Psoriasis can be found on any part of the body, but the most common areas affected by psoriasis are the elbows, knees, lower back, face, palms, soles of feet and scalp. Skin around affected joints commonly cracks. Some people experience joint inflammation with the same symptoms as arthritis, also known as psoriatic arthritis. People of all ages are affected by this disease,however it primarily affects adults. Males and females are found to be equally affected by psoriasis. Researchers have found a familial genetic link to psoriasis, so there is usually a family history with this disease.
Psoriasis is a skin condition where there is an excessive proliferation of upper layers of skin, giving red and flaky scales. The truth is that one does not have to live with psoriasis any longer because psoriasis treatment is now easily available. Psoriasis is no doubt an embarrassing condition but with the right psoriasis specialist, you can bid goodbye to the condition once and for all.
What causes Psoriasis?
Psoriasis occurs when skin cells, which originate below the surface of the skin, pile up on the surface before they have fully matured. This process can take as short as a few days up to a month. Psoriasis is an auto-immune disease involving T cells, a type of white blood cell. T cells’ job is to protect the body from diseases and infections. When psoriasis occurs, T cells are mistakenly active and trigger other immune responses, causing inflammation and rapid turnover of skin cells.People with psoriasis may experience skin flares, when the condition worsens and then improves. Some triggers for flares include stress, infections, too much alcohol, and climate changes which cause skin dryness. Certain medicines, like oral corticosteroids cause an exacerbate the condition.
What are the symptoms of Psoriasis?
Psoriasis can appear suddenly or take time to appear. It goes away and flares up repeatedly. Patches of skin which are itchy and irritated appear, as well as redness, on different parts of the body. The skin patches can be covered with silvery, flaky skin and may be raised and thick. Joint pain may be symptomatic of psoriasis as well as nail thickening, yellow/brown spots on nails or separation of the nail from its underlying base..
How is Psoriasis treated?
• Depending on the psoriasis type, severity, size in the affected areas, and the patient’s response to initial treatment, doctors choose the appropriate treatment. There are effective topical and oral treatments available. Medicines can also be taken orally or via injection which treats the entire immune system, also known as systemic therapy. Recently, combination therapy, using lower doses of various topical creams, lights and systemic treatments has an increase in its effectiveness. Five to six monthly treatments would be necessary for its effectiveness. All forms of treatment have different success rates on each patient. What works for one does not necessarily work for the others. Therefore, doctors will use a trial-and-error approach and may need to switch forms of treatment in order to find the most effective kind of treatment for the patient. To learn more about Psoriasis, contact us today to schedule an appointment with our dermatologists.
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