WEEK #7: THREE DOWN FIVE TO GO {AVEENO}

Some of the views I express in this weeks review may prove to be a little controversial in the world of dermatology. A lot of people say that oatmeal baths really help them (that's what the blob in the picture represents, it's actually a muslin filled with porridge oats) & same goes with the Aveeno lotion, unfortunately it wasn't the case for me so please don't shout at me for my low ratings, I've simply assessed them based on the effectiveness I've experienced. 
I also apologise for my tardiness in completing my review this week, a combination of loss of internet and extreme tiredness (I'm only slightly exaggerating when I say extreme) have slowed me down- But, alas! I'm not defeated!
P.S. -you can find my review of dermalex updated on week 6 should you be interested
-The fish oil supplement I've been using (green bottle in picture) hasn't been helping much...I'll give it one last chance before I report my final verdict to you. 
-I also think brand of supplements may make a difference?? The effects of Evening Primrose Oil (yellow bottle in picture) seems to have either plateaued or the morrisons one isn't as good as 

AVEENO LOTION 500ML: 6/10
Everyone describes Aveeno as 'nice', my doctor, my pharmacist, other people who've used it. Jennifer Aniston seems to like it to.  
It is very soothing but it is also expensive and it also doesn't last very long. The 500ml bottle got a bit annoying to use towards the end of the supply as well. This is another one that worked great on my face. It's not one I'd want to use on a regular basis though. It provided moisture but not quite enough for my spotty areas. I got itchy pretty quickly after using it. I think this is the best moisturiser out there to bring to work. It's easily transportable, it doesn't have ugly medical packaging, it doesn't smell, it absorbs quickly, it doesn't leave your skin shiny and it's easy to apply. If I was at home though I'd want to use something more intensive. 
 (I GOT THIS ON PRESCRIPTION ALTHOUGH IT'S VERY READILY AVAILABLE THESE DAYS WITH MY LOCAL PHARMACY GIVING OUT FREE SAMPLES)


OATMEAL WRAPPED IN MUSLIN: 3/10
...or my oatmeal bath bomb as I liked to call it. As Aveeno is oatmealy I decided to pair it with this I used average porridge oats you just get from your local supermarket so maybe I used the wrong stuff. I tried to give it a google but it didn't help me find a difference between oatmeal and porridge. 
Anywayyyyy, I'm really really sorry if you disagree but I don't get what all the fuss is about. I mean soooo many websites etc. recommend it. It became very smelly cause I only had one muslin to last me the week & there were also porridge remnants in my bath. I didn't find it particularly soothing, It wasn't irritating, but none of it's effects warrant it's popularity. It was quite nice squeezing it directly over my skin but bathing in it did nothing for me. 


-HEAD & SHOULDERS APPLE FRESH 250ML: 2/10
Ok so I know this was ridiculous to even try I just wanted  to try it for a week as I thought it might be something that people newly diagnosed with psoriasis might think of trying (i.e. me four years ago). I mean it seems logical that a shampoo to help with the flakiness of dandruff might help with the flakiness of psoriasis...right? (you can just humour me & agree, I've never been great with logic). Yep maybe not, especially given that it's probably going to more chemically due to the apple scent, I'm not sure why I didn't just try the original if I was going to try it at all (I told you my logic isn't great). I basically was hoping to find a nice smelling shampoo which I haven't had for a very long time that might reduce flaking. In fact the apple smell wasn't that great & my flaking greatly increased (surprisingly). Some of my lumps got bigger, I hope you get what I mean by lumps, and most importantly I got very itchy. It's a no from me head & shoulders (even though I'm not your target audience)
(OCADO ONLINE £2.99)

WEEK#6: TWO DOWN SIX TO GO {AVEENO}

Not quite such a successful week compared with last week's products. Last weeks products seemed to have faded a lot of my lesions and reduced itchiness massively. This week I haven't been so lucky and I seem to have new dots appearing accompanied by a resurgence in my itching :( 
Oh well that's the point of experimenting with different products, finding out what works and what doesn't. And I must remind you that what doesn't work for me might just work for you...Unfortunately I just have that incredibly stubborn kind of guttate psoriasis.
So here's the weekly review...
P.S. The reason for the title is that Aveeno products have been recommended to me by a few different doctors so thought I'd try out there whole product range. There are eight different products shown on their website and I've used two now...just thought I should explain. 

