Tackling Psoriasis: You’re Not Alone — Even Super Bowl Stars Struggle

After the Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl LIX, tight end Dallas Goedert used his moment in the limelight to share he has plaque psoriasis, an autoimmune skin disorder he’s been managing since he was 10. Why talk about it now? Goedert wanted to encourage others to seek help so they can find a treatment to lessen the impact of the condition, like he did.

“More than 8 million Americans struggle with psoriasis, which can range from a minor nuisance to an embarrassing and debilitating illness,” says Jeremy Fenton, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York. While psoriasis isn’t contagious — and won’t spread to other parts of the body through contact — there is no cure, so creating a management strategy can significantly improve your quality of life.

What Causes Psoriasis?

“We don’t completely understand why some people get psoriasis and others don’t, but we do know that it has a genetic component and can be triggered by certain environmental exposures,” notes Dr. Fenton. For example, certain types of infections, such as strep throat, have been associated with flares of psoriasis. Lifestyle and diet can also make psoriasis worse: smoking, poor diet, alcohol and being overweight have all been associated with a worse outcome in psoriasis patients.

Because it’s an autoimmune condition, psoriasis results from the body attacking itself. If you have it, your skin cells grow at an abnormally fast rate. When these cells build up too quickly, your skin becomes thick and scaly. If you have a family member with psoriasis, then you may have a slightly higher chance of developing it yourself.

How to Tell if You Have Psoriasis

It can take a while to realize you have psoriasis, depending on where on your body it occurs. Scalp psoriasis might be confused for dandruff, especially if it is mild. However, there are specific signs you have psoriasis:

• Patches of red inflamed skin covered with dry silvery scales that are itchy and may be painful, crack and bleed.
• Small bleeding areas where the skin has been scratched.
• Discolored toenails and fingernails that may start to detach from the nail bed.

The Most Common Types of Psoriasis

If your dermatology provider determines you suffer from psoriasis, they will discuss which type you have:

• Plaque psoriasis develops as thick red and white raised plaques commonly showing up on the elbows, knees and scalp, and sometimes as pits on the nails.
• Guttate psoriasis typically occurs after experiencing strep throat and appears as small red dots on the arms, legs and trunk of the body.
• Pustular psoriasis forms as thick red skin with many white liquid filled bumps in the middle often seen on the palms and soles but can appear anywhere.
• Inverse psoriasis appears on armpits, groin, genitals and buttocks as raw, red, irritated patches.
• Erythrodermic psoriasis is severe and turns most of the body bright red, appearing as burnt, raw skin that is very itchy and painful.

At-Home Management

Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you may be able to manage with at-home techniques, such as:

• Take a Bath: Extremely hot water can aggravate psoriasis but taking a lukewarm bath every day helps reduce scaling. You can even try adding bath oils and colloidal oatmeal to the bath water if your skin is inflamed.
• Eat a Healthy Diet: Avoid gluten and dairy but add omega-3 fatty acids from salmon and mackerel, and anti-inflammatory vegetables like kale, spinach, broccoli, avocados and nuts. Also, cut back on alcohol.
• Exercise: Daily movement and strength training are the goal, but sweat tends to aggravate psoriasis, so wear loose, light clothing when you exercise. Afterward, take a gentle shower, but don’t scrub too much, as that can make your condition worse.

Treating Psoriasis

If at-home methods aren’t doing enough, consult with your dermatology provider so they can determine the most effective treatment for your type of psoriasis. Some of the psoriasis treatments your dermatology provider will consider include:

Topical Treatment for Psoriasis: Over-the-counter topical treatments — such as salicylic acid or tar-based treatments and shampoos like Neutrogena’s T-Gel or T-Sal shampoo — are common recommendations. Prescription medications, the mainstay of most psoriasis treatments, usually start with topical steroids to help reduce the inflammation. “We also have a variety of newer non-steroidal preparations that are anti-inflammatory but target the condition in a different way without the risks of topical steroids,” explains Dr. Fenton. Sometimes with very thick plaques, patients require topical products to exfoliate them to allow medications to penetrate and improve the appearance.

Phototherapy and Medication: For psoriasis that won’t respond to the topicals, ultraviolet light (UV) therapy is a great drug-free option. Unfortunately, some people don’t respond to more conservative measures and require systemic therapy. “Luckily, we have many psoriasis drugs that often clear up even the most severe cases of psoriasis,” notes Dr. Fenton. “New medications have been continuously released for many years, targeting a variety of the signaling molecules of the immune system such as a group called interleukins.” Systemic drugs are available as injectable medications and pills.

Avoiding Psoriasis Flare-Ups

The most proactive way to minimize flare-ups is to avoid triggers. “Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important — avoiding smoking, minimizing alcohol, keeping a healthy weight and avoiding stress,” suggests Dr. Fenton. Natural sunlight can help psoriasis as well. But Dr. Fenton warns, “Sun exposure can increase the risk of skin cancer and aging, so it is much safer to get targeted ultraviolet light treatments in a doctor’s office.”

With the right treatment, psoriasis doesn’t have to negatively impact your life. “With a variety of treatment options ranging from topical creams to light therapy to systemic medications, we have a lot of options for our patients and there are many new ones in the pipeline,” says Dr. Fenton.

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Treating Psoriasis at Schweiger Dermatology Group

If you wonder if you have psoriasis or are looking for treatments that can help manage symptoms, consult with one of our providers who will assess your condition and create a treatment plan that is the right fit for you.

To make an appointment, call or text (844) DERM-DOC / (844) 337-6362 or book your appointment online.