The Power of Turmeric for Psoriasis
You’re probably familiar with turmeric as the yellowish cooking spice used in curry. But lately, turmeric has been in the headlines with frequent regularity as a treatment for many medical conditions.
Though it’s big in the news now, turmeric has been used for centuries as a healing agent.
Turmeric contains curcumin, a chemical that may possibly decrease swelling and inflammation. Because of this, it may be beneficial in treating inflammatory disease.
With all the turmeric hype of late, you may be wondering if turmeric treats psoriasis. Let’s take a look.
Typical Psoriasis Treatment
There is a plethora of treatments for psoriasis that range from topical treatments, to phototherapy, to oral and injected medications.
The aim of psoriasis treatment is twofold: to stop skin cells from growing so quickly, which in turn will reduce inflammation and plaque formation, and removing scales and smoothing the skin. The reason there are so many different ways to treat psoriasis is because a treatment plan must be developed that will do both.
For example, someone with mild to moderate psoriasis may require only topical medications. Topical corticosteroids will slow the turnover of skin cells, thus reducing inflammation and the itching associated with rapid turnover. There are also many other types of topical medications that may be prescribed.
For someone with severe psoriasis, the addition of phototherapy and oral/injected medications may be added to the treatment. There are a variety of different types of phototherapy, but the use of light to treat psoriasis is known to slow skin cell turnover.
Oral medications are added if topical medications and phototherapy are not helping, as these medications are known to have side effects and may only be taken for brief periods.
The Research: Turmeric for Psoriasis Treatment
Although there are many treatments for psoriasis, taking a more natural approach may be desirable to some people.
Turmeric is popular in both Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine and has been used for centuries for a variety of different ailments. Recently, research has shown effectiveness in the treatment of psoriasis.
According to Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences, and Applications, a 16-week study was performed on 34 people with plaque psoriasis.
Topical curcumin was applied to affected areas. The participants used this gel in addition to other treatments they were prescribed, such as topical steroids, antibiotics, and avoidance of allergens.
At the conclusion of the trial, 72 percent of the participants didn’t have symptoms of psoriasis.
An additional study published by European Journal of Dermatology found oral curcumin combined with phototherapy to be a safer treatment option for people with severe psoriasis than other treatment options.
The Bottom Line
Unless your physician has given you the go-ahead, don’t stop your prescription psoriasis treatments in favor of turmeric. However, the research is promising enough that incorporating turmeric into your daily routine can’t hurt.
This recipe from Delish for a golden milk latte can be consumed daily and may help psoriasis symptoms, along with other muscle aches you may have.