Psoriasis – Helpful Tips

Transcript

“What are some other helpful items that can help prevent psoriasis flares? Avoiding scrapes, cuts, bumps, and infections is also important. It’s really important for people with psoriasis to avoid bumps, cuts and trauma to the skin. Trauma to the skin can also cause a flare. This is known as Koebner’s phenomenon. Infections can also cause their own problems. Be especially careful when you’re shaving, avoid tattoos, acupuncture, and do your best to prevent insect bites and chafing of the skin. Getting some sun might be important, but try to avoid excess sun exposure. UV rays in sunlight slow the growth of skin cells. So getting moderate doses of sun is good. However, it’s best to make it brief, about 20 minutes or so at a time. Using a sunscreen is very helpful and important. Some burns can trigger psoriasis and it also can raise the risk of developing skin cancer.

Some medications can make your skin more sensitive to UV rays. So talk to your doctor first, before considering sun exposure. Zapping stress is also helpful measure at reducing psoriasis. Although it hasn’t been fully proven. Many people actually link psoriasis flares to stress. Try relieving your anxiety. This might be easier said than done, but you can use relaxation techniques like meditation or yoga to help manage the emotional impact of your psoriasis. Another helpful tip is to watch how much alcohol you drink. There is a connection between alcohol and psoriasis that is somewhat unclear, but a lot of individuals think it actually worsens symptoms, especially in men. Alcohol can also be dangerous if you’re using certain psoriasis drugs. So it’s important to check with your doctor. Lastly, exercising, eating right, and keeping a healthy weight will also help minimize psoriasis flares. Although no studies have actually shown a clear link between diet and psoriasis, experts recommend that people with the condition eat a well balanced diet that is high in fruits and vegetables. Some say that symptoms improve when they remove dairy or gluten. Exercise also helps. Some studies show an excess weight can trigger psoriasis flares. So keeping a healthy weight is important.”