Are You Born With Psoriasis

What Can Trigger Psoriasis

Plenty of everyday things can act as a trigger, causing psoriasis to appear for the first time. Common psoriasis triggers include:

• Stress

• Skin injury, such as a cut or bad sunburn

• Infection, such as strep throat

• Some medications, including lithium, prednisone, and hydroxychloroquine

• Weather, especially cold, dry weather

• Tobacco

• Alcohol

These triggers can also cause psoriasis flare-ups. Different people have different triggers. For example, periods of intense stress may trigger your psoriasis but cold weather may not.

Thats why its so important for people who have psoriasis to know what triggers their psoriasis. Avoiding triggers can reduce psoriasis flares.

Youll find common triggers and what you can do to avoid them at: Are triggers causing your psoriasis flare-ups?

If you think you have psoriasis, its important to find out. Treatment can help relieve your discomfort and lead to clearer skin. You can find out how board-certified dermatologists diagnose and treat psoriasis at: Psoriasis: Treatment.

Related AAD resources

1 Gottlieb A, Korman NJ, et al. J Am Acad Dermatol 2008 58:851-64.2 Alexis AF, Blackcloud P. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2014 7:16-24.

ImageGetty Images

References Alexis AF, Blackcloud P. Psoriasis in skin of color: epidemiology, genetics, clinical presentation, and treatment nuances. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2014 7:16-24.

All content solely developed by the American Academy of Dermatology

Can I Pass Psoriasis To My Baby

Having a parent with psoriasis increases your risk of developing it, and having two parents with it increases your risk even more. A parent with the disease has about a 10 percent chance of passing it down to their child. If both parents have psoriasis, theres a 50 percent chance of passing down the trait.

How Knowledge Of Genes Can Help

Researchers have so far determined the following points:

• Genetic factors increase a persons susceptibility to psoriasis.
• Some specific genes may play a role in psoriatic changes.

If scientists can find out exactly which genes cause a condition and how to change them, they may be able to develop novel treatments and even a cure.

Biologic therapy is now a common treatment option for certain types of psoriasis. These drugs target specific components of the immune system. They are effective at reducing the number of flares and the severity of symptoms.

Also Check: Herbal Remedies For Psoriasis What Are Our Patients Taking

What Is Scalp Psoriasis And What Causes It

Psoriasis can appear on any part of the skin, even the scalp. With scalp psoriasis, scalp plaques produce excess scales and can cause your scalp to itch.

Symptoms of scalp psoriasis appear as the following:

• A small bump, called a papule, with a scale on top.
• The plaque typically is covered by thick layers of horny scale. When the scale sheds, it can look like dandruff.
• Sometimes these plaques can itch.
• Scratching these plaques can worsen the condition and lead to what’s called the Koebner phenomenon, or isomorphic response, which can cause psoriasis to develop in areas where there’s inflammation and trauma.

The causes of scalp psoriasis, like all psoriasis, is related to genetic defects that affect the immune system. It is not known if stress causes or makes psoriasis worse.

In some severe cases, scalp psoriasis can cause alopecia, or a loss of hair, which is rare and may be controlled with treatment. Scalp psoriasis can be treated with topical medications, which can sometimes be difficult to apply when the scalp is covered with enough hair that can create a barrier.

Beauty: Creator Has Skin In The Game

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Kerri Ryan, with her tanning location

Kerrie Ryan with Luxe Gold tan

Roisin Gorman

Kerrie Ryan is ready to go with the glow after searching for years for a tan that worked with her skin condition.

The Luxe Gold entrepreneur has suffered since her teens with psoriasis, which was irritated by every self-tan she used.

In desperation she turned to a chemist friend who came up with a formula which worked so well Kerrie bought it and set up her own global brand.

Covid and the birth of her second child stalled her business plans following the 2019 launch but now she’s ready to bronze the world with a product which has transformed her skin.

“This is something I think is massive, because I saw the improvement in my skin, so I bought the formula,” says Kerrie.

