Many studies have already linked psoriasis with smoking and came to the conclusion that smoking does make psoriasis worse.Smokers have been seen to be in a double risk stage of developing psoriasis as compared to non-smokers. If you are developing psoriasis and a smoker as well, you need to read through this article.
How itmakes psoriasis worse
If you have a genetic tendency for psoriasis, smoking might trigger the genes to become more active. Smokers at risk of having skin conditions like psoriasis need to avoid smoking at any cost.When you learn how psoriasis gets worse if you smoke, you probably may never want to continue smoking.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that indicates that the immune system and the defense system of the body tend to attack the normal tissue in place of foreign invaders like germs due to alteration by nicotine. You may think whether nicotine is the only harmful substance, and it’s not.
Nicotine is not the only thing that alters the body’s mechanism, but there are other ingredients in smoking that cause cell damage which is termed as oxidative damage. This oxidative damage is probably the main factor that makes psoriasis worse while you smoke.
Smoking and Psoriasis
As you read through the article, you now already know that there is a link between smoking and psoriasis which makes the condition worse. You know that smoking cigarettes increase your risk of lung cancer apart from other cardiovascular diseases and kidney or throat cancer.If that is not enough for you, know that smoking affects and triggers psoriasis in the most negative way it can.
Factsabout cigarette
If you are the one who has psoriasis or have seen your close ones suffering, you probably know the symptoms. Well, smoking makes the symptoms worse and for women, the likelihood further increases. Keep on reading to know the link between smoking and psoriasis and the possible prevention.
- Cigarette smoking has been by far established as one of the strongest risk factors for aggravation and further development of psoriasis. It has been evident thatsmoking cigarettes and nicotine can make the symptoms look different.
- Also, smoking cigarettes appears to be protective against ulcerative colitis. The reason behind the ulcerative is possibly the anti-inflammatory effects of nicotine. Moreover, nicotine has a tendency to block the release of meditators like pro-inflammatory meditators.
- Nicotine can effectively dampen the immune response and is responsible for attenuating damage to the colons as well.
- Previously, psoriasis was considered to be a disease of hyperproliferation. Therefore, it is now clear to you that psoriasis is nothing other than an immune-mediated disease.
Things to know
Apart from nicotine, smokers at risk of having skin conditions like psoriasis can get affected by nickel which is another ingredient of cigarettes. So, if you have psoriasis, smoking cigarettes may contribute to worsening the situation due to the toxicity of heavy metal inside your body.
Moreover, you may experience emotional stress if you had psoriasis and did not quit smoking yet. The reason behind too much stress is undoubtedly smoking as smoking has the power of stretching the stress period and thereby responsible for worsening the situation.
One of the other important things that you cannot afford to miss while you are reading about smoking and psoriasis is that smoking can effectively reduce the moisture level in your skin. It makes the skin too dry and itchy, which is one of the symptoms of psoriasis.
An early prevention
Early prevention can save you from catching other troubles along with psoriasis. It is not always easy to quit smoking suddenly, but it would be worth it. You may find a smoking cessation tool that can work wonders for you. Smoking cessation is a must for you if you have psoriasis.
See a doctor who may suggest you the tool that best suits you. The products include nicotine products, medication and smoking cessation classes. Therefore, going to a doctorwould be beneficial for you to decide the best smoking cessation plan.
Fight back through exercises
Psoriasis might give you plenty of reasons not to exercise, but you have to find one to participate in the exercise actively. Do exercise to prevent psoriasis and do it every day. Exercise helps to fight inflammation in the body, which is by far one of the main reasons to worsen psoriasis. Also, exercise can help you to lower down your stress level and stay happy.
Make it exciting
If you have toddlers at home, it might be quite difficult for you to squeeze out time for exercise. In that situation, you may focus on including your child and make the exercise routine a bit fun bymixing-matching Zumba, cardio, aerobics with music at a high pitch.Remember, do not give up exercise at any cost.
Focus on the little things that aren’t little
Here are some quick tips to follow:
- Do no dive into vigorous exercise, but start slow. If you are not so much used to it, there are plenty of options to start at a slow and comfortable pace.
- There are many small ways in your everyday life that might help you incorporate exercise into your daily routine. Take the staircase instead of the lift, do squats while brushing your teeth, etc., are some of the little things that can go a long way.
The bottom line
There are some of the points that can make you more alert:
- If you are not into smoking, do not start, especially if you are a woman. Smoking might lead you to have a higher risk of developing psoriasis than men.
- If you smoke occasionally or are a chain smoker, try to quit it as soon as possible. You might have a higher likelihood of remission.
- Always try to exercise to prevent psoriasis and focus on other healthy ways to come out of stress. Remember, stress can affect both your professional and personal life.
- It would be beneficial for you to meditate every day, whether you smoke or not or whether you have psoriasis or not.Further adequate sleep can make you lead a healthy life.
Thesilver line
Remember, it is never too late to stop. If you really want to quit smoking to get rid of psoriasis, put the first step forward today.Any amount that can reduce can prove to be beneficial for you.You can undoubtedly see an improvement in your skin as soon as the blood flow improves and nutrients level are restored.
