Psoriasis AND Rosacea

[DoubleTrouble]

I have both conditions and manage both quite well with a number of topical treatments. However, summer is coming again and it's always a dilemma: Sun or no sun? I have always avoided going in the sun because I don't want to prematurely age my skin, but my Dermatologist recommends some sun exposure as it will help clear up my Psoriasis. 2 years ago I was diagnosed with Rosacea and I find the sun makes my face go really red.

So my questions are this:

Would you recommend sun or no sun? If yes, what sunscreen should I use? I usually put a sunBLOCK on my face. I've never used a tanning bed, (I actually prefer my fair complexion to a tan): Would you recommend a tanning bed to control the exposure and just cover my face? Thanks for your advice.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Tanning beds don't help psoriasis much, because it's the burn rays (UVB) which help psoriasis.  My suggestion is to get some sun (without burning) on the psoriasis parts, and keep the face blocked.  Which sunscreen doesn't matter that much, as long as the SPF is above 25.



Best.



Dr. Rockoff

[Ace]

Is there a light one could purchase that puts out the UVB rays, instead of trips to the Deratologist?