Control psoriasis on the hands

1. Why do hands need special care? Like psoriasis elsewhere on the body, hand psoriasis can cause the skin to turn red, with scaly patches that can crack, causing pain and bleeding. About 12–16% of people with psoriasis have psoriasis of the hands, feet, or nails. Other symptoms of hand psoriasis may include:
Cracking of the skin Pain Bleeding Thickening of the skin Itching Dryness of the skin Redness of the skin Flakes with silvery white scales on the nails A person has nail psoriasis Your hands may notice the following changes:
Thickening of nails Peeling of nails Pits and ridges in the nails If you do jobs that require frequent hand washing, you are at higher risk of developing episodes of hand psoriasis.

2. Measures to help control psoriasis on the hands 2.1. Daily Moisturizer Using a hand moisturizer every day helps reduce redness, protects skin, and helps wounds heal. You should use unscented products. Remember to choose products with good water holding capacity such as ointments or thick creams instead of lotions. Always moisturize after showering, washing your hands, or washing dishes to control palmar psoriasis.
2.2. Don't linger in hot tubs and long showers as they can dry out your hands and make psoriasis symptoms worse. You should shower no more than once a day and shower for short periods of time (5 minutes in the shower and 15 minutes in the bath).
Use warm but not too hot water and soap for sensitive skin. Skip the loofahs and face towels as they can dry out your hands. When finished, pat skin with a towel and apply cream while hands are still damp.

2.3. Keep hands warm and dry Gloves can help keep your hands from drying out when outdoors in cold weather. If possible, choose a style made from a natural fiber, soft like cotton because it is less likely to make psoriasis worse than gloves made of wool. Wash gloves with fragrance-free laundry detergent and skip fabric softener as this can make hand psoriasis worse.
2.4. Use of skin medications Steroid creams: Corticosteroid (steroid) creams are a common treatment for mild psoriasis; Helps improve inflammation, redness. However, prolonged use of steroid creams thins the skin, so it's best to use it only for short periods of time. Salicylic acid: This substance found in some acne creams, helps skin remove dead cells more quickly and makes hands look smoother and less scaly. Coal tar: Coal tar is made from coal or certain types of wood. Its mechanism is to slow down the growth of skin cells, so the hands are less itchy, inflamed and red. However, coal tar can be difficult to use, staining clothes and hair. Some people complain about its strong smell. Note that coal tar is not safe to use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. 2.5. Sunlight A little sunlight will help improve psoriasis on the hands because ultraviolet (UV) rays naturally slow down the activity of skin cells. Take some time out every day and you may notice an improvement in your palmar psoriasis. However, don't overdo it because too much sun can make your psoriasis worse.

2.6. Light therapy If your doctor thinks more light than you get outside might help your hands, he or she may suggest that you try "light therapy". At your doctor's office, you'll receive short bursts of UV light from a special light source or laser. It's painless, but you may need several sessions before you start to notice a difference.
2.7. Nail Care About one-third of people with psoriasis notice changes in their nails. You may see pitting, holes, or color changes, and the nails may also start to come loose. Keep fingernails short to protect them and wear rubber gloves when you clean, cook or wash dishes. If you already have nail problems, wear cotton pads underneath your gloves for extra care.
2.8. Controlling Psoriasis Aggravating Factors Some common triggers that can trigger psoriasis are stress, illness (such as strep throat), and certain medications. Many people also feel that what they eat, allergies and the weather make their hands more inflamed. Pay attention to the factors that cause hand psoriasis to appear to avoid.
2.9. Avoid cuts, scrapes, and bug bites Anything that damages the skin of your hands can trigger a flare-up of hand psoriasis. If you cut your hand, clean and care for it immediately. Try not to pry the scales. If you have an itchy bug bite, do your best not to scratch because scratching makes psoriasis worse. Instead, use a cold compress to soothe.

2.10. Gently exfoliates Although a hot shower or bath will dry out your hands, a warm bath can provide relief. Place bath oil, oatmeal, or Epsom salts in a bowl of water and soak your hands to help slough off scaly skin and relieve itching. Soak for a few minutes, then gently pat the water off your hands with a towel and moisturize as soon as possible.
2.11. Psoriasis is a condition of the immune system, so if topical treatments don't work, your doctor may recommend medications that affect the disease at the cellular level. . These include:
Cyclosporine: works to suppress the immune system Low-dose retinoids such as acitretin (Soriatane): to reduce cell proliferation Methotrexate: slows down an enzyme that causes rapid cell growth skin cells in psoriasis. With these medications, you may see improvement in your hand psoriasis within a month or two, but they have serious side effects and are not a good choice for everyone.
As such, it may take some time to get psoriasis under control on the hands. There's no single treatment that works for everyone, and you'll need to try a few different ones before your hands start to feel better. Track the changes you make and the treatments you try, as well as the results you get. This will help you and your doctor decide on the next steps in your treatment.
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Reference source: webmd.com