The type of psoriasis you have will have a lot to do with what symptoms and triggers you are likely to experience.
The symptoms for plaque psoriasis which is the most common type of psoriasis are: reddened areas of skin usually covered with loose, silvery colored scales. The area will be very itchy and also painful. The skin may be cracked and if scratched will also be bleeding. When your psoriasis case is severe you will notice that the areas of affected skin will grow and merge together into each other until they are one big patch of affected skin. It is common to have both fingernails and toenails also be affected (discoloration and also pitting of the nails involved). You may also experience in the most severe cases crumbling of the nails and detachment of the nail from the nail bed. There may be areas on the scalp that are crusty or scaly. It is also common to notice small areas of bleeding where the scalp skin has been scratched.
Those who have psoriasis can also have a type of psoriasis that is very similar to arthritis. This type of psoriasis that mimics arthritis is called: psoriatic arthritis. Pain and swelling in the joints in an individual with psoriasis.
Flare-ups can be triggered by weather, stress, certain medications, the presence of other diseases, trauma to the skin such as an injury, burns, vaccinations, cuts or scrapes, bruises or even tattoos. Alcohol and smoking are two more triggers that have been known to trigger flare-ups.
Weather that is extremely cold can dry out your skin making it prone to dryness that can lead to cracking. The cracking can cause flare-ups. Harsh winds can also set you up for additional flare-ups.
The appearance of psoriasis can be stressful as you have to deal with the appearance of your skin. The stares or embarrassing questions can add to your stress level.
Lithium, anti-malaria drugs, some beta-blockers and medications that are used for high blood pressure and also heart disease can lead to flare-ups in psoriasis patients.
When those who have psoriasis have infections they are at risk for another flare-up. Certain diseases such as HIV can make psoriasis symptoms worse.
People with psoriasis need to be especially careful not to have trauma to the skin as things like abrasions, cracks or cuts, and also vaccinations, tattoos and burns can be invitations for flare-ups at the site of these traumas. This scenario of trauma and then flare-up at the site of the trauma is known as "Koebner's phenomenon".
Other triggers are consuming alcoholic beverages or smoking tobacco products. Those who are experts in psoriasis express opinions that both drinking alcohol and smoking make psoriasis worse.
Individuals may not even know for sure what triggered the flare-up, only that they again are having symptoms of psoriasis.
Knowing the symptoms of psoriasis and recognizing what may trigger your next flare-ups can be useful information to know. It may be beneficial to keep track of your psoriasis flare-ups and what you did prior to the advent of symptoms. This record can be helpful to your doctor too as he/she can use the information you have compiled to make a determination of what your triggers are. Once you have a good idea of what may cause flare-ups you can try to avoid them or at least lessen their effect on you.