Yoga guide
Psoriasis can't be cured, and no trial has tested yoga poses on psoriasis skin. Stress is a common trigger, though, and in small trials, mindfulness and meditation added to treatment helped some people's skin a little. Yoga's slow breathing and relaxation are close relatives of those practices, so they're a reasonable thing to try alongside your treatment, never instead of it.
The practical part is skin: rubbing and pressure can bring on new patches in some people, plaques often sit on the elbows and knees that take your weight in kneeling and forearm poses, and heat and sweat make itching worse for many.
This guide covers what the evidence shows for stress, meditation and exercise, how to practise without rubbing or pressing on sore skin, sweat, heat and hot yoga, caring for your skin before and after class, and a free class that keeps weight off your hands and knees. If your joints hurt or swell, see our psoriatic arthritis guides.
The NHS (National Health Service) says psoriasis can't be cured, but there are treatments to help manage it. Our searches found no yoga, pranayama, tai chi or qigong trial that measured the skin; the only yoga papers measured blood pressure or self-confidence, in journals not indexed in PubMed.
The NHS lists stress among psoriasis triggers, and 46% of patients believe their psoriasis reacts to stress. The only meta-analysis found no convincing evidence of a strong link, because most studies relied on people remembering what came before a flare.
In 37 people having light treatment, guided mindfulness recordings cleared skin faster, and in 5 of 6 small trials, 8 to 12 weeks of guided meditation improved self-rated psoriasis. A 2026 trial adding meditation to methotrexate found no significant difference, and US dermatology guidelines make no recommendation on meditation because the evidence is lacking or conflicting.
In 303 overweight people on treatment, diet plus exercise cut psoriasis severity by a median of 48%, against 25.5% with advice alone, and weight loss improved severity scores across 6 trials. No review has looked at exercise on its own and skin.
Psoriasis can appear where skin is injured or rubbed, and psoriasis in skin folds can be made worse by friction and sweating. Pad or swap kneeling and forearm poses, and take weight off sore palms.
About 1 in 5 people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis (PsA). See a GP (general practitioner) if your joints keep hurting, stiffening or swelling, and keep using the treatments your GP or skin specialist recommends.
Itchy, often sore patches of dry, flaky skin that can be pink or red on white skin, turning silvery-white, or grey on brown or black skin, the NHS says. It can appear in skin folds (the groin, genitals and under the breasts), on the nails and on the palms and soles, and the NHS says it isn't contagious.
About 2.8% of people in UK primary care records had psoriasis in 2013, and about 1.9% in western Europe. The British Association of Dermatologists puts it at about 1 in 50.
The NHS lists stress, drinking alcohol or smoking, living with obesity, being pregnant, certain medicines, cuts, scratches or grazes, and sunlight. The Psoriasis Association says psoriasis can develop where shoes, clothing or jewellery rub, though not everyone finds this. A review links pressure to why plaques favour the elbows and knees.
Across 266 studies, about 1 in 5 people with psoriasis had psoriatic arthritis (19.7%); NHS inform now says around 1 in 4. NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) asks for a yearly check for psoriatic arthritis and a talk about heart risks. The NHS says that if psoriasis affects your mental health, you may be referred to a specialist.
Creams, lotions and ointments, then light therapy and medicines for more severe psoriasis, from a GP or skin specialist. The NHS suggests regular exercise and reducing stress if you can, and the British Association of Dermatologists adds a healthy lifestyle and finding ways to reduce stress.
Pressure and rubbing where you take weight (palms, knees, elbows), stretching across dry or cracked plaques, heat and sweat, and friction in skin folds from tight clothes. In 404 people with psoriasis, more than half did less activity than recommended, held back by sore skin, embarrassment and what to wear. Studios and pools are for everyone with psoriasis; the changes below make practice comfortable.
Most of the evidence is about meditation, mindfulness and psychological therapy, not yoga poses. The trials are small, short and mostly unblinded.
PubMed (7 records) and Europe PMC found no yoga, pranayama, tai chi or qigong trial with a skin outcome; the hits were Ayurvedic medicines that share the word "yoga". A 20-person pilot at a yoga therapy centre measured only heart rate and blood pressure. The 2026 umbrella review of exercise in psoriasis doesn't mention yoga.
Across 39 studies (32,537 patients), 46% believed their psoriasis reacted to stress and 54% recalled stressful events before it began or flared. The meta-analysis found no convincing evidence of a strong link, because most studies looked back; one small prospective study found only a modest link. Another review called the link probable. The Psoriasis Association says it is accepted that stress can trigger psoriasis and make it worse.
In 37 people having light treatment, those who listened to guided mindfulness recordings during it cleared faster. In 5 of 6 small trials, 8 to 12 weeks of guided meditation improved self-rated psoriasis, and a review rated meditation and guided imagery as having modest efficacy across 3 trials (112 people). In a 109-person trial, 8 weekly online mindfulness sessions added to treatment had a small effect on severity, mood and itch.