AVEENO SKIN RELIEF BODY LOTION WITH SHEA BUTTER 200ML: 7/10
Advertised as for 'extra dry, irritable and sensitive skin' to 'moisturise the skin for 24 hours'. 
I think this would work fantastically if your skin was just dry & you didn't have any kind of skin condition. Not so fantastic if you have psoriasis however. It does provide long lasting moisture for the skin...all day... and I often felt like I didn't need to moisturise as much as I normally do (3 times a day) but my lesions would get itchy and irritable so I did still end up moisturising 3 times a day. I feel like this lotion was the responsible for my new spots flaring up  & existing spots getting bumpy. I also used 4 bottles in a week!!! So based on price alone I wouldn't use this on a regular basis. I'd highly recommend for people with just regular dry skin, it would be a lifesaver. 
For those of you like me with severe psoriasis though I'd say don't waste your money.
(QUALITY SAVE £3.99----I've since seen this on offer @ co-op pharmacy for £3.49 if you're in the uk & fancy trying it)

AVEENO BATH & SHOWER OIL 250ML: 6/10
It's such a nice change to have a nice smelling, nicely packaged shower gel! Based on it's use as a shower gel it's not a product I have strong feelings about. It didn't feel as though it was that nourishing to my skin but it certainly didn't do any harm, although it did dry out my skin a little. This product would last quite a while, I still have loads left, but it wasn't effective enough to justify the price. I'll probably review it again as used in the bath some time in the future but not that impressed with it. 
(OCADO ONLINE, £7.99)

DERMALEX PSORIASIS CREAM 60G: 4/10
So I was supposed to moving back on to diprosalic ointment this coming week but it's recommend to stick with this for two weeks to notice a difference so I can't provide a review for this yet. It caught my eye in the shops and I thought it might be my miracle cure. Judging by it's effectiveness so far it's probably not going to clear my skin but still it's very appealing that it's cortisone & steroid free. It is rather expensive but a little goes a long way and it probably lasts quite a while. I'll get back to you next week with my findings  

*To get straight to the point, this didn't work for me although I have a feeling it might help on people with mild psoriasis as the middle bit of the spots faded a teeny weeny bit...not enough for me to pay £18 for the tube, I'd rather get steroids which I can get on prescription 
(SUPERDRUG ONLINE £17)

WEEK#5: DISSOLVING THE DOTS

What a happy, happy week!
It's amazing how much more positivity there is when it feels like your getting your skin under control. I'm still not clear in the slightest but just having a reduction in the itching alone is a relief, I've been able to sleep the whole night through! Never mind that the spots are starting to fade! I can only hope this continues although I'm kind of scared of switching up the products I've been using this week but I think it's important to find out what works and what doesn't. If it means risking the progress I've made at least I know I can return to this weeks routine to help calm my psoriasis down again. Anyways on with the reviews....
P.S. If you have instagram you can find me @thecurechronicles, Would love for you to say Hi I really want more people to follow, my feed is rather empty!


WESTLAB EPSOM SALTS 1KG: 8/10
I have absolutely loved my epsom salt baths & I'm going to miss them this week so much :'(
So I would dissolve a small cup full of these in a warm bath & soak all my troubles away for approx. 20 mins (as advised on packet).  Benefit number one was that as I'm normally more of a shower person it was a nice way to make a bit of time to destress at the end of the day & have a bit of time to myself. Benefit number two was that it left my skin smooth, I left the bath with no raised lesions or flakiness & I was itch free. Good value for money as well... Nothing I can complain about really
(QUALITY SAVE) £3.90


PETROLEUM JELLY  368G 7/10
Another product which worked like a dream for me. At first It felt really claustrophobic on my skin & initially I was quite itchy but after the first night it worked perfectly. It kept me well moisturised and made my face look fantastic! I'm not a huge fan of the texture of the product & it does transfer from the skin to anything you touch quite easily...It wouldn't be too fun to apply at work & would leave you with a shiny glean. Glad I went for the cheaper one instead of vaseline as I can't imagine it working much better, although the shape of the pot is probably more convenient as you get towards the bottom. Definitely worth a go if you haven't tried it yet!!
 (QUALITY SAVE ) 69P


DIPROSALIC OINTMENT 60G 
I don't like using steroids...but like I said I do want to try a variety of different things to see what works. I found the skin on my hands starting to thin a bit whilst using this and elsewhere on my body my skin was smoothing out anyway so couldn't see it making much of a difference. I'm going to take a break from it this week & try again next week so watch this space for a more comprehensive review. 
(I was only able to get this on prescription)


FISH OIL 1000MG 30 TABLETS: 0/10
Given the success of my evening primrose oil supplement experience, I thought I'd give fish oil a try as it was recommended to me (although I personally feel it would be more beneficial to just include more oily fish in your diet) I haven't noticed any difference as of yet from using this however I'll give it a bit longer to take hold before I give it a final rating. 

