People suffering from psoriasis must often manage poor self-esteem, sexual dysfunction, anxiety, depression and thoughts of suicide.

Raising awareness about psoriasis is the focus of Psoriasis Awareness Month during the month of October.

“Psoriasis is a disease that people can see but might not understand. No one can fully understand what it’s like to live with psoriasis unless they suffer from it themselves,” says John Frank* who has lived with psoriasis since the age of 13. “Before I received treatment, I would often have feelings of stress and anxiety with the thought of having to go out in public.”

Although there is no cure for psoriasis, the good news is that it can be treated. There are a number of Health Canada-approved biologic treatments available, like Enbrel, Remicade, Humira, Raptiva and Amevive. These treatments can reduce the physical effects of psoriasis, and may help patients improve their quality of life with this disease. Access to these necessary treatments is important for those suffering from this debilitating skin condition.

In Alberta and Quebec, access to biologic treatment was made easier this year when the provinces granted reimbursement of Enbrel (etanercept) for adult patients with chronic, severe plaque psoriasis. For those who qualify, Enbrel is reimbursed under special consideration.

If you have psoriasis, want more information on the criteria for Enbrel reimbursement and/or other treatments, talk to your doctor or dermatologist. For full Enbrel prescribing information, please see the product monograph at http://www.amgen.ca.

*To protect his privacy, the patient’s name has been changed.

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Our skin is the first to rebel against the dryness of winter. The forced warm air inside is very dehydrating, while outside, the ice-cold wind of the deep freeze is often deplete of moisture. Winter conditions are even harder on those with skin irritations, like eczema.

“Studies have shown that moisture is not properly retained in the skin of eczema sufferers,” says Dr. Weinstein of the Eczema Society of Canada. “This is due to an impaired skin barrier and to the fact that the upper layer of skin has a reduced lipid content. This means that creams and lotions used by people with eczema should improve the barrier and help retain more moisture in the skin.”

Dermatologists are increasingly pointing to the impressive healing properties of oat grains, which are thought to have an optimum amino acid balance.

“At Aveeno, we’re big believers in the soothing power of oats,” explained Ted Lachmansingh the group marketing manager at Aveeno. “They have anti-inflammatory properties, are hypoallergenic and highly absorptive. In short, oat formulas have clinically shown to help heal dry, itchy skin.

“Our expert dermatologists recommend natural colloidal oatmeal, key lipids, including ceramides and panthenol, which maintain the skin barrier and provide moisturizing for a full 24 hours. All combined, this fragrance-free formula, helps to prevent the recurrence of red and irritated, extra dry skin. This is why we have created Eczema Skincare Moisturizing Cream which contains all of the above and a patented “triple oat” formula to soothe and moisturize and improve the skin condition.”

Here are a few more healthy skin tips for winter:

. Take quick showers. Water hydrates, but too much will strip your skin of natural oils. Aim for 5 to 10 minutes maximum.

. Avoid hot water. Itwill also rob your skin of oils. Warm water is best for bathing.

. Use a mild soap. Choose natural cleansers suited to your condition, without detergents and fragrances.

. Moisturize immediately after bathing. Towel dry and apply. A good cream will trap the water in the skin.

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About The Author

News Canada provides a wide selection of current, ready-to-use copyright free news stories and ideas for Television, Print, Radio, and the Web.

News Canada is a niche service in public relations, offering access to print, radio, television, and now the Internet media, with ready-to-use, editorial "fill" items. Monitoring and analysis are two more of our primary services. The service supplies access to the national media for marketers in the private, the public, and the not-for-profit sectors. Your corporate and product news, consumer tips and information are packaged in a variety of ready-to-use formats and are made available to every Canadian media organization including weekly and daily newspapers, cable and commercial television stations, radio stations, as well as the Web sites Canadians visit most often. Visit News Canada and learn more about the NC services.

Three of the most common myths are:

(1) Eczema is caused by emotional factors.
(2) Eczema is contagious and can easily be passed from person to person.
(3) Eczema can be easily cured with the use of topical corticosteroids.

