Natural psoriasis treatment

Psoriasis causes red, flaky, thickened patches of skin, most often on the elbows, knees, scalp and lower back. It's driven by an overactive immune response that makes new skin cells build up far faster than normal, so they pile up as plaques rather than shedding naturally. It's a chronic condition, flaring and settling over time, and it affects everyone differently: for some it's a minor irritation, for others it really affects confidence and mental health. There's no single cure, but natural psoriasis treatment, done well, means a gentler, more considered approach to skincare and lifestyle that can make a real difference alongside whatever medical treatment you're using.

There's much more to psoriasis than what you put on your skin, which is what this page is about: triggers, diet, gut health and stress. For our step-by-step skincare routine and help choosing between our products, see the Lyonsleaf approach to psoriasis-prone skin.

What Triggers Psoriasis

The exact cause isn't fully understood, though genetics play a clear role and it often runs in families. Recognised triggers include:

Stress, one of the strongest and best-documented triggers
Skin injury, including cuts, scratches, sunburn and even vigorous scrubbing. This is called the Koebner response: new plaques can form at sites of trauma, which is why gentle skincare matters so much with psoriasis
Certain medications, including lithium, beta-blockers and some blood pressure medications (ACE inhibitors). Never stop a prescribed medication without talking to your doctor first
Infections, particularly strep throat, which is a well-known trigger for guttate psoriasis (small, drop-shaped patches)
Cold or dry weather
Alcohol and smoking
Hormonal changes

Skin Irritants

Psoriasis-prone skin is often sensitive, and preservatives and other artificial ingredients seem to be particularly poorly tolerated. See our Skin Irritants page for the full picture, and our Ingredients We Avoid page for why we formulate the way we do.

Dead Sea Salt and Sunlight

Treatment at the Dead Sea itself, combining bathing in its mineral-rich water with its unusual sunlight, has some of the strongest evidence of any natural approach to psoriasis. Salt baths followed by UV light treatment (balneophototherapy) are also well supported. The evidence for Dead Sea salt baths at home on their own is more modest, but many people find them a soothing, low-risk way to soften scale before moisturising, and they're well worth trying as a regular habit. Gentle, sensible sun exposure helps many people with psoriasis too, but never let your skin burn, since sunburn can itself trigger new plaques.

A Possible Histamine Connection

The skin's mast cells are involved in psoriasis too, though current research points more towards other things they release rather than histamine itself. Even so, some people with psoriasis find it worth looking at their overall histamine load: aged and fermented foods, leftovers, alcohol, certain teas, stress and poor gut health can all contribute. See our Histamine Sensitivity and Intolerance page for the details and practical steps that may help.

Diet, Nutrients and Triggers

A diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, and lower in processed food and refined sugar, is a sensible foundation. See our Foods for Healthy Skin page.

Nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and aubergines) are widely reported as a trigger by people with psoriasis, but research hasn't established this, and some evidence points the other way. It may simply be a personal sensitivity, worth testing for yourself through a few weeks of elimination and reintroduction rather than assuming it applies to you.

People with psoriasis often run low in vitamin D, and it's worth not being deficient for your general health regardless. That said, despite the link between low vitamin D and more severe psoriasis, properly controlled trials of oral vitamin D or omega-3 supplements haven't shown a clear improvement in psoriasis itself, so we wouldn't oversell supplements as something likely to visibly change your skin. See our skin supplements if you'd like to address your levels generally.

Gut Health

Psoriasis is linked to the gut. People with psoriasis consistently show a different balance of gut bacteria compared to those without it, though the exact pattern varies between studies (see this 2025 systematic review). Some findings come up repeatedly: E. coli tends to be more abundant, a beneficial species called Akkermansia muciniphila tends to be reduced, and the bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids like butyrate, which help maintain the gut lining, are often depleted too (see this review of gut bacteria in psoriasis). A weaker gut lining is thought to let more inflammatory material into the bloodstream, which can then affect the skin. See our Gut-Skin Axis page for the fuller picture.

Probiotic research in psoriasis is still limited, but promising. In one small placebo-controlled trial, Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 measurably reduced inflammatory markers in people with psoriasis over 6 to 8 weeks (Groeger et al., 2013). In another, a combination of Lactobacillus acidophilus with three Bifidobacterium strains improved quality of life and reduced both psoriasis severity and inflammatory markers over 8 weeks (Moludi et al., 2021). Our Multibiotic is worth considering here.

Feeding your gut bacteria well matters just as much as which probiotic you take. Foods rich in inulin (garlic, onions, leeks), resistant starch (cooked and cooled potatoes or rice, green bananas) and polyphenols (berries, dark chocolate, green tea) all support the kind of bacteria linked to lower inflammation. Fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut and kefir are excellent for gut diversity generally, but they're also high in histamine, so introduce them gradually if you're prone to flares.

Stress

Stress is one of the most consistently reported triggers for psoriasis, and managing it deserves real attention, not an afterthought. Managing your blood sugar is a practical way to help your body handle stress better. See our Stress, Blood Sugar and Skin Health page.

A Note on Psoriatic Arthritis

Up to 1 in 3 people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis at some point. If you notice joint pain, stiffness or swelling alongside your skin symptoms, mention it to your GP promptly, since early treatment makes a real difference to long-term joint health.

Our Approach in Brief

Psoriasis-prone skin needs rich, generous moisturising and passive softening rather than scrubbing: cleanse gently with an oil cleanser, moisturise thickly and often with a plain, water-free balm, use calendula to calm red, itchy plaques, and let soaking soften scale rather than picking or exfoliating it. Our products are water-free, so they contain no preservatives or emulsifiers. Whatever you use, patch test first. For the full routine, scalp tips and sample sets, see our natural creams for psoriasis-prone skin.

Where to Find Support

Your GP or a dermatologist remains essential for diagnosis, monitoring, and ruling out or managing psoriatic arthritis. A nutritional therapist is often a good next step for investigating diet and gut health alongside them.