Does Your Psoriasis Flare Up in the Summer?

For most people the warmer, moister air of summer brings relief to psoriasis symptoms. But that’s not true for everyone. If your psoriasis tends to flare up when it warms up, there are some things you can do to find relief so that you can get out and enjoy the summer weather.

When you have psoriasis, your skin cells are prone to going into overdrive. When that happens, your body’s normal cycle of skin cell production speeds up and patches of scaly skin cells build up on the surface of your skin.

One of things that can cause a psoriasis flare-up is any injury to the skin, even minor ones. That means sunburns and bug bites can both lead to a flare up. In the summer time, when risks of both are high, it’s important to use a good sunscreen and be smart about your sun exposure. You’ll also want to be mindful of mosquitoes. Since you don’t want to spread harsh chemicals on your skin, try finding a natural mosquito repellent. Or try using citronella candles to keep bugs at bay. If neither of those options work, there’s a new type of bug repellant that comes in a container you clip onto your clothes and wear rather than spread onto your skin.

Because chemicals can easily dry and irritate your skin when you have psoriasis, summer swimming can also cause flare-ups. Fresh- and salt-water swimming aren’t a problem—they can actually help ease psoriasis symptoms. Chlorinated swimming pools are a different story. If you swim in a chlorinated pool, be sure to rinse the chlorine off as soon as you can after swimming. Follow your rinse with a gentle moisturizer.

If you do get a summer-time psoriasis flare up, you might find you have some good remedies right in your kitchen pantry.
• Vinegar can help to sooth your skin and may help to soften psoriasis plaques. Mix 1 cup of vinegar with a gallon of cool water. Soak a washcloth in the mixture and then apply the compress to the affected area of your skin.
• To get full-body relief add a tablespoon of olive oil and a cup of milk to a warm bath and then soak for a spell. The combination will soften your skin and make plaques easier to remove.
• To soften skin even further, rub moisturizer on the affected patches and then wrap them in standard kitchen plastic wrap for ten or fifteen minutes.

A psoriasis flare up can be miserable, especially in the summer. If you follow the steps here, you’ll reduce your chances of a flare up and you’ll have safe, natural ways to find relief if you need to.

Stay well,
Danny Wallace

Dry, Itchy Skin Driving You Crazy

It's wintertime and the cold weather can take a real toll on your skin. Between the dry air and the tendency to take longer, hotter showers, your skin can dry out. That can lead to flaking, itching, and chapping, none of which are fun or attractive.

Fortunately, you can easily take better care of your skin during the winter. Just follow a few simple steps.

First, stay hydrated. The dry air tends to suck the moisture out of your skin. Your body has to replenish it and to do that it needs water. So make sure you're drinking enough water each day.

Second to the dry air, long hot showers are most often the cause of dry skin. You can counter this by turning down the heat a bit and taking shorter showers.

There are plenty of body creams and lotions that can help restore moisture to your skin and protect it from drying out. My favorite is all natural aloe vera gel. It's doesn't feel oily or heavy and it doesn’t have a strong fragrance so it's good for men or women. Aloe vera promotes healing in the skin and reduces inflammation.

One of my least favorite things about the dry, winter air is that my nose dries out, too. I've found that running a humidifier at night helps keep my skin from getting overly dry and makes breathing more comfortable, too.

Finally, invest in a good skin care regimen—one that will cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize your skin.

Just a little extra care can keep your skin looking its best—and you feeling your best—all winter long.

Stay well,
Meghan Krohn

Your Skin Care Regimen Might Not be Safe

In a recent study, researchers wanted to determine if adding caffeine to a topical moisturizing cream would help protect against skin cancer. To make certain they would get accurate results, the research team tested the moisturizer by itself first to see if it promoted or inhibited cancerous growths.

What they discovered surprised them.

They found that the four moisturizers they tested promoted skin cancer in mice. While it's true that mice aren't humans, the results are still startling. It may be that the moisturizer you use to help heal after a sunburn and to help keep your skin looking youthful is actually hurting you.

Of the four moisturizers that researchers tested, the least harmful one still increased skin cancer tumor growth by 24%--the worst almost doubled it!

It's important to take good care of your skin. Your skin helps to protect you from all the toxins of the outside world. It works hard for you. The least you can do in return is give it the care it needs.

Your skin does need a daily moisturizer. Whether you are a man or a woman, a daily moisturizer will help keep your skin looking young and smooth as you age… and who doesn't want that?

But clearly, the moisturizer you choose is important. Pick something that is as natural as possible. One with ingredients that you can pronounce is good. Personally, I use a pure aloe vera gel each day with good results.

When it comes to skin care, natural is better. There's no point in caring for your skin if the products you use are going to put you at higher risk for skin cancer.

Stay well,
Heather Robwell