Psoriasis is a common chronic skin condition. According to statistics, about 1% of the population in Russia suffers from this disease. The causes of psoriasis are rooted in the human genetic code, it has been proven that there is a hereditary predisposition to this disease. The trigger for the onset of psoriasis can be trauma, stress, infectious diseases and other factors.
Psoriasis proceeds in waves – periods of exacerbation are replaced by remission. And one of the factors that can provoke an exacerbation is cold. Many patients note that in winter their skin becomes covered with new plaques, dries out, flakes and itches.
Interesting fact: there is no official division of psoriasis into summer and winter. An exacerbation can occur at any time of the year. But doctors have long noticed that in some patients the disease is exacerbated in the summer due to increased insolation, and in others in the winter due to a lack of ultraviolet radiation.
Why psoriasis worsens in winter
Even in a healthy person, the skin is stressed in winter. This is facilitated by:
- cold;
- dry air in rooms with heating;
- heat from heaters;
- temperature drops when a person enters the room from the street and vice versa;
- lack of sunlight, decreased levels of vitamin D.
All these circumstances lead to the fact that psoriasis in winter is exacerbated and needs complex therapy. Overdried skin peels off, scales on the surface of plaques form and peel off more intensively, the epithelium becomes tight and inflamed.
Cold psoriasis manifests itself:
- Red, scaly patches that rise above the surface of the skin
- dryness and irritation, severe itching;
- inflammation of the skin.
Cold psoriasis is very easy to recognize. On the surface of the spot there are scales that peel off easily; after they are removed, a thin shiny film remains, through which droplets of blood ooze in the form of dew.
How to treat winter psoriasis
Cold psoriasis is treated similarly to any other form. The most important remedy is a plant-based non – hormonal ointment for psoriasis . Since the product does not contain hormones, it is not addictive. The original recipe for psoriasis ointment provides maximum penetration deep into the epidermis, does not contain allergens, is well absorbed and has a minimum of contraindications.
The ointment acts on the center of inflammation, significantly improving the condition of the skin, reducing the size of plaques, which eventually disappear completely.
Additionally, alternative therapeutic methods can be prescribed:
- acupuncture;
- hirudotherapy;
- psychotherapy.
A person with psoriasis should stick to a diet to relieve stress on the body, in particular on the skin. It is important to exclude smoked, salty foods, purchased sauces, sweets, carbonated drinks, alcohol, pastries, chips, crackers, canned food, broths, seafood, chocolate, strawberries, citrus fruits, spicy processed cheeses.
Since the winter type of psoriasis occurs due to unfavorable environmental factors, dry indoor air, low solar activity, it is important to moisturize the skin and take vitamin D in preventive doses. In addition to a special ointment for psoriasis, you need to use emollients that will provide deep hydration and nutrition. It is also worth buying a good humidifier to keep the humidity in the recommended range at least at home. Wear gloves in winter, protect your face from the cold and wind, use moisturizers (but not before leaving the house), eat right, use an ointment for psoriasis, then winter will go without consequences for the skin.