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How often should you bathe with psoriasis?
Is soap bad for psoriasis?
If you’re asking questions like these, you’ve clued into essential facts.
You understand that the way you treat your skin can help you manage symptoms.
That’s why today I’m going to review the best body washes for psoriasis.
Contents
If you don’t have time to read the complete article, here are our top picks.
Now, let’s review bath products for psoriasis.
CeraVe’s body wash is a safe bet. All versions are free of fragrance and are non-comedogenic.
They shouldn’t trigger allergies or clog pores.
The one that’s designed especially for psoriasis treatment contains lactic acid and salicylic acid, which help repair your natural skin barrier. These both exfoliate dead skin.
Meanwhile, urea attracts moisture to soften scales. Keep in mind CeraVe does not treat any underlying skin conditions.
The formula also has niacinamide to soothe irritation. And, like all products from CeraVe, it has three essential ceramides.
Ceramides are a normal part of healthy skin. They help keep in moisture and keep out infection.
But due to aging or chronic illness, some people don’t have the number of ceramides they need. Therefore, CeraVe ensures that plenty more is applied where it’s needed. We feel this the best body wash for people with Psoriasis.
The end result of bathing with this body wash is that you should experience softer skin with less itching and flaking. Combine that with the right moisturizer, and you’ll be in much better shape in no time.
This next body wash from CeraVe contains salicylic acid to soften rough skin and to help relieve irritated skin. There’s no lactic acid, but there is hyaluronic acid.
Hyaluronic acid is a humectant that can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water. That’s great news for dry skin.
At the same time, ceramides and niacinamide help repair the skin’s natural barrier.
Moreover, the formula is free of parabens, sulfates, and artificial fragrances. We feel this the best body wash for people with Psoriasis.
If you have acne or keratosis pilaris, you’ll find it convenient. It helps with those conditions, too.
I like comparing the different CeraVe body washes to figure out which one is best for your situation.
The two versions above this one both have exfoliating ingredients. They are mild, yet might irritate very sensitive skin.
On the other hand, this moisturizing body wash is more gentle and very hydrating. It’s rich in emollients to avoid moisture loss.
Besides ceramides, it has hyaluronic acid, glycerin, urea, and white petrolatum. Some of these attract moisture while the rest keep the skin moisturized.
Plus, it has the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance. Since eczema is a skin condition that’s easily triggered by allergens, stress, and so forth, it’s similar to psoriasis. In this case, those with psoriasis can use this body wash without fear.
Furthermore, it doesn’t have perfumes, parabens, or sulfates. It won’t clog pores, either.
As you can see, CeraVe offers a body wash for just about every sensitive skin condition you can imagine.
This one also carries the Seal of Acceptance from the National Eczema Association. It’s often recommended by dermatologists to those with dehydrated, itchy skin.
The magic ingredient here is omega oil. It’s very soothing. We feel this the best body wash for people with Psoriasis.
Of course, the body wash also has three essential ceramides to repair the skin. There’s hyaluronic acid to draw in moisture as well.
Lastly, it’s free of sulfates, soap*, parabens, and fragrances.
*By soap, I mean alkaline detergent that not only lathers away oil but strips the skin of natural moisture. Unfortunately, all too many bath soaps rely on sulfates and high alkalinity.
Be careful as you shop for psoriasis products. Put anything with sodium lauryl or sodium Laureth sulfate back on the shelf. You don’t need them to get your body clean.
Is Dove soap good for psoriasis?
It could be – but I prefer the fragrance-free version of their body washes.
I know it’s disappointing that you’re stuck with bath soap that doesn’t smell fantastic. But I’m sure you’d rather have comfortable skin.
Dove’s mild body wash is up to 10 times more nourishing than regular versions. It’s been dermatologist-tested, too.
I checked the label to see what was in the bottle. I saw coconut-based cleanser, soybean oil, sunflower oil, and glycerin as well as silk amino acids, panthenol, vitamin E, biotin, and niacinamide. It’s rather like a multivitamin for your skin.
