This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
Psoriasis is a recurrent skin condition that affects around 2% of the UK population. It is caused by an acceleration of skin cell production. Normally a skin cell matures in 21-28 days. Psoriatic cells, however, turn over in 2-3 days and in such profusion that the live cells reach the surface and accumulate with the dead cells still in visible layers (hence the plaques).
If you or anyone you know suffers from this skin condition you will want to know about this skincare range from Oregon Skincare.
Psoriasis skin & hair care range OREGON, gets to the ‘root’ of the problem
A skincare range containing a plant extract called Oregon Grape Root (OGR), plus other helpful ingredients including caffeine, has been found in a UK trial to be highly effective in reducing the symptoms associated with the skin condition psoriasis.
The two-month trial, carried out by a UK doctor on 50 people, found that Oregon skincare products improved body and face psoriasis for 86% of the patients, with 75% of these experiencing a marked improvement after just four weeks.
OGR also appeared to be more helpful than standard treatments for almost half the sufferers. Overall, 50% of participants had previously been treated with steroids or Dovonex and, of those, 95% said that after eight weeks the OGR treatment range had improved all psoriasis symptoms (including itching, scaling, plaque thickness and redness) beyond the level of improvement already experienced on their existing steroid-based treatments.
Dr Vincent Forte, the doctor who carried out the UK trial, comments “I found that OGR skin products are effective, well-tolerated and very acceptable treatments for psoriasis, with a very low incidence of side-effects. OGR compares favourably with topical steroids and Dovonex and the trial results indicate these are well-liked treatments that psoriasis sufferers would use again.”
In a separate study carried out at Bath University by leading trichologist Tony Maleedy, shampoo and conditioner containing Oregon Grape Root found that 95% of users on the trial found that the Oregon hair care products improved itching, plaque build-up, dryness and redness of the scalp.
Psoriasis is a recurrent skin condition that affects around 2% of the UK population. It is caused by an acceleration of skin cell production. Normally a skin cell matures in 21-28 days. Psoriatic cells, however, turn over in 2-3 days and in such profusion that the live cells reach the surface and accumulate with the dead cells still in visible layers (hence the plaques).
OGR is a native plant of North America and has been extensively examined as a treatment for psoriasis in several published studies.
These studies have found that compounds isolated from extracts of OGR possess inhibitory activity against Lipoxygenase (an enzyme involved in psoriatic skin cell production).
At the cellular level, OGR has been shown to guard against accelerated activity during the process of keratinocytes (skin cell production).
Other published studies have also highlighted how caffeine can also help inhibit the symptoms of psoriasis when used topically.
The Oregon Total Care Pack includes a daily maintenance cream, an intensive skin rescue serum, shampoo and conditioner and costs £34.00 available from: www.oregonskincare.co.uk
Dr Eva Melegh M.D. dermatologist and member of the Belgian Society of Dermatology & Venereology General on Psoriasis
‘Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterised by clearly defined, red and scaly plaques, made of over-proliferating skin cells called keratinocytes. It is classified as an immune-mediated inflammatory disease.
It can pop up as a single patch but it usually appears as several and can even affect the better part of the body and the scalp. Signs and symptoms often fluctuate in severity and extent.
The first line of defence for psoriasis treatment should be topical products such as shampoos, creams, lotions, ointments, and soaps.’
Dr Eva Melegh. M.D. on Oregon skincare
‘Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterised by clearly defined, red and scaly plaques, made of over-proliferating skin cells called keratinocytes. It is classified as an immune-mediated inflammatory disease.
Oregon Grape Root (OGR), a herb used traditionally by Native Americans for skin diseases, has been widely tested in preclinical and controlled clinical trials and shown to be effective in decreasing proliferative activity of the keratinocytes and downregulate pathological immune mechanisms in skin, both of which are beneficial for psoriasis.
The Oregon skincare range, whose main ingredient is OGR, has an anecdotal track record of over 10 years of use on thousands of psoriasis sufferers due to its therapeutical effects without evidence of any significant negative side-effects (which is the main concern about benchmark steroid-based therapies for psoriasis.) This backs up the findings in clinical trials on the therapeutic benefits of this plant extract for skin prone to psoriasis.’
A Testimonial by Claire, 42, from Essex
“When I read about top models talking about skin conditions like psoriasis and how much damage it does to their self-conscience, I absolutely get it… Although being obese was truly awful, I actually felt less anxious about my body when I was a size 22 than I did a slim size 12 covered in psoriasis. When you have psoriasis you feel awful.
At the time the psoriasis on my scalp was really bad – I would leave flakes of skin wherever I went – so I was very interested in the Oregon hair care range and asked if I could try the products.
Within a couple of weeks of using them my hair was so much better. The thick scales behind my ears were starting to disappear and the flakes of skin became less and less. A few months on and my hair is more or less back to what it was.”
We have a special offer for the first person to email Annabel with their name and postal address and their choice of two of the Oregon products which will be then be gifted to them.
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