* I've not noticed any difference in my skin since taking this so I'll probably stick to the evening primrose oil for now. 
(MORRISONS, £1.69, can't find on website)

....I've also made a start trying to make lifestyle changes. I'm going to commit myself to a days fasting & I'm trying to be more active as well as eating less crap in general. I'll be starting to make more psoriasis related lifestyle changes in the coming weeks but it would be interesting to see if there's a product that works without diet changes etc as I know there are a lot people who simply can't do this for health reasons. Wishing you all the most fabulous week. XXX

WEEK #4: DOUBLE THE TROUBLE

After my last successful week I was feeling even more positive about my progression but unfortunately this week the Doublebase moisturiser I was using wasn't very effective and I found that my spots were more itchy & raised but luckily no more red than usual. I'm gradually going to be making steps towards changing my lifestyle but I don't feel like a can fully commit to it at the moment so fingers crossed I can stick it out trying a psoriasis diet, if I do I'll be posting more about my progress with that as well instead of just products I'm trying as i know many people would rather not use a lot of this stuff....and on with this weeks reviews:

DOUBLEBASE EMOLLIENT SHOWER GEL 200G: 8/10
I loved using this in the shower! It's odourless, it has very convenient packaging & it provides a lasting comfortable moisture. My only problem is that it doesn't actively help the psoriasis, it simply provides moisture...but sometimes that's good enough & it's better than what could be said for other shower products. 200G provides an adequate amount, I still had some left over after the week but for the price would expect it to stretch a little further.  Would definitely & probably will use again.
(http://www.chemistdirect.co.uk/doublebase-emollient-shower-gel/prd-12u) £8.49


DOUBLEBASE GEL 500G: 4/10
Such a shame this couldn't match it's counterpart. Again I loved the packaging, the pump dispenser is soooooo handy (no pun intended) but maybe a little bulky to carry round if you need to travel with it. It has a slightly alcholy smell but only very slight. I loved the jelly like texture and how quickly it absorbed & it did seem to keep my skin soft for quite a while...So what's the problem I hear you ask. Well. Although it left some of my good skin soft, my psoriasis spots would actually become dry quite quickly...and then itchy...and the raised. I was finding that I was coating myself in it around five times a day & again during the night when I would wake up furiously itchy. I wanted to like this so much but unfortunately it didn't work for my sleep deprived self. 
(http://www.chemistdirect.co.uk/doublebase-hydrating-gel-pump/prd-hqs) £9.49


*******I'VE UPDATED -WEEK#1 FOR EVENING PRIMROSE OIL REVIEW (8/10)
                                          -WEEK#2 FOR DOVONEX REVIEW (6/10)

DITCHING THE ITCH: EURAX LOTION

-EURAX LOTION 100ML : 4/10
Night time can sometimes be hell for me. I can be absolutely exhausted but my itchiness will often prevent me from getting much needed rest. One of the many cruel ironies of psoriasis: a good sleeping routine is said to be beneficial for the immune system but it's very hard to get one when nightmare itching is actually a reality. 
I normally just reapply my moisturiser over and over and over again but find it to be ineffective if I'm just itching it off again so I'm on a mission to find a product to help...unfortunately my first attempt wasn't too successful, but not a complete disaster.
First, I must say that the lotion form isn't that great to apply when it's 3:00am and you don't want to leave the confines your comfy and warm bed to alleviate the itching fit that has suddenly overcome you. Both the consistency and smell reminded me of camomile lotion meaning it went everywhere when I tried to apply it whilst remaining horizontal...it left me with greasy looking bedsheets.
Also I must point out that psoriasis isn't listed on the front as one of the things it stops itching for but I thought I would give it a go (it was also in the clearance for £2 so why not?).
As I had already started the itching before applying I often had lesions that were bleeding or cut and I was then subject to an EXTREME stinging which was very unpleasant and is one of the main reasons I wouldn't recommend this product. 
On the other hand, for some reasons it's effects were rather arbitrary, some night it worked really well and I would kiss the bottle goodnight before falling into a deep continuous sleep. Some nights though I would still be tossing and turning for a few hours feeling even more uncomfortable with the stinging sensation. 
It's good value for money but it's results aren't consistent and can't be relied upon which isn't ideal for psoriasis sufferers. I think I will try the cream version of this as I think it will be more psoriasis friendly. 
(http://www.amazon.co.uk/Eurax-493361-100ml-Lotion/dp/B000KU93HQ) £4.40

WEEK #3: MANUKA ME BETTER

I must say that I've had a good week with my skin, some lesions are starting to get lighter in the middle, less raised & I noticed that around some of the spots the skin was white which I believe is a good sign. I'm still very very itchy but hopefully it'll continue to improve as even after a whole five months I've not head anything about an appointment with a dermatologist, very frustrating! Anyways last week I went manuka honey mental on the advice of a lady at Holland & Barrett's...again I've not included a review of the shampoo as that was done in week #1 but read on for my reviews of the other products. 

