The 5 Best Home Remedies For Treating Psoriasis Naturally

If you're here, I'm going to assume you've spoken with a dermatologist already. If not, you should. Psoriasis also connected with other conditions like psoriatic arthritis, depression1, diabetes2, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disease3—making a trip to the doctor even more important, says board-certified dermatologist Keira Barr, M.D.

There are a few options that have promising results, according to research. Also, like acne and eczema, psoriasis is highly individual. So triggers and solutions may be different for everyone. 

One small study4 showed that dead sea salt baths help psoriasis sufferers with their symptoms. The 30 participants who had patches that covered less than 30% of their body took one daily 20-minute bath for three weeks. Because of its small sample size, more research is needed here to confirm its benefits and to account for the reasons why this is helpful. There's also emerging research suggesting5 balneotherapy (mineral thermal baths) can increase skin microbiome diversity. We're big fans of baths for their relaxing and soothing qualities, so even if just used as a stress-relief measure, they might be useful. 

If you suffer primarily from scalp psoriasis, there are a few natural shampoos on the market that may help those tricky patches under hair. You can also use special scalp oils to soothe inflamed patches. (There are also prescription options that you may consult your doctor about if you so choose.) And by using these regularly, it can act as a preventive measure. For hair products, always skip harsh surfactants and look for ingredients like oat, tea tree oil, or apple cider vinegar rinses.

Less conclusive evidence shows that some respond well to aloe, a common at-home remedy you'll hear about. However, this comes with mixed results, according to a 2015 review of the clinical studies7: They found that no conclusive statements could be made with the available research. Finally, in a 2018 study8, researchers found that patients with mild to moderate psoriasis responded well to a mixture of aloe and propolis, which might be an area for further research. 

And more recent research10 suggests there's a strong connection between your gut microbiome and psoriasis (as well as other inflammatory skin conditions), making eating a balanced, gut-healthy diet even more important. 

Anyone with a chronic inflammatory skin condition could benefit from evaluating your lifestyle triggers and addressing those. As we know, stress is a trigger; look for ways to mitigate anxieties in your life through mindfulness, meditation, exercise, prioritizing sleep, or however else that may look for you. 

That's why it's vital to address inflammation in your treatment, as noted above.

So now we know what causes it, but when you get a flare-up, those are usually the result of "triggers." As a preventive measure, you should identify and avoid these as much as possible. Some common triggers include: