Do you Suffer from Eczema and Psoriasis? We Have a Solution!

Author: Lori Brannan, RPh

Do you Suffer from Eczema and Psoriasis? We Have a Solution!

Are you suffering from eczema or psoriasis? Do you struggle with constant itching? Is your skin red, inflamed and scaly? Has this negatively affected your quality of life? Have you tried many treatments to no avail? Read on to learn more about the causes of these skin conditions and a solution to help you.

Stress and Your Skin

First, let’s talk about how stress affects your skin. Stress has a funny way of making itself known. In general, the body does a decent job of mitigating the effects of daily physical, emotional, environmental and glycemic stressors. However, when chronically threatened, the body manifests stress through a variety of mechanisms, one of those being through its largest organ and outlet: the skin.

Stress is a primary trigger for both inflammatory and autoimmune related skin conditions, such as eczema and psoriasis. As the body attempts to absorb stress of any form, the immune response is triggered, resulting in an inflammatory cascade and the subsequent release of several mediators, including proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, leukocytes and histamine. The body should repeat this cycle normally, working behind the scenes 24 hours a day to remain in balance.

However, for those who suffer from chronic inflammatory and autoimmune-related conditions, such as eczema and psoriasis, the cycle is less resilient and more overactive, making fast and effective treatment necessary. Due to some commonly shared pathophysiology between eczema and psoriasis, reducing inflammation and regulating the immune response are critical for effectively treating each of these conditions.

Causes of Eczema vs. Psoriasis

Both eczema and psoriasis stem from immune system complications, but by different mechanisms. Each condition produces a red and inflamed rash, and the two can often be difficult to differentiate.

Eczema

Eczema is caused by the body inappropriately reacting to an external stimulus. Eczema is an extreme sensitivity to certain triggering substances, sometimes caused by an allergy. Common triggers for eczema include certain foods, soaps, pet dander, fabrics and various medications. These triggers perpetuate inflammation, which creates immune dysfunction, leading to itchy skin. When the itchy skin is scratched, it breaks down the skin barrier, exposing the skin to infection and further inflammation. As the integrity of the skin barrier is compromised, it becomes leaky and unable to retain water. The skin loses water and becomes dry and flaky, giving eczema its classic presentation. To effectively treat eczema, this cycle must be stopped.

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is an autoimmune reaction where the immune system inappropriately identifies its own skin cells as offensive and attacks them. The decreased skin cell turnover and increased skin cell buildup are what give psoriasis its raised, scaly appearance. (1)

A Surge in Eczema and Psoriasis

Over the past few years in particular, there has been a noticeable surge in the number of eczema and psoriasis cases, most likely due to dramatic lifestyle changes of a pandemic, leading to both stress and chronic inflammation. As broad-spectrum antibiotics continue to be overprescribed and Western diets overconsumed, our ability to maintain and nourish the good bacteria diminishes. The good bacteria is necessary to promote a healthy microbiome in the gut that supports healthy immunity.

Additionally, the continued increase in sanitization practices being implemented since the start of the pandemic are rendering our immune systems much less competent and far more trigger-happy. Essentially, we have altered each of these habits simultaneously, overwhelming our ability to modulate the immune system when necessary. (2)

Predisposing Factors for Eczema and Psoriasis:

  1. Family history
  2. Oversanitization practices
  3. Being born by cesarean delivery
  4. Absence of pets in the home (decreased diversity of pathogen exposure) (3)
  5. Increased use of broad-spectrum antibiotics
  6. Coming from a smaller family size
  7. Consuming a Western diet, lacking in plant fiber and other diverse foods that support a healthy gut microbiome (4)

Treatment of Eczema vs. Psoriasis

The predictability of treatment outcome for eczema or psoriasis in any one individual may be difficult, as family history, age, dietary profile and immunocompetency all play significant roles in the treatment approach. However, both eczema and psoriasis are treated by regulating the immune system, and one of the fastest and simplest ways to boost immunity is by reducing inflammation. Therefore, Physicians Preference Pharmacy has developed a proprietary topical cream to attack these particular skin conditions from all angles.

Phys Pref Eczema & Psoriasis Support Cream

Phys Pref Eczema & Psoriasis Support Cream  is a topical cream that may help to control the itching, inflammation, discomfort, and rate of cell-turnover associated with both eczema and psoriasis. It may also provide both antibacterial as well as antioxidant benefits to protect the skin from further damage. Apply enough cream to the skin to cover the affected areas, as directed by your physician.

Our Phys Pref Eczema & Psoriasis Support Cream contains the following active ingredients to reduce the itching and irritation that accompany both eczema and psoriasis:

  • Ivermectin
  • Naltrexone
  • Zinc
  • Pyrithione
  • Hydrocortisone

Please note that we now offer a hydrocortisone-free preparation, as well.

Ivermectin is FDA-approved for scabies and rosacea, as it gets excellent concentration in the skin tissue and acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory.

Naltrexone at low doses (LDN) serves as a regulator of T cells, which ​regulate immune function, particularly in the skin, preserving the skin barrier to protect the body against infection.

Zinc pyrithione works as a cytostatic agent to reduce the unnecessary overgrowth of cells, while offering antifungal and antibacterial activity to protect against infection. The cytostatic action makes it suitable for hyperkeratotic conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, where the skin texture is unnecessarily raised, and it is highly effective in reducing skin redness, flakiness, itching and scaling.

Hydrocortisone is a corticosteroid that, when applied topically, provides anti-inflammatory and ​anti-itch effects. Hydrocortisone may also decrease the formation and release of endogenous chemical mediators of inflammation such as histamine, liposomal enzymes and prostaglandins. (5)

We Are Here to Help.

Phys Pref Eczema & Psoriasis Support Cream does require a prescription from your provider. Call us today with any questions about Phys Pref Eczema & Psoriasis Support Cream and for your compounded prescription needs at 281-828-9088. It will be our privilege to serve you.

Research

  1. Pathophysiology of Psoriasis. Sciencedirect
  2. Scudellari M. News Feature: Cleaning up the hygiene hypothesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017;114(7):14331436.
  3. Platts-Mills TA. The allergy epidemics: 1870-2010. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2015;136(1):3-13.
  4. Katsnelson A. Core Concept: Prebiotics gain prominence but remain poorly defined. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A.
  5. UpToDate, Inc. Hydrocortisone Topical (Drug Facts And Comparisons). Facts and Comparisons. 2021, May 13.