What Triggers Can Cause A Psoriasis Flare
The following factors can trigger psoriasis flare-ups:
- Stress- The most common cause of psoriasis flare-ups. Trying different activities for stress management such as yoga, exercise, and meditation can control flare-ups.
- Cold Air- The colder the outdoor temperatures, the more likely you are to experience a psoriasis flare-up. Ultraviolet light from the sun kills the overactive white blood cells that are attacking healthy skin cells and causing rapid cell growth. Light therapy may help reduce symptoms.
- Dry Skin- Dry skin cracks and damages skin, letting psoriasis take hold. Keep your skin moisturized with high quality, fragrance-free cream or lotion.
- Upper Respiratory Infections- See your doctor immediately if you get a cold or sore throat, which may push the immune system into overdrive and cause a psoriasis flare-up. Antibiotics will destroy any infection and lessen the stress on your immune system.
- Beta Blockers and Lithium- Beta blockers, which are used to treat high blood pressure, have been linked to increased psoriasis flare-ups. Your doctor may be able to change your medication. Lithium, used to treat depression, also increases your chance for a flare-up.
If you have psoriasis and are looking to reduce flare-ups contact Skin Care Research or call us at 561-948-3116. Our clinical research center has more than 25 years of experience executing clinical trials focusing on a variety of dermatological conditions.
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What Is The Treatment For Psoriasis Flare
There is no cure for psoriasis, but treatments can relieve the symptoms. Treatment for psoriasis includes:
- Topical treatments, such as creams and ointments
- Prescription topical treatments
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Tattoos and Psoriasis
You may like the look of tattoos, but they may not be a good idea if you have psoriasis. Piercing the skin and injecting dye underneath the skin is associated with skin trauma that may trigger psoriasis. Some people who have psoriasis develop new psoriatic lesions 10 to 14 days after getting a tattoo. Tattooed skin may also become infected. Skin infections are also potential psoriasis triggers.
Skin Trauma and Psoriasis
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Is It Psoriasis Or Eczema
Like psoriasis, eczema is a very itchy skin condition. In fact, eczema usually results in a more intense itch than psoriasis. Scratching causes inflammation of the skin, leading to a worsening of the eczema. Scratching can also cause a secondary bacterial infection.
Eczema is not a specific disease, but rather a term referring to a group of rash-like conditions. The most common type of eczema is caused by a reaction to irritants, like detergents, soaps, or household cleansers.
Eczema often shows up on the back of the knees or the inside of the elbows.
Eczema can affect anyone and affects children more than psoriasis does.
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Problems With The Immune System
Your immune system is your body’s defence against disease and it helps fight infection. One of the main types of cell used by the immune system is called a T-cell.
T-cells normally travel through the body to detect and fight invading germs, such as bacteria. But in people with psoriasis, they start to attack healthy skin cells by mistake.
This causes the deepest layer of skin to produce new skin cells more quickly than usual, triggering the immune system to produce more T-cells.
It’s not known what exactly causes this problem with the immune system, although certain genes and environmental triggers may play a role.
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There Are Ways To Shorten Flare
Psoriasis is a big star on TV drug ads, but this autoimmune skin disease is something most people try to keep well hidden.
“Psoriasis is among the most common skin conditions, affecting about 2% of the U.S. population, and while the condition doesn’t affect everyone the same way, the approach to treatment and prevention is often similar,” says Dr. Gideon Smith, an assistant professor of dermatology at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.
Scratches Bites And Skin Injury
If you have a bug bite, cut, or scrape, or youve experienced any kind of skin injury, you may notice new psoriasis lesions near the affected area. These types of injuries can even occur during everyday activities, such as shaving or tending to a garden.
Skin injury can only trigger psoriasis lesions in people who already have psoriasis.
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Guard Against Cold Or Dry Weather
Winter Psoriasis
Cold air, dry temps, and diminished sunlight all contribute to psoriasis flares in the winter. Combat these conditions by using a humidifier indoors. Using heavy moisturizers helps fight dry skin and reduce the discomfort from winter psoriasis. Choose moisturizers and skin products that are fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, and formulated for sensitive skin.
Winter Skin Care Tips
Skin needs extra care and attention in the winter, whether you have psoriasis or not. Use this winter skin care tips to keep your skin healthy when it’s cold and dry outside.
Explore Psoriasis Treatment Options At Kessel Dermatology
If you are living with psoriasis and it is affecting your quality of life, the skin disease specialists at Kessel Dermatology can help you find the best course of treatment for you. We offer all the safest and most advanced treatment options for psoriasis, including:
- Biologic medications such as Otezla.
- Topical medications such as corticosteroids and retinoids
- such as laser therapy and Psoralen with Ultraviolet A light
Our dermatologists will consider the severity of your psoriasis and other individual factors in order to guide you to the most appropriate treatment for you. We can also provide information on what causes psoriasis to flare up and help you determine what may be contributing to your flare-ups.
