What Causes Scalp Psoriasis
Unlike dandruff, scalp psoriasis doesnt come and go with the weather, hormonal fluctuations, or changes in hair products. The cause is the same as other types of psoriasis: an overactive immune system, genetics, and triggers such as stress and certain medications. But in this case, the plaques that show up may only show up on your scalp.
Know The Underlying Causes
Eczema and psoriasis have different causes. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease, which occurs when your immune system becomes dysfunctional and your skin cells start to grow too fast. The cells that pile up on the top of the skin then lead to the formation of a white scale.
Both genetic and environmental factors may cause eczema. It may be due to the mutation of the gene responsible for creating a protective layer on the top of the skin. Thus, the mutated gene leaves the skin prone to infection and flare. Dry climate can also play a role in triggering eczema.
Inverse Psoriasis Vs Jock Itch
Inverse psoriasis is sometimes confused with tinea cruris , a fungal infection that appears in damp, moist areas of the body. Outbreaks near the groin, inner thighs, or buttocks cause circular areas of redness that flare up and peel. The skin might become cracked, and it might itch, burn, or sting.
Fortunately, jock itch isnt a serious condition. It is temporary and treatable with over-the-counter antifungal creams and good hygiene habits.
Jock itch and inverse psoriasis are often mistaken for each other because they cause similar symptoms in the skin folds of the groin area and buttocks. Both conditions cause pain, discolored skin patches, and severe itching.
Symptoms in the genital or anal areas that dont improve with antifungal creams and good hygiene should be looked at by a doctor. A proper diagnosis involves your doctor visually inspecting the affected areas and taking a skin sample to be examined under a microscope, if necessary.
People with inverse psoriasis often have another type of psoriasis elsewhere on the body. Reach out to your dermatologist if you experience anal or genital symptoms. That way your doctor can determine whether symptoms are related to psoriasis, jock itch, or another skin condition.
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Complementary And Alternative Remedies
Some people use complementary and alternative remedies, such as acupuncture, to prevent psoriasis from spreading. Other strategies, such as meditation and therapy, may help some people cope with the emotional effects and social stigma of having psoriasis.
Although there is some evidence that specific environmental factors might trigger psoriasis, those factors vary from between patients. This makes it almost impossible to prevent psoriasis developing for the first time. However, it might be possible to prevent subsequent flare-ups by keeping track of triggers.
A person with psoriasis might find that their psoriasis gets worse with stress, after sunburn, or when they eat certain foods. Avoiding these triggers can lengthen the time between flare-ups, and may prevent an early flare-up from spreading.
Glycerin And Coconut Oil
Research by the medical college of Georgia has proven that glycerin helps in skin cell maturation. A mixture of glycerin with coconut oil leads to an effective solution for psoriasis.
- Mix a tablespoon of coconut oil and glycerin
- Mix it well and apply on the affected areas of your penis
- Leave it on to dry completely
- Repeat this procedure 2 times every day to clear the symptoms
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Common Types Of Psoriasis
This is the most common form, accounting for about 80 to 90% of cases.
Its symptoms are dry red skin lesions, known as plaques, covered in silver scales.
They normally appear on your elbows, knees, scalp and lower back, but can appear anywhere on your body.
The plaques can be itchy or sore, or both. In severe cases, the skin around your joints may crack and bleed.
Apple Cider Vinegar With Coconut Oil
Apple cider vinegar is a strong disinfectant and also contains anti-itching and anti-inflammatory properties that help in reducing redness, swelling, and clearing flakes that accompany psoriasis.
How to use it with coconut oil
- Mix 2 parts of coconut oil with 1 part of apple cider vinegar
- Stir the solution and then apply it on the affected areas
- Leave it on for around 30 minutes and then rinse it off with water.
- Repeat this procedure 2 times every day for several days
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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.
What Is Cdc Doing About Psoriasis
In 2010, CDC worked with experts in psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and public health to develop a public health perspective that considers how these conditions affect the entire population. The resulting report is Developing and Addressing the Public Health Agenda for Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis pdf icon. You can read a short article about the agendaexternal icon in The American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
CDCs National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey , an intermittent source of national psoriasis data, has included questions about psoriasis as late as the 2013-2014 cycle. A recent analysis of NHANES data estimates that 7.4 million adults had psoriasis in 2013external icon.
- Psoriasis causes patches of thick red skin and silvery scales. Patches are typically found on the elbows, knees, scalp, lower back, face, palms, and soles of feet, but can affect other places . The most common type of psoriasis is called plaque psoriasis.
- Psoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory type of arthritis that eventually occurs in 10% to 20% of people with psoriasis. It is different from more common types of arthritis and is thought to be related to the underlying problem of psoriasis.
- Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are sometimes considered together as psoriatic disease.
Who is at risk for psoriasis?
