What Else Should I Ask My Healthcare Provider
If you have psoriasis, ask your healthcare provider:
- How can I prevent outbreaks and control symptoms?
- What medication will work best for me?
- What else should I do to improve symptoms?
- What are my options if creams dont work?
- Will psoriasis ever go away?
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Psoriasis, an itchy skin condition, can come and go throughout your life. Its related to an overactive immune response and is not contagious. If you have skin changes that arent going away, talk to your healthcare provider. There is no cure for psoriasis, but psoriasis treatments can improve symptoms. Your provider may prescribe a special cream or moisturizer or medications. Other therapies are available if creams or medicines dont work. Maintaining your overall health will also help improve symptoms.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 10/17/2020.
References
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Are There Complications Of Psoriasis
In some people, psoriasis causes more than itchiness and red skin. It can lead to swollen joints and arthritis. If you have psoriasis, you may be at higher risk of:
- Use medicated shampoo for scales on your scalp.
Other steps you should take to stay as healthy as possible:
- Talk to your healthcare provider about lowering your risk for related conditions, such as heart disease, depression and diabetes.
- Lower your stress with meditation, exercise or seeing a mental health professional.
What Are The Clinical Features Of Psoriasis
Psoriasis usually presents with symmetrically distributed, red, scaly plaques with well-defined edges. The scale is typically silvery white, except in skin folds where the plaques often appear shiny with a moist peeling surface. The most common sites are scalp, elbows, and knees, but any part of the skin can be involved. The plaques are usually very persistent without treatment.
Itch is mostly mild but may be severe in some patients, leading to scratching and lichenification characterised by thickened leathery skin and increased skin markings. Painful skin cracks or fissures may occur.
When psoriatic plaques clear up, they may leave brown or pale marks that can be expected to fade over several months.
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Is Psoriasis The Same As Eczema
Psoriasis and eczema are two different skin conditions. They differ in where the disease appears on the body, how much it itches and how it looks. Eczema tends to appear more often behind the knees and inside the elbows. Eczema also causes more intense itching than psoriasis. Many people, especially children, can get both eczema and psoriasis.
What Are Psoriasis Flare
One feature of psoriasis is that its recurring, often seasonally. Other times, the appearance or reappearance of your psoriasis symptoms can be unpredictable, with patterns or triggers changing over time. When your symptoms suddenly reappear or worsen, these are called flare-ups.
You may not have to suffer every time one occurs. Working with your doctor can help you make lifestyle choices to better manage flare-ups.
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Psoriasis Pictures On Body
When psoriasis on body is diagnosed, it means that it can affect any part of it. The only thing, it is proved that psoriasis on legs occurs frequently but still it is possible. The patient can complain of this skin disease in inconvenient places like genitals, bottoms of the feet or armpits where the contact with the injured skin hurts. Here the patches are larger compared to typical areas due to the increased moisture.
Severe forms of psoriasis on body with pain can threaten to life of the patient. The deviation is not possible to get rid of. There is not any remedy curing this chronic autoimmune condition but the pharmacologists created a range of medications releasing pain and easing symptoms. Treating all types of psoriasis is critically important. The symptoms are not only irritating and looking unwell but can cause serious complications.
Guttate Psoriasis And Similar Conditions
Guttate psoriasis is easy to mistake for other common conditions. Seborrheic dermatitis, or seborrhea, is a type of skin condition involving the oil-producing glands found in the face, scalp, chest, groin, and upper back. Seborrheic dermatitis often results in rashes and lesions in these areas. Lesions tend to be undefined in shape and pink with yellow-brown scales.
Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is another skin condition noted by a rash and patches of dry skin. However, eczema tends to be limited to the back of the knees or the insides of the elbows.
Dandruff is easy to mistake for psoriasis on the scalp. Dandruff is a form of seborrhea relegated to the scalp. It produces fine, greasy scales all over the head. Guttate psoriasis rarely affects only the scalp.
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Signs And Symptoms Of Ringworm
The specific symptoms of ringworm depend on the location of the infection. They typically include:
- Itchy skin
- Red, scaly, or cracked skin
- A ring-shaped rash
- Hair loss
Symptoms of ringworm can be different depending on the specific part of the body thats affected:
- Tinea pedis, or athletes foot Skin may peel or become swollen, red, and itchy between the toes . The soles and heels of the feet may also be affected. In severe cases, blistering of the feet can occur.
- Tinea cruris, or jock itch Itchy, scaly red spots usually appear on the inner thighs.
- Tinea barbae Scaly, itchy red spots may be visible on the cheeks, chin, and upper neck. The spots may become crusty or fill up with pus, and hair loss may occur.
