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Psoriasis on My Hands – Causes & Remedies

ByLaurie Neverman

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For several months in 2019, I dealt with psoriasis on my hands. It was some sort of pustular psoriasis, possibly PPP (Palmoplantar pustulosis). At its most active, there were small blisters filled with white fluid in the affected areas, combined with flaking skin, oozing and itching.

In this article, I’ll share possible triggers for Palmoplantar pustulosis, plus how I healed my hands.

Psoriasis on My Hands - Palmoplantar pustulosis

Some Background on My History with Psoriasis

Back in 2015-2016, I broke out with plaque psoriasis over large areas of my body. It was a miserable experience. I looked like a burn victim. It hurt to breath, smile, move – pretty much everything.

I went to the dermatologist. They told me what I had, and said I’d best get used to it, since there was no cure.

I told the doc I was making some diet changes to see if it would help. She said what you eat doesn’t affect your skin. She gave me some prescriptions for topical treatments and sent me on my way.

Through a series of diet and lifestyle changes and some intense healing sessions, I cleared my skin. You can read the whole story in the series of posts listed below:

All was clear for the better part of three years – until 2019.

Why the heck do I have psoriasis on my hands?

In March 2019, I noticed a small red irritated patch on my right palm. I ignored it for some time, thinking that I had simply gotten into something that irritated my skin.

It took me about a month or more to realize what it was – pustular psoriasis. My “old friend” is back to teach me another lesson.

The National Psoriasis Foundation notes the following about Pustular Psoriasis:

Symptoms

Pustular psoriasis is primarily seen in adults. It may be limited to certain areas of the body — for example, the hands and feet. Generalized pustular psoriasis also can cover most of the body. It tends to go in a cycle with reddening of the skin followed by pustules and scaling.

Triggers

A number of factors may trigger pustular psoriasis, including:

  • Internal medications
  • Irritating topical agents
  • Overexposure to UV light
  • Pregnancy
  • Systemic steroids
  • Infections
  • Emotional stress
  • Sudden withdrawal of systemic medications or potent topical steroids

Palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) causes pustules on the palms of the hand and soles of the feet. It commonly affects the base of the thumb and the sides of the heels. Pustules initially appear in a studded pattern on top of red plaques of skin, but then turn brown, peel and become crusted. PPP is usually cyclical, with new crops of pustules followed by periods of low activity.

Going through the checklist, the most likely culprits are stress and sudden withdrawal of systemic medication.

I’m Off My Meds

I was on Armour thyroid from 2012 -2019, but decided to discontinue use due to a number of factors.

In the fall of 2018, I had a full body thermography scan, which showed no inflammation in the thyroid area. My thyroid tests were largely stable for years. Antibodies were still high when last tested, but there was no growth in the lumps.

When I went to refill my thyroid prescription in January 2019, the pharmacy switched me to Thyroid NP. It did not go well. I started having heart palpitations and my head was spinning and I just felt messed up. I tried half doses and still felt terrible.

German New Medicine and Hypothyroidism

About this same time, I discovered German New Medicine (GNM). GNM linked autoimmune thyroid issues with feelings of helplessness – which is exactly the circumstances under which my thyroid problems started.

From “Hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s Disease at New Medicine Online“:

Hashimoto’s is an inflammation of the thyroid ducts. In essence a ‘hanging healing’ (PCL-A) where the healing phase has got ‘hung up’ due to ongoing conflict relapse.

The hypothyroidism occurs when the efferent or outgoing thyroid ducts swell and occlude, thereby blocking thyroxine from entering into the bloodstream. If we can assist in a completion of the healing phase, thyroxine levels will return to normal. Otherwise, supplementation may be needed to avoid a condition known as myxedema, which involves a swelling of the skin and tissues.

During conflict activity, the ducts will ulcerate (cell loss, cell negative) along with an elevation of “fight-or-flight” hormones. Only a slight tightness or pulling may be noticeable at this juncture.

