How do Alcohol and Tobacco Affect Psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a condition affecting the skin. However, the problem results from cells building up and causing patches on the skin surface. The uneven surfaces will appear red and may be itchy. In some instances, the patches will bleed due to cracking. There is no specific body part that the condition may arise but may appear on the face, scalp, neck, feet, or hands. On rare occasions, the conditions may happen around the genitals area, mouth, or nails. 

There are different types of psoriasis, including inverse psoriasis, erythrodermic psoriasis, pustular psoriasis, guttate psoriasis, and plaque psoriasis. Although there are limited medical remedies to the conditions, a person can treat the states by reducing the risk factors that may trigger the disease. The most significant habits that may lead to the condition or escalate the problem if you already have symptoms are alcohol and tobacco. This read will look at the impact of the factors to help you with psoriasis management. 

The Impact of Alcohol and Tobacco on Psoriasis

The impact of alcohol and tobacco on a person’s health is evident. Apart from the regular warnings available on mainstream media about the substances, they can lead to the occurrence or progression of skin conditions. Studies show there is a link between alcohol and psoriasis. Taking alcoholic drinks while undergoing treatment for skin conditions will make it ineffective. 

On the other hand, smoking tobacco has an impact on skin conditions. In the following sections, we will look at how both substances affect psoriasis. The information will help with managing the situation when undergoing treatment. In addition, studies are showing that staying away from alcohol and tobacco significantly reduces the chances of developing medical conditions.

Alcohol and Psoriasis

It is still unclear about the exact factor that may lead to the development of psoriasis. Still, it is evident that alcohol impacts the condition. The quantity of alcohol a person takes does not matter, but it will have a negative effect. 

First, it is not advisable to take alcohol while undergoing any medical treatment. If you do so, the medications may not be effective in treating the condition. For a pregnant woman, the dangers are more since it enhances the side effects of psoriasis. Since men are usually heavy drinkers than women, they will likely have lower immunity than their counterparts. Having low immunity poses more significant threats to developing skin conditions. Maybe the disorder might be genetic, and alcohol consumption might trigger psoriasis. Apart from the skin conditions, alcohol consumption will lead to other medical and social challenges.

On the other hand, many individuals drink because of depression. Since stress is a factor that contributes to psoriasis, alcohol drinking will lead to the progression of the problem. It would be best to deal with stress and other related mental challenges in different ways like yoga or meditation than turning to alcohol for relief. Apart from improving wellbeing, it will minimize the chances of psoriasis progressing. Studies show that there are likely liver conditions that people with psoriasis may have as an underlying condition. Alcohol intake will negatively impact the problem and make the liver condition more severe. 

Tobacco and Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a condition that results from low immunity, and smoking tobacco will negatively impact the problem. Smoking is an external factor that may trigger the cells to reproduce, thus causing the skin condition development. In addition, recovery from psoriasis will be challenging if you use tobacco.  The habit affects the effectiveness of the medication, thus making a full recovery challenging to achieve.

A person’s immunity plays a significant role in the development of psoriasis. The condition happens when a factor triggers the T cells in the white blood cells to multiply. Tobacco has thousands of chemicals that can act as a trigger to the problem. Nicotine is the highest compound in tobacco, and it lowers immunity. Therefore, the chances of developing psoriasis increase with the continued use of tobacco products.   

Apart from enhancing an individual’s probability of developing the condition, tobacco will make the symptoms worse. The risks are similar to a smoker regardless of their gender. However, the chances increase depending on the duration of using tobacco products. Although a person in their initial years of tobacco use stands a lesser chance than an individual who has been using for several years, a non-smoker is at the most negligible chances of developing the condition. 

On the other hand, regardless of the duration of tobacco use, the treatment will be ineffective if already having the condition. Studies show that the treatment plans would sow no progress for more than half a year for smokers. 

Conclusion

Whether suffering from a skin condition or not, it is beneficial to develop good habits. Stopping the consumption of alcohol and tobacco will help achieve better health. Remember, there are other lethal conditions the substances can bring. So, abstain from harmful substances to build immunity and stay healthy.