“I can’t claim it will cure your psoriasis, but it will help people with problem skin.”

The mum of two has suffered from the condition, which can affect the skin on any part of the body, since she was 14. It’s incurable and causes dry red patches which are covered in silvery scales.

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Qualifying For Psoriasis Disability Benefits Under The Ssa Listing

The main function of the SSA is to provide disability benefits in time to those who need them most. The SSA, therefore, maintains a specific list of major conditions that can automatically qualify someone for benefits. These conditions are typically severe enough to make applications undergo expedited processing and automatic approval for either SSI or SSDI.

While the SSA currently does not have a separate bluebook listing for psoriasis, it does categorize the condition under the section 8.05 listing for dermatitis. If your psoriasis condition presents symptoms that match the listing, you can automatically be approved for benefits. The listing specifies that:

Extensive skin lesions are categorized as those that are located on more than one area of the body, or occurring in an area of the body that affects how one functions. This includes having lesions present on critical joints, such as your elbows or knees, that prevent you from properly walking, bending or lifting lesions on your palms that prevent you from using your hands or lesions in the groin area.

If you dont qualify for psoriasis under the dermatitis listing, you may qualify for psoriasis disability under other related SSA disability listings, such as:

• Inflammatory arthritis

How To Tell Baby Psoriasis From Other Conditions

The only accurate way to tell if it is baby psoriasis or another skin condition is through careful observation.

A dermatologist or pediatrician can usually recognize the differences, so it is important for caregivers to seek medical attention for any rashes that do not clear up with time or treatment.

If a rash develops on a babys skin and remains for several days despite the use of over-the-counter creams and treatments, caregivers should seek consultation with a doctor so they can examine the rash.

There are for treating baby psoriasis. Doctors tend to rely on the results of case studies, guidelines for adult psoriasis, and expert opinion to treat the skin symptoms of psoriasis in babies.

However, some treatment options include:

• applying moisturizing creams and emollients to the skin
• keeping the affected areas clean and dry
• using specialized moisturizers for psoriatic skin symptoms
• trying phototherapy, which involves administering controlled doses of ultraviolet light to the affected areas
• avoiding exposure to extreme cold and heat
• taking oral medication

However, it is unlikely that a dermatologist or pediatrician will recommend a treatment more intensive than an emollient or moisturizer for a baby with mild psoriasis.

If symptoms are more severe than this, however, the doctor may suggest stronger treatment options.

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Depression Anxiety And Suicide

Stress can be both a trigger and the result of psoriasis flares. People with psoriasis have a higher risk of depression and anxiety than those without it. They also have more suicidal thoughts and attempts, especially if their disease is severe. The social isolation that often goes along with having psoriasis can make depression symptoms worse. Fortunately, studies show that treating your psoriasis can improve symptoms of depression.

Why Are Some People Born With Eczema

In the book Food is Your Best Medicine by Dr. Henry Bieler the good doctor rightously asks pointed questions: If every mothers greatest wish is to have a truly healthy baby, why does she take such poor care of herself before the baby is born? And why does she feed her child from infancy to adulthood so improperly that illness inevitably results?

My answer to Dr. Bielers questions is that people have been dumbed down to be so gosh down ignorant television mindless zombies. But all is not lost. Internet technologies are allowing people to break out from the matrix of lies the massive greedy mind control industries have set up as confines of the mind.

After much thought, observation, and reading, I can give a satisfactory answer to why some babies are born with eczema. It is the same answer as to why some babies are born with cancer. Knowing the whys, the root cause, we now know how to tackle the issue of curing inborn eczemas. Just because a baby was born with eczema does not mean he will be suffering eczema for the rest of his life. Your child can outgrow eczema, this is how it can be done.

I was inspired by Dr. Patawaran being able to cure Baby Dylan who was born with aggressive cancer of the foot. His right food had grown to a big ball and all toes were eventually unrecognizable. Of course the ignorant western medical hospitals could only offer amputation. But the more knowledgeable aunts of Dylan had known a true healer in Dr. Patawaran.

