Several times over the years, I’ve heard that Dead Sea Salt can help with the treatment of Psoriasis coupled with UVB Narrow Band. I decided to do some googling and learned some interesting stuff.
The interesting thing is that many folks go to the Dead Sea for the treatment of Psoriasis and this has caused the belief that the Dead Sea Salt is the contributor to the clearing of their Psoriasis, the conclusion that I draw based on the article below and others that I’ve read is that it’s not the salt but the sunlight which contains a reasonable proportion of UVB/UVB NB, possibly because of the filtering effect of the mists and atmosphere around the Dead Sea that contribute to the healing/clearing.
Of course the secondary my more mercenary conclusion says, don’t waste your money on a trip to the Dead Sea, just purchase a UVB Narrow Band system for your home or just head to your doctor’s UVB311/UVB NB Clinic and save lots of cash!
I’d be interested in your comments!
Here’s one article from the British Journal of Dermatology (ISSN 0007-0963 ) from 2005 that concluded “In this population the addition of pretreatment Dead Sea salt soaks to NB-UVB did not result in a clinically important improvement in clearance of psoriasis.”
Document title: A randomized controlled comparison of the efficacy of Dead Sea salt balneophototherapy vs. narrowband ultraviolet B monotherapy for chronic plaque psoriasis
Author(s): DAWE R. S. ; YULE S. ; CAMERON H. ; MOSELEY H. ; IBBOTSON S. H. ; FERGUSON J.
from the Photobiology Unit, Department of Dermatology, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee DD1 9SY, ROYAUME-UNI
Abstract: Background Dead Sea (DS) salt solution soaks are used in combination with narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) to treat psoriasis in many centres, particularly in continental Europe. No previously published controlled study has assessed DS salt + NB-UVB balneophototherapy.
Objectives: To compare DS salt balneophototherapy with NB-UVB monotherapy for chronic plaque psoriasis. Methods Sixty patients with chronic plaque psoriasis participated in this paired, controlled study, with pretreatment DS salt soaks randomly allocated to each participant’s right or left study limb. Psoriasis severity was assessed with a Scaling, Erythema and Induration score by a blinded observer. Assessments were weekly during the therapy course, and thereafter 8-weekly until relapse or for up to 1 year after clearance.
Results: The mean area under the psoriasis severity-time curves during treatment was not detectably lower with DS salt balneophototherapy than with NB-UVB monotherapy (P = 0.099). The psoriasis severity score fell slightly more from beginning to end of courses with DS salt balneophototherapy than with NB-UVB monotherapy (P = 0.019). There was no detectable difference in times to relapse.
Conclusion: In this population the addition of pretreatment DS salt soaks to NB-UVB did not result in a clinically important improvement in clearance of psoriasis.
Other reading
- http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=2678696
- http://pt.wkhealth.com/pt/re/bjdr/abstract.00002300-200509000-00024.htm;jsessionid=K9QJPTxdckT2wddJJJx3CxndDt51Qyzryl6b0M110nXVB9LTPlst!331639832!181195628!8091!-1
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10792225
I think you’ll draw the same conclusion or maybe not if you read the article at Click Here where the author says “The ultraviolet radiation at the Dead Sea is attenuated relative to Beer Sheva as a result of the increased optical path length and consequent enhanced scattering. The UVB radiation is attenuated to a greater extent than UVA and the shorter erythema UVB spectral range decreased significantly compared with the longer therapeutic UVB wavelengths” – Life sure is complex!
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Interesting how you think! It’s possible that you are right. All too often the simple explanation is the one that’s true. I looked at a couple of sites that offer trips to the Dead Sea for 2-4 weeks at costs up to $5000.00 plus airfare! I think I’d like to try treatment at home or a clinic here first.
Here’s a rework of the original study. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1468-3083.2010.03857.x/abstract. I really am not sure what to believe as the authors say that “more patients withdrew because of the adverse effects of PT (phototherapy).”
We seldom see adverse effects unless the treatments are too long and done improperly.
I’ll need to do more reading.
It is expensive but belive me it help too much for posoriasis ,,,,some for vitiligo I am in dead sea right now, I see some chenges on my vitiligo allready in one week , I talked to many people …most posoriasis peatents are happy about the result but it last for some monthes and it comes back… for vitiligo it works gradually…once you repigment it stays longer ,,that is whay manny people comes here every year. I think I have to travel several times …combining NB UVB.
As I see the one which help is the sun and combination of the salt and the whole atmosphere ..the oxgin level is higher I breath easy and the sea has more minirals that we dont find in other seas.
Bamsegutt