What is Psoriasis?

By Admin Email , published Oct 29, 2014

Editors Note: This article was originally published in October 2014 and we have updated it to reflect the latest findings on the topic.

Today is World Psoriasis Day and we thought that we would try to shed some light on this disease. Most of what we have learned as a company about Psoriasis stems from feedback from our customers who have said that sea buckthorn oil has helped their condition.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the immune system, not just an ailment affecting the skin. Most people don’t realize that the lesions on the skin are just one part of the complex disease affecting their bodies.

Can Sea Buckthorn oil Help?

Everyone’s body is different and the effects of psoriasis can be mild to severe depending on many personal factors including diet, heredity, and even stress levels. We have been told by many of our customers that their use of sea buckthorn supplements and skincare has helped calm their skin.

Still, psoriasis is a complicated and misunderstood condition. Without studies and clinical trials, there is no way we as a brand can definitively say yes- this oil will work for everyone. However, new studies come out each year and one from 2018 showed some promising results. 

A new Study Uses Sea Buckthorn oil for Psoriasis

One newly conducted study looked at people suffering from psoriasis to see if the topical use of  seabuckthorn oil could make a change- positive or negative, on the patient’s skin. Overall, the results were positive.

“The results of our study show that the use of sea buckthorn extract was correlated with an improved PASI in treated lesions, compared to the baseline (initial evaluation), 4-week mark and while compared to placebo.

The placebo group noted a worsening of psoriasis lesions during the 8-week trial. The overall PASI score did not vary, as it was influenced by both the improved, treated side as well as the worsened, placebo-treated lesions.

The DLQI score showed an improvement over the 8-week treatment. This enables us to report that the sea buckthorn extract proved useful in the treatment of psoriasis lesions in our experimental group.”

There’s no doubt that this study (which was not funded by any company) was influenced by the anecdotal evidence, along with the rich history of the use of sea buckthorn oil as a home remedy for centuries by many cultures.

Despite the fact that sea buckthorn oil has literally been used for centuries, it is only now beginning to be looked at by the scientific community.  

“Sea buckthorn is traditionally considered a panacea, with reported anti-atherogenic, hypoglycemic, anti-aggregant, antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-ulcer, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive and anticancer properties. Studies have described beneficial effects of sea buckthorn in hepatic disease, wound healing (12), atopic dermatitis and radiation protection (10,11,13). However, we did not identify studies exploring the efficacy of this extract when applied topically to psoriasis lesions.”

The authors of the study say that finding an affordable and accessible treatment for this widespread disease was one of their main motives in coming up with the project. 

“The results of our study offer the base incentive for further studying this extract, which could offer affordable, low-adverse-effects and accessible therapies for the increasingly stringent problem of psoriasis.”

To make sure that the data they found were clean, they used patients who had not yet started treatment and were only recently diagnosed. This proves that the results were from the sea buckthorn oil used, and not from something the patient had used before.

Best of all, the study showed that the majority of patients had a positive response which could mean that the use of sea buckthorn oil could be suitable for many people- even those with very sensitive skin.

“Our study was conducted on newly-diagnosed patients, which ensured that the obtained progress was a result of our experimental therapy, not of previous treatment. All patients were diagnosed with mild to moderate psoriasis; patients with severe forms of psoriasis were excluded, as to minimize the interference of other systemic therapies with the results of the sea buckthorn preparation . All 10 patients completed the 8 weeks of therapy and follow-up successfully, suggesting that this form of herbal therapy is well accepted and tolerated by patients on a subjective level.”

 

It’s important to keep in mind that this is just a preliminary study, and that further work will be needed to prove that sea buckthorn oil could be a reliable treatment for psoriasis. Still, every positive study is a step forward in better understanding how sea buckthorn oil can support health.

 

Supports Healthy Inflammation Response

Psoriasis is thought to be caused by an inflammatory disorder in the body. So, it would make sense that consuming foods and supplements that support healthy inflammation response could help.

Sea buckthorn oil contains vitamin E & superoxide dismutase. These are known as powerful antioxidants that enhance the body’s ability to cope with stress and fight off inflammation. Quercetin, another natural component in the oil, may inhibit the production and release of histamine and other inflammatory substances. 

In addition to antioxidants, the fatty acid content (including omega 3, omegas 6 or 9, as well as the rare omega 7) of the oil could be another factor in the soothing effect of the oil.

Customer Reviews and Recommended Products 

Some people find that taking an oral supplement of sea buckthorn oil is enough to help with skin conditions. Our Omega 7 Complete is the best option because it’s got a blend of both sea buckthorn seed and berry oil in an easy to use capsule.

In the study we mentioned above, scientists used a blend of pure sea buckthorn oils (along with some carrier oils) in their experiment. Our DIY Kit is perfect for your own experimentation because it’s easy to use topically but can also be used as an external supplement.

Hailee C April 21st, 2017 Berry Oil Dropper

 "It's perfect for Spring when the weather is getting warmer because it doesn't make my skin feel super oily or break me out but keeps me really hydrated, helps treat dark spots, bug bites, rashes, dry spots, good for cuticles and I've even mixed it with lavender EO and a little coconut oil to help treat my toddler's mild eczema. I prefer this to coconut oil because coconut oil tends to leave me feeling greasy, a little of sea buckthorn goes a long way and my skin drinks it up!"

iHerb Customer November 16, 2017 Omega 7 complete 

"I have had severe psoriasis this year,and since taking the complete omega7, it is disappearing at a fast rate, I am very happy, thanks."

iHerb Customer December 22, 2018 Berry Oil Dropper

"I've worked up to consuming about 20 drops of this daily, in an attempt to clear up my psoriasis (being an excellent source of omega 7). It's only been about 3 weeks but early results are promising. I'm not wanting external solutions but I imagine if you used it that way, it would be a bit messy as the colour is bright orange. Internally, it's great though and it doesn't taste too bad."

Sea Buckthorn Could be Helpful for Psoriasis

Based on the latest findings and anecdotal evidence, it looks as though sea buckthorn oil could be considered to help with psoriasis. With its rich antioxidants and omega fatty acids, sea buckthorn oil might be the next big thing for psoriasis treatment in the future.