First Findings From The mySkin Study Now Published

Improving understanding of the complex relationship between environmental factors and psoriasis through self-reported data: First findings from the mySkin study

The first findings from the mySkin study have been published in the British Journal of Dermatology (full paper available online here), delivering insight into the environmental factors that trigger the onset or worsening of psoriasis.

The mySkin project, launched in June 2023, has been co-developed by clinicians, researchers, and patients from St John’s Institute of Dermatology, London, UK. People with psoriasis from across the UK self-enrol to the mySkin online platform (myskin.org) and provide information on which environmental factors triggered the onset or worsening of their psoriasis. Participants are invited to submit information about their health and wellbeing every 3 months for 1 year, with optional self-taken photographsof their skin. Recruitment to mySkin remains open (>950 participants as of 02 April 2025).

The new research paper reports findings from the first 6 months of the mySkin study. Of 529 individuals enrolled over the first 6 months, 289 reported at least one trigger to the onset of their psoriasis. Stress (57.8%), infection (29.4%) and skin injury (12.8%) were the most commonly reported triggers to psoriasis onset. 381 people reported at least one trigger to worsening of their psoriasis, with stress (94.8%), climate (67.2%) and low mood (34.6%) being the most commonly reported. Nearly one-third of participants screened positive for potential anxiety and/or depression.

These findings highlight the importance of self-reported data in understanding the environmental factors that impact psoriasis. Ongoing work includes the development of a mySkin app, and extending the study to people with other inflammatory skin conditions (such as eczema).

The research is funded by the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR), and also supported by the Psoriasis Association and King’s Health Partners Centre for Translational Medicine. Thank you to all mySkin participants for their valuable contributions. The latest study updates and data summaries are available to view at myskin.org.