Summer is coming and this is mostly a good time of year for Psoriasis and eczema sufferers. The humidity helps with the dry, flaky skin and the sunlight helps to reduce the skin patches. However, it’s also a time that causes a lot of anxiety because baring your skin with shorts, skirts, t-shirts and sandals can be a bit daunting if your skin has been flaring up recently. So, here are a few tips for getting out into the sun and taking care of yourself and your skin in the most natural and careful way.
Sunlight
Sunlight is the number one reason for psoriasis improvements during the Summer. But, don’t forget that getting burned can trigger a flare up and that’s the last thing you want. So, never sunbathe in direct sunlight for more than 15 minutes. It’s better to start with 5 minutes per day with sunscreen on all the other parts of your body. Increase this time gradually to 15 minutes and beyond that, make sure you have sunscreen all over including your psoriasis patches.
There are sunscreen brands that are specific for sensitive skin and we recommend the following:
ThinkSport Sunscreen 50 SPF
Badger Sport Sunscreen SPF 35
Neither of these contain harsh toxic or carcinogenic chemicals and are paraben and phthalate free. They contain high levels of natural zinc oxide (which does make the cream a bit thicker) and are well documented to be very good options for psoriasis and eczema sufferers.
Clothing
Wear loose, breathable clothing. Cotton is the most comfortable textile material available. It’s a natural fibre so the use of chemicals is minimal, and the better moisture management properties of cotton prevents overheating of the skin and stops your clothes from sticking to your skin in the way that nylon, polyester and other synthetics will.
For underwear, it is necessary to avoid wearing nylon or polyester as the fibres don’t absorb sweat. Sweating under nonabsorbent fabric can allow microorganisms to thrive on the skin and induce itching and irritation. Replace synthetic underwear with better sweat absorbent fabric like Cotton or Rayon.
Sweating is actually very good for you because your skin eliminates toxins from your body in the form of sweat, so sweating is not the culprit. However, when you combine sweat with synthetic clothing, things can get very uncomfortable.
Wear light coloured clothes to make psoriasis patches less noticeable. White is always the best colour if you suffer from scalp psoriasis.
Prevent Insect Bites
Bites from mosquitos and other insects can aggravate psoriasis — so can insect repellents that contain Deet. Deet can be a skin irritant which can aggravate psoriasis symptoms
Stay indoors at dusk, when insects are most active or use citronella candles to help keep mosquitoes away. If you do need a repellent, try a brand that has little or no DEET. We recommend Smidge Deet Free Insect Repellent.
Moisturise
Heat and sweat can cause your psoriasis to feel worse, especially on your face and scalp. It will be very tempting to use air conditioning whenever you can, but this can dry the skin out. If you are spending time in air-conditioned spaces, make sure that you moisturise deeply and regularly. Try using our M-Folia popular Psoriasis Scalp Oil or Psoriasis Treatment Cream
Or our best selling Psoriasis Treatment Set for Hair, Scalp & Body
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Relax
It’s common knowledge that stress is a big factor for psoriasis sufferers. Take this time to relax, de-stress and reduce the pressure in your life. Take a holiday if you can or chill out in your garden making plenty of time for yourself. Most of all have a great Summer!
