Staying at a healthy weight is a good idea for everyone. But it's especially important if you have psoriasis. Research shows being overweight or obese raises your chances of getting psoriasis. It can also make symptoms worse if you have it. Weight alone, though, doesn't cause psoriasis.

The link between psoriasis and excess weight isn't clear. But experts know psoriasis is an inflammatory disease. Extra fat cells release inflammatory chemicals called cytokines that may play a role in psoriasis symptoms.

Losing even a little weight can help with itchy, flaky, and sore patches on your skin and scalp. One study found that people with psoriasis who lost weight by exercising and following a low-calorie diet saw their symptoms get better by almost 50% in 20 weeks. And that was without changing anything in their medication or treatment plan.

Slimming down may sound like a tall order, especially if you have a lot of weight to lose. But it is possible, and every little bit helps. "You can't change the fact that you have psoriasis. But you can change your weight," says Laura K. Ferris, MD, PhD, an associate professor of dermatology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.