Fortunately for those with susceptible skin, there exists an extremely gentle body wash called Vanicream. It also goes by the name Free & Clear.
If you check the label and compare it to the list of ingredients in typical body washes, it’s quite surprising.
There are far fewer ingredients. Also, this body wash is free of many harsh components like sulfates, perfumes, masking fragrances, parabens, dyes, formaldehyde, formaldehyde releasers, gluten, and botanical extracts.
Wait a minute, botanical extracts?
Yes, I know. We love our botanical extracts. But if you have allergies, you’ll want to avoid them unless you’re sure they won’t trigger a flare-up.
Aveeno makes a variety of body washes, but I can only recommend this one for people with psoriasis.
That’s because it’s fragrance-free, which makes it much less likely to cause a skin reaction.
What’s more, it’s rich in moisturizing ingredients like colloidal oatmeal. The oatmeal soothes away the itch and calms dry, irritated skin.
If you follow up with Aveeno’s Skin Relief Lotion, your body should stay moisturized for 24 hours.
The only downside is that the third ingredient is sodium laureth sulfate. Keep in mind that the other ingredients, like glycerin, are probably moisturizing enough to counterbalance it.
Sulfates are useful if you have oily skin and like a lot of lather. Otherwise, you don’t need them to get clean.
Cetaphil, like CeraVe, is a dermatologist-recommended brand.
Their Pro Soothing Wash was clinically tested and shown to hydrate skin.
It has a creamy texture that’s pleasant to use. Happily, it’s fragrance-free and doesn’t contain parabens, either.
The critical ingredient is a Filaggrin Complex. The active ingredient is coal tar and salicylic acid, which help relieve irritated skin. Coal tar helps slow down the production of skin cells.
I looked up filaggrin and discovered that a lack of this essential protein leads to impaired skin barrier function. If you don’t have enough of it, your skin will be weak and prone to dehydration and infection.
Eucerin’s body wash is free of fragrances, soap, and artificial dyes.
Even though it’s rich in omega oils from soybean and castor seed, it doesn’t create a residue. It rinses clean to leave your skin softer and smoother. The active ingredient is coal tar and salicylic acid.
Just by washing with it, you can relieve itchy skin.
Maximize the effects by applying moisturizer within 5 minutes after patting dry with a towel.
Save space in the shower with one product for your face and body. It’s non-comedogenic and free of fragrances and dyes.
It has sulfates, but not the harsh kind.
Eucerin’s cleanser respects the skin’s natural pH and helps it rehydrate.
Do you know how menthol makes your skin feel cooler? Well, this body wash contains peppermint oil for the same purpose. It promises to alleviate redness, itching, and flakiness.
The active ingredient is salicylic acid. It softens plaques and removes dead skin. Salicylic acid is helpful for psoriasis, acne, and dandruff. This traditional anti-inflammatory eases symptoms of psoriasis, eczema, and rosacea.
It also has Ovasome Technology. Yes, it has an egg in it. Eggs are packed with protein, vitamins, and minerals to nourish the skin.
Although these are reviews of body washes, I had to throw in at least one bar of soap. I know that some people prefer bar soap for bathing.
This one is ideal for treating psoriasis. It’s surprisingly moisturizing.
Not only that, but it has a unique design. One side consists of Dead Sea salt, then the other is made of Dead Sea mud.
It’s handmade in Israel and infused with minerals, Vitamin E, aloe, and essential oils.
While it exfoliates, it also cleanses and nourishes.
To be honest, do you always apply moisturizer after you bathe? If not, maybe you should switch to this product.
But besides the fact that it’s very hydrating, it’s also intriguing. As the name indicates, it contains peat moss.
The peat and olive oil combine into a velvety black liquid in the bottle. No worries–it turns white as it lathers.
It’s an exclusive treatment used in Scandinavia and spas. This traditional anti-inflammatory eases symptoms of psoriasis, eczema, and rosacea.
Also, the organic peat is laboratory-tested and complies with European Union cosmetics safety requirements.
Let’s switch gears to include body washes that aren’t specifically made to treat psoriasis. You may find that they are plenty moisturizing and mild all the same.
Have you heard of soapberry? This sulfate-free body wash contains organic soapberry as a natural detergent to cleanse your skin.
It’s pH-balanced and full of moisturizing ingredients. For example, it has aloe, shea butter, and cucumber, as well as chamomile—these calm dry, itchy skin.
The ingredients are harvested sustainably in Taiwan. They are sun-dried and processed by hand. Any rejected berries are used for making meditation beads.
Black soap is a traditional remedy for acne, dry skin, and other issues. It provides gentle exfoliation, it moisturizes, too.
Not only is it good for your body, but you can also use it to clean your face, wash your hair, and shave.
It’s rich in vitamins a and E to promote healing. Plus, it has fair-trade organic shea butter, an excellent moisturizer crammed with fatty acids.
Speaking of shea butter, it’s in a lot of skincare products these days. It’s an effective treatment for dry skin. It’s never oily, either.
Alaffia’s body wash also has neem extract. It’s a potent antifungal that can help reduce inflammation and infection.
Moreover, it’s vegan and free of artificial ingredients like fragrances, parabens, and sulfates.
The Everyone series of shower soaps are multi-purpose products for all ages. Although they all lack harsh ingredients, I specifically selected the unscented version for review.
Otherwise, you may want to try citrus + mint or some other fragrance instead.
Each body wash is suitable for your hair, face, and body. Not only does it free up space in the shower and save you money, but there are other attractive benefits. This traditional anti-inflammatory eases symptoms of psoriasis, eczema, and rosacea.
They are all plant-based, vegan, and EWG-verified.
Although how you wash your skin affects psoriasis, it isn’t the cause.
Psoriasis is a chronic disease where the immune system interferes with healthy skin growth.
It’s not contagious, and it’s probably linked to genetic and environmental factors.
Unless your doctor recommends it, skipping a bath probably won’t help your psoriasis.
Instead, if you use a moisturizing body wash, you can help relieve symptoms.
It helps if you already know what triggers flare-ups.
In some cases, it could be an artificial fragrance. In others, it could be that your skin is dried out by your soap.
To be safe, bathe with moisture-rich body washes that are free of fragrances and are mild.
Many times, the dead skin and scales associated with psoriasis itch like crazy.
In that case, skip the soap. Bar soap tends to be alkaline and drying.
Use liquid body wash instead.
With the help of a soft washcloth or loofah, you can soak your skin and remove the scales and flakes. But be gentle. If your skin is very sensitive, use your hands only.
It’s crucial to keep the skin moisturized.
Ingredients like salicylic acid will loosen plaques and help ointments and lotions work better.
Keep your showers brief and use warm water, never hot.
You might find that soaking in a bath with Epsom salt, oil, or oatmeal relieves itching. Also, aloe, jojoba, and zinc pyrithione could diminish scales and discomfort.
Avoid psoriasis flares, starting with the way you bathe. Keep your skin happy with a moisturizing body wash that’s free of irritants.
I hope you discovered your new favorite shower gel today. If that’s the case, I’d love it if you came back and left a comment.
We’re always on the lookout for the best bath and skincare products for specific needs.
Also Read: 16 Best After Spray Tan Body Washes & Soaps
Sources:
1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/psoriasis/symptoms-causes/syc-20355840
2. https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/psoriasis
3. https://www.psoriasis.org/life-with-psoriasis/managing-itch
4. https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/psoriasis/skin-care/baths-showers
5. https://www.psoriasis.org/about-psoriasis/treatments/topicals/over-the-counter
6. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/filaggrin
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