Psoriasis Triggers to Avoid and Treatments to Manage Symptoms

Psoriasis is a prevalent skin ailment that affects up to 3% of the United States population. It is a chronic, incurable disease that causes scaly blotches of dead skin anywhere, but most often on the scalp, eyebrows, elbows, trunk and knees. It may itch, but not always. Mild to severe psoriasis symptoms exist, and they can be very distressing.

Psoriasis can be embarrassing, disrupt sleep and impair focus. However, you can improve your psoriasis with lifestyle changes and coping tactics. In addition, you can manage symptoms with treatments.

Psoriasis Causes vs. Triggers

Psoriasis is caused by excessive skin cell proliferation. The immune system delivers incorrect signals to the skin cells, causing them to proliferate excessively fast. As a result, the body cannot shed these additional skin cells in time, and they begin to accumulate on the skin’s surface, resulting in psoriasis.

The condition tends to cycle, flaring for a few weeks or months, then settling. Infections, burns, cuts and certain medications (beta blockers, lithium and antimalarial drugs, for example) can provoke psoriasis in genetically predisposed people.

At Medical Dermatology Specialists, we have the skills and expertise to provide long-term solutions to chronic skin conditions like psoriasis.

Psoriasis Triggers to Avoid

Aside from medications and injuries like burns (also sunburns), cuts and bug bites, some potential triggers include:

• Stress
• Illness (usually strep throat, flu, cold, bronchitis and infections)
• Vitamin D deficiency
• The weather (particularly chilly and dry conditions)

There is currently no cure for psoriasis. However, avoiding these triggers and consulting with a dermatologist can help you keep flareups to a minimum.

Psoriasis Treatment is a Specialty at Atlanta’s Medical Dermatology Specialists

Although moderate psoriasis is relatively easy to manage, severe psoriasis can be challenging. It is complicated because it is a systemic disease with epidermal manifestations. Furthermore, since it is a systemic disease, people living with psoriasis are more likely to develop additional medical problems, like psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, heart disease, renal disease and stroke.

Fortunately, Dr. Jamie Weisman knows the complexities of psoriasis and offers tailored treatment strategies, including systemic treatments, topical creams and UV light therapy. In addition, she is a board-certified dermatologist renowned for her psoriasis expertise.

You can be sure that Medical Dermatology Specialists will treat your psoriasis using the most recent breakthroughs in research and technology. We are proud to be a growing dermatology research and active medical practice that provides psoriasis therapy clinical trials, offering our patients the most advanced treatment approaches available. Contact us today.

Medical Dermatology Specialists
5730 Glenridge Dr, Suite T-100
Atlanta, GA 30328
(404) 939-9220

Monday – Thursday 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM