From healthcentral.com
Hear what works (and what doesn’t) from your PsO peers
More than 7.5 million people in the United States have psoriasis, an autoimmune skin disease. If you’re one of them, you know its impact can go deeper than skin; approximately a third of people with psoriasis also develop psoriatic arthritis, a condition that impacts joints and surrounding tissues. There is no cure for psoriasis, but there have been enormous leaps forward in the treatment landscape. As research reveals more about the mechanisms that cause psoriatic inflammation, treatment has become more targeted and effective. Today, there are multiple FDA-approved biologic options for psoriasis treatment.
Misinformation Abounds
Despite scientific breakthroughs in psoriasis, misinformation remains common. Maybe you’ve heard people say that psoriasis can be cured or that it can be transmitted sexually to another person—neither is true. Fortunately, there are reliable resources such as the National Psoriasis Foundation that can provide science-backed info on managing the condition. Another great resource? People living with psoriasis themselves, who have heard every myth under the sky about their condition—and have something to say about the best (and worst) advice they’ve been given.
Worst Advice: Lube Up With Oil
Emily Hertzberg, 41, an art teacher who lives in East Meadow, New York has had no shortage of bad advice about her psoriasis. “Someone once told me to put olive oil on my psoriasis patches, which of course didn’t work,” says Hertzberg. “It just made my skin extra greasy which is gross,” she explains. While olive oil has shown potential for a variety of skin conditions, investigators of a 2025 study admit that more quality evidence is needed to recommend olive oil for all skin conditions. Hertzberg has decided, “I’ll stick to olive oil for cooking!”
Best Advice: Try Light Therapy
“Years ago, someone mentioned light therapy to me for psoriasis and I have been utilizing its incredible benefits ever since,” reports Hertzberg. “It is such a game changer for me, it shrinks my patches and helps combat flares.” Also known as phototherapy, light therapy is usually administered at a dermatology clinic, hospital, or in a doctor’s office. It can be used alone or in addition to another psoriasis treatment. According to a 2023 article, clinical response to light therapy is relatively quick, often within one to two weeks.
Worst Advice: Bathe in Bleach
Bree Pease, 22, originally from Australia and now living in Saskatchewan, Canada, has learned to spot potentially harmful tips when she receives them. “I’ve heard a lot of bad advice, but the worst was probably from a random person online who told me to ‘just take a bleach bath,’” she says, “As if burning my skin off would somehow make it better!” While some skin conditions may benefit from a tiny dose of bleach added to bathwater, psoriasis (which is caused by immune system dysfunction) isn’t one of them.
Best Advice: You’re More Than Your Skin
Ever feel like you spend more time fighting the negative psychological impact of psoriasis than the physical symptoms? People with psoriasis are more likely to live with depression and anxiety, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation. The battle to conquer mental health demons is real, says Pease. “The best advice I ever got was from someone in the psoriasis community who told me, ‘Your skin doesn’t define your worth.’ It sounds simple, but at a time when I was struggling with confidence it changed everything for me.”
Worst Advice: Just Moisturize
“The worst advice I have received—from more people that I’d like to count—is: ‘That scab looks dry, have you tried putting some moisturizer on it?’” says Lianne Hunter, 38, a public relations director from Manchester, United Kingdom. Though it’s coming from a place of kindness, Hunter says the constant need to explain her psoriasis is not a ‘scab’ can be exhausting. Over the years, she says, she’s learned rather than correct the bad advice it’s easier to take the path of least resistance. “Just smile and nod, smile and nod,” she says.
Best Advice: Don’t Let Psoriasis Hold You Back
“I’ve had psoriasis since I was five, so I don’t really remember life without it,” says Hunter. “It also means I navigated a lot of my younger, self-conscious years with it,” she says. “My mother was matter-of-fact about the condition. She always said just because I have it doesn’t mean I should let it hold me back. That always stuck in my head and made me face the condition head on—I didn’t shy away from explaining what it was and how it impacted me.”
Worst Advice: Try Snake Skin Powder
No, that’s not a joke. Howard Chang, 53, a minister in Woodland, CA, says the worst advice anyone ever gave him about his psoriasis came from a friend of his parents, who suggested drinking actual snake skin powder mixed in water. “They theorized that since snakes shed their skin, ingesting their skin would help me shed my psoriasis,” explains Chang. “Unfortunately, the snake skin powder mixture caused me to retain water, I quickly gained weight, my face puffed up, and my psoriasis worsened.”
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