The intelligent purpose behind this widening of the duct is to allow for greater secretion of thyroid hormone into the bloodstream in order to assist the individual to gain control of the conflict.

Once the individual has come to terms with the conflict, the swelling or edema will occlude the duct, preventing the expression of thyroxine into the body. It is believed that the thyroid gland has become hypoactive or even non-functional, but this is a misinterpretation. It is the swollen ducts that are lowering the thyroid hormone bio-availability.

Letting My Body Heal

Given my results on Thyroid NP, the lack of hot spots on my thermography exam, the GNM information (I don’t feel helpless anymore since my husband has a job and I earn some income from the website) and the fact that my hormones are naturally shifting right now due to perimenopause, I decided to get off the meds and let my body do what it needs to do.

I have not taken thyroid medications since January 2019, and have noticed no significant changes in general well-being – until March 2019, when I got an itchy spot on my hand.

German New Medicine and Natural Psoriasis Treatment

After looking up what conventional medicine had to say about psoriasis on my hands, I decided to check out GNM.

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According to “Understanding Skin Disorders by Caroline Markolin, Ph.D.” :

Based on thousands of patients’ cases, Dr. Hamer found that a skin disorder is always linked to a “separation conflict” which a person experiences as if “my child, my parent, my partner, my friend … was torn from my skin”.

…

A Biological Special Program is in place to assist the organism in coping with this traumatic event. During the conflict-active stress phase, the skin loses epidermal cells causing a loss of sensitivity towards touch. The “sensory paralysis” is a natural form of protection from further traumas of this kind. As a result of the loss of epidermal cells, the skin becomes dry, rough, and may flake.

The resolution of the conflict is the turning point. Together with the healing that takes place on the psychological level, the skin also starts to heal by refilling and replenishing the ulcerated area with new cells. During this repair process, the skin becomes inflamed, itchy, blistery, and swollen.

Skin disorders such as eczema, dermatitis, rosacea, hives, or herpes are therefore positive signs indicating that a natural healing process is running its course.

…

Dr. Hamer found psoriasis involves two separation conflicts. The active conflict shows as flaky skin, the resolved conflict shows red patches. The result is a familiar picture: silvery scales on a red surface.

Dr. Hamer discovered another biological rule: He found that if a right-handed person suffers a separation conflict over a child or his/her mother, the left side of the body will be affected; if the conflict is over a partner (everybody except our mother or our children), the right side will respond. For left-handed people, it is reversed.

Resolving Conflicts with Losing Loved Ones

Recently, I have been very conflicted/saddened by the thought of losing so many that I care for. My in-laws are aging. August (husband) has been working long hours at work and it’s taking a toll on his health. My siblings are dealing with more and more chronic health issues.

I’ve been working with my BodyTalk friend to work through some of my emotional baggage. I think it’s more than just loss of individuals, it’s a loss of self. We’re becoming the oldest generation, and that is a heck of a responsibility. So many times I’ve looked to elders for advice, and I’m not sure I’m ready to be the elder.

I have been using EFT to tap on my fears and sadness about losing those I love. I won’t say they are completely clear, but the rush of emotions has calmed a bit.

My Psoriasis Symptoms

For over a month (most of March and April), all I had was a small rough patch of skin on my right palm. Then something kicked it into high gear, and I spent much of May and the start of June with pus-filled blisters, red, scaly skin, flaking, itching and oozing. The palm of my right hand and inside of the ring finger of my right hand were the worst.

The left hand had a small patch on the palm and some rough spots at the base of the thumb (on either side).

With treatment, the ring finger cleared, the left hand was mostly clear, and the right palm was much improved. I had a minor flare up with blistering and peeling in mid-June. By July 2019, my hand cleared, and have been clear ever since.

psoriasis on hand in remission

Natural Psoriasis Treatments

First off, I started watching my diet more closely, limiting sweets and potential trigger foods. Around 5/10/19 I started taking homeopathic thyroid support tabs to potentially help “bridge the gap” while healing.

