Living with psoriasis is never easy, so sometimes all you want is to take a break from everyday life and escape. A holiday by the beach or the pool, or even skiing, sounds very tempting, but is the sun good for psoriasis?
Summary
The answer is yes, most of the time, even though exposing your skin to the sun and dealing with other people staring is not easy, especially during a severe flare-up. The sun tends to improve the skin condition of psoriasis patients because it has an anti-inflammatory and UV-immunosuppressive effect. Furthermore, UV rays are used as a genuine therapeutic option in psoriasis treatment: phototherapy may be offered during the winter, for example, when there is less sunlight.
Psoriasis and the sun are often a good mix, but this does not mean you should forget about the harmful effects of the sun over the long term: sunburn, skin aging, skin cancer, etc. That is why you must use suitable sun protection, especially during the hottest hours of the day (12pm-4pm). After swimming in the sea, rinse yourself off thoroughly to wash away the salt and then apply a moisturizer. Taking these precautions will not stop the sun from having a positive effect on your skin.
Psoriasis and the sun are a good thing therefore, but be careful! It is important to remember that some psoriasis treatments are not compatible with intense sun exposure and must be combined with appropriate sun protection.
This is true of cyclosporine, methotrexate and biotherapies, due to the increased potential risk of skin cancer. This is also the case with acitretin, because this molecule increases the skin's sensitivity to the sun.
Contrary to popular belief, topical corticosteroids are completely compatible with sun exposure, although in principle, it is better to apply as few products as possible to the skin before sun exposure (apart from sunscreen).
