Living with psoriasis means dealing with a chronic inflammatory disease. Beyond the impact on physical health, psoriasis can also affect your emotional well-being, social life, and stress management. Fortunately, there are aids and resources available to help tackle these challenges. Learn more in this article.
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Advice for living better with psoriasis.
Summary
- Advice No. 1: Accept psoriasis
- Advice No. 2: Follow your treatment
- Advice No. 3: Adopt a skincare routine
- Advice No. 4: Learn to manage your stress
- Advice No. 5: Maintain a balanced diet
- Advice No. 6: Stay surrounded
- Sources
Published January 22, 2024,
by
Manon, Scientific Editor
—
4 min read
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Advice No. 1: Accept psoriasis.
This advice is one of the most important, but also the hardest to implement. The daily reality for those living with psoriasis often involves dealing with the judgement of others and the prejudices that arise from it. It is crucial to understand that psoriasis is not contagious. Of course, it is not curable but it is treatable. Accepting your psoriasis is an essential step to avoid excessive psychological impact. This could lead to stress that may exacerbate disease flare-ups.
Advice No. 2: Follow your treatment.
It is essential to have a treatment tailored to your psoriasis, which requires a consultation with a dermatologist. Once the appropriate treatment has been determined, it is strongly advised to follow it rigorously, as this can lead to a reduction or even disappearance of skin plaques, and in some cases, extend the period of remission between flare-ups.
Advice No. 3: Adopt a skincare routine.
Dry skin is one of the factors that can exacerbate psoriasis. Indeed, the preservation of skin hydration and a sufficient water content in the stratum corneum plays a crucial role in the skin's ability to fulfil its protective function. Numerous studies have highlighted a decrease in the protective function of the skin barrier, as well as an increase in water loss through the epidermis within psoriatic lesions. Therefore, it is essential to apply care products containing hydrating active ingredients. This preserves the hydrolipidic film, makes the epidermis more resistant to external aggressions and reduces the Koebner phenomenon.
Note : Generally, it is recommended to use gentle skincare products that do not contain fragrances which could further irritate the skin.
Advice No. 4: Learn to manage your stress.
It is important to manage your stress levels. Stress has been shown to be a contributing factor to the development of skin lesions. Therefore, engaging in relaxing activities such as yoga, meditation or any other activities that help to control your stress is recommended.
Advice No. 5: Maintain a balanced diet.
Diet plays a role in exacerbating or alleviating the symptoms associated with psoriasis. Indeed, certain types of foods such as sugar , caffeine and saturated fatty acids are suspected of producing cytokines that trigger a cascade of inflammatory reactions, increasing the symptoms of psoriasis. Excessive sugar consumption promotes the differentiation of Th17 lymphocytes by activating TGF-β. This in turn promotes the production of IL-17 cytokines, one of the main causes of psoriasis.
Conversely, other foods can help alleviate this skin condition. This is the case with dietary fibres which downregulate plasma inflammatory markers and promote the activity of T lymphocytes. Moreover, foods rich in vitamin A inhibit the development of Th17 lymphocytes, helping to relieve symptoms. Cod liver oil, carrots, or even sweet potatoes are all foods filled with vitamin A.
Advice No. 6: Stay surrounded.
It is possible to join support groups or associations to meet other people living with psoriasis and share your experiences. ThePsoriasis Association France, for example, provides an improved care pathway as well as a personalised listening service. Interacting with other people who are also living with psoriasis can boost your self-confidence, provide emotional support, and reduce feelings of isolation.
Sources
RIM J. H. & al. Electrical measurement of moisturizing effect on skin hydration and barrier function in psoriasis patients. Experimental Dermatology (2005).
FLUHR J. W. & al. Emollients, moisturizers, and keratolytic agents in psoriasis. Clinics in Dermatology (2008).
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