These are all myths because they are untrue and founded on no concrete evidence. Let’s bust each one of these three eczema myths one by one.

To take a look at the first myth, many people believe that an emotional disorder or emotional problems can cause eczema to develop. This is not so. However be aware that a build up of too much stress can indeed play a role in eczema flare-ups. A bout of stress that overloads the system can cause eczema to flare-up and it can make the intensity of the breakout very great. Try to find ways to relax and “chill out” on a daily basis and learn to handle the stress that comes your way in a manner that won’t excite eczema. Take a yoga class, learn to mediate, go for walks, listen to music, talk over your problems with a friend, relax with a good book and a cup of tea or spend some time pursuing a hobby you enjoy. If you find it necessary to do so then enroll in a stress management class.

The second myth, that eczema is contagious is completely false. Eczema is not a disease that you can catch from someone else nor can you pass it on to someone else in any way, whether it be by touching their hand, tapping them on the shoulder or touching a surface they touched. Due to its unsightly nature many people recoil at the sight of a person with eczema wrongly assuming that it is a disease that they can catch. Eczema is believed to have a hereditary link and be related to allergens and/or irritants in the environment. Don’t run away from an eczema sufferer, as they are every bit as normal as you are, but they simply have particular health considerations.

The third myth is that eczema can be cured very simply with the use of topical corticosteroids. Unfortunately it is not as simple as that. There are some viral infections that will quickly respond to the use of corticosteroids or antibiotic cream but eczema is more complex than that. There is no known cure for the skin condition eczema. Instead doctors seek to work with their patients to find ways to help manage the skin disorder. A case of eczema often responds well to the use of topical corticosteroids. A topical application helps bring down the inflammation and decreases the itching that characterizes the condition. Keep in mind that topical corticosteroids should be used as prescribed and only under the careful supervision of the doctor. Never apply topical agents with a heavy hand and never use them for a longer period than you are instructed to do.

What exactly is eczema?
Eczema (sometimes referred to as dermatitis) is a skin condition that can affect both males and females and sufferers can range from the very young to the elderly. Approximately one fifth of all children suffer from eczema as well as one in every twelve adults. Eczema can be mild, moderate or severe. In the mildest case the skin is red, warm, dry and itchy. In moderate to severe cases it can be very inflamed, incredibly itchy, cracked, crusty, scaly, raw, bleeding and weeping fluid (known as wet eczema).

What are the causes of eczema?
Eczema is not caused by any one thing. The causes are many and it is not the same for all individuals. There are allergenic forms of eczema and non-allergenic forms. The most widespread form of eczema is atopic eczema and this type is believed to have a hereditary condition and to be connected with sensitivity to allergens that don’t bother people in the general population. Plenty of people with atopic dermatitis also suffer from other allergy related problems such as hay fever and asthma. Other types of eczema are believed to be connected to irritants such as harsh detergents, chemicals, dust, sand, cigarette smoke, scratchy natural material such as wool, nickel, etc.

What are the different kinds of eczema?
There are a number of types of eczema. There is atopic eczema (the most common type), allergic contact dermatitis, irritant contact dermatitis, infantile seborrhoeic eczema (cradle cap), adult seborrhoeic eczema (such as dandruff that can spread to other areas of the body, most commonly seen in adults between the age of twenty and forty), varicose eczema (found in elderly people) and discoid eczema (tends to appear in middle age).

What type of eczema am I suffering from?
It is necessary to visit your doctor in order for him or her to come up with a proper diagnosis of your condition. This might you to have to undergo a series of tests.

Is there a cure for this skin condition?
Presently there is no cure for eczema. Instead the focus is on finding ways to manage or control how often the eczema flares up.

What are the treatment options for my eczema?
There are a variety of ways that eczema can be kept under control. Your doctor will help you determine based on the severity of your condition which type of treatment is best for you. Currently the treatment options include emollients to help lock in moisture to the skin, topical steroid creams, oral steroids (these are not the kind that athletes take), topical immunomodulators, antihistamines, ultraviolet light treatment and a variety of alternative health therapies such as allergy testing, aromatherapy, hypnotherapy, acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), chiropractic and homeopathy.