<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;One of the more distressing features of psoriasis is the occasional sudden and severe worsening of symptoms, often without any obvious cause. A closer look however may yield several clues as to possible inciting factors. Treatment of flares can be challenging, and in worst cases, may require a brief hospitalization. Most psoriasis flares\u00A0can be handled with &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/psoriasis-basics-4014576&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;1&amp;quot;&amp;gt;systemic medications&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; in the setting of the &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/phototherapy-15865&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;2&amp;quot;&amp;gt;doctor&amp;amp;#39;s office&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;h3&amp;gt;Causes of Flares&amp;lt;/h3&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Several triggering factors have been identified as contributing to worsening psoriasis:&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;External Factors: Nearly any injury to the skin can result in the development or worsening of psoriasis including sunburn, other rashes, like allergic reaction to drugs, surgery, cuts or scratches, and\u00A0&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/exanthem-1069318&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;3&amp;quot;&amp;gt;viral rashes&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;. The worsening of psoriasis after injury is known as the\u00A0&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/avoid-skin-trauma-to-minimize-psoriasis-2788293&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;4&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Koebner phenomenon&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;Infections: Most notoriously, streptococcal infections such as strep throat can trigger the disease, especially an outbreak of guttate psoriasis. HIV infection is another condition known to aggravate psoriasis.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;Psychological Stress: Job loss, divorce, death or other major emotional upsets have been known to flare psoriasis weeks or months after the stressful event.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;Medications: Many\u00A0&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/drugs-that-worsen-psoriasis-2788309&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;5&amp;quot;&amp;gt;medications&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;\u00A0are known to trigger psoriasis and should be avoided in patients with the disease.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;h3&amp;gt;Treating Psoriasis Flares&amp;lt;/h3&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;At one time, hospitalization for psoriasis flares was common. Due to changes in insurance reimbursement (Medicare only allows so many days of hospitalization for a skin condition) and more powerful and faster-acting drugs, most flares are treated in the outpatient setting.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Drugs commonly used for severe flares include &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;6&amp;quot;&amp;gt;cyclosporine&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;, &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;7&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Remicade&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; (infliximab), and for pustular flares, &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/psoriasis-flare-2788277&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;8&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Soriatane&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; (acitretin). When psoriasis flares, don&amp;amp;#39;t delay - seek treatment urgently with a qualified dermatologist.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;Source: &amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;Bolognia et. al., ed. Dermatology. Mosby New York.&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<https://www.verywell.com/psoriasis-flare-2788277>