Those people who suffer from the psoriasis condition are more likely to smoke, and smoking contributes to worsening the skin condition. Psoriasis results in inflammation and scaling of the skin, and affect places like legs, scalp, lower back, elbows, knees, palms, face, and the soles of the feet. The chances of people with psoriasis suffering from obesity are also quite high, according to a research published in the Archives of Dermatology.
Data from as many as 818 psoriasis patients was collected during the study. The risk of severe psoriasis was heightened in the case of those who smoked over two packets of cigarettes per day. The severity of psoriasis was found to be more severe among women smokers when compared to men. The research also revealed that putting on weight and smoking appeared to develop in a person after he had already developed the psoriasis condition.Risky behavior appears to be common with psoriasis patients as they become less concerned with their personal appearance. Formerly it was believed that obesity is one among the causes for psoriasis. The Utah Psoriasis Initiative (UPI) patients were compared with other population groups by the researchers. The incidence of obesity among the UPI patients was 34%, while in the case of the general population, it was only at 18%. Where smoking is concerned, it was at 37% in the case of UPI patients, while it was only 13% for others.
Smoking contributes towards psoriasis even in the case of those who are not genetically predisposed to it. The effect of psoriasis on the general emotional well being of the patients was also studied during the research.
