Managing Psoriasis in the Texas Heat

Psoriasis can be a complex condition to treat and control. While some people find symptoms might reduce during the summer months, for others, it’s often one of the most challenging times of year. If you suffer and you live in Texas (or any hot, humid climate), then we don’t need to tell you that psoriasis summer flare ups can be particularly tough.

But, thankfully, our expert team at Bayou City has some top tips to help you navigate the balmiest months of the year, with most being easy to implement into daily life.

Top Dermatologist Tips for Psoriasis 

Let’s first extol the virtues of summer when it comes to psoriasis. 

• The warmth can help symptoms: The increased heat means less need to cover up with multiple layers of clothes. This allows the air to flow freely over your skin, something that many people find helps.
• UVB rays help: Careful exposure to the sun (5-15 minutes per day without sunscreen on your psoriasis areas) works in virtually the same way as dermatological light therapy (phototherapy) to soothe and control symptoms.
• Humidity may relieve dry skin: Some people find that the higher air water content acts as a natural moisturizer.
• You’re more likely to go swimming: Something that can help you shed dead skin cells, which in turn improves the look of psoriasis. Both chlorinated and saltwater have the same effect.

But… Let’s not ignore the fact that you might not be that keen to bare all—and this is even more relevant if you’re having a flare up.

While your dermatologist can help tweak your medication, there are also several ways that you can easily build management tips into your summer lifestyle.

• Wear loose, breathable clothing: Nothing is worse for psoriasis than tight clothing or scratchy material. Summer calls for cotton and other natural, floaty fabrics that help reduce how much heat gets trapped beneath the clothes and reduces sweating.
• Beware of sunburn: While a few minutes of sun exposure each day on areas where you get psoriasis is beneficial, the last thing you want is to get burnt. Use a quality, high factor suncream if you’re going to be out in the sun for any longer.
• Guard against insect bites: Getting bitten—and the associated itching—are not good psoriasis bedfellows. Use natural insect repellents (DEET is usually a no-no as it’ll cause further irritation) and cover up with long sleeves and trousers, especially at dawn and dusk when those pesky insects are most active.
• Watch the air conditioning: Yes, the A/C can help reduce sweating, which is often a trigger. But it’s also really drying to the skin. Use plenty of high-quality moisturizer to combat this. You can also add a humidifier to inside areas to help keep the air-water content up.
• Manage anxiety and stress: These are common triggers—most sufferers won’t need any reminding of that. While it can be really difficult to keep stress under control, working on it really can make a difference. Yes, we know your job is demanding/family needs looking after/money is tight/you’re going through an emotional time (delete or add whatever is appropriate), but we can’t over-emphasize how important it is to find a little time each day for a bit of you time—even if it’s just five minutes of meditation when you first wake up or before you go to bed. Exercise is also a great stress-reliever. Everything counts, from parking a little way from work so you have to walk for 10 minutes to high-impact team sports, long distance swimming, pushing a few weights, or your favorite weekly yoga class…
• Learn your triggers: This one is really important—and, yes, we know it can be tough to do. Just when you thought you had your triggers nailed, you get a flare up out of the blue. We strongly suggest you keep a diary. It doesn’t need to be detailed. Just note down what you eat, the weather, your emotional state, any treatment… That sort of thing. There are various apps that you can download to help make it as simple as possible.

All of the above aren’t just for Texas; they’re skin care tips for everywhere where the mercury ramps up during the summer months.

If you need further expert advice, head over to https://www.bayoucitydermatology.com/services and call today to book an appointment.