Why Psoriasis Patients Should Never Accept "It's Just Aging

You walked into your dermatologist's office hoping for answers. You walked out with a prescription for steroid cream and the soul-crushing phrase ringing in your ears: "It's just part of aging."

The visible patches on your elbows mock you every time you reach for something. The scales on your scalp leave a trail wherever you go. The itching keeps you awake at night. And when you finally worked up the courage to ask your doctor for real help, they dismissed you with four words that felt like a door slamming in your face.

At Naturopathic Physicians Group in Scottsdale, Dr. Steven Katz and Dr. Loreena Ryder sees this pattern regularly. Patients arrive exhausted from years of steroid use that only work while you're using them. Frustrated by dermatologists who offer immunosuppressant drugs with terrifying side effects. Desperate for someone to actually investigate why their immune system is attacking their skin.

Here's what those conventional doctors aren't telling you. Psoriasis is not inevitable. It's not "just genetics." And it's absolutely not something you have to accept just because you're over 40.

Psoriasis is a symptom. Your immune system is reacting to something. And when you identify and correct those underlying triggers, your skin can heal without dangerous drugs that suppress your entire immune system.

You've Been Told Your Only Options Are Bad and Worse

Let's talk about what really happens when you push back against that dismissive "it's just aging" response.

If steroid creams aren't working anymore, your dermatologist escalates to systemic drugs. First they try methotrexate. This is the same drug used in chemotherapy. It suppresses your entire immune system to stop it from attacking your skin cells.

The side effects? Liver damage. Fetal development problems are so severe you might be prescribed two forms of birth control before they'll even prescribe that drug. Increased infection risk. And long-term use is linked to cancers.

If methotrexate doesn't work or you can't tolerate the side effects, they move to biologics. Humira. Enbrel. Remicade. The meds often times block part of your immune system that helps kill cancer cells.

Read that again. They block the part of your immune system that kills cancer. And then they tell you a side effect is cancer. No kidding.

But wait, there's more. If drugs don't work, they offer phototherapy. They expose your skin to UVA light after giving you medication that makes your skin more light-sensitive. Long-term use significantly increases your risk of skin cancer.

So your choices according to conventional medicine are: Accept visible, embarrassing patches. Suppress your immune system with drugs that cause infections and cancer. Or undergo light therapy that increases skin cancer risk.

This is where most people give up. They decide living with the rash is better than dying from the treatment. And honestly? That's a completely reasonable decision when those are your only options.

The Shame, Isolation, and Constant Anxiety

Nobody talks about psoriasis at dinner parties. Nobody posts about it on social media. Nobody warns you before you develop it that 125 million people worldwide are suffering in silence.

So you feel completely alone. You plan your wardrobe around covering affected areas. You avoid short sleeves in summer even when it's 115 degrees in Phoenix. You stop going to the pool with your grandkids because you can't bear the stares at your patches.

The scalp involvement is particularly cruel. Every time you run your fingers through your hair, scales fall onto your shoulders. You wear light-colored clothing to hide the flakes. You avoid black shirts entirely. Coworkers notice. Family members notice. Strangers notice.

The unpredictability makes it worse. You can be doing fine for months and then a simple cold triggers a massive flare. Suddenly patches appear in new places. Old lesions that had cleared return with a vengeance. You have no idea what you did wrong.

The doctors at Naturopathic Physicians Group see this emotional devastation regularly in their practice. Women who've been suffering for years. Who've been told by multiple dermatologists there's nothing to be done except manage symptoms. Who've resigned themselves to a permanently diminished quality of life.

You deserve better than dismissive doctors and dangerous drugs.

What Happens When You Keep Accepting "Just Aging"

Here's the brutal truth about what happens if you accept psoriasis as inevitable and do nothing to address root causes.

The plaques spread. What started as a few patches on your elbows becomes full-body eruptions. Guttate psoriasis can cover your trunk, arms, and legs with drop-shaped scaling spots. Erythrodermic psoriasis can cover your entire body with a peeling rash that burns intensely.

Thirty percent of people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis. Your immune system doesn't just attack your skin. It attacks your joints. You wake up with stiffness and pain that's worse in the morning. Your fingers swell. Your knees ache. Simple tasks become difficult.

The autoimmune cascade accelerates. If you have one autoimmune disease, you're at significantly higher risk for developing others. Psoriasis patients have elevated rates of inflammatory bowel disease, thyroid disorders, lupus, and other autoimmune conditions.

Your mental health deteriorates. The constant visibility of your condition creates depression and anxiety. The social isolation feeds more stress. Stress triggers more flares. You're trapped in a vicious cycle where your emotional state worsens your physical symptoms which worsens your emotional state.