Anyone can get psoriasis. It occurs mostly in adults, but children can also get it. Men and women seem to have equal risk.
Can I get psoriasis from someone who has it?
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What Are Other Types Of Psoriasis
Plaque psoriasis is the most common type. About 80% to 90% of people with psoriasis have plaque psoriasis.
Other, less common types of psoriasis include:
- Inverse psoriasis appears in skin folds. It may look like thin pink plaques without scale.
- Guttate psoriasis may appear after a sore throat caused by a streptococcal infection. It looks like small, red, drop-shaped scaly spots in children and young adults.
- Pustular psoriasis has small, pus-filled bumps on top of the red patches or plaques.
- Sebopsoriasis typically appears on the face and scalp as red bumps and plaques with greasy yellow scale. This type is a cross between psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis.
What Should I Do If I Have Genital Psoriasis
Genital psoriasis may also affect the surrounding area in the groin. It rarely appears in the vagina. If you develop psoriasis of the genitalia, you should always consult your doctor. Do not be embarrassed.
Genital psoriasis can sometimes look similar to a fungal or bacterial infection, or even contact dermatitis, so your doctor may need to check the diagnosis with a laboratory test before starting any treatment. The delicate skin in the genital area may mean you need a weaker psoriasis treatment than elsewhere on your body. You should bear in mind that you may be susceptible to irritation and allergic reactions from any substance applied to the skin. Sensitisation most commonly occurs from perfumes and preservatives in over-the-counter wash products and topical local anaesthetics. It is important to keep personal hygiene as uncomplicated as possible and avoid fragranced products.
It is also important to remember that your psoriasis is not due to an infection and is not catching. So, when you are in a loving relationship with a partner who knows about your psoriasis, it should not interfere with your sex life. If you are with a new partner, take the time to explain your condition before you become intimate, to reduce stress and needless worry for you both.
This article is adapted from the Genital psoriasis leaflet.
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Psoriasis Causes And Risk Factors
Psoriasis is linked to an overactive immune system. This causes the skin to grow new cells every few days, rather than every few weeks. This rapid growth and buildup of cells are what cause the plaques that characterize psoriasis.
Unfortunately, doctors dont yet know what triggers the immune system to become overactive, but there appears to be a genetic component since psoriasis often runs in families.
Other additional risk factors put you at increased risk for developing psoriasis, including:
- Obesity
- Excessive mental stress
What Does Psoriasis Look Like
Psoriasis usually appears as red or pink plaques of raised, thick, scaly skin. However, it can also appear as small, flat bumps or large, thick plaques. It most commonly affects the skin on the elbows, knees, and scalp, though it can appear anywhere on the body. The following slides will review some of the different types of psoriasis.
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What Type Of Psoriasis Treatment Will I Need
Several treatment options can relieve psoriasis. Creams or ointments may be enough to improve the rash in small areas of skin. If the rash affects larger areas, or you also have joint pain, you may need other treatments. Joint pain may be a sign that you have arthritis.
Your provider will decide on a treatment plan based on:
- Severity of the rash.
- Vitamin A or retinoid creams.
Research Is Still Ongoing Into The Causes Of Psoriasis
Although research is continuing to advance, theres still more to learn about how and why patients develop psoriasis.
Were starting to understand the inflammatory pathways involved in psoriasis, and addressing that inflammation is making treatment much more effective nowadays, Wang says.
Genetics play an important part, Wang says, so if someone has a parent with the condition, they are at higher risk for developing it. However, there are likely multiple factors involved that eventually lead to development of psoriasis.
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Can Psoriasis Affect Only My Nails
In some cases, psoriasis may involve only the fingernails and toenails, although more commonly, nail symptoms will accompany psoriasis and arthritis symptoms. The appearance of the nails may be altered, and affected nails may have small pinpoint pits or large yellow-colored separations on the nail plate called “oil spots.” Nail psoriasis can be hard to treat but may respond to medications taken for psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis. Treatments include topical steroids applied to the cuticle, steroid injections at the cuticle, or oral medications.
That Skin Rash Might Be Psoriasis
Symptoms
To the average individual, a rash is just a rash. But to the trained eye, you may be dealing with an inflammatory skin condition called psoriasis. This common problem affects up to three percent of Americans. All races and both genders can be affected, with more adults carrying this diagnosis than children. So how do you know if you might be one of those people? The following signs may be helpful to know:
- Psoriasis tends to affect both sides of the body equally.
- It may or may not itch.
- The rash starts out looking like a pink or red spot that becomes covered with a white or silvery scale over a few weeks. This scale can sometimes be loose and leave a mess on the patients clothes and sheets.
- There is a tendency for the rash to be worse in areas that are traumatized or scratched.
- The elbows, knees, scalp and torso are commonly affected.
