as we know the skin condition today, is known for its red, crusty or scaly appearance, and the annoyingly itchy sensation that comes with it. It comes as the result of faulty immune responses that affect the process of cell turnover.
Common in adults under 35 years old, what happens is that the length of period for skin renewal is cut short—from the normal length of one month to a few days—causing an overproduction of skin cells and the abnormal build-up that manifests as visible patches on the surface of the skin.
Get a deeper understanding of the skin condition with these factoids on Psoriasis.
What is the origin of the word “psoriasis”?
Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition that afflicts people of all ages. It is known for its red, crusty or scaly appearance and the deep, itchy sensation that comes with it. This condition comes as a result of faulty immune responses that affect the process of skin cell turnover.
Evidence of this disease was recorded in ancient times. Greek doctors like Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.) and Galen (133-200 A.D.) were amongst the first to observe this disease and give it a name, from the Greek words psora (to itch) and sis (condition), hence its name, psoriasis.
What’s it like to have psoriasis?
Psoriasis can appear at any age, starting in one’s teens, and reappear again throughout one’s lifetime, usually because of some trigger. Many report that stress, infection, skin injury, and hormonal changes can trigger a flare-up of psoriasis.
When a person suffers from psoriasis, something in their immune system causes their skin renewal process to go into overdrive. The body begins to overproduce skin cells in a short period of time, eventually forming several layers that look like dry, whitish, or silvery patches on the surface of the skin.
These patches are seen in joint areas like elbows, but can appear on the hands, feet, arms and even on the scalp and face. It is unpredictable, irritating, and often induces panic. But being better informed about psoriasis should help you not worry too much.
It’s chronic, but not contagious
One of the most common misconceptions about psoriasis is that it’s contagious. It’s not.
Psoriasis patches appear white and can often feel swollen, itchy, and sore. They may crack and bleed. But one does not catch psoriasis by being in contact with someone who has it.
Medical experts still don’t know the exact cause of this illness, which originates in the immune system, and are looking into what causes the faulty signals that interfere with cell turnover. Genetic predisposition seems to be another factor.
Psoriasis is believed to affect as many as 125 million people worldwide, according to the World Psoriasis Day consortium. And if a parent has psoriasis, one of their children has a 10 percent chance of developing the skin condition, as well.
Treatment for psoriasis
There is no known modern cure for psoriasis. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do to control or manage it. You should do something about it.
Leaving psoriasis untreated raises the risk of other health conditions, such as diabetes, heart attack, depression, and obesity. There’s also the risk of psoriatic arthritis, a persistent and disabling illness that requires aggressive treatment and medication.
Here are three details that need to be very clear about psoriasis when it comes to treatment:
- It’s not a skin disease,
- it’s not contagious, and
- it has no cure, but the pain and itch can definitely be minimized and managed.
For those requiring mild treatment, using a topical cream or product can help with the condition.
How to use moringa oil for psoriasis
In countries with deep histories of traditional medicine like India and the Philippines, symptoms of psoriasis have been treated using Moringa (malunggay), which is antiseptic, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory. The use of moringa oil for psoriasis helps manage the annoying symptoms of the skin condition by keeping the skin healthy and moisturized.
Psoriasis and its flare-ups can be controlled with a deeply-moisturizing moringa oil. It can be used every day after a bath, or as needed, to soothe itch and provide moisture for cracked and dry skin or scalp.
The type of treatment is prescribed according to the kind and severity of psoriasis, as well as the area of skin that’s affected. Obviously, serious cases require more complex procedures and the attention of a health or skin professional. The usage of a topical cream or product like moringa oils and extracts can help alleviate the symptoms of psoriasis.
We believe that psoriasis is a skin condition that warrants a gentle yet powerful skincare solution. Moringa-O2’s line of skin care products are founded on three main natural ingredients: moringa, sunflower, and olive oils. The combination of these three herbal extracts provides the benefits of moringa for psoriasis through a daily skin, scalp, and hair care regimen.
Dermatologically tested safe and effective, Moringa-O2 Hair, Scalp, and Skin Therapy Oil uses the natural benefits of moringa (malunggay), olive oil, and omega (from Sunflower oil) to deeply nourish and moisturize dry skin and scalp, regulate skin cell production and turnover, and soothe itch.
Simply use the product after taking a shower to enjoy the benefits of moringa oil.
The Herbal Moisturizing Soap is effective in fighting acne and pimples by controlling the production of sebum on the skin. It can also be used to address the symptoms of psoriasis, as it provides a gentle cleansing action that keeps the skin moisturized and nourishes it with nature’s most powerful extracts, effectively combating dryness, itchiness, and harmful oxidants.