And financially? You're spending hundreds of dollars monthly on steroid creams, moisturizers, special shampoos, and clothing to cover affected areas. If you go the biologic route, you're looking at thousands per month even with insurance.

This is the cost of accepting what conventional medicine tells you is "normal." This is what happens when you trust a system that profits from symptom management instead of actual healing.

The Five Hidden Root Causes Your Dermatologist Ignored

Dr. Katz and Dr. Ryder have identified five major categories of psoriasis triggers that conventional dermatology routinely overlooks. Understanding these is the first step toward actually fixing the problem instead of just suppressing your immune system.

1. Hormonal Decline (Especially Estrogen Loss)

This is one of the primary triggers that dermatologists completely ignore. Hormones regulate tissue integrity throughout your entire body including your skin.

Estrogen maintains the health of skin tissue. It supports collagen production. It keeps cell membranes strong. When estrogen levels drop during perimenopause and menopause, skin tissue becomes fragile and more susceptible to immune attack.

The correlation is undeniable. Psoriasis often develops or significantly worsens during hormonal transition periods. Puberty. Pregnancy. Perimenopause. Menopause. These are not coincidences.

One patient came to NPG after years of worsening psoriasis that started in her late 40s. Her dermatologist told her it was genetic and prescribed stronger and stronger steroids. When Dr. Ryder ran comprehensive hormone testing using the DUTCH test, the patient's estrogen was nearly undetectable.

Within eight weeks of starting bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, her plaques began clearing. Within six months, her skin was 80% improved. She didn't need immunosuppressants. She needed hormones.

But conventional dermatology doesn't test hormones. They don't consider hormonal balance relevant to skin health. And so millions of women suffer unnecessarily because nobody bothered to check the most obvious cause.

2. Fungal Infections (Especially Inverse Psoriasis)

This is huge and almost entirely missed by conventional medicine. Many cases of psoriasis, particularly inverse psoriasis affecting skin folds, are directly caused or worsened by systemic fungal infections.

Inverse psoriasis appears in the groin, buttocks, under breasts, in armpits. These are exactly the warm, moist areas where fungus thrives. Conventional doctors look at the smooth, inflamed patches and diagnose psoriasis. They prescribe steroids which actually feed fungal growth and make the problem worse.

Fungal infections thrive when your immune system is weak. They feed on sugar. If you have diabetes or prediabetes with chronically elevated blood sugar, you're literally feeding the fungus that's triggering your immune response.

One of Dr. Katz's patients had severe inverse psoriasis that conventional treatment made progressively worse. When NPG ran comprehensive GI fungal marker testing, the patient had massive systemic candida overgrowth.

They treated the fungal infection with natural antifungals like oregano oil, pau d'arco, and caprylic acid. Within months, the inverse psoriasis completely cleared. The patient never needed steroids or immunosuppressants. They needed antifungal treatment.

3. Heavy Metal Toxicity (Arsenic in Skin Cells)

This is one most people never hear about. Heavy metal toxicity is directly linked to autoimmune disease development. Arsenic specifically accumulates in skin cells and triggers immune attacks.

Where does arsenic exposure come from? Contaminated well water. Rice and rice products. Certain fish. Industrial pollution. Over time, these metals accumulate in your tissues and create chronic inflammation that your immune system responds to.

Studies have documented cases of psoriasis developing after arsenic exposure. The metal sits in skin cells. Your immune system recognizes something is wrong. It attacks. Plaques form.

But dermatologists don't test for heavy metals. They don't consider environmental toxicity as a trigger. They just prescribe more drugs.

NPG runs heavy metal testing on autoimmune patients as regular protocol. One patient had sky-high arsenic levels. After chelation therapy to remove the arsenic, along with supporting liver detoxification, his psoriasis improved dramatically.

His body wasn't broken. It was poisoned. And once the poison was removed, the immune attack stopped.

4. Gut Health and Food Sensitivities

Eighty percent of your immune system lives in your digestive tract. If your gut is inflamed, your entire immune system is activated. This creates the perfect environment for autoimmune reactions including psoriasis.

Food sensitivities create chronic gut inflammation. You might be eating foods daily that your immune system perceives as threats. Gluten. Dairy. Eggs. Nightshades. Corn. Soy. These common foods can trigger immune responses that manifest as skin inflammation.

The tissue lining your intestines is structurally very similar to the tissue lining other parts of your body including your skin. When your gut lining is inflamed, that inflammation spreads. Your immune system gets confused. It starts attacking similar tissue elsewhere.

