Are There Home Remedies For Late
While home remedies will not make psoriasis go away, many people with mild to moderate psoriasis manage their symptoms using natural and alternative remedies. Tea tree oil and apple cider vinegar can relieve itching and loosen plaques especially in scalp psoriasis. An oatmeal bath or Epsom salts can soothe irritated skin. Adding omega-3 fatty acids to your diet can help reduce inflammation.
What Else Should I Know
Making healthy choices can help with psoriasis. Here are some things you can do:
- If you smoke, quit. Smoking can trigger outbreaks of psoriasis in some people.
- Avoid alcohol. It can make psoriasis treatments less effective.
- Eat healthy foods. Eating a lot of fruits and vegetables can help fend off diseases that might trigger psoriasis.
- Stay at a healthy weight. This decreases the risk of inverse psoriasis.
- Keep skin clean and well moisturized. Bathing daily with bath salts or oils and then applying moisturizer can help ease the symptoms of psoriasis.
People who have psoriasis may feel self-conscious about how it looks. That’s one reason why some people turn to a therapist or join a support group of people who understand what they might be going through.
The key to psoriasis treatment is keeping up on whatever your doctor prescribes. If that means applying an ointment twice a day, then find a way to remind yourself to do it so you don’t forget. Psoriasis is one of those things that you need to stay focused on treating, even when you’re feeling OK.
Whether your psoriasis is mild or severe, learn all you can about it. Talk to your doctor or check websites like:
How Do I Live With Psoriasis
Loss of confidence and self-esteem can make you feel unattractive and have a negative effect on your relationships. You may even feel a sense of mourning for not being able to do the things you once did such as wearing shorts, sunbathing, swimming or even just going out. Unfortunately, the more you worry about your skin, the worse you will feel. Although stress does not cause psoriasis, it can trigger a flare-up.Remember that psoriasis is common and affects as many as 1 in 50 people
- Feel positive about yourself and concentrate on your good points instead of your skin
- Reduce your levels of stress and anxiety
- Try to work out what trigger factors can bring your symptoms on and avoid these
- Talk to someone close, or write down your feelings to let them out – dont bottle things up
- Imagine yourself in control and visualise your skin getting clearer
- If you feel very stressed, try breathing in slowly and deeply. When you reach your limit of breathing in, immediately start to breathe out – without holding your breath – to empty your lungs as much as possible. Repeat 5 times without holding your breath in-between.
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Who Does It Affect
It affects men, women and children alike. It can appear at any age in varying degrees but usually between the ages of 10 and 30. The extent of disease varies enormously from a minute patch to large patches covering most body areas. Psoriasis can also run in families and much research is being done into the genetics of this disease. It is known that the disease is multi genetic and therefore children may not necessarily inherit psoriasis.
Do People With Psoriasis Get Sick More
Psoriasis is so much more than skin deep its a condition that affects the whole body. In this blog we look at what having psoriasis means for the overall health of those living with the condition.
Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition its something that those who develop it are born vulnerable to and have for the rest of their lives. That might sound gloomy, but while psoriasis is a condition that cant be cured, it can be managed.
Psoriasis involves a malfunction of the immune system, which causes inflammation in the body. While its hard to say what actually causes the immune system of psoriasis sufferers not to work properly, it is possible to see what it does to the body. One of the ways that the condition shows up is in the skin, with skin cells being produced at a much faster rate than normal, and causing characteristic scaly plaques that need frequent moisturising and extra care.
But how else does the condition affect people who live with psoriasis? Lets look at the ways in which an overactive immune system can affect your general health and wellbeing.
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How Does Psoriasis Affect Quality Of Life
It is widely accepted that psoriasis can severely affect an individuals quality of life although for many the condition is mild and a mere inconvenience. The severity of the disease does not always relate to the severity of anxiety that an individual will have. The area where the psoriasis is located such as the hands or face can severely affect an individuals ability to work or lead to discrimination due to ignorance.
How Is Psoriasis Treated
Psoriasis is usually treated by a dermatologist . A rheumatologist may also help with treatment. Treatments can include:
- ultraviolet light from the sun or from home or office treatments. But in some people, sunlight can make psoriasis worse.
- creams, lotions, ointments, and shampoos such as moisturizers, corticosteroids, vitamin D creams, and shampoos made with salicylic acid or coal tar
- medicines taken by mouth or injected medicines
A doctor might try one therapy for a while and then switch to another. Or a doctor may combine different therapies. It’s all about finding one that works for each person.
Sometimes what works for a while might stop working. This is one reason why it’s important to work closely with a doctor. Trying out new treatments can get a little frustrating, but most people eventually find one that works.
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How Many People Have Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a fairly common skin condition and is estimated to affect approximately 1%-3% of the U.S. population. It currently affects roughly 7.5 million to 8.5 million people in the U.S. It is seen worldwide in about 125 million people. Interestingly, African Americans have about half the rate of psoriasis as Caucasians.