Make sure to soap a lather of the moisturizing soap on your body, arms, and legs, rinse, and dry every day or as often recommended by your dermatologist.
Our dermatologically tested Herbal Moisturizing Lotion is enriched with herbal actives and antioxidants, which make it a recommended skincare product for people with dull, dry, or sensitive skin. For people who need a gentle yet effective skincare solution, here’s a moisturizing lotion that offers moringa oil for psoariasis in a rich lather of nature’s essential extracts.
After showering, massage a liberal amount of the moisturizing lotion unto your skin while it’s still damp. This allows your skin to better absorb and lock in moisture, allowing you to enjoy youthful, radiant, and glowing skin that’s healthy and nourished.
What Makes Moringa Good for Psoriasis?
In a research article from Biochemistry & Pharmacology: Open Access, the authors from the University of Science and Technology in Bannu, Pakistan study and analyze the healing effects of moringa extracts on psoriatic rats.
In their abstract, the paper highlights the use of moringa for psoriasis primarily because the extracts have a long history for medicinal purposes in many communities around the world. As a plant extract, it offers the following benefits and properties with high nutritional values and pharmacological activities:
- Antioxidant
- Anticancer
- Antimicrobial
- Anti-ulcer
- Anti-hepatotoxic
- Antihypertensive
- Anti-hyperlipidemia
- Antidiabetic
- Antispasmodic
- Antiepileptic
- Antipyretic
- Anti-inflammatory
- Analgesic
Various parts of the moringa plant can be used for its health benefits, including the:
- Flower
- Seed
- Immature pod
- Stem bark
- Leaf
- Roots
Their study seeks to evaluate the healing properties of moringa’s most powerful ingredients on rats with psoriasis and the collected data show that there is indeed a significant difference. The rats that had been treated with orally administered moringa extracts resulted into bearing a thicker epidermis. How did this happen?
The methanolic extracts from moringa enhanced fibroplasia, or the healing of wounds, reduced inflammation, produced higher amounts of scar tissue, and also improved the rates of re-epithelization. This proved effective against the psoriatic changes in the rats, however, for a more conclusive understanding of the ingredients that impact psoriasis, further studies are still required.
Given its extensive history of use in many cultures and the studies that has validated its efficacy, the medicinal practice of applying moringa for psoriasis symptoms should serve as substantially enough evidence that it has – to a certain threshold for acceptance – proven effective, if not helpful.
Dealing with Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a skin condition that is mostly physical in nature, as it can be easily seen outside of the body and is very tangible. However, as with any medical condition, psoriasis will most definitely affect one’s mental and emotional capacities.
Here are four ways to deal with psoriasis mentally and emotionally:
#1 Create a Mindset that Not Every Day is a Bad Skin Day
When one has psoriasis, there will be times that the condition flares up so strongly, which can make anyone feel bad about their apparently worsening condition.
If you’re experiencing the symptoms of psoriasis, it helps to create a mindset that whenever you have a flare up, always remember that this worse condition will not always be like this. That even if psoriasis is a lifelong condition, there will also be times when your skin’s condition stabilizes again. There will always be different ways to treat yourself.
And the first step is to calm down, don’t be overwhelmed, and de-stress. Relax.
#2 Take Things at a Slow and Steady Pace
This step is very important, especially when you really feel under the weather.
Psoriasis irritates one’s emotions and would materialize or transfer stress to one’s personal and professional life. With more stress, psoriasis breakouts would heighten in frequency and seriousness. And sadly, there’s a good chance that it will become a depressing cycle.
So that’s why it’s okay to take some time off work. Get back all the sleep that you’ve lost recently. Take your pet out for a walk. Do some daily stretching. Get some fresh air and immerse yourself in a green environment away from the usual pollution. Breathe.
#3 Connect with People
You don’t have to deal with psoriasis alone, because there will always be people to help and give you the moral support that you need. From family, friends, and even psoriasis social groups or communities (both online and in person), you are not alone in this.
So have the initiative to communicate and connect with other human beings. Once you’ve established a comfortable support group for yourself, your mood will be more positive and your fighting spirit will be strengthened. Bond.
#4 Meditate and Develop Fortitude
Having psoriasis will bring physical, emotional, and mental strain on your mind and spirit. This is why you should ask for professional advice from a healthcare provider, while also not neglecting to ask for spiritual guidance from a mentor or leader from your church.
Developing some form of stronger spirituality and a more enduring faith will fortify you against depression and anxiety. Meditate on intangible subject matters and do your best to be at peace with yourself. Pray.
