Gary Rothfeld MD
You know you have psoriasis, but that doesn't mean other people have to. These tricks may help make your psoriasis less noticeable -- and make you feel more relaxed and self-assured in public.
Beauty Products
Standard lotions and makeup may not help. But some are designed to help people with skin problems. For instance, some creams have green dyes that counter skin redness. Ask your doctor for advice on picking a lotion.
Self-Tanning Lotions
Tanning products have come a long way since the days when they gave skin an orange tinge. Today's lotions can put a sun-kissed look on your skin. They can also conceal psoriasis, some experts say. Keep in mind that tanning lotions don't protect against the sun's rays.
Cover Up Wisely
To protect your skin when using a concealer or self-tanning lotion:
Be careful where you use it. Don't use any cover-up for psoriasis on open sores, or raw or bleeding skin. If your psoriasis causes pus-filled blisters or red and scaly skin on large parts of your body, ask your doctor before using any cover-up product. It may not work and could make your psoriasis worse.
Watch out for skin problems. If a cosmetic cover-up for psoriasis seems to bother your skin, stop using it.
Don't set your hopes too high. These techniques don't work for everyone. If your psoriasis is under good control and all you have is some redness or brown spots, a cover-up may work well. But if there are raised patches or your skin is scaly, it likely won't.
If you've spent a lot of time and money trying cover-ups that haven't worked, you may want to rethink your approach. Ask your doctor if stronger treatments could help.
