6 Tips for Managing Psoriasis

When it comes to managing inflammatory conditions like psoriasis, basic skin care doesn’t always suffice. Psoriasis is a unique skin condition because it’s a chronic autoimmune disease - not an infection or some other isolated occurrence.

If you have psoriasis, your skin becomes inflamed, patchy, and scaly when your immune system is overactive. Your skin cells multiply too quickly, which results in scales appearing on your elbows, knees, and other prominent areas. 

Multiple types of psoriasis affect over 7.5 million adults in the United States. Here at Orlando Dermatology Center in Oviedo, Lake Mary, and Orlando, Florida, our team of expert dermatologists can identify the type of psoriasis affecting you and provide individualized, advanced treatment based on your needs. Fortunately, psoriasis and related conditions often respond positively to mild treatment or lifestyle changes alone. 

If you want to reduce your psoriasis flare-ups or at least make them less severe, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll go over six of our dermatologists’ top tips for managing psoriasis of any type. 

1. Know your triggers

Like other autoimmune diseases, psoriasis often flares up in response to specific triggers you’ve encountered in your everyday life. Many behaviors and circumstances can leave you vulnerable to psoriasis flare-ups, with some of the most common examples being:

• Stress
• Infections
• Cold weather
• Dry air
• Humidity
• Drinking alcohol
• Eating certain foods
• Sunburns

Identifying your triggers can be tricky, but keeping a journal of when and where your psoriasis flares up can help you narrow them down. Once you’re familiar with your triggers, you can take (reasonable) steps to avoid them to minimize psoriasis symptoms. 

2. Wash your skin gently

Our team at Orlando Dermatology Center recommends being gentle on your skin while washing it. More specifically, we suggest you take baths every day with lukewarm water and mild soap. This can help calm your skin if you have psoriasis as opposed to high-pressure showers and scented, chemical-heavy cleansers. 

3. Wrap and dress your rash overnight

Before bedtime, you should cover psoriasis-affected areas with ointment-based moisturizer and wrap them in plastic. While the slimy sensation may take some adjustment, practicing this regimen every night could reduce your discomfort with psoriasis. In the morning, simply remove the wrapping and rinse the ointment off your skin. 

3. Avoid scratching

Although itchiness is a common symptom of psoriasis, experts don’t recommend indulging your urge with the occasional scratch. As uncomfortable as you may be, scratching a psoriasis rash typically only elevates the discomfort. Fortunately, plenty of over-the-counter anti-itch products can help you resist. 

To reduce the itchiness, try wearing softer fabrics that don’t aggravate your skin more than it already is. 

4. Don’t sweat it

Sometimes getting sweaty is out of your control. Many people sweat when they’re nervous or simply live in hot environments. Plus, sweating is pretty much unavoidable with intense exercise. However, taking measures to stay cool and avoid sweating could help keep your psoriasis in check. 

Our team recommends keeping a supply of cold packs in your freezer to apply to inflamed, itchy, and hot areas of psoriatic skin. Even simply turning on your air conditioner for a few minutes could relieve itching significantly on a hot day. 

5. Visit our offices

Orlando Dermatology Center offers the latest and most advanced treatments available for those who live with psoriasis. Even if your flare-ups are few and far between, we can treat you based on the frequency and severity of your symptoms. Our dermatologists often recommend:

• Topical steroids
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin A
• Medicated lotions
• Laser treatments

If you’re curious about psoriasis management, contact Orlando Dermatology Center right away. Book an appointment online or over the phone today.