The Koebner Phenomenon (BLOG #21)

You know when you scrape your elbow and a few days or weeks later you have a flare of psoriasis where you damaged the skin? This is called the Koebner Phenomenon. It’s where psoriasis plaques appear at the site of cuts, abrasions, new tattoos, etc.

What I didn’t know about this was……that the Koebner Phenomenon could show up as a result of an allergic reaction. And that it could appear in places that normally don’t have psoriasis.

So, let’s say, for example that your washing machine isn’t performing well (the rinse cycle is wimpy) leaving some soap residue on all your clothes and the sheets you sleep in. You’re wearing this residue day and night until your body hits the tipping point and you get a flare.

That’s what happened to me. This flare has differed in a few ways from my norm. Where I usually used to have psoriasis my skin is pretty much clear. Where I have psoriasis now is on the inside of my thighs, near the knee. I’ve never had psoriasis there before. And a few tiny spots on the inside of my arms. Notice that both places have the softest, most vulnerable skin. Hmmm.

I’m theorizing here (based on this experience) that it might be necessary to treat flares produced internally (excess calcium) differently from flares produced as a result of the Koebner Phenomenon.

I dug out that book(let) I’d bought around 30 years ago and decided to add a few of the tips for you to try, tips that I found in the book.

Last week’s blog talked about massaging the liver “neurolymphatic treatment area” (right side only, under the breast–from the breastbone to under the nipple). 30 seconds or so. A few times a day.

I’d forgotten about the “liver acupuncture treatment point” which is situated on the inside of both legs, at the knee. Again, massage for 30 seconds or so a couple of times a day.

And then there’s the Red Clover Combination which is no longer available but it’s basically a daily detox for the liver. Liver Detox teas can be found in most health food stores. Just try to find one that contains red clover, dandelion leaf, nettle and burdock. Or something close to that. I top up the tea bag with a few loose herbs from Gaia Garden, a specialty herb store in Vancouver. Anyway, it’s easy to make your own detox tea and cheaper.  I make a big pot and drink it all day.

And the author insists that PORK is the devil. And when I bought this book all those years ago, I stopped pork altogether. Haven’t eaten it in years. And I have to say that my skin improved quite a bit when I followed that rule.

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And finally, although not in this book, I found that smoking was really making things worse. I don’t remember it doing this before. So, that’s a new twist. Anyway, I had to stop smoking. It was so obviously causing a problem. And I did read in that book about high dosage D3 that smoking reduced the body’s ability to metabolize vitamin D.

So, I think what I’ve come away with here is that a flare can be initiated by an environmental toxin (detergent and other things we put on our body) which, once it reaches the tipping point, can result in a flare.

Once an allergic reaction occurs, it can be triggered with very little of the original allergen. Which is to say, I have to be very careful not to sit on or wear anything that has been touched with the allergen. Within seconds my skin starts to itch.

The good news is that my skin is improving, albeit slowly. At this point I’d like to be a bit more like Charlie and say “good enough” but I’m a neurotic and a perfectionist so I’m shooting for 97-100% clear. I know it’s doable.

Hope you are all well and enjoying the summer with improved skin.

Much love from Dakota and Lucky (and Charlie)