Avoiding contact sports<\/em> and other activities that have a high chance of causing skin trauma is a good idea.<\/p>\nTattoos are especially likely to cause flare-ups. Injecting ink into the skin and repeatedly piercing it with a needle is obviously going to cause trauma. Many people experience a flare-up within 2 weeks of getting a new tattoo.<\/p>\n
Infection<\/h3>\n
Like trauma, we all typically try to avoid infections. When we’re not lucky enough to be able to avoid them, they can lead to a psoriasis flare-up. Strep throat, yeast infections, thrush, staph infections and respiratory infections<\/strong> are all known to trigger psoriasis symptoms.
\nWith psoriasis, your immune system is already compromised and fighting an inflammatory disease. Adding other infections in the mix can easily put it over the edge.<\/p>\nMedications<\/h3>\n
Certain drugs can also cause psoriasis symptoms to trigger. Medications that treat heart disease, mental issues, high blood pressure, and arthritis can all trigger your psoriasis.<\/p>\n
Reactions from medication aren’t only limited to those. Malaria meds, NSAIDs, steroids like prednisone, beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors<\/em> can also cause flare-ups.<\/p>\n![\"What](\"https:\/\/psoriasiszap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/pills-e1540090833639.jpg\")
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Make sure you talk to your doctor if you think there’s a connection between your psoriasis symptoms and the medication that you’re taking. They may be able to prescribe something else that will not lead to any negative side effects.<\/p>\n
Never stop taking a prescription without consulting your doctor first!<\/em><\/p>\nAlcohol<\/h3>\n
This is something that all of us can control. Avoiding alcohol has been shown to limit the number of flare-ups<\/strong> that people experience.<\/p>\nAlcohol also affects the liver and doesn’t mix well with many prescription psoriasis medications.<\/p>\n
There has been a close correlation shown between flare-ups and beer drinking<\/em>, especially in women.<\/p>\nSmoking<\/h3>\n
Smoking is another activity that’s totally avoidable and is known to lead to worsening of psoriasis symptoms.
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Smokers are more likely to have flare-ups, especially on the hands and feet. After I quit smoking, I noticed that the psoriasis on my hand got much better when I quit smoking!<\/strong><\/p>\nHormones<\/h3>\n
Doctors believe that hormones play a part in when psoriasis first shows up.<\/p>\n
Psoriasis can start at any age but times, when hormone levels are extreme, seem to be when they first show up. Puberty and menopause are common times for psoriasis to first show up.<\/p>\n
Those between the ages of 20 and 30<\/em> and those between 50 and 60<\/em> are also at risk.<\/p>\nFood Related Causes<\/h3>\n
I’ve covered this in other articles. Pretty much everything that tastes the best can lead to psoriasis triggers. Luckily a lot of us don’t react to food or only react to certain foods.<\/p>\n
If you see a connection between certain foods and your flare-ups then you should try to avoid those foods.<\/p>\n
Common foods are peppers, citrus, dairy products, fatty red meats, and gluten<\/strong>.<\/p>\nToo Much Sun<\/h3>\n
Short periods of sunlight have been shown to reduce psoriasis triggers. Sunburn, however, has the exact opposite reaction.<\/p>\n
Up to about 20 minutes a day of sun can limit your flare-ups<\/em>, but make sure you’re not burning<\/strong>! If you do it’s almost guaranteed to make your symptoms worse.<\/p>\nObesity<\/h3>\n
Doctors don’t all agree why obesity has been shown to increase flare-ups. There have been studies that show a low-calorie diet decreases the severity of symptoms<\/em>.<\/p>\nSome doctors believe that obesity is more of a side effect of not doing things that help with psoriasis (exercise, diet, etc.) rather than the obesity itself being a cause.<\/p>\n
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