Although dry skin has long
been associated with smoking, not until recently has it also
been linked to psoriasis. Thousands of doctors are now advising
patients to use a good shielding lotion as treatment for psoriasis,
but will no doubt soon be adding cessation of smoking to their
recommendations.
Psoriasis is considered a chronic
skin condition and presents as elevated, dry, scaly, itchy patches
on the skin. The most common sites are the elbows, knees and
other parts of the legs, the scalp, lower back, face, palms,
and the soles of the feet. About one third of the diagnosed cases
are genetic, although the first outbreak is frequently triggered
by stress or physical injury. The condition is driven by the
immune system T cells, the white blood cells that help
protect the body from infection and are responsible for creating
scabs over wounds, become overactive and trigger other immune
responses. These lead to inflammation and rapid turnover of skin
cells. The immature skin cells then rise to the surface and form
the scaly patches.
A recent study, published in
the December issue of Archives of Dermatology, found that those
who smoke more than a pack of cigarettes per day were at twice
the risk of having more severe psoriasis than those who smoke
10 cigarettes or less, and that patients who smoke are more likely
to have psoriasis.
Although no causal relationship
was established, lead researcher Dr. Gerald G. Krueger, a professor
of dermatology at the University of Utah School of Medicine stated
that if one is not genetically predisposed to psoriasis, "one
of the things that you can do to make sure that you get psoriasis
is smoke."
So, if you're a smoker and have
psoriasis, you could consider quitting - psoriasis is uncomfortable
enough without doing something to exacerbate it. You might also
want to investigate the shielding lotions now being recommended
for psoriasis treatment.
About the author: Gloria MacTaggart, is a freelance writer who
contributes articles on skin care for Gloves In A Bottle, Inc.
For more information, visit http://www.glovesinabottle.com.
