The pros and cons of using natural skin care to heal my psoriasis/eczema

My experience moving from dermatologists skin treatments to more natural care started as a very challenging one. 20 years ago, I first tried to stop using my prescriptions, and my skin would not have it. It became inflamed and extremely itchy. My only solution was to go back to the prescriptions. Thankfully today is different. I better understand my body and my skin, and what they need to strive for... and that's a great feeling! But caring for skin using a more natural approach is not always easy. Here are the pros and cons I noted in my journey.

What made it a bit hard for me:

- Natural care takes time :( A medicated skin treatment definitely acted faster to heal my inflammations and remove discoloration. The natural approach can be a bit of trial and error and took more time.

- My food regimen and regular nutrition were forever changed... This is a big one, as the main reveal was that my skin was only reacting to what I was putting in my body. So the solution was all based on changing what I ate rather than finding the next best new cream or body lotion.

- It can be a bit costly from time to time. In my case, I now eat a lot of gluten-free, dairy-free, almond free and others :) And these products are always a bit more expensive than the regular brands.

What I love about natural care:

- It helped me better understand ME. Listening to my body is essential in this journey. My body tells me what is good for me and what is not. How do I feel about my meal - Do I feel bloated or not? Do I have any stomach pains or not? If I listen carefully and act on it, everything works so much better.

- I don't have to depend on creams. I remember my dermatologists telling me that my psoriasis/eczema could never be cured, and the ONLY solution was to use the cream for the rest of my life. While the former might not be wrong, it is clear to me that the latter comment was misguided.

- It is my own journey, and I have simple ways to keep my skin looking healthy. Today, I've taken back control over my skin, and this part of my life is so empowering.

Using a natural approach to my skincare has been the best choice I could have made. It was a long journey, but I am grateful I made it this far.

The true revelation was that the FOOD I was eating was triggering my skin reactions, and all the expensive creams could not change that.

It is not an easy journey. It's like everything else in life; it has its pros and cons. Some days, I give in some gluten- and dairy-filled pastry or yummy dish. I appreciate that I still have the freedom to do so... But I also know what to expect and how to bounce back to reduce the impact on my skin. They say knowledge is power, right? And I love that part the most!

#psoriasis #eczema #skincare #naturalskincare #natural #blacknatural