Skin conditions and illnesses could become tricky to deal with for anyone. The major reason for that is not the chronic nature of these illnesses. Rather, these conditions take up their form. They manifest in different ways on our skin, thus making our appearance questionable at times.
What is Psoriasis?
It becomes difficult to avoid these conditions. Because once they have manifested, they go away only when their disease course has progressed to the very end-stage. Only to flare up again with the trigger that caused them in the first place. One such chronic illness is Psoriasis, a very common condition affecting both men and women. [1]
Psoriasis is a skin condition where multiple red and itchy patches appear on the skin. Most commonly on the knees, elbows, and scalp. [2]
This disease tends to occur in flares or cycles. And when it comes, it only tends to make things problematic for the person who suffers from it. Mainly because of the excessive itching that it causes constantly. [3]
Although it is an autoimmune condition. Several triggers might flare up or cause the condition to develop once again in a person who has already developed psoriasis. These triggers include stress, infections, cold or dry weather conditions, smoking, etc. Because of these triggers, people with psoriasis have to remain vigilant at all times not to let their condition relapse or worsen.
What is more embarrassing and painful at the same time is that these itchy plaques can often bleed when scratched harshly. Thus, a person feels socially embarrassed and anxious regarding what they can do to avoid such a situation.
Essential Oils and Psoriasis: Useful or Not?
Apart from the usual long course of medicines, several conventional treatments exist for psoriasis. It helps people tone down the severity of their flare-ups.
While these conventional treatments for psoriasis are not always helpful in completely resolving the condition. They help lessen the symptoms and provide part-time relief to the patients.
One such conventional mode of treatment is the usage of essential oils for psoriasis. Essential oils are plant-based extracts. Since they are organic, they help fight off several diseases and skin-related issues but take their time. [4]
However, one should never forget that psoriasis is an autoimmune condition. This means that there is no obvious or known cause behind its occurrence. Because of this, there is little that you can do to ‘completely’ reverse or resolve the condition.
Psoriasis can only be taken care of transiently or for the time being and with its fateful trigger. It can always flare up or get stimulated wherever and whenever.
Best Essential Oils for Psoriasis
Now, here is the thing with natural and organic stuff – they work differently for everyone. For some people, these might turn out to be a life-saving and miraculous treatments. But for others, they might not seem to do a lot, let alone decrease the severity of flare-ups.
Whether these essential oils work or not is one thing, but seeing what research has found out regarding the usage of these essential oils is a different thing.
So far, the following essential oils and their extracts were promising to do the job for people suffering from psoriasis:
Bergamot Oil:
As far as we know, Bergamot Oil has been great for psoriasis patients for a long time.
These people used to apply Bergamot Oil in ample amounts on their plaques and then expose these areas directly to Ultraviolet (UV) light, which is also used for treating psoriasis. [5]
Carrot Seed Oil:
Although not a popular topical regime for psoriasis, carrot seed oil also possesses remarkable antiseptic properties. It could help reduce the production of bacteria on the psoriatic plaques.
Apart from this, carrot seed oil was also helpful to promote the growth and healing of the damaged tissue, which has a beneficial impact on people with psoriasis. [6]
East Indian Sandalwood Oil:
According to a study, some of these essential oils, mainly the East Indian Sandalwood Oil, were helpful to have great anti-inflammatory properties. When applied to the psoriasis plaques, could thus help in reducing the symptoms of psoriasis. [7]
In medical terms, it was seen to affect the hyper-inflammation and hyper-proliferation that resulted from psoriasis. [8]
Rose Geranium Oil:
Rose Geranium Oil is one of those popularly used essential oils for psoriasis scalp plaques. Since many people suffer from scalp plaques in psoriasis, it is only fair that there is a topical regimen for treating these plaques as well.
Rose Geranium Oil was helpful as it possesses anti-inflammatory properties, which help fight off the excessive damage done by the psoriatic plaques and, in doing so, also help keep the growth of bacteria and fungi to a minimal in these areas, a benefit that makes them an ideal choice to be used in people with acne as well. [9]
Lavender Oil:
Lavender Oil has been helpful to have several benefits in different skin-related conditions. In the context of psoriasis, lavender oil helped decrease the irritation, itching, and redness that resulted from the development of psoriasis. [10]
Another beneficial use that was noticed with Lavender oil was the re-growth of the skin. Now, this is greatly helpful for people who have psoriasis since their skin suffers the most damage, which is not always easily and quickly reversible. [11]
Tea-Tree Oil:
Tea-Tree oil is one of the most famous essential oils. It has remarkable anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. This makes it an ideal choice to be useful on the plaques of psoriasis. It eventually means that it will help fight off infections and keep their potential growth to the minimum, thus enabling the area to stay free from germs and infections. [12]
How to Use Essential Oils for Psoriasis?
Psoriasis somehow benefited from a different variety of essential oils differently.
Although this is not a confirmed fact that essential oils are best for psoriasis, overall, they were seen to have a minor to moderate impact on the skins and existing plaques that had developed as a consequence of psoriasis.
When topically applying these essential oils, you need to take care of a couple of things. Failing to do so may harm your skin in unimaginable ways and even exacerbate the skin’s condition, which nobody anticipates.
Here are a few pointers to take care of when using essential oils as a means of conventional treatment for psoriasis:
Timing
Did you know that essential oils need the ‘perfect’ time to function optimally as well? Confused? Let us see how!
This ‘optimal’ time is based on many factors, such as when the sun is giving appropriate exposure when the body’s hormonal levels are in perfect balance, or even the time when these oils are applied. [13]
All this information can rightfully be gained from trained people whose expertise lies in making and extracting essential oils, so it is always preferable to get them from a place where you can find trustworthy people to guide you correctly.
Carrier Oil
It is a common practice that while essential oils are being prepared after their extraction process, they are often mixed with a particular ‘carrier oil’.
These carrier oils work to dilute the essence of essential oils, so they are used only in those proportions deemed safe for use on the skin. [14]
Therefore, people with sensitive skin should take immense care while opting for essential oils so that they do not mistakenly choose those whose carrier oils contain any allergens that might negatively affect them.
Pureness
It is always best to choose them in their most organic, closest-to-natural form when choosing natural products.
This point is especially important because many dupes or fake products are claiming to be pure ones in the market nowadays, and people with little to no knowledge can easily get tricked into buying simple perfumed oils in the name of essential oils.
And this is how one’s allergies or psoriasis plaques may get flared or even exacerbated.
Final Verdict: Do Essential Oils Work for Psoriasis?
If one thing is to be decided here, it is this – essential oils do have a role in reducing the severity or intensity of psoriasis in people suffering from it. However, the extent to which each person benefits from these oils is different and varies from person to person.
Moreover, essential oils should never be considered as an alternative to actual medical treatment. You may use essential oils as an additional topical treatment or an ‘add-on’ to your existing treatment therapy. Still, it is always best to follow your doctor’s advice when it comes to taking the right medications to treat and resolve your condition.
Disclaimer: This article is only a guide. It does not substitute the advice given by your own healthcare professional. Before making any health-related decision, consult your healthcare professional.
