Managing a psoriasis flare can be tough, but with the proper steps, you can make your skin feel better and stay healthier. Addressing psoriasis flares promptly and effectively is essential to ease discomfort and prevent further skin damage. When a flare occurs, it's important to recognize the signs early and adapt your skincare routine to counteract the inflammation. This guide will walk you through easy steps to find out what triggers your psoriasis, use gentle skincare routines, take the right medications, and make lifestyle changes to keep your psoriasis under control and make flare-ups less frequent.

Step 1: Identify Triggers

Take note of any environmental changes, diet, skincare products, or stress levels. Common triggers include allergens, irritants, stress, and weather changes. If you suspect a specific trigger, avoid it!

Step 4: Medication

If prescribed medication, follow directions closely. Apply topical steroids like hydrocortisone to damp skin post-shower and seal with moisturizer. For severe flares, try wet wrap therapy by wrapping the area with wet bandages after medication and moisturizer application.

Step 2: Simplify Routine

Stop using ALL unnecessary products, such as perfume, hair products, nail products, shaving cream, scented lotions, and anything else that you don’t need. When you have a psoriasis flare, your skin is impaired. Stick to the basics: a gentle cleanser, plain moisturizer, and prescribed medications.

Step 3: Gentle Skincare

Use a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser. Avoid hot water; opt for lukewarm showers or baths. Apply a thick, fragrance-free moisturizer immediately after bathing while the skin is still damp. Reapply moisturizer throughout the day, especially to affected areas. If your skin stings or burns when applying moisturizer, use plain petroleum jelly.

Step 5: Avoid Scratching

During an psoriasis flare, the top layer of your skin becomes too thin and cannot protect you adequately. It's crucial to keep this area safe and avoid scratching until it heals, which can take up to two weeks. Keep your nails short, consider wearing gloves at night, and use cold compresses to soothe itching. If you feel the need to scratch, try the pinch technique instead of scratching to avoid additional damage to the skin.

Step 6: Phototherapy

Consider using a UVB light treatment unit at home to reduce inflammation, itch, and scale. It is a small light that you shine on the affected areas a few times weekly. The light decreases the inflammation in the skin. You can buy it online (no doctor required) and use it for both flares and ongoing maintenance.

Navigating Psoriasis Flares