Cosmetic Cover-up for Psoriasis

It's a pressing question for many people: does cosmetic cover-up for psoriasis work?

That depends. Can psoriasis camouflage completely hide the condition? Probably not. Can cover-up make psoriasis less noticeable, and make a person feel more comfortable and confident in public? Sometimes, doctors say, although there's a lot of variation.

There are two basic approaches for psoriasis camouflage.

• Cosmetic products. While standard lotions and makeup may not help, some cosmetic products are designed to help people with skin problems. For instance, certain creams have green dyes that neutralize the redness on the skin. Many people with psoriasis use the brand DermaBlend.  Ask your doctor for recommendations. 
• Self-tanning lotions. While they once made people more orange than tan, today's self-tanning lotions look more realistic. They can also work as psoriasis camouflage, some experts say. Keep in mind that tanning lotions don't provide any actual protection against the sun's rays. Considering that many people with psoriasis spend a lot of time in the sun as treatment, you need to be careful about getting excess exposure.
  

Experts do have some warnings about using psoriasis camouflage.

• Be careful where you use it. Don't use any cosmetic cover-up for psoriasis on open sores, or raw or bleeding skin. If you have pustular or erythrodermic psoriasis, ask your doctor before using any cosmetics. Cover-up may not work and could just make your psoriasis worsen. 
• Watch out for skin irritation. It should be common sense, but if cosmetic cover-up for psoriasis seems to aggravate your skin, stop using it.
  
• Know the limits. Psoriasis camouflage doesn't work for everyone. If your psoriasis is under good control and all you have is some redness -- or brown spots -- cosmetic cover-up for psoriasis may help. But if there are raised patches or the skin is scaly, no cover-up will really work very well. 

If you're interested in trying cosmetic cover-up for psoriasis, keep your expectations modest and ask your doctor for a recommendation.

On the other hand, if you've spent a lot of time -- and money -- trying countless brands of cover-ups that haven't worked, it might be time to change your approach. Some experts say that if you're spending a lot of time worrying about cover-up, it's a sign that you need more aggressive medical treatment for your condition.