Does Exfoliating Make Psoriasis Worse?

Exfoliation is a means of removing dead skin cells that has been a popular form of skincare for centuries. Exfoliating can help even out your skin tone, unclog pores, and make your skin more responsive to moisturizers and other beneficial products. For these reasons, exfoliation often helps with skin conditions like acne or dry skin. People with psoriasis often wonder whether they too could benefit from regular exfoliating.

Dermatologists are uncertain about whether exfoliation should be part of a psoriasis treatment plan. Psoriasis scales can be particularly sensitive. Exfoliation often involves the use of rough, grainy materials that can irritate your skin and potentially make conditions worse.

Everyone’s skin is different, however. Some psoriasis patients find occasional exfoliating is a valuable part of their treatment plan. If you do decide to try exfoliating, talk it over with a dermatologist first and exercise caution throughout the process. If you have psoriasis, you need to be gentle with your skin.

Exfoliation For Psoriasis: Does It Help?

Exfoliation removes the upper layer of dead skin. This allows products to better penetrate the dermal layers and nourish your underlying skin. If you have psoriasis, exfoliation could both reduce their appearance and potentially allow you to better moisturize your skin with topical treatments like steroid creams and moisturizers.

However, there is also a downside. Over-the-counter exfoliants often contain grainy materials like microbeads. If you have psoriasis, you know your skin is extra prone to irritation. Some exfoliants could potentially cause bleeding and cracked skin, increasing your risk for infection. This can also make your psoriasis flare-ups worse.

For those with psoriasis, it can take some trial and error to find a good skin care routine. It may be worth it to try exfoliation, but you should be very careful to avoid making your condition worse.

How Do I Exfoliate If I Have Psoriasis?

Most experts recommend chemical exfoliants such as coal tar or products containing alpha-hydroxy acids or salicylic acid. Friction can make psoriasis worse, so rubbing grainy substances onto your skin is not recommended. With a chemical exfoliant, you apply the product to your skin, leave it on for a set amount of time, and then rinse it off with lukewarm water.

Delfina works by penetrating the skin's outer layers to stimulate hydration and nutrition from within. Delfina has a proven track record of successfully treating skin conditions including psoriasis.

Read more about how Delfina works here and read about Delfina success stories here.  

What Are The Risks Of Exfoliating?

Some psoriasis sufferers do find success with exfoliation. However, exfoliating can be very hard on your skin.

This is why it is important to exercise extreme caution when experimenting with exfoliating. You should start by applying your chosen product to a small patch of skin and then watch for adverse side effects.



Over-the-counter products can cause issues like itchiness, redness, and irritation. In fact, exfoliating can sometimes exacerbate psoriasis. If you notice an adverse reaction when exfoliating with a certain product, cease use right away.

If your skin is very sensitive, more natural products are recommended to treat psoriasis. Overexposure to chemicals – especially long term – can end up doing vastly more harm than good.

Delfina Dry Skin Oil is the most effective treatment option on the market for psoriasis and conditions like dry skin, eczema, and cracked heels. Delfina is made from all-natural ingredients and often helps psoriasis patients who have unsuccessfully cycled through other treatment options.

Overall, Delfina Dry Skin Oil is a safer and more effective treatment option for psoriasis than exfoliating your skin. 

Exfoliating With Psoriasis: The Bottom Line

Exfoliating can be a helpful means to treat many skin conditions. However, with psoriasis, the effects of exfoliating are more unpredictable. While anecdotal evidence shows some psoriasis patients benefit from regularly exfoliating, oftentimes the practice ends up making the condition worse.

If your psoriasis is severe, talk to a dermatologist before exfoliating your skin to avoid a potential infection. Those with sensitive skin always need to take extra precautions when incorporating anything new into their skin care routine. This is especially important when it comes to exfoliation, as its effects on psoriasis are not entirely clear.

If you do exfoliate, start slowly and be gentle with your skin. Watch closely for any signs of an adverse reaction and always follow up with a moisturizer such as Delfina Dry Skin Oil.