If youd like to schedule an appointment, call the Kessel Dermatology office today at 609-890-2600. We look forward to helping you keep your skin condition under control so that it does not interfere with your life.
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How Can Lifestyle And Environmental Factors Trigger Plaque Psoriasis
Possible lifestyle and environmental triggers for psoriasis include experiencing stress, smoking, drinking alcohol heavily, and weather changes.1,2,4
Research has shown that stress can affect a persons immune system negatively, which can trigger a psoriasis flare up and make symptoms worse. Similarly, smoking and/or heavy alcohol drinking have been linked to worsened psoriasis symptoms.
Other factors are triggers for many people with psoriasis, even if they have not yet been scientifically proven to be so yet, such as diet and eating certain foods. Many people also find that seasonal allergies and weather changes that dry out the skin can trigger their psoriasis symptoms.
Common Psoriasis Triggers To Avoid
Psoriasis is no picnic. It can be frustrating to see the small flakes of skin on your clothes or the interior of your car. And when a flare-up occurs, it can be itchy and incredibly uncomfortable. The good news is that you can have some control over the condition. Flare-ups can be brought on by certain triggers, and if you know what they are, you can try to avoid them.
In this blog, Allen A. Flood, MD, discusses what psoriasis is, what some of the triggers are, and how you may be able to avoid them.
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How Can Skin Injuries Trigger Plaque Psoriasis
Another common trigger for plaque psoriasis is any kind of skin injury.1,2 Cuts, scrapes, and scratches are common types of skin injury triggers. Others types of injuries to the skin that can trigger psoriasis include things like vaccinations, surgeries, bug bites, or sunburns.
When a skin injury triggers psoriasis, it is known as the Koebner phenomenon. In many cases, psoriasis that is triggered by a skin injury can be treated effectively if the person begins treatment quickly after the injury cause psoriasis symptoms.
Dealing With A Psoriasis Flare
If you have psoriasis, you may choose your wardrobe and even your activities based on how active your disease is. The inflamed, itchy, scaly plaques that cover your skin can make you feel self-conscious and affect the way that others react to you, too.
Our expert dermatologists at Specialists in Dermatology in Houston, and The Woodlands, Texas, offer cutting-edge, effective psoriasis therapies including topical and oral medications, and biologics to clear your skin quickly and beautifully. If you do have a flare-up, here are a few tips on how to stay comfortable until you can get treatment.
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What Triggers Psoriasis Flare
While the underlying cause of psoriasis stems from your body’s immune system, certain triggers can make symptoms worse or cause flare-ups. These psoriasis triggers include:
- Cold and dry weather. Such weather can dry out your skin, which makes the chances of having a flare-up worse. In contrast, hot, sunny weather appears to help control the symptoms of psoriasis in most people.
- Stress. Having psoriasis can itself cause stress, and patients often report that outbreaks of symptoms come during particularly stressful times.
- Some medications. Certain drugs, such as lithium , drugs for malaria, and some beta-blockers , can cause flare-ups of psoriasis symptoms.
- Infections. Certain infections, such as strep throat or tonsillitis, can result in guttate or other types of psoriasis two to three weeks after the infection. Psoriasis symptoms may worsen in people who have HIV.
- Trauma to the skin. In some people with psoriasis, trauma to the skin — including cuts, bruises, burns, bumps, vaccinations, tattoos, and other skin conditions — can cause a flare-up of psoriasis symptoms at the site of the injury. This condition is called “Koebner phenomenon.”
- Alcohol. Using alcohol may increase the chances of psoriasis flare-ups.
- Smoking. Some experts think that smoking can worsen psoriasis symptoms.
Show Sources
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
American Academy of Dermatology.
More Than Skin Troubles
A 2017 study from the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that people with psoriasis that covers 10% of their body or more are 64% more likely than those without psoriasis to develop type 2 diabetes. “About 30% of people with psoriasis also might develop psoriatic arthritis, which causes destructive inflammation in your joints,” says dermatologist Dr. Gideon Smith. Psoriasis also may signal a higher risk for fatty liver disease and heart attacks.
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What Are Common Triggers For Plaque Psoriasis
Each person with plaque psoriasis has a different set of triggers.1,2 Some people may have more triggers than other people do. Some triggers affect certain people but not others, and some people react to certain triggers more severely than they do to other triggers. However, there are some triggers that are common among people with plaque psoriasis. These include:
- Infections
- Lifestyle and environmental triggers: stress, smoking, drinking alcohol heavily, diet, allergies and weather
Keep Your Skin Moist And Cool
According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, moisturizing your skin with heavy, fragrance-free creams or lotions helps lock in moisture so that your plaques can heal. Moisturizing every day also helps keep your skin healthy between flare-ups.
You can use body creams, facial creams, or high-quality oils, such as coconut oil, to moisturize your skin and lock in water. Other tips include:
- Take cool to lukewarm showers of no more than 10 minutes.