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What If Those Psoriasis Treatments Dont Work

If psoriasis doesnt improve, your healthcare provider may recommend these treatments:

• Light therapy: UV light at specific wavelengths can decrease skin inflammation and help slow skin cell production.
• PUVA: This treatment combines a medication called psoralen with exposure to a special form of UV light.
• Methotrexate: Providers sometimes recommend this medication for severe cases. It may cause liver disease. If you take it, your provider will monitor you with blood tests. You may need periodic liver biopsies to check your liver health.
• Retinoids: These vitamin A-related drugs can cause side effects, including birth defects.
• Cyclosporine: This medicine can help severe psoriasis. But it may cause high blood pressure and kidney damage.
• Immune therapies: Newer immune therapy medications work by blocking the bodys immune system so it cant jumpstart an autoimmune disease such as psoriasis.

Reduced Quality Of Life

The pain and itching that go along with psoriasis flares can keep you up at night and cause you to feel tired the next day. This can affect how well you do at your job or in school. Severe psoriasis symptoms may even make it hard for you to care for yourself or your loved ones. Psoriasis of your hands or feet can interfere with your ability to do your job, play sports, or engage in hobbies. You may even have trouble walking and keeping active. Many people with psoriasis feel unattractive and isolate themselves from others. They may avoid going out in public, wearing clothing that shows their plaques, or participating in activities like swimming that make it difficult to hide their symptoms. Experts find that people who can control their psoriasis report a higher quality of life, miss less work, and are more productive at work.

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When Should I See A Doctor For Psoriasis

Since psoriasis is a systemic disease of inflammation with dramatic skin involvement, most people should seek medical advice early in its course when symptoms and signs appear. Besides arthritis, people with the condition are more likely to be obese and to have coronary artery disease and/or diabetes. Psoriasis, if limited to small areas of skin, may be an inconvenience for some people. For others, it may be disabling.

• Those with psoriasis commonly recognize that new areas of psoriasis occur within seven to 10 days after the skin has been injured. This has been called the Koebner phenomenon.
• People should always see a doctor if they have psoriasis and develop significant joint pain, stiffness, or deformity. They may be in the reported 5%-10% of individuals with psoriasis who develop psoriatic arthritis and would be a candidate for systemic therapy. Psoriatic arthritis can be crippling and cause permanent deformity.
• Always see a doctor if signs of infection develop. Common signs of infection are red streaks or pus from the red areas, fever with no other cause, or increased pain.
• People need to see a doctor if they have serious side effects from their medications.

Is There A Test For Psoriasis

To see if you have psoriasis, your doctor usually examines your skin, scalp, and nails for signs of the condition. They may also ask questions about your health and history.

This information can help the doctor figure out if you have psoriasis, and, if so, identify which type. To rule out other skin conditions that look like psoriasis, your doctor may take a small skin sample to look at under a microscope.

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So What Causes Psoriasis

With every type of psoriasis, your skin cell turnover is 10 times faster than the normal rate. Your body is pumping out skin cells too quickly, causing them to pile up on skins surface and form thick patches that appear as dense, scaly, red, irritated, and inflamed plaques. But the big question is why does this happen? Its not completely clear, but the various types of psoriasis are thought to be caused by a perfect storm of an immune dysfunction, genetics, plus at least one other environmental trigger or risk factor. So, lets break them down one by one.

Is Psoriasis Genetic Or Hereditary

Psoriasis can occur in people with no family history of the disease. Having a family member with the disease increases your risk. If one of your parents has psoriasis, you have about a 10 percent chance of getting it. If both of your parents have psoriasis, your risk is 50 percent.

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What Psoriasis Creams And Topical Agents Can I Use

Medications applied directly to the skin are the first line of treatment options for psoriasis.

