Psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema, and any other skin problems are irritated very easily by most soaps. As a former psoriasis sufferer I would estimate I tried at least 30 different soaps hoping that would cure my psoriasis. I later discovered I was wrong and my psoriasis was only irritated from soap, but soap was not
cause of it.If you have any form of a skin problem you may have feared taking a shower or bathing because of dry, painful itch, and film left by using a commercially produced bar soap. Why is that? What causes itch left by a bar soap and is there any way to cope?
Here are some tips to buying a better soap or cleanser that may not irritate your skin:
1. Glycerin is a good moisturizer. Glycerin is known to moisturize from inside out, pulling in moisture from outside environment. It's typically found in better quality, more expensive soaps like a hand made soap or good cleanser.
Lower grade, commercially produced soaps usually remove glycerin and use more cost effective chemicals which are much more destructive to skin.
2. Avoid any soaps that are granular. Granular soaps are terribly too abrasive for skin of acne, psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis sufferers. This abrasive soap may be okay to wash motor oil off your hands but not to scrub acne-prone skin on your face.
I had acne as a teen and believed I could scrub long enough to remove dead skin cells to let my pores "breathe". It took little time to discover this was only irritating my skin. If you have beautiful, blemish-free skin a granular soap may not be harmful. However, gentle is key for anyone who has any form of blemish or sensitive condition like psoriasis, eczema, or dermatitis.
3. Tea Tree Oil and Eucalyptus are terrific for cleansing. Tea tree oil is considered to have some of best natural antiseptic / antifungal properties in world. Eucalyptus oil has been shown to fight infection-causing bacteria, fungi, and viruses very effectively.
The reason I have found tea tree oil and eucalyptus to be so powerful in helping my psoriasis was because both were natural and complemented my skin. Far too many chemicals are added into many commercial soaps today that do their job of cleaning but strip away skins natural moisturizers as well.
Although I no longer have psoriasis, I still use a specific blend of aloe, eucalyptus, and tea tree oil in a concentrated cleanser. Email me at michael@epsoriasis.net and I will tell you what it is and where to purchase it. (I don't personally sell it but can tell you where to find it)
4. pH balance of you skin is critical. Normal skin is naturally acidic with a pH in range of 4.2 to 5.6. Most traditional soaps considered "mild" have a pH of around 9.5 - 11 which is too alkaline and may cause excessive dryness and irritation. These soaps traditionally remove natural acid protection and extract fats from skin as well.
