Nail Psoriasis/ Omega 3's

[chodorom]

For those of you with nail psoriasis, is there any contraindication to painting the nails? i am just starting to get psoriasis in my nails. I would like to keep them painted so that its not so obvious but i don't want the polish to make the situation worse.
On another note, since P is an autoimmue condition, has anyone found any results using supplemented Omega 3 fatty acids in their diet? I have read some studies about the role of Omega 3's in inflammation and just wondering if anyone has tried this
Thanks

[ami]

Hello!
I'm sorry to hear that the P is spreading to your nails. Luckily, I've only had pitting of the nails (crosses fingers!). Maybe someone else can help with the question about painting, I'd be interested to know, too!

I wanted to give input on the other part of your question, about the Omega-3s. I have recently started taking an Omega 3 complex (with Omega 3, Flax, and Borage) and within 2 months, have noticed significant improvement of my psoriasis (plaque type, about 50% coverage). My right arm has almost completely cleared, and it was covered from elbow to wrist with P. My left arm is almost as far along as my right one. My legs remain my most stubborn areas, covered front and back from just above the knee to the ankle on both legs. However, even they are starting to improve since the start of the Omega 3, with a smoother texture and a LOT less itching and flaking.

I have never liked or eaten any fish of any kind, so I am convinced that this nutritional deficit is at least part of my P trigger. I have been reading a lot about Omega 3 and its benefits, and I decided to give it a try. On my last derm visit three weeks ago, the dermatologist was very impressed with my improvement. He says I'm his toughest case of P. I'm currently on Enbrel 50 mg/twice a week, but had "plateaued" with its effectiveness, although it has improved my quality of life (I'm not in constant excrutiating pain). He suggested I increase my Omega 3 to (2) geltabs per day, or 2000 mg. Since doing that, I've had even more improvement.

I highly recommend supplementing Omega 3 to see if it helps you. However, if you already eat a lot of oily fish in your diet, be careful of the dosage you take, and check with your doctor. But if you're like me and don't eat fish, then take as much as you can (the bottle says up to (3) 1000 mg geltabs per day)! I'm convinced this stuff is magic in a bottle!

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress!

[misales]

I'm going to up my dose too, 2 pills instead of 1. Good for my cholesterol and psoriasis! The beauty of this stuff is that it's cheap and easy to get.

When I was a kid, my dad would always snack on sardines...aka fish steaks. They come in a small tin with a key that would roll up the front and you'd have these little fish in oil. Not my style, dad would eat them like candy however. I think I'll stick to the pills.

[Rambler]

There are cultures that eat a lot of fish. I wonder what the incidence of Psoriasis is among such people?

[misales]

There are cultures that eat a lot of fish. I wonder what the incidence of Psoriasis is among such people?

I actually just read about this except in relationship to cholesterol. Apparently the Eskimos ate primarily fish and animal high in fat content. They presumed that it was the omega three from the fish oil that controlled their cholesterol levels. Not sure about the P though.

Also, regarding the nails, I've only had a couple that were slightly affected, nothing major like some of you had. I've always thought about soaking them in oil or pasting them with some sort of oil paste mixture. Not sure if that would work but it always seems that oil helps.

[Resist]

I have been taking ProEPA from Nordic Naturals. It's a Pharmaceutical Grade Molecularly Distilled Omega-3 Fish Oil supplement. I have been taking 2 soft gel capsules a day but have not noticed any improvements in my Psoriasis. I take them more for my cardiovascular health.