Living with Psoriasis
CARING FOR YOUR SKIN
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Take baths daily to help remove flakes and calm your skin. You can add bath oil, colloidal oatmeal, or Epsom salts to lukewarm water. Use a mild soap with added oil or fat to add moisture to your skin. Blot skin dry and avoid rubbing.1 |
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Moisturize every time you bathe with either a heavy moisturizer or body oil. If you live in a cold or dry environment, you may need to moisturize several times a day.1 |
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Expose the affected skin to small amounts of sunlight, but be careful. Too much sun exposure can make symptoms worse or cause outbreaks. Work with your dermatologist and keep a record of exposure time to make sure you do what is best for you. Be sure you cover unaffected skin with sunscreen that is SPF 30 or higher.1 |
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Avoid common triggers as much as possible, including: stress, infections, certain medications, injuries to the skin, cold or dry weather, smoking, and heavy alcohol use.2,3 |
ARE THE SYMPTOMS PERMANENT?
- Psoriasis is a chronic skin disorder, but symptoms can get better for periods of time.4
- While there is currently no cure for psoriasis, a combination of medical treatments and lifestyle can help control the symptoms.4
PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT OF PSORIASIS
- Living with psoriasis been compared to having cancer, arthritis, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, or depression.5
- Although it is categorized as a skin disorder, an individual’s quality of life can be greatly reduced because of physical pain and physical limitations.5
- People with psoriasis are likely to become depressed, encounter difficulty in their personal relationships, and have complications at work due to medical appointments and physical limitations.6