psoriasis and "cure pushers"

In all the years I have had psoriasis I have had many many salespeople tell me their product would "cure" my psoriais.  First of all there is no "cure for psoriasis".  It will most likely never be gone forever.  It may stay gone for awhile but a flare up can happen at any time.  Even people on the biological drugs must know theirs may return at some point. 

Recently I have been researching herbal and non chemical psoriasis remedies (BTW I use remedies for a lack of a better word. Treatment? yeah, that might be a better word).  In doing so I have come across many things that claim they will heal me and I will never deal with psoriasis again.

Emu oil~ I admit this intrigued me.  It is expensive though and I don't need another bottle of something that didn't do anything for me.  The website offered a money back guaranteed and the people are distantly related to my husband.  Yeah, we won't try this one. 

coconut oil~I did try this.  It didn't cure me but did make my skin soooo soft. I still use this on my normal skin.  I put some on my psoriasis last night as well.  Then I put the glycerin on top of it.  I felt really sticky but I didn't wake up in the night, itchy.  I think this might be my new bedtime routine.

bethamethasone, fluocinide, triamina (something)~I will admit that these helped but they never cleared me and they are steriod creams so I can only use them a couple weeks at a time and then give my skin a couple week break.  It was hard to remember.  My other issue with these is that once I tried to quit them the psoriasis would be worse and spread.  Sooo not cool!

Avon products~ I am an Avon rep. I tried a lot of different avon creams.  The oatmeal one really helped the itchy stages and the moisture therapy intensive helped with the flaking. The bath oil is great soaking in and then once the psoriasis is softened I can scrub and remove the flakes. That helps quite a bit so the lotion can soak in.  However, none of it cleared me.

tanning~it did help but it dried out the rest of my skin.  Plus I cannot seem to find the time to go and burning in a tanning bed is the most painful experience.  Oh I was sore for days and days!

A lady at one health food store tried to sell me trace minerals.  It is drops or pills you take daily.  She claimed psoriasis is caused by a lack of minerals in my body.  She claimed that all of her customers have cured their exzema, psoriasis and acne by using her product.  I am immediately skeptical when someone say cure.  Cure?!?!  yeah right, there is no "cure" for psoriasis.  I did buy some herbal soap there because it does help with my itching and I like the smell but as far as a cure, no.

At another health food store a lady tried to sell me a $40 bottle of lotion to "really help with my psoriasis". What does it do I asked.  Well I have never tried it but my customer swear by it.  They say it really helps with the itching and flaking.  Does it clear their skin? for some yes others it just helps with the itching and flaking.  Ok well I have a $1.99 bottle of lotion that helps with my itching and flaking.  We'll pass on this.

Then I saw the article on glycerin.  I decided to try it. I am not cleared yet but it is definitely improving and it is cheap.  I went back to the health food store that tried to sell me the lotion yesterday and got some natural glycerin soap (lilac scented. AHHHHHH so nice!) and some more granola.  I looked at the bottle of lotion she tried to sell me and read the ingredients. the 2nd ingredient is glycerin.  HA! 

I have tried many things.  A lot of them do help with itching and/or flaking but so far glycerin has been better than any prescription.

My next options (as told to me by my doctor) were UVB light therapy (not covered by my insurance), biological drugs (really opposed to these are reading more research.  If I had a more extreme case or didn't have young children, I would consider them but I don't think at this point they are for me.  Plus my insurance won't cover them for my moderate psoriasis), stronger steriod creams (again with the steriods BLAH! so sick of steriod creams!).

and now I am beginning to lose my train of thought so I am done for now.  LOL.
~Jess~