New Oregon & Coffee skin serum can ward off stress-related psoriasi
A new skin serum containing plant extract Oregon Grape Root and Coffee is effective in reducing the symptoms of psoriasis, according to a UK trial.
A two-month trial, carried out by a UK doctor on 50 people, found that the skin serum improved psoriasis for 86% of the patients, with 75% of these experiencing a marked improvement after just four weeks.
The Oregon & Coffee Intensive Serum appeared to be more helpful than standard treatments for almost half the sufferers. Overall, 50% of participants had previously been treated with steroids or Dovonex and, of those, 95% said that after eight weeks the Oregon & Coffee serum had improved all psoriasis symptoms (including itching, scaling, plaque thickness and redness) beyond the level of improvement already experienced on their existing steroid-based treatments.
Psoriasis is a recurrent skin condition that affects around 2% of the UK population. It is caused by an acceleration of skin cell production. Normally a skin cell matures in 21-28 days. Psoriatic cells, however, turn over in 2-3 days and in such profusion that the live cells reach the surface and accumulate with the dead cells still in visible layers (hence the plaques).
The condition manifests itself as raised red patches of skin covered with silvery scales. It can occur on any part of the body although elbows, knees and the scalp are usual sites. It can also occur in the nails and is most common in toe nails. If left untreated psoriasis can get into eth joints and cause psoriasis-related arthritis.
Oregon grape root is a native plant of North America and has been extensively examined as a treatment for psoriasis in several published studies. These studies have found that compounds isolated from extracts of OGR possess inhibitory activity against Lipoxygenase (an enzyme involved in psoriatic skin cell production).
At the cellular level, OGR has been shown to guard against accelerated activity during the process of keratinocytes (skin cell production).
Published research from Department of Dermatology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in Iran found that applying caffeine directly to psoriatic skin helped reduce symptoms. The Iranian scientists found that application of a cream containing 10% caffeine three times a day for 8 weeks was notably more effective at reducing symptoms than the placebo cream.
Dr Vincent Forte, the doctor who carried out the UK trial on the new Oregon & Coffee Intensive Serum, comments "I found the oregon & coffee skin serum to be an effective, well-tolerated and very acceptable treatment for psoriasis, with a very low incidence of side-effects. The serum compares favourably with topical steroids and Dovonex and the trial results indicate this is a well-liked treatment that psoriasis sufferers would use again."
Oregon & Coffee Intensive Serum costs £14.95 for 50ml. For more information, visit skinshop.co.uk.