The main topical treatments are:

• corticosteroids,
• anthralin, or
• retinoids.

For more detailed information on each medication, see Understanding Psoriasis Medications. Generic drug names are listed below with examples of brands in parentheses.

Topical Medications

• Corticosteroids: Topical corticosteroids are the mainstay of treatment in mild or limited psoriasis and come in a variety of forms. Foams and solutions are best for scalp psoriasis and other thickly hair-bearing areas, such as a hairy chest or hairy back. Creams are usually preferred by patients, but ointments are more potent than any other vehicles, even at the same percentage concentration.
• Super potent topical corticosteroids such as clobetasol propionate and betamethasone dipropionate augmented are commonly prescribed corticosteroids for use on non-facial, non-intertriginous areas .
• As the condition improves, one may be able to use potent steroids such as:
• mometasone furoate or
• halcinonide or
• mid-potency steroids such as triamcinolone acetonide or betamethasone valerate . These creams or ointments are usually applied once or twice a day, but the dose depends on the severity of the psoriasis as well as the location and thickness of the plaque.

Psoriasis And Psoriatic Arthritis

This sheet talks about having psoriasis and / or psoriatic arthritis in a pregnancy or while breastfeeding. This information should not take the place of medical care and advice from your healthcare provider.

What is psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis?

Psoriasis is a skin condition in which skin cells grow faster than usual. This can leave dry, thick patches on the skin. Plaque psoriasis is the most common form of this condition. It usually affects skin on the elbows, knees, buttocks and scalp. Psoriasis is not contagious so you cannot catch it from another person. While the exact causes are not known, the immune system is probably involved. In addition to having dry skin, up to one out of every three people living with psoriasis will also develop swollen and painful joints, called psoriatic arthritis . Like psoriasis, symptoms of PsA can range from mild to severe.

I have psoriasis and / or psoriatic arthritis. Can it make it harder for me to get pregnant?

We dont know if fertility is affected by psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis. One study did not find an increase in time to become pregnant among people with mild to moderate psoriasis. Another study has suggested that ovarian reserve might be affected by psoriasis. However, people with psoriasis in this study were still able to become pregnant. No study has been found looking specifically at psoriatic arthritis.

Does having psoriasis and / or psoriatic arthritis increase the chance for miscarriage?

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Be Upfront At The Salon

One of the frequent, potentially embarrassing situations I used to run into was hair appointments. I would always cringe when I first sat down in the chair because I have dry, flaky patches on my scalp. Now I tell anyone who is going to come into contact with my scalpwhether for a scalp massage or shampooingthat I have this condition, I was born with it, and it wont harm them in any way. I think the more we can own who we are, the better we can feel about ourselves. Sarah, 37, California

Building Resilience On My Journey With Plaque Psoriasis

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I couldnt possibly understand as a 9-year-old child the impact my moderate to severe plaque psoriasis diagnosis would have on my life. My father took me to the dermatologist soon after rashes broke out on my skin. He later told me the dermatologist said that he was sorry that he had to give that diagnosis.

Through those childhood and teen years, I learned that having plaque psoriasis would mean more than physical discomfort. I also faced a barrage of bullying, teasing, and questioning stares that came with having a visible skin condition.

Forty-plus years later, I am still living with plaque psoriasis. If I could send a message across time to my 9-year-old self, I would let him know its going to be hard. More difficult times are coming. You will need to be brave and resilient. And you will need the support of others to face everything life and plaque psoriasis will throw at you.

Opening Up About Plaque Psoriasis

I hit a low point with my plaque psoriasis when I began attending the University of California, Davis. Thats when I moved out and lived away from home for the first time. I had trouble making friends growing up because of my plaque psoriasis so my underdeveloped social skills made it difficult for me to get to know students in the dorms. As a result, I wasnt close to my roommate, and I ate by myself in the dining commons. Withdrawn and isolated, I fell into depression.

Coming Out of Hiding

A Broken Spirit

Dont Give Up

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