Lifestyle and home remedies

Try these self-care measures to better manage your psoriasis and feel your best:

• Take daily baths. Bathing daily helps remove scales and calm inflamed skin. Add bath oil, colloidal oatmeal and Epsom salts to the water and soak for at least 15 minutes. Use lukewarm water and mild soaps that have added oils and fats.
• Use moisturizer. After bathing, gently pat dry and apply a heavy, ointment-based moisturizer while your skin is still moist. For very dry skin, oils may be preferable — they have more staying power than creams or lotions do. If moisturizing seems to improve your skin, apply it one to three times daily.
• Cover the affected areas overnight. Before going to bed, apply an ointment-based moisturizer to the affected skin and wrap with plastic wrap. When you wake, remove the plastic and wash away scales.
• Expose your skin to small amounts of sunlight. Ask your doctor about the best way to use natural sunlight to treat your skin. A controlled amount of sunlight can improve psoriasis, but too much sun can trigger or worsen outbreaks and increase the risk of skin cancer. Log your time in the sun, and protect skin that isn't affected by psoriasis with sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30.
• Apply medicated cream or ointment. Apply an over-the-counter cream or ointment containing hydrocortisone or salicylic acid to reduce itching and scaling. If you have scalp psoriasis, try a medicated shampoo that contains coal tar.
• Avoid psoriasis triggers. Notice what triggers your psoriasis, and take steps to prevent or avoid them. Infections, injuries to your skin, stress, smoking and intense sun exposure can all worsen psoriasis.
• Avoid drinking alcohol. Alcohol consumption may decrease the effectiveness of some psoriasis treatments. If you have psoriasis, avoid alcohol. If you do drink, use moderation.
• Strive to maintain a healthy lifestyle. In addition to quitting smoking and drinking moderately, if at all, you can manage your psoriasis by being active, eating well and maintaining a healthy weight.