Psoriasis Living with Psoriasis

Is Lighting Up Making Your Psoriasis More Severe?

Need another reason to quit smoking? It might be making your psoriasis worse.

Researchers have found a link between smoking and the severity of psoriasis. According to a December 2005 study in Archives of Dermatology, people who smoke more than one pack a day have double the risk of severe psoriasis compared to people who smoke half a pack or less a day.

For some time, researchers have known that cigarettes may trigger psoriasis in people who are susceptible to the disease, especially pustular psoriasis. In one study, cigarette smoking more than doubled the risk of developing psoriasis in women and almost the same in men.

It is unclear exactly how smoking might exacerbate psoriasis, but cigarettes are known to alter the function of white blood cells. Smoking may also cause the body to overproduce proteins that contribute to skin inflammation in psoriasis.

Although there's no direct evidence that quitting smoking can improve your condition, it's possible you could boost your odds. According to a 2000 study in Cutis, three-quarters of those whose psoriasis had gone into remission were nonsmokers, while two-thirds of those whose disease remained largely the same were smokers.

In any case, kicking the habit is a proven way to improve your overall health and reduce your risk of lung cancer, heart disease and stroke. So, if you're a smoker, it's important to take steps to quit. Quitting can be difficult, but support can be found through smoking cessation programs at hospitals and health centers or through individual, group or telephone counseling.

Another popular choice for helping to kick the habit is nicotine replacement therapy, which is available in gum, inhaler, nasal spray and patch form. These products are designed to be tapered slowly as you wean yourself off nicotine. Other choices are bupropion (Wellbutrin) and nortriptyline (Pamelor, Aventyl). These products don't contain nicotine, but they can help reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

Questions to ask your doctor:

1. Could smoking be making my psoriasis worse?
2. Can you recommend a smoking cessation program for me to follow?
3. Could I benefit from medication to help reduce the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal?