Dead Sea Salts & Psoriasis Treatments

The evidence of the benefits of the Dead Sea for treating psoriasis and other skin disorders is far reaching. The unique combination of therapeutic elements at the Dead Sea results in an amazing rate of patients being able to not only completely clear their psoriasis, but also make subsequent recurrences of the disease less severe. We will take a look at what makes this area so special through looking at the Dead Sea Health Resort in Israel, which through 30 years of treating patients with many types of skin problems has amazing evidence if the effectiveness of the Dead Sea.

Dead Sea Health Resort and Psoriasis

The Dead Sea Health Resort is not only the located at the lowest place on earth, but it is the only institution on earth that has been so successful at treating psoriasis patients. Why? The Dead Sea has a unique a combination of elements which have been proven to be excellent natural treatments for psoriasis that come together nowhere else on earth. A breakdown of these elements include:

• Atmosphere
  At 400 meters below seal level, the Dead Sea is the lowest place on earth. The air in the region is dense – high in bromine and other elements which serve as a filter of UVB rays, allowing longer sun exposure with a lower risk of sunburn. The air is also five percent higher in oxygen than normal air at sea level (and 10% higher than nearby areas). This special mix of elements leads to lower levels of stress in patients and longer ability to stay in the sun – vital part of the psoriasis treatment.
• Water
  The water in the Dead Sea is much richer than average ocean water – about 10 times higher in salt and enriched with hydrogen sulfide gas. With 345 grams of mineral salts per liter, the actual percentage of sodium to total salts is much lower than normal sea water. There are high numbers of mineral salts other than Sodium which enrich the water, including magnesium, sodium, potassium and calcium. If you can't make it to Israel, visit SaltWorks to purchase Dead Sea salt and experience this unique treatment.
• Additional Treatment Factors
  The psychological benefits of being at the resort play an important role. Patients experience freedom from the usual anxiety related to worrying about the appearance of the psoriasis lesions. They also experience excitement and hopefulness due to seeing improvement in their condition and in others. Because psoriasis is known to be stress-related, reduced levels of stress experienced by patients are another important factor. In addition to the shedding of the self-consciousness associated with the disease, the high content of bromine and oxygen in the air at the Dead Sea aids in relaxation. The amount of Bromine, known to contribute to relaxation, in the air is around 20 times higher than nearby areas. Oxygen is a vital element in a healthy body and, as previously mentioned, is higher in oxygen than normal air at sea level and 10% higher than nearby areas.

Specifics of Psoriasis Treatment at the Resort

The typical stay at the resort for psoriasis treatment includes four weeks of sun exposure combined with bathing in the Dead Sea. Natural treatments are used solely to moisturize the skin, and are used in lieu of more conventional treatments such as Cortisone.

The patient’s exposure to the unique combination of the water, climate and sun is the basis of treatment; however sun is a vital part of the therapy. A recent study revealed that bathing only in Dead Sea water without sun exposure an average improvement rate of 20%; sun bathing combined with Dead Sea water bathing produced an improvement rate of 83.4%. The length of beneficial sun exposure has been studied and determined. For example, a study conducted during the months of July and August concluded that the highest rates of improvement occurred in patients who spent only three hours per day in the sun.

Evidence of Success

Throughout the past two decades, studies of the resort have shown staggering results, with 60% of patients experiencing a total clearance of psoriasis, and an additional 36% of patients having near-clearance or significant improvement. Studies also show a decline in reduced severity of recurrences of the disease (typically occurring around 6 months later), and that patients will not become resistant to Dead Sea treatment.

In more typical treatments such as cortisone, psoriasis recurrences can be more severe than the initial occurrence, and furthermore, it is not uncommon for patients to become resistant to more common treatments. Additional benefits of Dead Sea treatment included lowering the risk of developing skin cancer associated with PUVA treatment. Even though the sun is the most vital part of Dead Sea Treatment, there is no evidence of an increased risk of developing skin cancer for patients who have visited the Dead Sea region.

Related Links

Plaque Psoriasis
Natural Psoriasis Treatment
The Dead Sea and Psoriasis Treatment
Home Remedies for Psoriasis