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I get sun whenever I can

I was diagnosed with psoriasis when I was 5-years old after I got my ears pierced. I found out that my father had it as well and I inherited it through him.

Throughout the years I would have outbreaks during times when I would get strep throat sometimes when I would get sick in general and in my later years when I went drinking excessive alcohol.

I have experimented with several different medications, topical and oral steroids. I did find one topical steroid to be somewhat helpful but it was expensive (betamethasone valerate). Everything else I hated I was having night terrors from the oral steroids and even wearing Saran Wrap (cling film) over my topical creams which was doctor recommended.

I grew up in Virginia USA so there was not a lot of sun during the fall/winter and even early into the spring months. Psoriasis outbreak was always something I would try to avoid, but not always possible. I always noticed that in the summer time when I would get lots of sun that my psoriasis would disappear.

I tried using coconut oil and going out into the sun later to find out that the coconut oil was kind of irritating it I now use cocoa butter and shea butter the super buttery ones. I get sun whenever I can and have at times moved to Florida and Arizona to very super Sunny States here in the US.

Several different websites have told me to avoid gluten, dairy, red meat, sugar, tomatoes, eggplants and some even list citrus as irritants. I mostly follow a fruit and vegetable diet but will occasionally eat the things I'm not supposed to only if I'm getting plenty of sun and exercise.

Exercise sweating in general I think is very important. But mostly SUN SUN SUN SUN SUN SUN AND SOME MORE SUN. I am able to tolerate lots of sun, some might not be able to. I've even had to go to tanning beds which I not a huge fan of but you need to make sure you're getting the UVA and the UVB rays so if you do go to a tanning bed make sure you go to a bed that provides UVA and UVB rays. Also alcohol in extreme moderation I do not recommend liquor in excess. A friend of mine with psoriasis says that beer irritates hers so I say go with wine.

Submitted by 30-year-old female living outside the UK

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