Psoriasis and Allergies
Don’t expect a yes or no response straight off the bat with this theory.
I am sure you know by now how elusive finding a cause or trigger for psoriasis can be, and how every single case of psoriasis is likely to have a different trigger, whether it is a change in weather to having been sick.
Are Allergies a Trigger for Psoriasis?
When you are suffering from allergies, you may notice that your psoriasis starts to play up, raising the suspicion that perhaps they could be a trigger for psoriasis.
Allergies do not just refer to the hay fever you get in the spring or autumn. It could be food intolerances you suffer from or even your reaction to certain weather conditions.
I suffer from Raynaud’s syndrome, which is kind of like an allergy to the cold, and whenever I go in to see a dermatologist, they are always intrigued by a possible connection between Raynaud’s, psoriasis and lupus.
Even though the allergy connection may not be a medical fact, it seems to be factored into the equation.
Do Food Allergies Trigger Psoriasis?
If you are noticing that when you have eaten certain types of food, or you have been around certain things that can trigger your allergies, it is probably not a silly idea to try and limit your intake of these foods or reduce the amount of time you spend around those triggering situations.
Just because there’s no scientific proof around allergies being connected with psoriasis, it does not mean there isn’t.
If you find that limiting certain foods from your diet seems to improve your psoriasis flare-ups, you may as well benefit from this lifestyle change instead of worrying about the particular reason why it could be bringing on a flare-up.
What Are My Relief Options?
I have been obsessed over the last few years about what’s causing my psoriasis and trying to find ways to prevent it.
However, since it is nearly impossible to pinpoint an exact reason as to what could be causing it, and those reasons are completely different for everyone who suffers from psoriasis, it is tough to give us sufferers a definitive list of triggers.
I remember during one of my first major flare-ups, I ended up in my doctor’s office after having tried everything he had prescribed, and nothing was working.
Looking back, the stress of the situation and worrying I would be stuck with permanent psoriasis marks would not have helped in getting rid of it at all either.
In the end, he gave me several types of medication, another steroid cream, and also a type of antihistamine. I pretty much ruled out the antihistamine as I have never noticed myself having problems with allergies, but gave it a go because at that point I was just desperate for anything to work.
Whether it was the steroids alone or the combination with the antihistamines, we will never know, but within five days, my psoriasis was completely gone. I am not saying that this is proof that there’s a connection between psoriasis and allergies, but perhaps it is something not to rule out of the equation entirely.
Psoriasis, Allergies, and the Immune System
According to Allergy New Zealand, “an allergy occurs when a person’s immune system overreacts to substances — called an allergen — in the environment."
You may remember that psoriasis is a disease that also involves your immune system. The similarity in this regard may cause people to connect dots (whether they are right or wrong) to conclude that their allergies are the cause of their psoriasis.
Especially when your allergies do involve a reaction to your skin, it could be difficult to differentiate between when an allergic reaction starts and when psoriasis flares up.
Psoriasis vs. Allergies
The main difference with an allergic reaction and psoriasis is that psoriasis is not trying to fight something off like an allergic reaction is; it is merely creating more cells than it needs to.
We could go round and round in circles all day trying to decide whether something you are allergic to could be kicking off your psoriasis flare-ups, and, at the end of the day, no one can tell you definitively whether it is or it is not.
If you are finding that staying clear of certain allergens is helping your psoriasis, then, by all means, continue following a lifestyle that works for you. There’s no one way to live with psoriasis, you have just got to keep traveling the road of discovery, finding ways to manage it.