Military enlistment involves more than passing fitness tests and choosing a career path. Your medical history also comes under review, and a psoriasis diagnosis can raise questions among military leaders. While you may not be able to enlist in the military with psoriasis, there are situations when it’s possible.

This article will explain how psoriasis is considered during enlistment, what happens during medical review, and when a waiver may come into play.

Can You Join the Military With Psoriasis?

Under current Department of Defense (DoD) standards, a history of psoriasis disqualifies applicants from enlistment. The exception is nonrecurrent childhood guttate psoriasis.

Guttate psoriasis is a type that usually causes small, drop-shaped, scaly spots. It often develops in children and young adults. People with this condition can typically enlist in the service.

Applicants with psoriasis may still be considered for a medical waiver after review. But approval isn’t automatic.

Psoriasis isn’t on the current list of conditions that are always ineligible for a medical waiver. That means a waiver may be possible, but isn’t likely or guaranteed.

How Does the Medical Waiver Process Work?

Start with a recruiter for the service you want to join. Recruiters schedule applicants for processing through a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS). MEPS medical staff apply the accession standards and determine whether an applicant meets them.

If you don’t meet a medical standard, the military may consider you for an accession waiver. The process generally includes:

• Medical screening — You provide your medical history and requested records.
• Qualification decision — MEPS or another authorized entrance-processing medical authority applies the current accession standard.
• Waiver review — If waiver consideration is available, the service’s medical waiver authority reviews the case.
• Service decision — The waiver authority considers the medical information and the service’s needs. Approval isn’t guaranteed.

Why Does Psoriasis Affect Military Enlistment?

There’s no cure for psoriasis. Some people have repeated flares throughout their life, while others may have well-controlled symptoms for long periods. Common triggers include:

• Stress
• Skin injury
• Infections
• Changes in weather

Military training and field environments may include several of these triggers, so symptoms can become harder to manage in some settings.

The 2024 Military Medicine review described several concerns about psoriasis relevant to military service:

• Skin irritation — Body armor and other protective equipment may make poorly controlled skin disease worse.
• Environment — Extreme temperatures, stress, skin injuries, and insect bites may lead to flares.
• Treatment access — Some medications require refrigeration, special handling, regular dosing, or monitoring that may be harder in certain locations.

These concerns don’t mean everyone with psoriasis will have problems during military service. They help explain why the DoD has a standard and why waiver authorities review individual cases.

What Should You Do if You Want To Enlist With Psoriasis?

Having psoriasis may make the enlistment process more complicated. But the most useful next step is to get guidance for your own medical situation.

Rules and processing procedures can change. Plus, a recruiter can explain how your chosen service handles medical documentation and waiver requests. You may find a recruiter in your area by searching “Armed Forces Career Center” online.

During the application process:

• Be complete — Give accurate information about your psoriasis diagnosis, symptoms, treatment, and medication history.
• Gather records — Ask your recruiter which dermatology notes, prescription records, or other documents the reviewing authority needs.
• Keep treatment decisions medical — Don’t stop a prescribed psoriasis medication just to try to meet an enlistment requirement without first talking with the clinician who treats you.
• Ask about the next step — If you don’t meet the accession standard, ask whether your case can be sent for waiver consideration and which authority will review it.