One patient eliminated gluten and dairy after food sensitivity testing revealed severe reactions to both. Within two months, psoriasis patches that had been present for five years began clearing. No medication. Just removing inflammatory foods.

Gut dysbiosis also plays a role. When you have too much bad bacteria and not enough good bacteria, your immune system stays chronically activated. Probiotics and digestive support can dramatically reduce systemic inflammation and psoriatic flares.

5. Medications You're Already Taking

This one shocks most patients. The medications prescribed for other conditions might be directly causing or worsening your psoriasis.

Steroids like prednisone increase urine production which dilutes and increases urine volume. But they also trigger inflammatory rebound when you stop taking them. Many patients develop psoriasis flares when coming off steroid medications.

Antihistamines like Benadryl relax bladder tissue and cause urine retention. They also dry out mucous membranes throughout your body including skin. Dry, irritated skin is more prone to psoriatic flares.

Antidepressants affect nerve signals throughout your body. Some cause skin dryness. Others alter immune function. The exact mechanisms vary by medication class but many commonly prescribed antidepressants worsen psoriasis.

Blood pressure medications, particularly diuretics, change fluid balance in your body. Beta-blockers can trigger psoriasis flares. Lithium used for bipolar disorder is strongly linked to psoriasis development.

Dr. Katz emphasizes that comprehensive medication review is essential for every psoriasis patient. Sometimes simply adjusting timing or switching to a different medication class eliminates the problem entirely.

Disclaimer: The discussion of these therapies is for educational purposes only. Please consult a medical professional who knows your personal history before starting any new therapies.

NPG's Comprehensive Root-Cause Approach

At Naturopathic Physicians Group, treatment starts with identifying YOUR specific triggers. Not generic protocols. Not one-size-fits-all approaches. Personalized testing to understand what's happening in YOUR body.

Comprehensive hormone testing provides detailed analysis of sex hormones, stress hormones, and all their metabolites. This isn't a basic blood panel. This is 24-hour urine collection that captures the full spectrum of hormonal activity.

When hormone deficiencies are identified, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy restores optimal levels. Estrogen. Progesterone. Testosterone. DHEA. Whatever your body needs to maintain healthy tissue integrity and immune function.

Food sensitivity testing identifies which foods create immune reactions in YOUR body. Everyone is different. What triggers inflammation for you might be completely fine for someone else. Testing eliminates the guesswork.

Heavy metal testing and chelation therapy removes accumulated toxins that trigger immune attacks. Arsenic. Lead. Mercury. Cadmium. These metals don't belong in your body. Getting them out allows your immune system to calm down.

GI fungal marker testing reveals systemic fungal overgrowth that conventional testing misses. When fungal infections are identified, natural antifungals like oregano oil, pau d'arco, caprylic acid, and others eliminate the infection without harsh prescription antifungals.

Ozone IV therapy provides powerful immune modulation without suppression. Ozone activates your body's natural healing mechanisms. It improves oxygen delivery to tissues. It has antimicrobial properties that address underlying infections. And it regulates immune function without shutting it down.

For topical treatment, ozonated olive oil can be applied directly to psoriatic plaques. Two ingredients: medical-grade ozone and olive oil. It addresses fungal components while supporting skin healing. Patients report significant improvement without the skin-thinning effects of steroid creams.

Treatment is individualized based on what testing reveals. Hormone balancing for those with deficiencies. Antifungal protocols for those with fungal overgrowth. Chelation for heavy metal toxicity. Gut healing for food sensitivities and dysbiosis.

This is the difference between suppressing symptoms and addressing causes.

What Life Looks Like When You Actually Heal

When you address the root causes of psoriasis instead of just suppressing your immune system, your entire life changes.

The plaques clear. Not from steroids that only work while you're using them. Not from immunosuppressants that leave you vulnerable to infections and cancer. From actually fixing what was wrong in the first place.

You stop planning your wardrobe around covering skin. You wear short sleeves in summer. You go swimming without embarrassment. You stop leaving a trail of scales everywhere you go.

The unpredictable flares stop. When you've eliminated food triggers, balanced hormones, removed heavy metals, and addressed infections, your immune system stops attacking your skin. The constant anxiety about when the next flare will hit disappears.

Your overall health improves. When you balance hormones, you have more energy. Better mood. Improved sleep. When you eliminate food sensitivities, digestive issues resolve. When you remove heavy metals, brain fog lifts. When you treat fungal infections, multiple symptoms improve simultaneously.