-DR ORGANIC MANUKA HONEY SOAP: 100G : 5/10
I found this to be neither good nor bad. It didn't sting or overly dry out my skin, it had a nice smell & it's good value for money especially given that it is likely to last a long time. On the other hand I would like it to provide a bit more moisture. I personally think that Johnsons baby soap is better & cheaper as I didn't really benefit from the manuka side of things with the soap.
http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/dr-organic-manuka-honey-soap-60083594?c=dr%20organic%20manuka%20honey £2.99


-DR ORGANIC MANUKA HONEY SKIN LOTION: 200ML 6/10
Very strong smell, not particularly unpleasant but lingers on all your clothes. I really liked this but would've liked the moisture to last a little longer. I ended up incredibly itchy at night which was a bit annoying. Also it's on the pricey side. I bought two tubes of this (luckily it's buy one get one half price @ Holland & Barrett's but still not cheap) and it didn't see me through a whole week meaning I had to get some more which is annoying. I reckon I can get better for my money to be honest. 
http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/dr-organic-manuka-honey-skin-lotion-60083591?c=dr%20organic%20manuka%20honey £7.49

-TIPTREE MINI MANUKA 10+ HONEY: 28G: 8/10
Manuka honey is not cheap so I decided to go for the smaller pot since I'm only trialling it at the moment. Manuka honey was recommended to me because of it's healing properties so I thought I may as well as try and apply it on directly in it's raw form. It was a little sticky but you can lick your fingers with this one so it's all good. I still had some left in the pretty little pot after a week of applying topically which made me happy given it's size. The only problem with this is it sticks to your clothes. The white outline of my lesions began to show after I started using this so I would like to try it again for a longer period next time. I also think eating it in addition to applying it would be beneficial.
https://groceries.morrisons.com/webshop/product/Tiptree-Mini-Manuka-10-Honey/289467011?from=search&tags&param=MANUKA+HONEY+&parentContainer=SEARCHMANUKA+HONEY_SHELFVIEW £1.35

WEEK#2: GOING NUTS!

So this week I went with the coconut theme.  And a rather successful theme it was too. My skin seems to be a bit smoother. Unfortunately I don't think this is down to the coconut oil but rather the Dovonex or the evening primrose oil is starting to kick in. I won't review the Capasal shampoo again as my same rating still stands & I'm gonna give the evening primrose oil more time before I review & in that case here's my weekly review. 


-KTC 100% PURE COCONUT OIL 500ML: 5/10
I think I made a fatal error in my choice of coconut oil. As it said 100% pure I guessed it would be good stuff (and I was desperately hoping it to be with it being considerably cheaper than most others) but I have only just found out that it is in fact refined. However it did the job fairly well, completely odourless, easy and quick to apply but again you don't wanna be touching your hair with oily hands. It absorbed fairly quickly but the moisture didn't last as long as I would've liked. I found I was less itchy at night as I had been the previous nights but I still have ended up with bloodstained flaky sheets. Think I'll have to give proper unrefined coconut oil a go before I rule it out completely.
(http://www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=256412443) £2.25

-ORIGINAL SOURCE COCONUT & SHEA BUTTER SHOWER GEL 250ML: 2/10
I was bought this out of desperation and my inability to locate a soap/shower gel with real coconut in time. Looking at the ingredients they haven't gone all out with the originally sourced ingredients but I have no one to blame but myself. This clearly isn't made for sensitive skin although the name of the product is quite misleading in my incredibly humble opinion. When I try out the unrefined coconut oil I'll try and originally source a proper soap myself. It does smell quite nice though and doesn't irritate my skin at all... but it also doesn't soothe it. 
(I got this from sainsburys for £1 but can't find on their website)

-DOVONEX OINTMENT 30G: 6/10
I could've sworn the last time I used this it was absolutely useless on my psoriasis, yet after this week I have to admit defeat and give a reluctant and still slightly cynical head nod to the large drug corporations. Some of my spots have been subject to the very unusual occurrence of the middle part of them starting to fade! This is good news should it be a result of the dovonex. I can't be sure if it is this or evening primrose oil yet though. Only time will tell. To ensure that I don't build resistance to it though I'm going to take a break from it this week and return to it next week to see if the improvement will continue. I've just been applying to arms & legs at the moment because it would take too long to cover all of my spots. It does absorb quickly though and easy to apply. It's most definitely pricey though so would be best on prescription.
*********UPDATE
Probably wouldn't use bother using this again. I got through the tube so quickly & it didn't make enough of a difference for me to recommend it. If my doctors feeling generous and i can get more then I would like to try it over a longer period of time. 
(https://onlinedoctor.lloydspharmacy.com/uk/psoriasis-treatment/dovonex-ointment £33)