- Tinea manuum Palms may have dry skin with deep cracks, and ring-shaped patches may appear on the back of the hand.
- Tinea capitis Typically looks like a scaly, red, circular bald spot on the scalp that is also itchy, and it can grow in size. Ringworm on the scalp is more common in children than adults.
- Onychomycosis Nails become thick and abnormal in shape and color, and one or several nails may be affected. Onychomycosis often occurs in people who have athletes foot for a prolonged period.
What Can I Do To Help
- Discuss your psoriasis and how it affects your life with your GP or dermatologist and identify treatment goals.
- Manage your risk factors for heart disease and stroke with your GP.
- Adopt a healthy lifestyle: eat a balanced diet, try to lose weight if you are overweight and exercise regularly.
- Stop smoking if you smoke.
- If you drink excessive alcohol, reducing your intake might be helpful.
- Reduce stress, where possible.
- Take your medications as recommended by your GP or dermatologist.
If you have pain in your joints discuss with your GP or dermatologist.
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What Causes Guttate Psoriasis
Very often, guttate psoriasis comes on suddenly. Strep throat is a common trigger, says Sugarman.
So-called environmental factors seem to play a more important role in guttate psoriasis than in other types of psoriasis, he adds.
According to the University of Florida Health and the NPF, guttate psoriasis can also be triggered by:
- An upper respiratory infection bacterial or viral
- Tonsillitis
- Stress
- An injury to the skin such as an insect bite, burn, or cut
- Medications, such as beta-blockers, which are used to treat heart conditions, and drugs that treat malaria
- Excessive alcohol consumption
These triggers can cause guttate psoriasis in people who may have a family history or other risk factors for the disease.
- Autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis
- Cancer for which they are receiving chemotherapy
Shurlow doesnt know what triggered her guttate psoriasis, but she was sick a lot as a kid. I had asthma, and from when I was 4 until about 10, I got bronchitis a lot, she recalls.
Shurlow does know that when shes under stress, her guttate psoriasis symptoms tend to be worse. Also, two or three days before coming down with a cold or other illness, she would notice more spots. I find it kind of strange, she says. It was like a warning sign that I was going to get sick.
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Articles On Types Of Psoriasis
Knowing which kind of psoriasis you have helps you and your doctor make a treatment plan. Most people have only one type at a time. Sometimes, after your symptoms go away, a new form of psoriasis will crop up in response to a trigger.
In general, most types of psoriasis result from the same triggers:
- Diet
- Weather
Here’s how you can spot the 7 types of psoriasis and what you can do to treat them.
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Shingles: A Rash And Severe Pain That Lingers
Shingles is another viral infection that shares some symptoms with psoriasis. Like psoriasis, shingles can make your skin burn and itch and produces a red, blistered skin rash. Shingles is caused by the same virus that first brings on chickenpox. The virus stays in your body and can come back years later to cause shingles, especially during times of stress or infection. The skin rash of shingles follows the course of a single nerve, usually on the trunk. In some cases, severe pain lasts long after the burning, itchy rash disappears. Shingles is more common in people over age 50.
What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Psoriasis
Dry, thick, and raised patches on the skin are the most common sign of psoriasis. These patches are often covered with a silvery-white coating called scale, and they tend to itch.
While patches of thickened, dry skin are common, psoriasis can cause many signs and symptoms. What you see and feel tends to vary with the:
-
Type of psoriasis you have
-
Places psoriasis appears on your body
-
Amount of psoriasis you have
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Psoriatic Arthritis: What Is The Connection
Psoriatic arthritis : 1 in 4 of people with psoriasis may develop an associated arthritis called psoriatic arthropathy, which causes pain and swelling in the joints and connective tissue, accompanied by stiffness particularly in the mornings and when rising from a seat. Most commonly affected sites are the hands, feet, lower back, neck and knees, with movement in these areas becoming severely limited. Chronic fatigue is a common complaint linked with this condition. If you are experiencing mild aches and pains and have psoriasis, even very mildly, consult your dermatologist for further advice and if necessary a referral to a rheumatologist for further assessments. For more detailed information on psoriatic arthritis see What is Psoriatic Arthritis?
Seborrheic Dermatitis: Itchy Scaly Patches
A psoriasis skin rash tends to itch, burn, and feel sore. Patches of psoriasis commonly occur on your knees and elbows. Many people also have scalp psoriasis. The common skin rash seborrheic dermatitis also causes scaly, itchy skin patches. It can occur on your scalp, where it may be called dandruff, or on your face and chest. While doctors don’t know the exact cause of seborrhea, it occurs across the age spectrum, in babies as well as in adults, and is usually treated with creams and lotions.
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Psoriasis White Patches On Skin
Psoriasis is a long-lasting, noncontagious autoimmune disease characterized by raised areas of abnormal skin. These areas are red, or purple on some people with darker skin, dry, itchy, and scaly. Psoriasis varies in severity from small, localized patches to complete body coverage. Injury to the skin can trigger psoriatic skin changes at that spot, which is known as the Koebner phenomenon.
Identifying The Symptoms Of Psoriasis On The Scalp
Not all rashes are psoriasis, and if you are already diagnosed with the condition, not everything that happens to you is because of psoriasis. It is important to be aware of the symptoms to understand and avoid the triggers in the future.
Scalp Psoriasis mainly presents itself in the form of red itchy patches on the scalp. It may or may not affect the skin, nails, and joints. It can often be accompanied by joint pain, tendon inflammations, whitish scales covering cracked, damaged skin, and sometimes even bouts of depression.
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Skin: Condition: Infomation Internal Treatments
- Tablet options include acitretin , ciclosporin , methotrexate , and in some hospitals fumaric acid esters and apremilast.
- Injectable treatments for psoriasis include etanercept, adalimumab, infliximab, ustekinumab, secukinumab, ixekizumab and guselkumab. Other new tablet and injected treatments are being developed in clinical studies at present.
- Blood tests may be recommended by your GP or dermatologist. If you are considering tablet or injection treatment for your psoriasis, then blood tests will be needed before and during treatment.
Further details of these treatments can be found in the Treatments for moderate and severe psoriasis and individual drug patient information leaflets.
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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.
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Related Conditions And Causes Of Ringworm
Ringworm often resembles other conditions, including eczema . Eczema is a condition that makes your skin red and itchy. Like ringworm, it’s common in children, but anyone can get eczema. Symptoms include itching, and red to brownish-gray patches on the skin.
HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system, making you more vulnerable to other infections and diseases . It is spread by contact with certain bodily fluids of a person with HIV. Without treatment, HIV can lead to AIDS .
Generalised Pustular Psoriasis Or Von Zumbusch Psoriasis
This causes pustules that develop very quickly on a wide area of skin. The pus consists of white blood cells and is not a sign of infection.
The pustules may reappear every few days or weeks in cycles. During the start of these cycles, von Zumbusch psoriasis can cause fever, chills, weight loss and fatigue.
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How Do You Treat Psoriasis On Your Face
Because the skin on your face is more sensitive than other parts of your body, the treatment will most likely start out conservative. Your treatment plan will also depend on how severe your symptoms are and if you are experiencing psoriasis sores or plaques on other areas of the body.
Your healthcare provider will recommend using a quality moisturizer on your face, as dryness is a trigger for psoriasis symptoms. Other possible treatments include steroid creams, vitamin ointment, light therapy, and immune therapies.
Causes And Risk Factors Of Ringworm
There are about 40 different species of fungi in the Trichophyton, Microsporum, and Epidermophyton genera that can cause ringworm.
Ringworm is contagious even before symptoms appear, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The condition is caused by mold-like fungi called dermatophytes, says the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Like other types of fungi, dermatophytes thrive in warm, moist areas. You can catch ringworm by:
- Having direct, skin-to-skin contact with affected areas of an infected person’s body
- Touching items that have the fungi on them, such as clothing, combs, pool surfaces, and shower floors
- Playing with pets. Cats and dogs, and especially kittens and puppies, are common carriers, according to the National Institutes of Health . Touching other infected animals, such as cows, goats, pigs, and horses, can also lead to an infection. Sometimes an animals infection looks like an area where the fur is patchy or scaly, but the signs may not always be visible. Be sure to take your pet to the veterinarian if you think it might have an infection.
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What Is Psoriasis And What Causes It
Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition. If you have psoriasis, it means your skin cells regenerate much faster than usual, causing them to build up. Anyone can get psoriasis, but its not contagious.
There are several types of psoriasis and, like other autoimmune diseases, they may involve flare-ups and periods of remission. You can even have more than one type.
Some common triggers for psoriasis are:
- certain medications
What Injections Or Infusions Are Available For Psoriasis
Recently, a new group of drugs called biologics have become available to treat psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. They are produced by living cells cultures in an industrial setting. They are all proteins and therefore must be administered through the skin because they would otherwise be degraded during digestion. All biologics work by suppressing certain specific portions of the immune inflammatory response that are overactive in psoriasis. A convenient method of categorizing these drugs is on the basis of their site of action:
Drug choice can be complicated, and your physician will help in selecting the best option. In some patients, it may be possible to predict drug efficacy on the basis of a prospective patientâs genetics. It appears that the presence of the HLA-Cw6 gene is correlated with a beneficial response to ustekinumab.
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