After ten years of little success, I have reduced my Psoriasis by 60-70% in the last three months. But is it not gone. That is frustrating.

I have had severe scalp and facial Psoriasis for around twelve years, and it has gradually gotten worse. The scalp is constantly hurting and itchy, and my face (forehead and cheeks) sometimes flare up so much that I cancel meetings and social appointments on short notice because it is just too embarrassing.

I think I have tried every prescription and non-prescription thing out there, and have been in and out of the dermatologist for ten years. The doctor usually prescribes topical steroids, and I think we have now tried every brand, all expensive, and all totally useless on my condition. I remember he prescribed one 4 ounce bottle of shampoo (with steroids) that cost $240! It did not have any effect whatsoever. I also tried as many different natural remedies, and various products over the years, all with little or no effect. One thing that had a some effect was urine, which if I applied to my face reduced the flare-ups more than any other commercial product. However, I did not particularly like putting urine on my face, (it stinks a little) and in any case it only reduced it by, say, 30-40% and you had to keep applying it or it would come right back. It is also pretty hard to put on your scalp, so only coal tar shampoo reduces the build-up, and I was using that twice a day for years, only to manage the condition.

Last August I found this board and read about various approaches, many of which I had already tried. But there were some posts about the effectiveness of a PH-balanced diet, sometimes called the acid-alkaline, or alkalarian diet, etc. The theory, of course, is to eat more foods that leave an alkaline residue in the body (like vegetables and specific other foods) and reduce those that leave an acid residue (like meats, bread, Sugar and specific other foods.) I went to my health food store and saw several books on the diet, and bought one called “The PH Miracle.” I read it, and was skeptical, but decided to try it for three months, as an experiment. I religiously followed the diet in the book, and did not eat anything acid for the first two month, to get going, and then in the last month have increased my acid foods to only 20% percent of my diet. I was able to stick to it because I told myself it was only a three month test.

After about two to three weeks I noticed an improvement in my psoriasis, which continued to show improvements over the next two months. I would say that right now it is 60-70% better than at any time in the last twelve years. However, it is not totally gone, and seems to have reached a plateau at its current level. So now I do not know whether to continue with the diet or keep trying other alternatives, or seek additional treatments to the diet.

I am interested to know if anyone with experience with this diet and Psoriasis can say that if I keep on it longer my condition will improve even more? Also, with the substantial success of this diet, what additional things can I do to completely eliminate it, even while remaining on the diet?

I have happily experienced other effects of the diet that are more noticeable than its effect on my psoriasis. I have lost nearly 20 pounds in three months, which I needed to do, and my overall health, energy and appearance has improved. People tell me I look younger, and I recently noticed that my eyes are clear and not blood-shot, which they usually were before. So the diet is not bad, and becoming easier to stay on. I only went on the diet for psoriasis, but is nice for once that the “side effects” of a treatment are positive rather than negative.

Still, I want to completely cure my psoriasis, so any information from people with experience like mine would be greatly appreciated.