We dont always know why psoriasis rears its ugly head. We do know there is a hereditary component which can be rather strong. Some people who have this family predominance may come down with a simple infection such as strep throat and only a few weeks later, their psoriasis symptoms can start appearing.
Long-term effects
Treatment
Although there is no cure for psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis, treatments are available to alleviate the symptoms, including:
Health Topics:
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What Are The Key Differences
Cause. Psoriasis is an immune-mediated condition, meaning your immune system becomes overactive. In this case, certain inflammatory cells cause the body to make new skin cells too fast. These cells pile up on the surface of the skin, leading to thick, scaly patches that are often itchy and painful.
While experts do not know the exact cause of eczema, they think its a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Similar to psoriasis, there is also inflammation in the skin, and this may be related to an irritant or an allergen that triggers the immune system, or may cause an eczema flare-up.
Age. Eczema is most common in babies and children. Psoriasis often starts between the ages of 15 and 35. However, people of all ages can experience these conditions.
Itch. Another key difference between these conditions is the intensity of itching, particularly at night and in children. With psoriasis, the itching may be absent or mild to moderate. But for eczema, it is common, can be intense and can affect sleep.
Seeking The Right Treatment
Unfortunately, there are currently no cures for these skin conditions, and many people have to manage their symptoms over a lifetime. Depending on several factors, including your age and severity of your condition, your doctor will develop a treatment plan that includes a combination of medicine, avoiding triggers, and having a good skin care regimen and healthy lifestyle. Its important to get the right diagnosis with a doctor who specializes in these conditions, such as a dermatologist, and to develop a treatment plan thats tailored to your specific needs.
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Psoriasis: Too Many Skin Cells
In psoriasis, new cells build up in the top layer of your skin. They grow faster than your body can remove, or shed, them. Blood vessels below become swollen. This causes thick, red patches, or plaques. What they look and feel like depends on what type of psoriasis you have. Doctors aren’t sure what causes it. They think problems with genes and the immune system play a role.
Can There Be Complications From Guttate Psoriasis
As with any type of psoriasis, guttate psoriasis may lead to complications.
Some people can have one episode of guttate psoriasis when they are 12 years old and never have it again, Sugarman says. Others wind up with chronic psoriasis and some lipid abnormalities: high blood cholesterol and triglycerides.
Guttate psoriasis can cause severe itching and, less frequently, serious skin infections, Sugarman says.
Work closely with your doctor to find the best treatment and make this condition easier to manage.
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What Is Erythrodermic Psoriasis
This is an uncommon but very serious form of psoriasis. Only 3 percent of people with psoriasis will develop erythrodermic psoriasis in their lifetime, according to the NPF.
This type usually occurs in people who have uncontrolled plaque psoriasis.
Erythrodermic psoriasis causes extremely red or otherwise discolored skin that affects most of the body.
Symptoms include:
- Pitting on nails
- Ridges or grooves in your nails
- Lifting of the nail away from the skin
- Crumbling of nails
Many people with plaque psoriasis also have nail psoriasis. For some, however, a single nail involvement may be the only form of psoriasis they develop.
What Is Genital Psoriasis
As the term suggests, genital psoriasis is psoriasis in the genital area. Sometimes this can be the only area affected. Genital psoriasis affects approximately 63% of people with psoriasis at least once in their lifetime. The presentation will vary according to the site involved and may range from plaques on the external genitalia to fissures in between the buttocks. Usually, genital psoriasis does not resemble the thick, red, scaly plaques seen in other areas. It appears as bright red, shiny patches of skin, often with no scale on top. The reason for this is that the affected sites are usually covered, which helps the lesions to retain moisture and therefore appear redder and less scaly.
All age groups may be affected by genital psoriasis, including babies. Involvement of the genital area in this age group is often described as nappy psoriasis, which may appear very red and can be alarming to parents, who need reassuring that this is usually not a painful condition.
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Who Gets Nail Psoriasis
After developing a type of psoriasis on your skin, its common for psoriasis to affect the nails. Nail psoriasis becomes more common with age. Its also more common if youve had psoriasis on your skin for some time or have severe psoriasis.
Signs of nail psoriasis include tiny dents in your nails , discoloration under one or more nails, and a nail lifting away from the nail bed so that its no longer completely attached. Some people have a buildup of skin under one or more of their nails, which can also cause a nail to lift up.
Heat Rash: Sweating That Leads To Bumpy Red Skin
Inverse psoriasis is a type of psoriasis that forms in the armpits and skin folds under breasts or in groin areas, making the skin red and shiny. Sweating makes this type of psoriasis worse. Heat rash also makes your skin red and forms in skin folds of the groin, breasts, and armpits. Heat rash occurs in hot, humid conditions. Sweating can cause your pores to get blocked and result in a bumpy, red skin rash that stings. Heat rash is more common in newborns, but can also affect older children and adults.
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