What is psoriasis?
Psoriasis is an incurable skin condition that is caused due to the overactive immune system. These patches grow anywhere but mostly appear on the scalp, elbow, knees, and lower back. This disease is not infectious.
Psoriasis symptoms include flaking, inflammation, thick, red, white, and silvery patches on the skin.
Usually, psoriasis appears in early adultness. Most people are affected by this disease in just a few areas, and in some cases, it covers large parts of the body.
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Symptoms of psoriasis
- Plaque of red skin is often covered with silver colored scales. These plaques are itchy and painful and sometimes result in bleeding and crack on the skin.
- Discoloration and pitting of the fingernail and toenail
People who are suffering from psoriasis also get a type of arthritis called psoriatic arthritis. Because of this, there can be pain and swelling in the joints. According to national psoriasis foundations, between 10%-30% of people with psoriasis also have psoriasis arthritis.
There are four types of psoriasis.
- Pustular psoriasis causes scaly and red skin with tiny spots or pimples on the palm or the sole.
- Guttate psoriasis starts in early childhood or teenage, which causes red spots on the limb. They can cause a respiratory infection such as strep throat, tonsils, stress injury on the skin, etc.
- Inverse psoriasis is a bright red shiny wound that appears on the skin fold, like on the armpit, breast, etc.
- Erythrodermic psoriasis causes fiery redness on the skin, which activates a burning sensation and infection on the skin. There is a need to treat this immediately as it will lead to severe illness.
What is the cause of psoriasis?
There is no exact cause of this disease, but experts believe that there area combination of things. The main reason for psoriasis is the wrong immune system, which causes redness and activates
the new skin cell.
Usually, skin cells are replaced in 10-30 days, but new cells grow every 3-4 days in psoriasis. This building of new ones and replacing the older once creates a silver mark.
Psoriasis outbreak includes:
- Cuts, scratches, and scars
- Emotional stress
- Throat infection
- Weather specially dry and cold weather
Diagnosis of psoriasis
Physical examination
It becomes easy for a doctor to diagnose psoriasis, especially if you have red patches on the areas like:
- Ears
- Scalp
- Eyebrows
- Knees
- Belly button
- Nails
Laboratory Test
Doctors opt for biopsy – remove a small piece of skin and test it to check if you are suffering from a skin infection.
Treatment of psoriasis
There are different types of treatment plans to treat various skin. Your doctor will suggest you which one is suitable for you. Some treatment slows the growth of the skin cell and others relieve itchiness and dry skin. Therefore some common treatments include:
- Steroid cream
- Moisturizers for dry skin
- Coal Tar (a standard treatment for psoriasis available in foam, lotion, and in the form of cream)
- Ointment ( ordered by the doctor to apply on the skin)
- Retinoid creams (vitamin A rich creams)
Moderate to severe psoriasis treatment includes:
- Light therapy: An ultraviolet ray is put on your skin to slow the growth of skin cells. PUVA treatment is a combination of medicine named psoralen with a unique form of ultraviolet light.
- Methotrexate: This drug has serious side effects and can cause infection in the lungs, liver, and bone; it is suggested only in the worst cases. So after the skin biopsy procedure is done, the doctor looks into the skin’s seriousness and indicates the drug type.
- Retinoids: These are Vitamin A tablets, creams, foams, and pills suggested by the doctor. Retinoid can cause serious side effects, including congenital disabilities. So these are generally not prescribed to pregnant women.
- Biologic treatment: These work by blocking the immune system to control the redness and swelling from psoriasis.
Frequently asked questions
Q) Is psoriasis is contagious diseases?
No it is not communicable and doesn’t spread from person to person
Q) Does it go away for lifetime?
No psoriasis is a lifetime condition. And even if it goes it reoccurs on the skin.
Q) Is psoriasis hereditary?
We can’t say yes or no, but this factor plays an important role.
Q) Through oral medication does psoriasis can be treated?
Yes, through oral medications and with some ointments it can be treated.