The Impact of Soap & Water On Psoriasis
One of the things I used to really love was taken long, hot showers. It always had a way of making me relax after a long day. Though now, the more psoriasis covers my body, these types of showers no longer hold this special place in my life.
One of the things they tell you about living with psoriasis is not to use hot water. It is suggested that one uses warm water almost to the point of it being cold if you can stand it. Why? Because hot water tends to make the plaques that are red and inflamed to be more red and inflamed.
I get the reasoning behind it but it doesn't mean I had to like it. Besides the hot water, my problem with a bath or shower is that soap always tends to burn. It's like putting a match on a fire that is already burning.
How the water in my area impacts my psoriasis
Where I live, the water sucks. Whoever is in charge of taking care of the water, puts so much chlorine in it that it's not even drinkable. Can you just imagine what that does to your skin when it comes in contact with the plaque psoriasis on your body? Let's put it this way. Do you remember what it is like putting alcohol on a sore? That's right it burns.
Too much chlorine in water does the same thing when you are trying to take a bath or shower. The instance it hits those areas that are open it is immediately burning. All I can think of is let me hurry up and get out of this water. There is no relaxing when it is like that. The burning will make even the strongest person tense up.
Choosing the right soap for psoriasis plaques...
But of course, I am going there. Most soaps have perfume in them to help make you smell good. That is all well and fine for someone who does not have open sores on them. They can use whatever soap they want without the consequences that come along with it.
I don't know about you but I even have to be careful with some of the soap that says it is for sensitive skin. Even some of those would burn when I used them. Did they for you as well?
Please use your own soap and sponge!
So, I have a not so funny story to share with you about the time my mother came to stay. She knows about my psoriasis and has known about it for some time now. My mother packs everything but the kitchen sink when she goes on a trip. However, for whatever reason, this time she forgot to pack her bathing sponge.
Instead of asking if I had any extra, my mother grabs mine while in the shower and proceeds to use it with her own soap. I go to take my shower after she comes out. I go to use my sponge and burn. I do not have company now without telling them not to use the sponge. I do not want to be rude but it's mine for a reason.
Just another challenge of living with psoriasis!
Leaving behind the fact that hot water can burn psoriasis, do you find that your quality of water burns when you take a bath or shower? Does the soap you use burn just as much if not more? I know I cannot be the only one who deals with this issue. I know the debate is usually over whether to get in a hot tub or not.
I have never read an article on this topic before. Do you find there is one kind of soap that is gentler on your psoriasis than another? How do you get around water burning if there is nothing you can do to change the area's water? Maybe that's a crazy question but one I would love to know the answer to. So help save me from burning if there is something you do differently.
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