10 Ways to Prevent Flare-Ups for Women

Psoriasis is a common skin condition – it affects around 2% of people in the United States. It can affect each person differently, including what triggers their psoriasis flare-up. Women over age 50 are affected by psoriasis and its accompanying complications; luckily for this demographic, there are a variety of ways to prevent flare-ups. 

According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, the goal of treating psoriasis is to limit the condition to less than 1% of your skin in three months or less. If you aren’t aware of what triggers your flare-ups, you can have serious issues treating your condition. The best thing that women over 50 can do to manage their psoriasis is to identify and avoid their personal psoriasis triggers.

Stress is a common cause of psoriasis flare-ups. Do your best to avoid feeling overwhelmed; find ways to deal with your stress. For example:

• Yoga
• Meditation
• Support groups
• Breathing exercises

Sometimes, injured skin can cause a psoriasis flare-up near that point. It might not happen immediately after you get hurt; keep an eye on the area for up to two weeks afterward. Do your best to avoid bites, cuts, sunburn, scrapes, bruises, or poison ivy outbreaks.

If your skin does get injured, treat it quickly and then leave the area alone to heal.

Infections like strep throat, bronchitis, earaches, and similar infections can all result in psoriasis flare-ups. Treat infection as soon as possible, and if you have a human immunodeficiency (HIV) infection, tell your doctor. Certain treatments for psoriasis can be dangerous if you have HIV.

Too much alcohol – drinking multiple drinks every day – can irritate a skin condition. Start limiting how much alcohol you consume. It’s recommended that women should have one drink per day, maximum. Let your dermatologist know if you drink alcohol, as this can be dangerous when combined with certain medications prescribed for psoriasis.

If you smoke or hang around people who smoke, this could trigger flare-ups. Do your best to quit smoking. Seek help from your dermatologist or healthcare provider, especially before using a nicotine patch. This could irritate your skin.

A drop in humidity or temperature could make your psoriasis act up. There are a wide variety of ways to mitigate this trigger, though, including:

• Taking shorter showers with warm (not hot) water
• Use a psoriasis-friendly lotion immediately after showering
• Use a humidifier in your home
• Cover up and stay warm when you go outside in extreme weather
• Don’t sit next to heat sources like radiators and fireplaces

Warm weather conditions can bother your psoriasis, too. Do your best to avoid getting sunburned. Wear broad-spectrum, high SPF, water-resistant sunscreen and clothes that cover as much of your skin as possible.

Constant air conditioning can dry out your skin. Use moisturizer on your skin frequently, especially right after you shower. 

Certain medications can irritate your psoriasis. Even if this is the case, you may not experience a flare-up until a few weeks after you start taking the medication. Don’t just stop taking your medicine, though! Get in touch with your healthcare provider immediately to find out if there’s another medication you could take.

Getting a piercing or a tattoo can injure your skin, a trigger that was already covered. If you know that you have psoriasis, avoid getting these kinds of body art without talking to your dermatologist first. They might be able to offer counsel to help reduce or avoid flare-ups.

Shaving isn’t by itself a trigger for psoriasis flare-ups, but cuts and nicks pose a risk. Be careful while shaving to avoid injuring yourself. Try putting moisturizer and shaving gel on the area you’d like to shave before starting.

Try out the tips in this article and take note of when your psoriasis flares up and when it doesn’t. If you make intentional decisions to take care of yourself, you might experience less intense psoriasis.