This is something that people might not know about me, but I hate taking showers. Of course, I still do it regularly because I dislike being dirty and smelly more than having to shower. I just loathe all the time and energy that it requires to be clean and make sure my skin and hair are properly taken care of, especially now that I have a chronic skin condition and autoimmune disorder. My showers were already long before I got lupus and psoriasis, but now, they’re even longer. This is my routine from start to finish. After reading this, you’ll probably understand why I don’t like doing this too often but I will explain the importance of completing it thoroughly.
1. Apply a moisturizing sulfate-free shampoo.
After I turn on the water and make sure it’s warm, but not hot, I step in the shower and wet my hair. My shampoo of choice right now is Verb Ghost Shampoo. It’s lightweight, moisturizing, and has a pleasant citrus scent. One bottle lasts me 6 months. I have to admit, my hair is generally very low-maintenance and as long as I use the right products it will look and feel pretty healthy. I prefer to use sulfate-free shampoo because shampoos with sulfate will strip your hair of natural oils and leave it feeling dry. I like to give my scalp a good massage by working this in until my arms get a little tired. Then I rinse it out thoroughly.
2. Lather in a medicated shampoo for at least 3 minutes to remove and prevent any scale buildup.
I’ve tried numerous medicated shampoos including Head & Shoulders but none has worked better than Neutrogena T/Sal shampoo. It’s formulated with 3% salicylic acid. When left on the scalp for at least 3 minutes, it really does its job and you can even feel it working with its slight tingle sometimes. Make sure not to scrub your scalp too hard because you don’t want to irritate your skin if you have any scale buildup. I know scalp psoriasis gets very itchy but you have to resist scratching because you can create openings in your skin and leave it more prone to infection. It feels good at the moment but it will be worse later on.
3. Apply a regular conditioner or weekly hair masque.
Depending on the day of the week and what my hair currently needs, I will then rinse out the medicated shampoo and apply my conditioner on the ends of my hair first and then work my way up to the roots. I do this because my scalp will get too oily if I put conditioner there first. I used to completely avoid putting conditioner on my scalp because of that, but after some trial and error, I learned that it’s better to have a moisturized scalp than a dry one since that can promote more flaking. For my regular conditioner, I’m using the pair to the Verb shampoo (which is Ghost Conditioner) and I just started using this new deep conditioning treatment by the brand DAE. So far, it smells delicious and I am loving how soft it makes my hair. Try to leave in this conditioner or hair masque for at least 3 minutes. The longer the better so that your hair will have more time to absorb the moisture. In the meantime, I move my hair out of the way so that it’s not on my back and pile it on top of my head. If I leave it sitting on my back with all the conditioner on it, I risk getting acne on my upper back from the clogged pores. I’ll also rinse off any excess conditioner there too.
4. Grab your body pouf, body wash, or weekly body scrub and apply everywhere.
Now it’s time to clean the rest of my body. I like using a moisturizing body wash with coconut oil or shea butter because my skin gets pretty dry. I’m using this Renpure coconut & vitamin E body wash right now, but I also love the SheaMoisture line too. Sadly, my favorite one has been discontinued. It’s just a personal preference, but I like to stick to plant-based options that aren’t filled with synthetic ingredients or fragrances. Once a week, I will exfoliate using a sugar body scrub. I prefer sugar scrubs because they hold moisture much more than salt. Salt is drying to the skin, so that’s important to keep in mind if you already have dry skin. My most luxurious option for this would be the Fresh brown sugar body scrub. It’s literally the best sugar scrub I’ve ever tried but it comes with a high cost, and it’s not affordable for my regular routine. It smells amazing though and after using it your skin is already so hydrated and smooth. Definitely a nice treat once in a while. Currently, I’m using this Raw Sugar Body Scrub which is the closest thing I can get to the Fresh one in my budget. It smells similar and does a good job of exfoliating too.
5. Shave legs, if necessary.
This is probably my least favorite part. I only do it once a week, but to make it a smoother experience I use EOS shaving cream and my Billie razor. The cream is an easy-to-use pump and the bottle isn’t made of aluminum so it won’t leave ugly rust rings in your shower. It’s best to shave after exfoliating so I try to align my shaving days with my body scrub days. I know it won’t always happen, but I just get a smoother shave after using a body scrub.
6. Rinse out conditioner/hair masque.
Finally, it’s time to rinse out the deep conditioner or masque that’s been working this whole time. This next step will not be fun for some people, but it does make a difference. I will turn the knob to change the temperature from warm to cold and rinse out the conditioner I have. In order to avoid freezing my butt off, I kind of lean my head backward so my hair isn’t touching my back and that helps it not be so shocking. I always do this step because my hair is long and the cold water helps seal the cuticles, which will make my hair really shiny. After all the conditioner is rinsed out from my hair and scalp (can’t forget behind the ears and neck), I turn off the water and squeeze out all the excess from my hair. Usually, I will feel refreshed but a little tired at this point because next is the post-shower routine. After grabbing my body towel and drying myself off, I will wrap my hair in a towel turban and twist to dry on top of my head.
Finally, I complete my skincare routine for my face and then apply body lotion all over to lock in the moisture. Each step should be done with care to ensure I am receiving the maximum benefits out of my shower time. The advantage each time is that it’s an opportunity to give yourself a restart to treat your psoriasis. Let’s say it’s been a bad few days and things have been getting very flaky and itchy on your scalp. Once you hop in the shower and complete this routine, conditions should improve. The dead skin sitting on top will be removed and the new skin will be revealed. For scalp psoriasis sufferers, regularly using the medicated shampoo along with any topical solutions you put on after is so important too. Depending on the severity of your psoriasis, you might need to use the medicated shampoo more often to receive the best results. If you have psoriasis on your body, you can gently cleanse your skin by removing some dead skin cells and deeply moisturize those areas that need it.
I know if you are currently experiencing a lupus flare-up, showering will be difficult so don’t push yourself too much if that’s the case. I remember one day I literally had to sit down in my shower and take a break while showering because I was so fatigued. This was when I could barely lift my arms over my head to wash my hair. Thankfully, I am in a better place now and have much more range of motion. When you aren’t able to bathe yourself, you realize how much you took it for granted on a daily basis. Another positive thing that comes from showering is that I always end up coming up with the best ideas while I’m in there. I’m pretty sure I thought about starting this blog during one of my long showers. So even though they take forever and I dread the chore, showering does end up having its benefits in the end.