Adding heartfulness meditation to methotrexate in 50 adults: 61% against 52% reached a 75% improvement, not a significant difference. In a 2-week mindfulness course in hospital (39 people), the comparison group's skin improved more. A 29-person mindfulness pilot improved self-rated severity but not stress, and online cognitive behavioural therapy improved anxiety and quality of life but not severity.
Across 8 trials, psychological interventions lowered severity scores a little, mainly cognitive behavioural therapy. A review of 27 studies rated only 4 as good-quality evidence, with most under 50 patients and many dropping out.
US dermatology guidelines (the American Academy of Dermatology with the National Psoriasis Foundation) give no recommendation on hypnosis, stress reduction or meditation, because of the lack of evidence or conflicting evidence. NICE asks clinicians to check for distress and depression, and doesn't mention yoga, meditation or exercise.
In 303 overweight people on systemic treatment, 20 weeks of diet plus exercise cut severity by a median of 48%, against 25.5% with advice alone. Weight loss through diet or activity improved severity scores by about 2.6 points across 6 trials. In 86,655 women, the most active fifth were less likely to develop psoriasis, though walking made no difference. No review has isolated the effect of exercise alone on the skin.
The nearest a yoga class gets to the meditation trials is its slow breathing and a long final rest. Our suggestion: use the rest at the end of class for a guided body scan or breathing recording, as the trials used recordings. That hasn't been tested on skin, and it goes beside your treatment.
The NHS: "Living with psoriasis can be difficult. If it affects your mental health, you may be referred to a mental health specialist." NICE asks clinicians to check for distress and depression, so tell your GP how you're feeling. Our yoga for stress guide has more on stress.
Slow breathing: 2 minutes, in for a count of up to 5 and out for up to 5, with no holds (our yoga for stress class); 5 minutes or more on its own, once or twice a day, as its move page suggests. Breath reach: 5 breaths, exhale longer than inhale (the move page's dose), seated. Reclining bound angle: 2 minutes with a cushion under each thigh (our yoga for asthma class), short with psoriasis in the groin folds. Corpse pose: 5 to 10 minutes, as its move page says, with a towel under any sore patch.
Cat-cow: 8 slow waves seated, hands on your knees (our seated chair yoga class). Thoracic rotation: 6 each side, seated; seated side bend: 2 each side, 10 to 20 second holds; mountain pose: 5 slow breaths; chair pose: 2 holds of 5 breaths; warrior II and high lunge: 5 breaths each side, no knee down; tree pose: 3 to 5 breaths each side at a wall (our yoga for acid reflux class). Overhead side bend: 3 slow bends per side, exhale into each (the move page's dose). Glute bridge: 6 to 8 slow lifts; supine twist: 45 seconds each side, a cushion under the top knee (our gentle yoga for beginners class).
3D demoCat-cowBeginner · No equipment
3D demoThoracic rotationBeginner · No equipment
3D demoSeated overhead side bendBeginner · A bench or box
3D demoMountain pose (Tadasana)Beginner · No equipment
3D demoChair pose (Utkatasana)Beginner · No equipment
3D demoWarrior II (Virabhadrasana II)Intermediate · No equipment
3D demoHigh lunge (crescent lunge, Ashta Chandrasana)Intermediate · No equipment
3D demoTree pose (Vrksasana)Beginner · No equipment
3D demoOverhead side bendBeginner · No equipment
3D demoGlute bridgeBeginner · No equipment
3D demoSupine spinal twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)Beginner · No equipmentWith sore wrists or fingers, a swollen finger, or psoriasis on your palms or nails: do downward dog, plank, all-fours cat-cow and sun salutations on your forearms or fists, with a wedge under your palms, or with your hands on a chair or wall (our suggestion).
With plaques on your elbows too, use the chair or wall versions rather than your forearms (our suggestion).
Source 33
With sore knees or plaques on your knees or elbows: pad well, or use seated and standing versions (our suggestion).
The British Association of Dermatologists says palms and soles can be very itchy and painful, particularly with deep cracks, and suggests resting sore hands and feet if possible. Do the seated parts of a class on bad days (our suggestion).
Source 33
Friction and sweat make psoriasis in skin folds worse. Wear loose cotton, keep holds in deep hip folds such as happy baby and bound angle short, and pat the folds dry after class (our suggestion).
No trial has tested kapalbhati or any pranayama on psoriasis; leave out forceful breathing, as NCCIH (the US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health) advises beginners.
