Have you ever noticed that your skin is clearer in the summertime when you spend time out in the sun? Ultraviolet light can help clear up psoriasis plaques, and the sun is a natural source of it. Of course, when it comes to direct exposure to sunlight for a long period of time, there are pros and cons to consider, too. Let’s shed some light on the matter.
Why Sunlight Clears Your Skin
When you have psoriasis, skin cells are created then die off at a much faster rate than they should. This overgrowth of cells causes the plaques and scales on your skin. Ultraviolet light seems to slow down this out-of-control process so your skin can clear up. That’s why light therapy (you may hear your doctor call it phototherapy) is one of the treatment options for psoriasis.
It’s an overactive immune system that causes your skin cells to die off and grow back so quickly. Research suggests ultraviolet light calms your immune system, which cuts down skin cell production.
Other Benefits of Sun Exposure
Besides the direct effects that sunlight seems to have on your immune system and skin cells, there are other reasons a little sunlight might be good for people with psoriasis. For starters, those beams give you vitamin D, a key nutrient that supports overall skin health.
A daily dose of sunlight, studies suggest, can also cut stress, one of the most common triggers of psoriasis. It may also help regulate sleep and improve your overall mood and mental health. These might be welcome benefits for people with psoriasis who may find that the condition affects their sleep and mood.
How to Get the Sun’s Benefits
You’re not going to get all the sunlight you need from a single day at the beach. That’s an isolated event and, in fact, it’d be too much sun all at once.
The psoriasis-treating effects of the sun come from regular and gradually increasing exposure. The American College of Rheumatology recommends that you make use of the sun’s beams when they’re at their strongest. That’s between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Start with just 5 minutes a day and slowly build up to 30 minutes a day as part of your regular routine. There’s no need to spend more than a half-hour. As you know, the sun can cause harm, too. So don’t push it.
You Still Need Sunscreen
It may seem odd, but even when your goal is to soak up the sun’s healing rays, you still need sunscreen. Sunscreen helps prevent sunburn, skin cancer, and the sun-related signs of aging, like wrinkles and age spots. For people with psoriasis, it’s important to avoid sunburn. New plaques sometimes form right where the sunburn is – adding insult to injury.
The National Psoriasis Foundation recommends you use a sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher. Go for one that’s fragrance-free and made for sensitive skin. It’s not a good idea to smear sunscreen onto broken or actively flaring skin, so wait till you’re a little more stable to start your self-guided therapy.
And don’t forget your shades! Too much sun in your eyes can cause a condition called a cataract that can cloud your vision.
Mind Your Meds
Some medicines can make your skin more sensitive to the sun and burn faster. Methotrexate, a drug that calms your immune system, and one that some people take for psoriasis, is one of them. Another that you might use for scalp psoriasis is T/Gel shampoo or any coal- or tar-based product.
Other drugs that can make you more sun-sensitive include some, but not necessarily all, of the drugs in these categories:
- Antihistamines
- Birth control pills
- Arthritis medicine
- Tranquilizers
- Anti-nausea medicine
- Antimicrobial and anti-infective medicines
- Diuretics, also called water pills
- Diabetes medicines
- Tricyclic antidepressants, sometimes called first-generation antidepressants
- Some supplements, such as St. John’s wort
If you’re not sure if you take medicines that make you more sensitive to sunlight, ask your doctor or pharmacist. If you do take some of these, ask whether it’s still safe to try daily sunlight to help clear your skin. You might need a stronger sunscreen, shorter stints outdoors, or other precautions.
Safe and Not-So-Safe Alternatives
Relaxing in the sun, even for a few minutes a day, may not be for everyone. If it’s not your thing, ask your doctor about phototherapy – an ultraviolet light treatment for psoriasis that you can get at a dermatologist’s office.
Light therapy is especially designed to give you just the right type of ultraviolet light to help with your psoriasis. Tanning beds are not. They often give off the wrong kind of light.
Ultraviolet light has two wavelengths: A and B. UVB, all by itself, provides the psoriasis benefits that you’re after. Tanning beds mostly emit UVA. A doctor’s office might also use UVA, but they also give you psoralen, which makes your skin sensitive to UVA. Without that, you won’t get the healing effects of the UV light. You only get a tan and increase your risk for the most deadly type of skin cancer, called melanoma.
Talk to Your Doctor
Of course, too much direct sunlight on your skin comes with well-known risks, too. Your medications and your unique skin type can add to those risks. That’s why it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor before trying sun therapy yourself. Make sure it’s safe for a person with your skin type, health conditions, and medication list.
Show Sources
(Photo Credit: iStock/Getty Images)
SOURCES:
Dermatology of Boca: “Psoriasis and the Sun: What You Need to Know.”
The British Journal of Dermatology: “Sun exposure induces rapid immunological changes in skin and peripheral blood in patients with psoriasis.”
American College of Rheumatology: “Psoriasis and the Sun – Helpful or Harmful?”
National Psoriasis Foundation: “Causes and Triggers,” “Do I Put Sunscreen on Plaques?”
Wisconsin Department of Health Services: “Medications and other Agents that Increase Sensitivity to Light.”
The Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Alliance: “Psoriasis and the sun.”
National Eye Institute: “New Research Sheds Light on How UV Rays May Contribute to Cataract.”
