Today is National Psoriasis Day – Don’t let the condition ruin your life!

A quarter of people in the UK suffering with the inflammatory skin condition psoriasis claim their relationship has ended because of the symptoms they were afflicted with.

New research shows that four in 10 people with psoriasis say they have been dumped after their partner found them unattractive. Furthermore, 16% of those with the skin problem have cancelled a date because of it and 15% refuse to go on holiday due to worries about having to show off skin.

The findings were part of a report published ahead of today’s National Psoriasis Day – a global event that aims to give an international voice to the 125 million people around the world who suffer with psoriasis/psoriatic arthritis. The day will also hopefully raise awareness of the psychological impact that living with the condition can have and letting those affected discuss the day-to-day impact of managing the chronic inflammatory condition.

The new research shows to some extent how some of the 1.8 million sufferers in the UK try and deal with a condition that has been nicknamed eczema’s ‘cousin’.

One in six sufferers say that their psoriasis has hindered their progress at work, whilst four in 10 psoriasis patients claimed others have had a repulsed look at them and over of half of sufferers have co-workers who behave differently around them.

Of the 125 million around the world effected by psoriasis, there are some celebrities in this total. Reality show star Kim Kardashian and supermodel Cara Delivingne, who have both previously spoken of their battles against the condition, explaining how it has impacted their careers.

Delevingne has even deliberated walking away from the catwalk if her psoriasis becomes too problematic.

When interviewed by W Magazine, she commented: “It only happened during the Fashion Weeks, which are, of course, the worst time of year for me to be covered in scabs. Psoriasis is an auto-immune disease, and I’m sensitive.”

Kardashian has also stress her fears for her career, saying: “My career is doing ad campaigns and swimsuit photo shoots. People don’t understand the pressure on me to look perfect.”

It can be underestimated the psychical and mental impact that the skin condition can have for those who have it, and Medical Specialists Pharmacy is fully supportive of awareness campaigns that will promote more knowledge, understanding, and empathy towards ‘lesser known’ ailments.

Psoriasis is a chronic, recurring skin disease that unfortunately is often a life-long problem, and an estimated 2% of the population in the UK. It causes red, flaky, patchy and scaly skin that is usually on the scalp, lower back, elbows and knees, but can appear  anywhere on the  body.

After developing psoriasis, those who have it find that it tends to come and go throughout their life and flare-ups can occur quite randomly. Most people are usually only affected in small patches, but these patches may be itchy and sore.

Psoriasis occurs when skin cells are replaced faster than at a normal speed. As yet, health experts have not yet fully established why this can happen to some people. However, it is generally believed there are probably a mixture of reasons that cause it, such as genetic predisposition and environmental factors.

For instance, approximately one in three people with psoriasis also has a close relative who has the condition. A lot of people with psoriasis will see their symptoms begin or become worse due to ‘triggers’, including: smoking, alcohol, stress, a skin-related injury such as a cut, scrape, insect bite or sunburn (known as the Koebner response) and certain medications.

T/Gel is recommended by dermatologists for chronic scalp psoriasis treatment, seborrhoeic dermatitis and even common dandruff. Clinical tests have shown the active ingredients in T/Gel carry on working for hours after the shampoo has been rinsed off, and also works to leave hair looking healthy and manageable.

Chemicals in fragrances could trigger asthma and skin problems

Next time you overdo it and shower yourself in perfume or aftershave, spray deodorant on, spray air freshener around the home, use scented candles or even scented toilet roll – think about what all these things could be doing to your health.

We warn this as a leading health expert has spoke on the different ways, highlighting that part of the problem could be down to a ‘contact allergy’ that roughly one in 20 of us suffer from, and this number may be increasing. The contact allergy is in reference to when perfumes and other scented products cause eczema outbreaks as well as dermatitis when they touch the skin, and many more problems other than this can arise.

It is believed that molecules in the fragrances trigger an immune response and result in the sufferer experiencing scaly, cracked, dry and itchy skin.

Dr Susannah Baron, consultant dermatologist at Kent & Canterbury hospital, and BMI Chaucer Hospital, warns that more of the population may start to suffer from such problems in the future. She commented, “Allergies are on the increase, and the amount of perfumed products is also on the rise. Fragrance allergy can show up as contact dermatitis in the site a perfumed product is applied, or as a flare-up of existing eczema. It can be a real problem.”

Dr Baron’s comments follow-on from July of this year when the EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety requested that perfume manufacturers should state any possible allergens in their product after reports emerged regarding the risks of skin conditions flaring up after usage.

Dr Baron further warns people to be careful regarding over-using fragranced products as it may not be fully obvious you have developed an intolerance or allergy. She continued, “You don’t react immediately; the body notes that it does not like the chemical and develops ‘memory cells’, which cause inflammation when the body is next exposed to this chemical. Gradually, as you are exposed more and more, the body ramps up its reaction, until it becomes more noticeable to you.”

Even those without existing problems or allergies may be at risk of building up to eventually have a fragrance allergy. Dr Baron says, “You can become suddenly allergic to perfumes and personal care products that you have been using for years. You can also have problems with unexpected products such as scented toilet roll and scented wipes which can cause irritation.”

However, it gets worse. People with skin and scalp conditions are not the only people who could suffer. Those who battle with regular migraines could see a more regular occurrence of severe headaches and experts further warn that products like plug-in deodorisers and mild air fresheners have chemicals in them that could induce an asthma attack. The charity Asthma UK claims that perfumes can affect the airways in asthma sufferers and result in breathing difficulties.

Asthma UK are not the only ones to warn about the dangers though. Over in America, Dr Stanley Fineman, of the Atlanta Allergy and Asthma Clinic in the U.S., says he has conducted research that shows a clear alteration to lung function when the lungs come into contact with particular chemical fragrances.

So what can be done then to avoid or manage all these potential problems? Firstly, if you do suffer with eczema, you should always try to only use non-fragranced emollient to wash your hands and body. Migraine sufferers would be advised to keep a diary that documents what particular products trigger a migraine and this will enable them to keep their exposure to an absolute minimum. Dermatitis is another issue that we touched upon earlier, and this can be treated with therapeutic medicated shampoo such as T/Gel which costs just £4.95 from Medical Specialists Pharmacy. In addition, if you have suffering with allergies and/or asthma then we are at hand to help. We have a vast range of medications to help both asthma and allergy sufferers, all at great prices. If you are suffering from asthma-like symptoms, you should see your doctor immediately for a diagnosis.

Your doctor is able to prescribe medication if he feels you have asthma. If you have already been prescribed an inhaler or have lost your inhaler or run out and cannot get a prescription immediately, we are able to supply you an inhaler to help your asthma symptoms. For suitable patients we have both blue (relievers) inhalers such as Ventolin and Salbutamol, and brown (preventers) inhalers such as Qvar Beclomethasone and Qvar Easi-Breathe.

If you suffer from hay fever or allergies we have many options for you including Alomide allergy eye drops , Loratadine tablets, Nasonex spray, Prevalin allergy nasal spray and Prevalin allergy kids nasal spray.

Stress from the recession is causing an increase in skin problems

The United Kingdom has now been stuck firmly into the grip of a recession since 2008, causing millions of people to be made redundant in the last few years. With so many families now struggling to afford even the most basic things in life, nationwide stress levels are at an all-time high and most worryingly, there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight.

However this stress and tension could be bad for your skin and scalp, according to a survey conducted by the British Association of Dermatologists at their annual conference. This adds to hormone imbalances and poor lifestyle choices as the ever-growing number of causes for acne, dandruff, seborrhoeic dermatitis and other related problems.

Researchers involved in the snapshot survey of 105 dermatologists, found that 41% had noticed a rise in skin conditions triggered by stress, such as eczema and psoriasis, since the start of the credit crunch four years ago.

Half of the skin experts commented that they had witnessed a ‘slight’ increase of skin problems, whilst 5% claimed they had actually seen a ‘huge’ increase. Medical Specialists Pharmacy can concur with these survey results as since we expanded our range of products, we have witnessed a surge in sales for chemist shop items like T/Gel and Nizoral shampoo, both of which are used to treat dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis. Not only this, but we are inundated with high numbers of female patients who are seeking help for their acne through medications such as Dianette or Spironolactone.

British Skin Foundation spokesperson Dr Anthony Bewley, a consultant dermatologist, spoke out on how the underestimated emotional impacts that skin problems can cause major stress for their sufferers, saying, “Patients with skin disease feel enormously upset about their skin condition, as it affects their self-confidence and self-esteem in so many ways. All too often, the impact of skin disease is under-estimated. Many patients consider their skin conditions to be more psychologically damaging than diabetes or heart disease.”

Dr Bewley made his comments after learning that the results of the survey had found that roughly a sixth of the 729 men and women involved in the survey had admitted they had self-harmed because of their skin condition, with seven people further saying that they had even contemplated taking their own life.

Another member of the British Skin Foundation, Bevis Man, added to Dr Bewley’s comments and he said, “The recession brings with it a set of problems that add further stress and misery to the millions that already live with a skin disease in the UK.”

Although it seems acne, dandruff, etc. are on the increase. Perhaps other areas of health may strangely see a benefit. It has long been thought that in times of financial difficulty, we tend to skimp and reduce expenditure on indulgences like takeaway meals, alcohol and smoking. These three reductions usually lead to much better health. In fact, during the US Great Depression of 1929 to 1933, life expectancy increased and deaths related to heart disease, cancer, flu and vehicle accidents decreased. Amazingly, this was all occurring despite an unemployment increase of nearly 25%.