7 Free Ways to Manage Your Psoriasis

Let the sun shine in

"UV light is freely available for everyone, and I think it plays a key role in controlling psoriasis,” says Marian T. McEvoy, MD, a professor of dermatology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

Psoriasis is caused by overactive white blood cells that accumulate in the skin, causing skin cells to overproduce. Ultraviolet light kills those white blood cells, slowing the overgrowth of skin. Inflammation subsides and scaling and flaking are often reduced.

A 2004 study published in Clinical & Experimental Dermatology found that 60% of psoriasis patients reported improvement with exposure to sunlight. But don't overdo it. Sunburn can sometimes trigger psoriasis—an effect called the Koebner phenomenon.

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