What triggers psoriasis? Can psoriasis cause pimples?

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease, which means that your immune system mistakenly attacks your own healthy cells. The exact cause of psoriasis is unknown, but some factors may trigger or worsen the condition, such as:

• Genetic predisposition: Having a family history of psoriasis increases your risk of developing it.
• Infections: Bacterial, viral, or fungal infections can trigger a flare-up of psoriasis, especially strep throat.
• Skin injuries: Cuts, burns, scratches, or sunburns can cause new patches of psoriasis to appear on the injured area.
• Stress: Emotional or physical stress can affect your immune system and trigger or worsen psoriasis.
• Medications: Some drugs, such as beta blockers, lithium, antimalarials, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), can cause or aggravate psoriasis.
• Alcohol: Drinking alcohol can interfere with your treatment and increase the risk of flare-ups.
• Smoking: Smoking can worsen your symptoms and increase the severity of psoriasis.
• Obesity: Being overweight can increase the inflammation in your body and make psoriasis harder to treat.
• Weather: Cold and dry weather can dry out your skin and make it more prone to irritation and scaling.

Psoriasis does not cause pimples or acne. However, some people with psoriasis may also have acne or other skin conditions that affect their pores and hair follicles. For example:

Psoriatic arthritis: This is a type of arthritis that affects some people with psoriasis. It can cause inflammation and swelling in the joints and tendons, as well as pustular psoriasis, which is a rare form of psoriasis that causes pus-filled blisters on the skin.

Folliculitis: This is an infection of the hair follicles that causes red, swollen, and sometimes pus-filled bumps on the skin. It can be caused by bacteria, fungi, or irritation from shaving or waxing. Folliculitis can affect any part of the body where there is hair, including the face, scalp, chest, back, legs, and groin.

Rosacea: This is a chronic skin condition that causes redness, flushing, and sometimes pimples on the face. It can be triggered by factors such as sun exposure, spicy foods, alcohol, stress, or hot weather. Rosacea can affect anyone, but it is more common in people with fair skin and light eyes.