Pustular psoriasis is one of several types of psoriasis, a common skin disease involving the overgrowth and buildup of dead skin cells. Psoriasis is cyclic, meaning symptoms flare up and then disappear for a period of time -- even going into remission. Researchers believe psoriasis is a disease of the immune system and may be genetic; pustular psoriasis is a relatively uncommon form of the condition. Certain dietary changes may help treat pustular psoriasis and reduce the severity and frequency of flare-ups. Before beginning a special diet for pustular psoriasis, consult your doctor and a registered dietitian.
Identification
Pustular psoriasis typically causes severe scaling and weeping or oozing lesions on your skin. Other types of this disease include plaque, inverse, erythrodermic and guttate psoriasis. Plaque psoriasis is the most common type, causing patches of skin inflammation accompanied by whitish or silvery scales. Inverse psoriasis affects areas such as your armpits, under the breasts and around the groin, while guttate psoriasis causes lesions that resemble small dots. Erytrodermic psoriasis causes severe skin inflammation and sloughing. A related type of the disease is psoriatic arthritis, which affects the skin but also causes inflammation and pain in the joints.
Add
Obesity or excessive body weight can trigger flare-ups of pustular psoriasis and may even trigger development of the condition, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Maintaining a healthy body weight or losing weight if you're obese may help relieve your psoriasis symptoms. To attain or maintain a healthy body weight you should follow a nutritious diet that includes plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole grains, as well as low-fat or fat-free dairy products, fish and lean meats. Add foods to your diet that are rich in nutrients but low in unhealthy fats to help treat your pustular psoriasis.
Avoid
If you have pustular psoriasis, avoid foods and beverages containing simple sugars, saturated fats and alcohol. Drinking alcohol can aggravate and even trigger psoriasis, especially in men, according to the University of Michigan Health System. In some cases, food allergies can trigger psoriasis flare-ups. You may need to follow a hypoallergenic diet that eliminates food allergens like gluten, which is found in barley, wheat and rye. Other common food allergens include eggs, milk and other dairy products, corn, and citrus fruits. MayoClinic.com suggests keeping a daily food diary that includes your symptoms, so you can detect any foods that trigger flare-ups.
Key Nutrients
Integrating certain nutrients and supplements into your diet may help in treating pustular psoriasis. These include fish oil and shark cartilage, or chondroitin sulfate, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Taking a folic acid supplement could be beneficial if you're taking the medication methotrexate for your psoriasis. Supplements of fumaric acid esters also could help reduce your psoriasis symptoms. Don't take any supplements for pustular psoriasis without first consulting your health care provider.
Warning
Before you begin any special diet to help treat pustular psoriasis, talk with your physician and a registered dietitian. Ensuring you're getting adequate nutrients from your diet is especially important when you have psoriasis, so discuss any dietary changes with your doctor, especially if you're making significant modifications to the food you eat, like eliminating entire food groups. Also, don't attempt to follow a hypoallergenic or an elimination diet for food allergies without the close supervision of a doctor and registered dietitian.
