Can You Control and Prevent Psoriasis Flare-Ups in the Colder Months?

The sun’s UV light can offer a great relief to people suffering from psoriasis. In fact many doctors advise their patients with this skin condition to get some sun exposure.

However this does not mean that when you have psoriasis, you can bask all you want under the sun and throw away sun protection practices. This should not be the case as too much sun exposure can cause flare-ups and we are pretty sure that you don’t want this to happen.

But now that the summer season is over and the cold and dry weather is upon us, such a time can be a nightmare for many people dealing with psoriasis. But this doesn’t mean that you have no other choice but to bear with the uncomfortable and painful symptoms of a flare-up.

You should not just sigh in resignation and accept that flare-ups are bound to happen a lot this fall season and especially the winter season. There are certain things you can do to control and prevent psoriasis from flaring up in the colder months!

Here are some psoriasis skin care tips!

Don’t drink alcohol.

Alcohol is known to be a trigger of psoriasis so no matter how tempted you may get to drink or even have a few sips of wine to keep you warm, don’t. Just think about how excruciatingly itchy and painful your skin can get during flare-ups. Instead of alcohol, drink a non-alcoholic beverage such as tea.

Wear sunscreen everyday.

Since the days would not be sunny, many would be fooled to think that the sun would not do harm to the skin. This is not true. The sun’s UV rays can penetrate through clouds and if you have stayed outdoors for a long time without sun protection, you might just get sunburn and even a mild sun burn can aggravate psoriasis.

Also by exposing under the sun without protection you are increasing your risk of developing skin cancer. So wear sun protection daily. You should also avoid being under the sun between the hours of 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. as at these hours the sun’s UV rays are at its strongest and most damaging.

Keep the skin moisturised!

Moisturising the skin is an important key in controlling and preventing flare-ups. Dry skin can worsen the itchiness associated with psoriasis and this would start a vicious cycle of scratching and injuring the skin which would lead to another bout of a very itchy flare-up. So keep your skin moisturised.

Argan oil is an effective psoriasis moisturiser because of its Vitamin E, essential fatty acids and Sterols. Lather on the oil right after taking a shower while the skin is still damp. It is also ideal to moisturise before going to bed and double up on areas that are prone to scaling. You may also want to soak these areas in Argan oil and wrap them up with a towel or a plastic wrap overnight. Just be sure to rinse the oil away gently in the morning.