The Impact of Smoking on Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a skin disease characterized by red, scaly lesions that may develop on the skin of virtually any body part, and be either mild or severe to the degree that the lesions cover the entire body. Smoking can cause higher risk for this skin disease.
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Significance
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Psoriasis affects more than 4.5 million people, most of whom are between the ages of 15 and 35, according to the Consumer Guide to Plastic Surgery. Cigarette smoking is prevalent among psoriasis patients, according to the results of studies published in the Archives of Dermatology in December 2006.
Risk
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According to the Archive of Dermatology study, the risk for smokers to contract the psoriasis condition is higher than the risk for non-smokers.
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Severity
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Smokers who have already been diagnosed with psoriasis have a much higher risk for severity of the condition, which implies far worse skin symptoms of larger, rougher, and more populous lesions. Heavy smokers are at an even greater risk for severity.
Size and Quantity of Lesions
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Lesions are more likely to develop and spread in smokers' skin, since smoking depletes the skin of oxygen and nutrients that it needs to stay healthy and fight irregularities.
Number of Outbreaks
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Psoriasis patients who smoke are likely to experience chronic outbreaks, whereas the typical non-smoking psoriasis patient experiences less severe outbreaks that come and go more infrequently.
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