At Jacksonville Beach Dermatology, we know Psoriasis can be hard to keep under control, especially when you don’t know what’s triggering your flare-ups. Here are some common factors to be mindful of when managing your symptoms.
Stress
Stress is a common trigger for a lot of skin conditions and is undoubtedly one of the most common with respect to psoriasis flare-ups. This is because stress can reduce the efficiency of your immune system, thereby making it easier for your psoriasis condition to break out. Poor eating habits, insufficient sleep, and other side effects of stress can also exacerbate your symptoms and compound the affects of stress on your body and skin.
Skin Injuries
In what is called a “Koebner response,” psoriasis flare-ups can also be triggered by skin injuries, such as scrapes, cuts, sunburns, and insect bites. The immune system can become overactive when it kicks in to deal with the injury at hand. This, in turn, causes the psoriasis flare-ups that appear around the wound, which can slow healing.
Hormonal Changes
Though less of an easily diagnosable trigger than stress and injuries, hormonal changes can also increase psoriasis flare-ups. When hormones begin to fluctuate within your body, it can sometimes cause specific cells within your skin to reproduce too quickly, leading to the symptoms of psoriasis that you’re used to. These hormonal changes may occur around the menstrual cycle, during or after pregnancy, as a part of menopause, or as a side effect of medication. Thankfully, there are options available to help balance your hormone levels to reduce frequent psoriasis flare-ups.
Excessive Smoking and Drinking
Studies have shown that smoking and drinking excessively—though more prominently smoking—have been linked to an exacerbation of psoriasis symptoms. Once again, this is likely due to the adverse effects that both smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol can have on your immune system (and other functions of your body).
Illness and Certain Medications
If all of the above triggers are rooted in their effects on your immune system, it would logically follow that illnesses can also exacerbate psoriasis flare-ups—and they do. However, it’s not just illness, as certain medications, such as lithium and beta-blockers, can also interact with your body in the wrong way and cause your psoriasis to return.
First-Class Psoriasis Treatment at Jacksonville Beach Dermatology
If your psoriasis flare-ups are causing you discomfort this psoriasis awareness month, you can find the psoriasis treatment you need with Dr. Jacquelyn Medina at 902-247-4300. Located in Jacksonville Beach, FL, Jacksonville Beach Dermatology proudly serves the greater Northeast Florida area.
