How can I prevent dry, itchy skin?

Q:

My psoriasis always flares up when it starts to get cold outside. Is there anything I can do to ward off flare-ups of itchy, flaky skin?

A:

There is! Psoriasis is up to 60% more likely to be problematic in the colder months due to dry air. Plus, psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that flares up when the immune system is taxed, so you may be more prone to skin plaques during the winter, when your body is fighting off seasonal illnesses. Fortunately, there are easy ways to combat flare-ups.

First, I recommend supplementing with vitamin D-3. During the spring and summer, when we spend more time outdoors and have more hours of daylight, our skin can absorb the UV light it needs to produce D—a vitamin that not only helps boost immunity but can also slow the rapid growth of skin cells that causes the itchy and unsightly plaques. But since most of us live in places where there’s not enough sunlight for our bodies to manufacture vitamin D in the fall and winter, supplementing with 2,000 IU daily (and taking it with a meal to ensure proper absorption) can keep your levels high enough to alleviate symptoms. In fact, a Japanese study found that nearly 63% of people with psoriasis who supplemented with vitamin D eliminated or significantly reduced their plaques in less than three months.

And if you do experience a flareup, try dabbing on aloe vera gel. A study published in the journal Tropical Medicine and International Health found that applying the gel three times daily cleared 83% of psoriatic plaques. That’s because compounds in aloe (acemannan and glucomannan) encourage skin cells to grow and divide properly instead of growing rapidly and irregularly, which causes plaques to form.