- Limit lukewarm baths to 15 minutes.
- Add Epsom salts, sea salts, oatmeal poultices, or essential oils to bath water.
- Pat dry but not too dry after bathing, and apply moisturizer immediately.
- Moisturize your hands after every time you wash them.
- Use gentle, moisturizing, fragrance-free cleansers on face and body.
- Keep room air moist with a humidifier.
You can also refrigerate your cleansers and moisturizers for extra cooling relief.
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What You Should Know About Forehead Rashes
Symptoms of Forehead Rash Temporary unconsciousness and inability to understand things Pain, swelling and irritation on the forehead or on the different areas of the skin. In case of mumps and measles the person might face difficulty in breathing, start feeling the wheezing or chocking. Neck stiffness, dryness of the lips, forehead, and cheeks More items
How Do Medications Make Psoriasis Worse
Several different medications can make psoriasis worse or cause you to develop psoriasis, even if youve never had it. They can cause all different types of psoriasis, from the most common to the least common .
We dont know exactly why this happens, but there are a few different ways a medication can affect psoriasis, including:
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Worsening the psoriasis spots you already have
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Causing new spots to form on skin that was clear before
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Developing psoriasis for the first time, even if youve never had it
When you stop the medication, sometimes the psoriasis will get better and sometimes it wont. Each person is different, and you may need to treat the psoriasis in order to improve it .
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What Can Help Reduce Psoriasis Flare
What can help reduce psoriasis flare-ups?
Dermatologist Alexa Boer Kimball, MD, MPH, explains what can help reduce flare-ups if cold or stress triggers your psoriasis.
Dermatologist Alexa Boer Kimball, MD, MPH, explains what can help reduce flare-ups if cold or stress triggers your psoriasis.
All content solely developed by the American Academy of Dermatology
The American Academy of Dermatology gratefully acknowledges the support from Amgen.
Dairy Products And Red Meat
Both dairy products and red meat, especially eggs, are known to contain a polyunsaturated fatty acid called arachidonic acid. In the past, research studies have shown that byproducts of arachidonic acid are responsible in producing psoriatic lesions.
Foods you should be avoiding in this category include:
- Eggs and dishes that contain egg
- Red meat, especially beef
- Bacon, Sausage, and any other processed items that contain red meats
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Things That Can Trigger An Outbreak Of Psoriasis
Does it often feel like your psoriasis flares up for no reason? One or more triggers could be to blame. In fact, everyday things like a cold, a bug bite, or even stress can trigger psoriasis.
Triggers can vary from person to person, but discovering what they are and learning how to deal with them can help you gain control of your psoriasis and endure fewer flare-ups.
At Valerius Medical Group & Research Center, we want you to live happy and healthy, so weve put together seven common triggers to look out for.
Tips For Preventing A Psoriasis Flare
Knowing that psoriasis is a common skin condition that affects more than 8 million Americans and about 125 million people around the world isn’t much comfort when youre dealing with constant symptoms or a flare-up.
The classic signs of red patches, flaking and silvery scales, burning, tenderness, thickening, and cracking are not only uncomfortable, they can be embarrassing as well.
While theres no cure for psoriasis, there are ways to help manage your symptoms and try to keep flare-ups to a minimum. Dr. Matthew Mittelbronn at Lakeview Dermatology in Lake Worth, Texas, treats a wide range of skin conditions, including psoriasis, and can help you find the right treatment for yours.
One of the most important aspects of any psoriasis treatment involves your participation. The better you are consistent with using recommended treatments and avoiding those things that can worsen or trigger your psoriasis, the better youll be able to keep your psoriasis under control and help prevent flare-ups.
Here are some tips:
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Psoriasis: Triggers That Cause Flare
Does your psoriasis flare up for no rhyme or reason? What if I told you that behind almost every flare-up are triggers that are causing it? Dont believe me? Keep reading.
Psoriasis is a skin condition that speeds up the life cycle of skin cells in days versus weeks. The scales build up quickly on the surface of the skin, causing red, scaly patches that can itch and be painful at times. Plaque psoriasis is the most common form of psoriasis, and can be found on the knees, elbows, lower back, scalp, and other places
Finding the Triggers
Psoriasis, like other autoimmune diseases has periods where symptoms become better, or worse. The worsening of symptoms is called a flareup. Flareups can be triggered by common everyday things, so finding what they are, is not always set out before you in black and white. The American Academy of Dermatology has put together a chart of common triggers to use as a guide. We have the highlights below:
Armed with Knowledge
With this trusty little chart, you can begin to reduce the amount of flareups you have. Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease, but it doesnt have to control your life. Again, the chart covers the most common triggers of psoriasis, so this is not an all-encompassing list. Keeping a daily journal can help you identify those outliers.
At IC Research, we are committed to working with patients to develop new treatment options through clinical studies.