Psoriasis
Psoriasis is an autoimmune of the skin and joints
that causes chronic inflammation and scaly patches
(called plaques) to form on the skin. They can form
anywhere on the body, but are most common on the elbows,
knees, scalp and genital areas.
Usually, our skin cells grow deep within the skin
and then rise to the surface, our old cells shedding
off - the cycle usually lasting about a month. But
with Psoriasis, the cycle is too short, causing the
skin to build up on the surface. Psoriasis can vary
from a minor condition to a very serious condition
where the whole body is covered with plaques. They
haven't yet identified the antibody that causes the
body to attack with Psoriasis, but Psoriasis is usually
associated with other autoimmunes such as Rheumatoid
Arthritis, CREST Syndrome, Lupus and Sjogrens Syndrome
among others.
Sometimes the condition may just flair up on it's
own, but there are known triggers that can cause a
Psoriasis flair up, too:
• Bacteria
or viral infections, including strep throat and upper
respiratory infections
• Dry
air or dry skin
• Injury
to the skin, including cuts, burns, and insect bites
• Some
medicines, including anti-malaria drugs, beta-blockers,
and lithium
• Stress
• Too
little sunlight
• Too
much sunlight (sunburn)
• Too
much alcohol
Some of the initial symptoms that may show include
red skin patches or red dots, silvery-scaly patches
on the skin, areas where the skin has thickened and
raised and some may have joint paint as well.
There is no cure of Psoriasis, but there is treatment
and lifestyle adjustments that can help control it.
Sometimes treating the underlying cause of the Psoriasis
can put the skin condition into remission as well.
Support is a very important part of treating Psoriasis
as it becomes a cosmetic issue with many sufferers.
There are also products on the market that help treat
and mask Psoriasis well, but be sure to research your
products as some are nothing more than scams.
There are 5 main types of Psoriasis (credit given
to UW
Health Research Pages)
Erythrodermic -- The skin redness
is very intense and covers a large area.
Guttate -- Small, pink-red spots
appear on the skin.
Inverse -- Skin redness and irritation
occurs in the armpits, groin, and in between overlapping
skin.
Plaque -- Thick, red patches of skin
are covered by flaky, silver-white scales. This is
the most common type of psoriasis.
Pustular -- White blisters are surrounded
by red, irritated skin.
Symptoms:
Blisters and pustules on the palms of hands and soles
of the feet
General joint pain and stiffness
Itchy skin
Pitting in the nails
Skin lesions that are silvery-white, inflamed and
scaly
Smooth skin lesions in bends and folds of skin
Yellowing and thickening of the nails
Diagnosis:
Diagnosis is usually made by physical exam since
there really isn't a definitive blood test or imaging
test that can conclusively diagnose Psoriasis. In
some cases, a skin biopsy may be performed to not
only diagnose Psoriasis, but to rule out other causes
for the condition.
Treatment:
In today's medical world there is a broad range of
treatment options for Psoriasis patients, and treatment
depends on the kind of Psoriasis the person has, the
person's medical history and risk factors.
There are topical treatments such as Taclonex Scalp
that may be used when the Psoriasis is on the scalp.
For moderate to sever cases, Adalimumab may also be
used.
Phototherapy (treatment with light) is used and effective
with a lot of Psoriasis patients.
For severe cases, medications my be needed to reduce
inflammation and to suppress the immune system.
Lifestyle adjustments such as avoiding triggers can
help avoid flair ups and support groups can help with
the emotional impact that having Psoriasis can cause,
since it can affect a sufferer cosmetically,
Prognosis:
Psoriasis is not a fatal disease, and with treatment
and lifestyle changes the outlook is good. There is
no cure for the disease, but in many cases, treating
any underlying cause of Psoriasis can put the disease
into remission.
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