Source 2
With glaucoma, or high blood pressure that isn't under control, skip headstands, shoulder stands and long head-down holds. With osteoporosis, swap deep forward folds for a flat-back hinge from the hips, and twist smoothly. In pregnancy, our yoga in pregnancy guide covers the changes. NCCIH advises beginners to avoid headstands, shoulder stands, the lotus position and forceful breathing.
No study shows head-down poses help scalp psoriasis.
Source 2
You can say no to any hands-on adjustment, and a teacher registered with Yoga Alliance must get your explicit consent each time.
Say if you'd rather not be touched on sore skin (our suggestion).
In 101 people with extensive psoriasis, ambient heat (81%), dry skin (80%), sweating (65%) and stress (55%) made itching worse. In 230 people, exercise, sweating and clothes rubbing were among the things that made it worse. In a lab study, people with psoriasis chose slower treadmill speeds and itched more while exercising.
Psoriasis in skin folds "can be made worse by friction and sweating, so it can be particularly uncomfortable in hot weather", the Psoriasis Association says; NHS inform says the same.
No study has tested hot yoga in PsA or psoriasis. Given the heat and sweat, we'd choose a room at normal temperature (our suggestion).
That suggestion rests on the itch questionnaires above and one small 1991 study in which 16 men with mild psoriasis coped less well with exercise in 40 degree heat than men without it. No study of hot yoga in psoriasis exists (our search found 23 records, none on hot yoga).
Psoriasis isn't contagious, and the Psoriasis Association says it can't be caught in swimming pools or saunas. Chlorine can dry your skin, so shower and moisturise afterwards, as our psoriatic arthritis exercise guide suggests.
Sunlight is on the NHS list of possible psoriasis triggers. Methotrexate makes your skin burn more easily: stay out of bright sun, use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or above, and cover up when you exercise outdoors.
The psoriatic arthritis yoga guide's list, built on the Psoriasis Association's advice on friction, sweat and skin care:
Our 25-minute yoga for psoriasis class keeps your hands and knees off the floor: sitting, standing, a bridge and a twist on your back, and a long rest. Its structure is our editorial choice and untested: no trial has tested yoga on psoriasis skin. Two or 3 times a week, on any day your skin is calm enough (our editorial starting point). The stress class has sun salutations and child's pose, so swap those on sore days; the acid reflux class is seated and standing with nothing on your knees; the rheumatoid arthritis class suits psoriatic arthritis in the hands.
A 25-minute yoga class for psoriasis: seated and standing poses with nothing on your hands or knees, at room temperature, and a long rest to finish.
25 minBeginner17 movesA bench or box, Firm cushionTwenty minutes of yoga for stressful days: the NHS breathing exercise, neck, shoulder and spine moves, standing poses that warm you up, then a slow wind-down.
20 minBeginner13 movesA wallTwenty minutes of yoga that keeps your head above your heart: belly breathing sitting up, seated mobility, standing poses and a propped-up rest, nothing head-down.
20 minBeginner15 movesA bench or box, A wallA gentle 30-minute yoga class for rheumatoid arthritis: slow breathing, hand, foot and spine moves in a chair, standing poses with a chair, then supported rest.
30 minBeginner19 movesA bench or box, Other / check instructionsA 45-minute restorative yoga sequence: five fully supported poses held for 4 to 10 minutes each, with slow breathing and a long final rest.
45 minBeginner6 movesFirm cushion, A wallA 15-minute chair yoga routine done entirely sitting: slow breathing, neck, shoulder and wrist stretches, seated twists and side bends, and a calm finish.
15 minBeginner16 movesA bench or boxAbout 1 in 5 people with psoriasis have psoriatic arthritis, as the British Association of Dermatologists says; NHS inform now says around 1 in 4. It causes pain, stiffness and swelling in joints and where tendons attach. The NHS says to see a GP for joint pain, stiffness and swelling that keeps coming back, even without psoriasis. Our yoga and exercise guides for psoriatic arthritis cover practising with sore joints.
These are the warning signs from our psoriatic arthritis and skin guides and our yoga guides, word for word, apart from the lines given as the health service's words or marked as our suggestion. This is general information, not a diagnosis. A&E means accident and emergency; in the US, call 911 for 999.
If you have psoriasis and your skin quickly turns red with white, pus-filled bumps that join together, patches on your feet turn yellow-brown and fill with pus, or red, scaly, pus-filled bumps appear on the tips of your fingers and toes, especially with a fast heartbeat, a high temperature, or feeling hot, cold or shivery.
The NHS adds: "Do not drive to A&E. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance."
Source 1
NHS inform: "Erythrodermic psoriasis is a rare type of psoriasis that affects nearly all the skin on the body. This can cause severe itching or burning." The Psoriasis Association calls it "a medical emergency".
Our suggestion, built from their words: if your skin turns red over most of your body, or burns, itches or hurts all over, especially with a high temperature, chills or feeling unwell, get urgent medical help the same day. Speak to a GP straight away, or call 111.