5/16/19 I brewed up a batch of Four Herb Tea and started dosing again. (This helped with my first round of psoriasis in 2015-2016.)

I also did intermittent fasting, with nothing but a glass of green juice in the morning until around noonish. (This gives the body time to focus on healing instead of digesting.) I took taking Saccharomyces boulardii each morning on an empty stomach to crowd out any candida overgrowth, and a good probiotic at bedtime.

The last week in May 2019, my husband, youngest son and I went on a “reboot” diet where we ate nothing but veggies in various forms via the Grow a New Body system. I didn’t notice a big difference, but my husband noticed changes in his health. (First he felt worse, then he felt better.)

natural psoriasis treatments

Psoriasis Creams and Other Topical Treatments

I’ve been testing different topical treatments for the psoriasis on my hands, to see what helps – and what doesn’t.

Calendula creams seems to calm the skin down, but it also made it tender and a bit sore. Comfrey salve and plantain salve made the skin more bumpy, red and oozing. I had to stop with both. I tried neem oil, but it stunk and didn’t seem to help.

Colloidal silver salve with aloe vera, plain CBD oil,  EM-1 microbes and witch hazel all seem to help. I also take Epsom salt baths weekly to help with detox.

psoriasis on hands

If you deal with psoriasis pain and have found a solution that works for you, please share in the comments.

Get the Book – Psoriasis Healing

Now available in kindle or print, “Psoriasis Healing – From Curse to Blessing“. Released in 2020, this book shares my story and other tips for healing.

"Psoriasis Healing: From Curse to Blessing" book cover
https://commonsensehome.com/psoriasis-healing/

More Support

If you need support or ideas for dealing with chronic illness, check out our membership website, Bona Cresco. We have private forums (members only, not on social media) where we can discuss natural health options.

Laurie Neverman

This article is written by Laurie Neverman. Laurie is a lifelong learner with a passion for natural remedies and holistic healing. She’s successfully improved her eyesight and cleared her psoriasis.

Originally posted in 2016, last updated in 2024.

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19 Comments

  1. Thank you for sharing your backstory and all the healings! I have the exact same thing on my right hand and I’ve been saying that it was a bad case of eczema but now I know it’s not. It’s getting better with Vaseline at night but it’s not kicking it. I’m about to start intermittent fasting and changing my diet too because that’s all I can do at this point. I really appreciate alll this info! Praying for our aching bodies.

    Reply

    1. My hands have been clear for years now, so it is possible. You can heal! Gut health is so important for skin health. Everything is connected.

      Reply

    1. No. This happened before the current round of paranoia, but I’ve never liked hand sanitizer or used it regularly. We use non-toxic soaps, usually goat milk soap, at home.

      Reply

  4. Hi Laurie-

    My hands look how your did, more blisters and inflammation. How do you start healing naturally? My dermatologist has me going to light therapy 3x’s a week since November and wants me to continue until February. I currently using a topical tar compound as well twice a day. One day it seems to start healing then gets worse. The only thing that soothes my skin is Vaseline with gloves. Any tips or suggestions on how to start a different type of natural treatment?

