Tag Archives: PsA

Psoriatic Arthritis Skin Care

Skin Protection Tips for Psoriatic Arthritis

Keeping disease activity under control with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and biologics is an important part of managing the skin symptoms of psoriatic arthritis. But many lifestyle habits can help or worsen psoriasis.  Here are 9 self-care tips that can relieve symptoms and promote healthier skin.

Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. One of the best remedies for scaling skin is moisture.  Applying moisturizers frequently can relieve dryness and itching and promote healing, particularly in cold, dry weather. The best one for you will depend on how dry your skin is – the thicker the product the more moisture it will hold in, says Steven R. Feldman, MD, professor in the department of dermatology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C.  Dr. Feldman recommends fragrance-free products. A few brands to look for: Cetaphil, CeraVe and Eucerin.

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Smoking Increases Psoriatic Arthritis

Smoking Increases the Risk of Psoriatic Arthritis

Smoking can have harmful effects on your skin and joints, increasing the risk and severity of the scaling skin disease psoriasis, and the arthritis that often accompanies it – psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Several studies have found an association between smoking and psoriatic arthritis, but further research is needed to gain a better understanding of cause and effect.

In a 2014 study published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, researchers in Denmark investigated the smoking-psoriatic arthritis connection in 1,388 psoriatic arthritis patients from a nationwide registry. They found that compared with non-smoking psoriatic arthritis patients, smoking PsA patients had worse self-reported disease. Smokers also had shorter treatment adherence (meaning they didn’t follow their prescribed treatment plan for as long)  and a poorer response to treatment.

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How Common is Psoriatic Arthritis in People with Psoriasis?

The prevalence of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) among psoriasis patients is higher than previously thought, according to several international studies published between 2013 and 2015. In North America and Europe, between 18 and 42 percent of people with psoriasis, an inflammatory skin disease, also have psoriatic arthritis. In the United States, psoriasis affects about 2.2 percent of the population (7.5 million people), making it the most prevalent autoimmune disease in the US. In addition to skin problems associated with psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis affects the joints and other parts of the body.

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Obesity Increases Psoriatic Arthritis

Obesity Can Increase the Risk of Psoriatic Arthritis

From osteoarthritis to heart disease to diabetes, obesity is implicated in a host of diseases. A study now adds one more condition to the list: psoriatic arthritis, or PsA.

Psoriatic arthritis, an autoimmune condition, is a form of inflammatory arthritis that affects an estimated 6 to 10 percent of people with of the skin condition psoriasis and up to 40 percent of those with extensive psoriasis. It can also affect people who do not have the skin disease.

It’s been known that being overweight or obese increases a person’s chances of developing psoriasis. But a study in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, researchers report a link between body mass index, or BMI, and psoriatic arthritis, too.

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