How to Make Over Your Psoriasis Skin-Care Routine for Fall and Winter

Fall and winter tend to be colder and drier than spring and summer — and that can have an effect on psoriasis symptoms, since cold, dry air is a known psoriasis trigger.

There are also fewer hours of sunlight in the colder months, which can affect psoriasis symptoms, since certain wavelengths of UV light are known to be beneficial for psoriasis.

Here’s how you might want to consider adjusting your psoriasis care routine for the fall and winter.

The best way to bathe or shower for psoriasis can vary based on individual factors and preferences, but there are some general principles to keep in mind.

Resist the temptation to warm up with a long bath or shower. “We know that long, hot showers can lead to dry skin and, by extension, a compromised skin barrier,” says Kimberly Katz, MD, a dermatologist at UW Medicine in Seattle. “Dry skin can worsen the sensation of itch and irritation.”

Typically, “The goal is to limit showers to about 5 minutes and baths to 15 minutes or less” to avoid skin drying or irritation, says Lauren Taglia, MD, PhD, a dermatologist at Northwestern Medicine in Geneva, Illinois. “Be sure to rinse off thoroughly and blot your skin gently with a towel until you are damp, not dry,” to avoid overdrying or irritation as well.

Especially during colder months, it’s important to apply a moisturizer after every bath or shower to help “seal in” moisture, Dr. Taglia says.

• Use warm, not hot, water
• Don’t take more than one bath or shower in a day
• Use a gentle soap made for sensitive skin
• Wash your body with your hands, not a washcloth or loofah

Some people find that a bath containing ingredients like Dead Sea salts, colloidal oatmeal, or coal tar can be soothing. But since coal tar can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor before trying it.

If you have scalp psoriasis, it’s important not to irritate your scalp while washing your hair. “Remember to gently massage when shampooing and to avoid scratching or picking at areas of involvement,” says Taglia. If you’re using a targeted shampoo that contains salicylic acid or coal tar, be sure to let it sit on your scalp for at least five minutes before rinsing it off.

To prevent dry skin, you should apply a moisturizer any time you wash an affected area of skin, not just after a bath or shower, says Taglia.

If you have thicker psoriasis plaques, you may benefit from using a cream that contains one of the following ingredients, which can lift up the plaque and make it softer:

• Salicylic acid
• Lactic acid
• Urea
• Coal tar

Dr. Katz notes that moisturizers containing ceramides have been shown to help reduce scaling and prevent the development of psoriasis plaques.

Katz says that moisturizer is especially important for people who use a topical steroid treatment for psoriasis, as there is some evidence that it can help prevent relapses compared with using a steroid without a moisturizer.

While it’s always important to protect your skin from sunburn, there are beneficial wavelengths of light in sunlight — but less so during colder months, due to the earth’s position relative to the sun.

“Part of the UVB spectrum is very anti-inflammatory and therapeutic” for people with psoriasis, says Katz. But in the wintertime, they may not get any UVB exposure, so those patients are getting UVA, which can cause skin aging and may increase the risk for skin cancer, without the benefit of UVB, she explains.

This means that somewhat surprisingly, you may need more sun protection during winter, since there’s no actual benefit from sun exposure.

Year-round use of sunscreen and sunglasses is recommended whenever you go outside, especially if you’re doing outdoor winter activities like skiing or snowboarding, according to Taglia. “Higher altitudes and light reflection can make sunburn risk even greater than in warmer weather months,” she says.

Look for a water-resistant sunscreen that offers broad-spectrum UV protection and has a rating of SPF 30 or higher. You can also look for hydrating formulas like moisturizers that contain a sunscreen, Taglia says, which may be especially helpful during colder months.

Katz says that late summer and early fall are good times to visit your dermatologist to make sure that you have the medications and other tools you need to control your psoriasis in the fall and winter. You may also benefit from phototherapy (light therapy) using narrow-band UVB light during the winter, which can be done at a doctor’s office or at home and may be covered by your insurance.

• Limit your bathing and shower time in colder months to prevent your skin from drying out.
• Use moisturizer any time you wash areas of skin that are affected by psoriasis.
• Don't overlook the importance of sun protection, including broad-spectrum sunscreen and sunglasses, during the winter.