Say Goodbye to Psoriasis Flakes: Tips for Cleanup and Care

Flaking can be one of the more frustrating symptoms of psoriasis. Here are some practical tricks for preventing, cleaning, and managing dry skin when you’re at home and on the move.

Psoriasis isn’t fun to live with. Period. It often catches the unwanted attention of others who don’t understand the condition and start asking questions that you don’t feel like answering.

And flaking doesn’t help. Psoriasis flaking can be one of the more challenging symptoms to cope with — both physically and mentally — but you can take steps to help lessen the burden.

Whether you only notice a few flakes or a lot, you may find these tips helpful for managing this experience.

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Use preventive strategies

One of the first strategies is to stop flaking at its source by trying different skin care routines, making changes to your medications, and avoiding potential triggers.

Skin care plays an important role in managing psoriasis and can help reduce flaking. To help reduce flakes, try:

• specialized, over-the-counter soaps and shampoos that contain coal tar or salicylic acid, or ask a doctor about prescription shampoos and soaps
• moisturize after a bath or shower
• regular hair washing (especially if you have scalp psoriasis)
• products or baths to help control itching
• dandruff shampoo on your body plaques

If your psoriasis is starting to worsen or flare, you may want to discuss medication changes with a doctor to get it back under control. Medications and treatments can include topicals, phototherapy, and systemic medications taken orally or through injections.

You may also find it helpful to take steps to identify and avoid your triggers. Common triggers that can promote skin flaking include:

• stress — some research suggests it’s a trigger for 31% to 88% of people living with psoriasis
• dry, cold weather
• exposure to UV light
• other possible lifestyle choices, such as smoking

Keep lint rollers or tape on hand

If you feel like you’re constantly finding flakes on your clothing, it could help to carry a small lint roller in your bag or purse. A lint roller can grab the flakes that stick to your clothing about as well as they do to dog hair or other fibers.

If you don’t have a lint roller handy, a roll of tape can also help you remove flakes in a pinch. But tape comes with its own set of challenges and limitations, like only clearing a small patch at a time.

Vacuum and sweep regularly

You can help keep large amounts of flakes under control with regular vacuuming and sweeping.

At work, you may want to consider having a small dustpan and brush and regularly sweep off your desk if you notice flakes falling there. A brush is very quiet, so it won’t draw much attention when you want to clean up.

At home, you may find vacuuming once a day helpful.

If it’s within your budget, a robotic vacuum cleaner can also help keep your floors clear and can be set to run every night or while you’re at work or school.

Use linens and clothes with natural fibers

Not all linens and clothes are created equal — literally. Different linens and clothing use different fibers, which may affect your psoriasis.

When selecting sheets, towels, clothing, and other linens, look for ones made with natural fibers and avoid ones that use synthetic ones. Natural fibers, such as cotton, are softer and less likely to irritate psoriasis plaques.

You may also find washing your linens and clothing more frequently can help keep stray flakes to a minimum.

Consider a deep cleaning

Flakes — like other small particles — can get into some of the smallest crevices and areas.

You may want to consider deep cleaning your home regularly. This may include sweeping out corners, dusting furniture, vacuuming under couch cushions, and deep cleaning carpets with shampoo.

For hardwood and other types of flooring, mopping or using specialized mop pads can work well in picking up additional dirt and flakes that vacuuming misses.

If it’s in your budget, you can consider professional cleaning services, but you can likely get your home pretty well-cleaned with a dedicated few hours.

Decorate in darker colors

Due to the contrast, darker colored furniture, flooring, and bedding can help you see flakes more easily. This can help when you’re cleaning, allowing you to pick up more each day and making it less likely you’ll miss large areas.

While black makes for a great contrasting color, just about any darker colored fabrics and surfaces will help flakes stick out more easily.

However, if you feel more self-conscious because you’ll see flakes more easily when company is around, lighter colored fabrics and surfaces can help hide flaking. The choice is up to you. Consider your own feelings when deciding whether to hide them or make them easier to see when cleaning.

Take care of your mental health

Psoriasis flakes can take a toll on your mental health. Research from 2015 found that 65% of people with psoriasis report flaking as a serious concern or problem.

While you may want to clean your flakes as a means of coping or for other reasons, you also want to consider your own mental health. It’s important to recognize the signs of depression or anxiety and seek help if you feel like it’s impacting your life.

Joining support groups, seeking counseling, and taking time to read about other people’s perspectives on living with psoriasis may help you improve your own mood and mental outlook.

Takeaway

Flaking can be a pain to deal with when living with psoriasis. Though you can take several steps to reduce the amount of shedding you do, it may not always stop all flaking from occurring.

When cleaning up psoriasis flakes, consistency and frequency of cleaning often helps with management.

Just remember, flaking doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong or not managing your psoriasis correctly. These tips can help you keep your spaces cleaner, which may help you feel more confident.