Most importantly, you learn that your body wasn't broken. It was just missing the support it needed. With proper hormonal balance, clean diet free of personal triggers, elimination of toxins, and treatment of underlying infections, your immune system functions normally.

One patient who had suffered with psoriasis for 15 years came to NPG after her dermatologist wanted to start her on biologics. She was terrified of the cancer risk but desperate for relief.

Comprehensive testing revealed severe estrogen deficiency and gluten sensitivity. Not one of these had been tested by her dermatologist.

After six months of treatment addressing all root causes, her psoriasis was 90% cleared. Her energy returned. Her mood stabilized. Her digestion normalized. And she never needed immunosuppressants.

This is what's possible when you work with doctors who actually investigate instead of just prescribe.

Action Steps You Can Take Right Now

If you're ready to stop accepting "it's just aging" and start addressing actual root causes, begin here:

1. Stop believing psoriasis is not treatable. It's not a genetic sentence. It's a symptom of underlying imbalances that can be identified and corrected. Change your mindset from "managing a chronic condition" to "healing the root cause."

2. Eliminate known inflammatory foods for 30 days. Cut out gluten, dairy, sugar, and alcohol completely. Track whether your symptoms improve. If they do, you've identified at least part of the problem. Consider formal food sensitivity testing to identify your specific triggers.

3. Support your gut health. Take a high-quality probiotic. Eat fermented foods. Increase fiber intake with vegetables, and fruits. Address constipation naturally. Your gut health directly impacts your immune function.

4. Reduce sugar intake dramatically. Fungal infections feed on sugar. High blood sugar feeds inflammation. If you have psoriasis and you're eating a high-sugar diet, you're actively feeding the problem.

5. Try topical natural remedies. Aloe vera gel applied directly to plaques. Ozonated olive oil if you can source it. Apple cider vinegar diluted with water. Epsom salt baths to reduce inflammation. These won't cure psoriasis but can provide relief while you address root causes.

6. Schedule comprehensive testing. Get comprehensive hormone testing. Food sensitivity panels. Heavy metal testing. GI fungal markers. Comprehensive metabolic panels. Stop guessing and get real data about what's happening in your body.

7. Review all medications with a knowledgeable provider. Identify which ones might be triggering or worsening your psoriasis. Explore whether timing adjustments, dosage changes, or medication switches could help.

8. Consider stress reduction practices. Meditation. Yoga. Deep breathing. Regular exercise. Adequate sleep. Stress is a major psoriasis trigger. Managing stress won't cure psoriasis but it significantly reduces flare frequency.

Disclaimer: The discussion of these therapies is for educational purposes only. Please consult a medical professional who knows your personal history before starting any new therapies.

The Cost of Continuing to Accept "Normal"

Every day you spend believing psoriasis is just part of aging is another day you miss out on clear skin and full health. Every social event you avoid. Every photo you refuse to be in. Every moment of embarrassment when someone stares at your patches.

The plaques will not spontaneously improve. If hormonal deficiency is the cause, your hormones will continue declining without intervention. If fungal infection is the trigger, the infection will spread. If heavy metals are accumulating, the toxicity will worsen.

Conventional dermatology has made it clear they have no interest in investigating root causes. They prescribe steroids until those stop working. Then they escalate to immunosuppressants. Then they refer out when those cause cancer and infections.

The system you've been trusting does not care about getting you well. It cares about managing your symptoms profitably.

If you continue on the conventional path, you're looking at decades of expensive medications with serious side effects. Possible cancer development from immunosuppressants. Skin damage from long-term steroid use. Progressive worsening of symptoms as underlying causes remain unaddressed.

Or you can choose a different path. One that investigates why your immune system is attacking your skin. One that corrects the actual problems instead of just suppressing immune function.

Take Back Control of Your Skin and Your Health

If you're done accepting "it's just aging," done covering your skin in summer, and done choosing between dangerous drugs and living with visible patches, Naturopathic Physicians Group is here to help.

Dr. Steven Katz and Dr. Loreena Ryder comprehensive approach identifies and addresses the actual root causes of your psoriasis. Hormonal imbalances. Fungal infections. Heavy metal toxicity. Food sensitivities. Medication effects.

No more dismissive responses. No more prescriptions that list cancer as a side effect. No more accepting a permanently diminished quality of life.

You deserve to have clear skin. To feel confident in your body again. To stop hiding and start living fully.

👉 Schedule your comprehensive evaluation today at https://naturopathicgroup.com/contact or call (480) 451-6161.

Your immune system isn't broken. It's reacting to something. Let's find out what that something is and fix it.

Your skin can heal. Your body wants to heal. It just needs the right support.