    Reply

  5. Dear Laurie Your,
    doctor seems to be a very poor brand doctor, telling you that it doesn’t matter what you eat, it doesn’t affect your skin’s effects. It is quite the opposite. Everything you eat has a huge impact on your overall body health. I also had skin inflammation, but not quite like yours, you could say an initial condition like yours. Everything changed when I changed my diet. Above all, I gave up eating meat and sweets. No disease will develop if you are alkaline. Diseases develop when the reaction is acidic. So at this point it is important not to eat fried foods as well, neither coffee nor dairy products. Nothing that spoils the good gut flora. I know it is hard to switch from “traditional” to vegan food right away, but this is the only way to cure. It is mainly vegetables that contribute to the good health of the body. There you have almost everything your body needs to be healthy. I have come a long way to recover from Lyme disease, a thyroid tumor and other ailments that are caused by eating meat (including pressure problems) and sweets. That is, acidification of the body. There is also one simple specificity to your inflammation of the skin and your family: aloe vera juice. But not the one bought and processed at the factory, but straight from the leaf. Try it.
    I like to read your permaculture tips and choose what’s best for me. Here I am a layman in this field and I am just learning. It was the state of my health that caused me to reevaluate my lifestyle and to perform a reset on every level.
    It is impossible for everyone to live as it was before. In this way, we destroy not only our own health, but also Our Mother Planet. Why? Because by raising cattle and using up its resources without giving anything in return, we eat it from the inside, leading to the destruction of mankind. We should live in harmony with nature. Cooperate with it, not destroy it like locusts.
    In order to change something to save the earth, we must first start with ourselves, saving our health. So be in harmony with nature.
    On the subject of food and the impact of individual products on our health, this is a much more comprehensive reading that I will not bore you today. I have described it all in a nutshell. But still, maybe by writing about it I will help you, as you help me. Thank you.

    Reply

  7. I used to fold cardboard boxes and that took all the oil out of my hands. What I did for it then was before I went to sleep at night I would cover my hands with vasaline then put bread sacks over my hands to keep it on my hands for the nite. Of sense I have started making my own ozonated olive oil for such. Diet is a factor, stress is a factor. I am glad you are making progress.

    Reply

    1. Thank you, Mart. Overall my hands are doing much better, although certain activities cause flare ups (like too much weeding or washing dishes). I wasn’t careful enough and gave myself a bad batch of phytophotodermatitis while weeding (spots up the legs to the knee and spots n my forearms), so right now that’s causing more issues than the psoriasis. I seem to be getting more reactive as I get older, so I’m working on eating cleaner, plenty of sweating to clear things out of my system, and healing foods and supplements.

      Reply

  8. A friend of mine had this. Has hands were flaking badly and bleeding.
    I told him to try avoiding antibacterial soap with Triclosan.
    Within weeks of getting rid of all antibacterial soap, his hands were back to normal.

    Reply

    1. Anti-bacterial soaps (and many other common household products) are nasty and hard on the skin. I’m glad he listened to you.

      We’ve been mindful of product choices for years because of the research I do for the site, and because my youngest breaks out in hives when exposed to the wrong things. We found that out when grandma washed his clothes in Tide. He was miserable.

      We use goat milk soap (the neighbors sell it for their 4H goat project) and coconut oil based liquid soaps. I used to used Ivory liquid hand soap years ago because it was one of the few available at the local stores that didn’t have triclosan, but I can’t find it anymore locally. I end up ordering items through our Frontier natural buying club.

      Reply

  9. This is great information. Thank you for sharing all of your careful observations and healing process. I feel this might be useful, whether I want the experience or not, someday.

    Reply

    1. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, but I think it’s important to realize that when we become “ill”, our bodies are simply trying their best to fix something that’s not right. No doctor or treatment can “cure” us, they only help the body do what it needs to do.

      Reply

  10. Dear Laurie–I have nothing to offer except my concern, and I will add you to my prayer list. Padre Pio used to say, “Pray, and don’t worry.” Prayer engages you beyond yourself into the positive and worry keeps you focused on the negative.
    You are a very capable person. You are doing this! You’ve already proven your dermatologist wrong.
    All the best.
    Chet

    Reply

    1. Thank you, Chet.

      I’m sure this too will pass. And as unpleasant as it has been, I do think of it as a learning and growth experience. I either need to clear toxic stuff out of my body, or my mind, or my spirit – or all three. This way I have a very obvious feedback system, rather than a heal condition that’s less visible. My teacher returned and is trying to tell me something.

      One critical factor is working through the fear. Last time it was harder, especially after being told by the doctor there was no hope. This time, I know I have healed and can do so again, so it’s easier to work through the fear. Hopefully what I’m going through can also help others.

      Reply