Overall, taking precautionary measures on stress would result into less flare ups of psoriasis, which in turn would make you feel less stressed. Breaking the cycle of depression would definitely help you treat and manage psoriasis better.
Find Out What Causes Psoriasis
As mentioned earlier, psoriasis is triggered by faulty messages from the immune system. These messages affect skin turnover, causing an overproduction of skin cells and the piling up of (and over) dead skin cells.
It will take more years of research until medical experts discover what exactly causes this faulty messaging from the immune system, but one of the most popular theories behind its origin is hereditary. Genes are responsible for it. So, if you have someone in the family with psoriasis, there’s a chance that you may have the skin condition too.
Other factors that dermatologists are looking at include:
- Viral or bacterial infections
- Sudden changes in the weather
- Smoking
- Stress
- Use of certain medications
Types of Psoriasis
That being said, the medical community has identified multiple types of psoriasis, and the official list includes the following:
Plaque Psoriasis
Plaque Psoriasis is most common of all types, with raised, red patches on the elbows, knees, lower back, and scalp.
Guttate Psoriasis
Translated as “drop” in Latin, Guttate Psoriasis is recognizable by its teardrop-shaped spots and silver scales. The commonly affected areas are the torso and limbs, and sometimes, spots may also appear on the face and scalp.
Guttate Psoriasis usually starts showing symptoms in early childhood or young adulthood. It is also known as the second most common form of psoriasis.
Inverse Psoriasis
Inverse Psoriasis appears as shiny, smooth, red lesions in the body or skin folds, such as the armpits, the groin area, and under the breast. This type of psoriasis is also known as Flexural Psoriasis.
Pustular Psoriasis
Pustular Psoriasis owes its name to its characteristic and appearance of white pustules surrounded by red skin. There are three subcategories under this type, each having different sets of symptoms and varying levels of severity.
These three types, distinguished by the areas of the blister outbreaks and the speed at which they rupture, include:
- Palmoplantar pustulosis
- Acropustulosis
- Generalized or Von Zumbusch
Pus-filled blisters will need medical attention for treatment and management.
Erythrodermic Psoriasis
This rare inflammatory type of psoriasis can develop over the entire body. Symptoms include widespread redness, pain, and severe itching.
5 Myths About Psoriasis
Given the many different types of psoriasis, it’s no real surprise why there exists limited knowledge about this skin condition. In the Philippines alone, there are around 2,120,000 people affected with psoriasis. But how many Filipinos know enough about it? This unawareness has led to a wide range of misconceptions or myths about psoriasis.
Psoriasis is a skin condition that can affect anyone at any age, and for the uninitiated, it can bring about certain anxiety. But before you panic, arm yourself with facts before acting on misinformation.
Here are five myths about psoriasis that needs debunking:
Myth #1: Psoriasis is a contagious disease.
Psoriasis is not contagious. You will not get psoriasis when you come into direct contact with someone who has it, even if you hug them or share food or drink with them.
Myth #2: Psoriasis is just another skin condition, like acne.
Very much unlike acne, psoriasis is actually an autoimmune disease. The condition is triggered by faulty messages from the immune system. These messages affect skin turnover, causing an overproduction of skin cells and the piling up of (and over) dead skin cells.
Myth #3: Psoriasis can be diagnosed just by looking at the red patches.
Red, scaly patches on the skin is the main symptom of psoriasis, but other conditions like eczema have similar symptoms as well. Only a dermatologist can properly diagnose psoriasis through medical testing.
Myth #4: All psoriasis is the same.
There are multiple types of psoriasis, such as the following:
- Plaque psoriasis results in raised, red patches on the elbows, knees, lower back, and scalp.
- Guttate psoriasis causes teardrop-shaped spots and silver scales to appear on the body, usually on the torso and limbs.
- Inverse psoriasis appears as shiny, smooth, red lesions in the body or skin folds, such as the armpits, the groin area, and under the breast.
Myth #5: Psoriasis can be cured
The condition is a chronic, lifelong condition. There will be periods when people with psoriasis will experience flare-ups, then periods when their skin will be clear. This just means that there are cycles to the condition.
Conclusion: Is Moringa Good for Psoriasis?
While it remains that there is no definitive cure for psoriasis, there are many ways to live a meaningful life with the condition. By building healthy and supportive relationships around you, accepting psoriasis as just one part of life, and finding the strength to keep living healthy, then suffering from the condition becomes a mere option.
To be proactive and seek a gentle herbal skincare solution, such as moringa oil for psoriasis, can help make life a tad easier. Message us if you want to know more about Moringa-O2’s line of herbal skincare products and we’ll get back to you ASAP.
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