Can stress trigger psoriasis?

If your psoriasis seems to get worse during a hard month, you may be wondering if the two are connected. The research says there may be a link.

A specialist quoted by Cleveland Clinic notes that in recent years, several scientific studies have discovered a link between stress and chronic inflammatory diseases, such as psoriasis. A link in studies does not mean stress is the cause for you, only that it is worth watching.

A stress and skin diary

Keep a short note each day of how stressed you felt and how your skin looked. After a few weeks, see whether rough days and flare days line up. It costs nothing and you do not need any background to do it.

A reader in Madera can keep this diary as easily as one in Madera Acres or Fairmead, both of which have place pages here, or anywhere else in the county.

Lowering stress in ways you can keep up

Anything that lowers stress and that you can keep up is a fair thing to try, such as a regular walk or a set bedtime. Changing a stressful job or home situation is not simple, so do not blame yourself if that is out of reach.

Free psoriasis reading from the AAD and Yale

The Psoriasis Resource Center from the American Academy of Dermatology and the Yale Medicine psoriasis fact sheet are both free and written in plain language.

Patches that spread, hurt or crack

Patches that spread quickly, hurt, or crack, or flares that keep coming back despite your efforts, deserve a visit.

Whether psoriasis passes to other people

Readers often ask whether psoriasis can be passed on to other people. Is psoriasis contagious? This site gives that answer on a page of its own.