The NHS says see a GP if you have symptoms of psoriasis, if your treatment isn't working or gives you side effects, or if you also have pain, stiffness and swelling in your joints that keeps coming back.
See a GP or pharmacist about eczema, psoriasis, rosacea or a rash that isn't settling with self-care or treatment (our suggestion, in line with the NHS pages).
Source 1
Source 39
Call 999 if your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly swell, or you're struggling to breathe. Tell your doctor or call 111 immediately if you get:
Call 999 if:
Stop if exercise brings sharp pain or swelling, and check how you're doing the move before trying again with less. Stop and get help for chest pain, palpitations (your heart pounding or fluttering) or unusual breathlessness, and rest if you feel feverish or unwell.
Our suggestion for skin: stop a pose that rubs, presses or stretches a plaque until it cracks or bleeds, and switch to a version that keeps weight off it.
If you feel you can't keep yourself safe, call 999 or go to A&E. For urgent mental health help, call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option, or call Samaritans free on 116 123, any time. In the US, call or text 988.
A joint pain that is sharp, gets worse during a session, lingers into the next day or changes how you move is a reason to use an easier version, and to see a GP or physiotherapist if it keeps happening (the rule in our plans). Muscle soreness for a day or two after something new is normal. In a hot class, stop if you feel dizzy, sick or unwell; our hot yoga guide lists the signs of heat illness.
The NHS advises getting advice from a healthcare professional first if you have a health problem, an injury or symptoms, or have recently had a heart attack or an operation.
Source 43
No yoga trial has measured the skin, and the NHS says psoriasis can't be cured. The only skin benefits came from meditation added to treatment.
Psoriasis has many triggers. Stress is commonly reported, but the evidence that it drives flares relies mostly on memory, and meditation trials found small or no skin effects.
Heat and sweating are among the commonest things that make psoriasis itch worse, and no study has tested hot yoga in psoriasis.
No study shows it. A GP can prescribe treatments for the skin or scalp, such as coal tar, or refer you to a skin specialist.
No trial of any breathing practice or mudra turned up in our searches. The Psoriasis Association warns that claims of cures may be costly, unsafe and disappointing.
Psoriasis isn't contagious: you can't catch it or spread it, in a yoga studio, a pool or a sauna.
The trials with skin benefits added meditation to treatment, and US guidelines make no recommendation for meditation at all.
Our reading: deep stretches can pull on dry, cracked plaques, and deep hip folds add friction in skin folds. Comfort matters more than range.
No. Psoriasis can't be cured, and no trial has tested yoga poses on psoriasis skin. Yoga can be a comfortable way to stay active and calm alongside your treatment.
Maybe a little. Many people say stress sets off their psoriasis, and in small trials, guided meditation or mindfulness added to treatment helped some people's skin, though other trials found no difference. Yoga's slow breathing and relaxation are similar but haven't been tested on skin.
None has a special effect on skin. Choose poses that don't press or rub on sore patches: standing and seated poses, a bridge and a gentle twist on your back, and a long rest at the end. Our free class keeps weight off your hands and knees.
Psoriasis on the palms and soles can crack and hurt, making it hard to use your hands or walk. Skip poses that put weight on your palms, or do them on fists, a chair or a wall, and do the seated parts of a class on bad days.
Pressure and rubbing can bring on new plaques in some people, which is partly why they appear on elbows and knees. Pad well, or swap kneeling and forearm poses for standing and seated versions.
No study has tested it, but heat and sweating are among the commonest things that make psoriasis itch, and sweat and friction worsen psoriasis in skin folds. Our suggestion is a room at normal temperature.
Not overall: in overweight people on treatment, diet plus exercise reduced psoriasis severity. Some people itch more while exercising, so wear loose cotton, keep cool, and shower and moisturise afterwards.
No pose or breathing practice acts on the scalp, and upside-down poses don't treat it. A GP can prescribe treatments for the scalp, such as coal tar, or refer you to a skin specialist.
None has been tested on psoriasis. Slow, gentle breathing is a good way to relax: the NHS breathing exercise is in for up to 5 and out for up to 5, for at least 5 minutes.
Yes, if you feel well: psoriasis isn't contagious. Bring your own mat, wear loose cotton, and tell the teacher you'd rather not be adjusted on sore skin.
See a GP if joint pain, stiffness and swelling keep coming back, because about 1 in 5 people with psoriasis get psoriatic arthritis. Our yoga for psoriatic arthritis guide covers practising with sore joints.
Exercise education, not a personal prescription, and clinical review of these guides is pending. If you are pregnant, have a health condition such as glaucoma, high blood pressure or osteoporosis, or have had recent surgery, check with a doctor, midwife or physiotherapist before starting, and stop for sharp or increasing pain. Health disclaimer.
