Best Soap For Psoriasis?

It is easy to find a psoriasis soap- you just need to know what to look for. Psoriasis is a skin condition that causes the skin to build up dry, red patches, which sometimes have white or silvery scales.  This dry skin can get easily irritated and infected, so the soap you choose to wash with when you have psoriasis is important.

Psoriasis is a chronic condition that has no cure and can be fairly difficult to manage - especially when it comes to finding the right skin care routine. Keeping the skin clean and hydrated can be particularly tricky, but here we share our tips on the best body soap and facial cleansers for psoriasis.

Read more about the causes of psoriasis here.

First things first: you should avoid using soap for psoriasis at all costs. Soap strips the natural oils from the skin, so it is much better to use a creamy cleanser, liquid body wash or cleansing gel for your body or your face.

Soap also has a high pH which can irritate skin.

Not all soaps are bad.  Irish spring is a terrible choice but a bar of Dove soap is a good choice to use if you have psoriasis. This is because Dove soap is made from a syndet which is not true soap. 

Choose a body wash that won't injure your skin barrier.

These body washes are dermatologist-approved and gentle on your skin barrier.

• CeraVe Psoriasis Skin Therapy Cleanser
• La Roche-Posay Lipikar Wash AP+ Moisturizing Body & Face Wash
• Zerafite Creamy Cleanser

We prefer these soothing cleansers to wash your face when you have psoriasis:

• Zerafite Creamy Cleanser- can also be used to shave the face. It is gentle enough not to irritate psoriatic skin.

• La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser

• CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser
• Medature Plantract Cleansing Gel

Hydrating Cleansers are a great choice to wash the face- especially if you have dryness:

If dry scales on your face are your main concern, then a hydroxyacid cleanser for the face is a good option for your morning skin care routine. (Your evening face wash should be a nonfoaming cleanser or cleansing oil listed above.) Hydroxyacid cleansers for the face are:

After using your psoriasis cleanser, rinsing with warm water and then gently patting dry with a clean towel. Do not rub the skin dry. Avoid scrubs, exfoliators, and other friction as this can make your psoriasis worse.

Once you've used your psoriasis face wash, gently apply your psoriasis cream as part of your daily skincare routine.

You should never, ever use a face brush if you have psoriasis. A 19th-century dermatologist called Heinrich Koebner discovered a phenomenon (now known as the Koebner Phenomenon) in which the inflammation of psoriasis can appear on parts of the body that are not commonly associated with psoriasis as a result of injury or trauma.

By exfoliating the skin with scrubs or a face brush, you can actually worsen your psoriasis and make it even harder to treat - and can even lead to psoriatic arthritis. Therefore, scrubs, face brushes and loofahs should be avoided at all costs in psoriasis.

Do not use soap on your body. Instead, use a creamy or hydrating body cleanser. Look for cleansers with soothing fatty acids.

You can use hydroxyacid cleansers for the face on your body, however, hydroxyacids cleansers designed for the body may cost less because they come in larger bottles.

Similar to the face, you should cleanse your body using a liquid creamy psoriasis cleanser in the shower or bath. Do not use a loofah or any other kind of cleansing brush.

Rinse with warm water. Pat - don’t rub - the skin dry and apply your usual psoriasis cream to damp skin after using your psoriasis body wash.

Follow with a Barrier Repair Body Moisturizer.

Keeping your skin clean and hydrated when you have psoriasis needn’t be tricky, but selecting the right cleanser for your psoriasis and Baumann Skin Type is essential. Follow cleansing with your usual psoriasis cream and a personalized skincare routine.

1. Baumann L. Cleansing Agents in Ch. 40 of Baumann's Cosmetic Dermatology Ed 3. (McGraw Hill 2022)
2. Baumann, L. Cleansing Agents Ch.6 in  Cosmeceuticals and Cosmetic Ingredients (McGraw Hill 2015)
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6. Kircik, L., Alexis, A. F., Andriessen, A., Blattner, C., Glick, B. P., Lynde, C. W., & Gold, L. S. (2023). Psoriasis and Skin Barrier Dysfunction: The Role of Gentle Cleansers and Moisturizers in Treating Psoriasis. Journal of drugs in dermatology: JDD, 22(8), 773-778.
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