What Can Happen If You Don't Treat Psoriasis

If you are diagnosed with mild psoriasis, sometimes you can prevent recurring flare-ups with good self-care. Still, even mild symptoms often improve more if the condition is treated with help from a doctor. Even more important, recent evidence has found that people with psoriasis -- especially uncontrolled or severe psoriasis -- have a higher risk of damaged arteries, heart attacks, and stroke. One study found as high as a 78% increased risk for coronary artery disease, the kind that leads to heart attack. While it's thought that good control of psoriasis minimizes your risk, this finding still makes it extra important to work with your doctor to keep your other risk factors for heart disease (especially blood pressure and LDL cholesterol) as low as possible. And for heaven's sake, don't smoke! Controlling psoriasis may be as important for your heart as your skin.

Getting medical care is a must for psoriatic arthritis. Most cases of psoriatic arthritis are not severe, but early treatment is essential to prevent joint damage that can occur in the first few years. If psoriatic arthritis is not treated, it can cause joints to become deformed and lead to long-term discomfort and disability.