Alcohol & Psoriasis

Drinking alcohol can make psoriasis worse. Some people find alcohol triggers psoriasis outbreaks, while others find it aggravates their symptoms. Alcohol can also interfere with some psoriasis medications. And patients may abuse alcohol to help cope with the stress that often comes with psoriasis. Understanding the complex relationship between alcohol and psoriasis can help you make better decisions about when to use, and when to avoid, alcohol.

Physical Reactions

• The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends that people with psoriasis drink little or no alcohol. According to AAD, heavy drinkers can experience more severe psoriasis symptoms. In addition, extensive alcohol use may limit the effectiveness of treatment. The exact reason remains unclear, but researchers at St. John's Institute of Dermatology in London have suggested that decreased compliance due to alcohol use may be a major factor. The institute's researchers add that removing alcohol from a person's daily diet has been shown to clear psoriasis symptoms. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, heavy drinking may actually cause biological damage that worsens psoriasis.

Emotional Aspects

• AAD warns that the emotional stress of psoriasis can lead some patients to abuse alcohol. Disfiguring lesions can cause some people to reject psoriasis patients, and the effect of psoriasis on appearance can cause problems at work and with friends or family members. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, however, using alcohol can actually increase stress, and heavy drinking may actually cause biological damage that worsens psoriasis Alcohol abuse appears to be a greater risk for men with psoriasis than women--male drinkers tend to show less response to treatment.

Medications

• Several psoriasis treatments do not mix with alcohol. In some cases, mixing alcohol with medication can cause severe liver damage. Methotrexate, a powerful cancer-fighting drug also prescribed for psoriasis patients falls into this category, as does the topical ointment Tazarotene. Acitretin, an oral medication for psoriasis, can mix with alcohol to form a toxic substance in the bloodstream. In general, psoriasis patients should check all medications to see if alcohol use should be avoided. If a medication does not mix with alcohol, avoid it during treatment. After stopping the medication, check with your doctor to make sure it's OK to drink alcohol again. Some medications can take up to two months or more to clear the bloodstream after use (Resource 1).

Treatment

• If rejection from others leads you to use or abuse alcohol, the National Psoriasis Foundation recommends learning as much as you can about psoriasis, and using that information to help educate your family and friends (Resource 2). If you need more help with stress, a mental health counselor may help. If you find you're unable to give up alcohol without help, numerous organizations can provide support and assistance. According to the National Institutes of Health, counseling, medications and support groups can all help people who struggle with alcohol abuse. See Resource 3 for more information on getting help with an alcohol problem.

Misconceptions

• Stress does not cause psoriasis. The disease occurs due to a biological response, basically an overreaction by the immune system. Genetics appears to play a role in who gets psoriasis, but the exact cause is not completely understood. Stress may make a psoriasis outbreak more severe, but there's no evidence that alcohol can reduce stress and help control the symptoms of a psoriasis outbreak.