What Are The Types Of Psoriasis
Common types of psoriasis include:
Plaque psoriasis. This is the most common type of psoriasis. It causes plaques and silvery scales, usually on the knees, elbows, lower back, and scalp. They can be itchy and painful and may crack and bleed.
Guttate psoriasis. This type often shows up after an illness, especially strep throat. It causes small red spots, usually on the trunk, arms, and legs. Spots also can appear on the face, scalp, and ears.
Inverse psoriasis. This causes smooth, raw-looking patches of red skin that feel sore. The patches are in places where skin touches skin, such as the armpits, buttocks, upper eyelids, groin and genitals, or under a girl’s breasts.
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Is It Psoriasis Or Eczema
Like psoriasis, eczema is a very itchy skin condition. In fact, eczema usually results in a more intense itch than psoriasis. Scratching causes inflammation of the skin, leading to a worsening of the eczema. Scratching can also cause a secondary bacterial infection.
Eczema is not a specific disease, but rather a term referring to a group of rash-like conditions. The most common type of eczema is caused by a reaction to irritants, like detergents, soaps, or household cleansers.
Eczema often shows up on the back of the knees or the inside of the elbows.
Eczema can affect anyone and affects children more than psoriasis does.
Autoimmune Disorders And Inflammation
Celiac disease and psoriasis are both autoimmune disorders, meaning that the immune system mistakenly attacks normal cells and tissues. With celiac disease, the immune system will attack the lining of the intestine, known as the villi. With psoriasis, the immune system attacks cells known as keratinocytes in the outer layer of skin .
One of the common denominators in all autoimmune disorders is inflammation. With celiac disease, inflammation flattens and damages the finger-like villi, interfering with their ability to absorb nutrients. With psoriasis, inflammation triggers the hyperproduction of keratinocytes, leading to the formation of dry, scaly plaques.
Inflammation also contributes to joint damage with rheumatoid arthritis and nerve cell damage in people with multiple sclerosis.
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Research And Statistics: Who Has Psoriasis
According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, about 7.5 million people in the United States have psoriasis. Most are white, but the skin disease also affects Black, Latino, and Asian Americans as well as Native Americans and Pacific Islanders.
The disease occurs about equally among men and women. According to the National Institutes of Health , it is more common in adults, and you are at a greater risk if someone in your family has it. A study published in September 2016 in the journal PLoS One concluded that interactions between particular genes as well as genetic and environmental factors play an important role in the diseases development.
People with psoriasis generally see their first symptoms between ages 15 and 30, although developing the disease between 50 and 60 years of age is also common.
The biggest factor for determining prognosis is the amount of disease someone has, says Michael P. Heffernan, MD, a dermatologist at the San Luis Dermatology and Laser Clinic in San Luis Obispo, California.
Risk Factors For Psoriasis That Spreads
Psoriasis is more likely to spread and become severe when it is left untreated. So treatment from a doctor who specializes in psoriasis can significantly reduce the risk that psoriasis will spread, or that the next flare-up will be worse than the last.
A family history of psoriasis, having another immune system disorder, smoking, trauma to the skin, and exposure to many psoriasis triggers are additional risk factors that might cause psoriasis to spread.
It is essential to moisturize the skin because it can speed the healing process and prevent itching. A range of moisturizing lotions that are suitable for psoriasis are available without a prescription.
Tar shampoo and soap may also help. Ingredients that encourage old skin cells to fall off, such as salicylic acid, can reduce the appearance of flaky plaques. However, some of these products can be harsh on the skin, so getting advice from a professional can help determine the most suitable lotion.
Steroid creams, such as hydrocortisone, are also safe and effective for most people. They help with itching and can speed healing. Using steroid creams for a very long time may cause side effects, however, so talk to a doctor about the safe use of steroids.
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Vision & Eye Problems
People with psoriatic arthritis are more likely to suffer from conjunctivitis, which is commonly referred to as pink eye. Signs of conjunctivitis can include redness, itching, and overproduction of tears .
Uveitis is an inflammatory disease of the eye that about 7% of psoriasis sufferers struggle with. If you are dealing with Uveitis, you may experience eye pain, redness, blurring, and dark, floating spots in your field of vision.
Your healthcare provider, eye doctor, and dermatologist should all be consulted in order to plan for effective treatment. When caught in the early stages, serious complications, including loss of eyesight, can usually be avoided.
What Are The Symptoms Of Scalp Psoriasis
Symptoms of psoriasis on the scalp might include:
- Fine scaling that looks like dandruff, or appears as thick, crusted plaques on the scalp
- Red, itchy areas on the scalp
- Scaling that covers parts of the scalp or the entire scalp
- Scaling that may extend beyond the hairline onto the neck
“It can be itchy and painful and all that together can make psoriasis that affects a small body area disabling,” says Dr. Friedman.
Scalp psoriasis can have a social impact, too, he adds.
“If someone sees a person with a flaky, red scalp, they may assume the person is unkempt or has a fungal infection, so there is an added level of anxiety associated with that in terms of misunderstanding what scalp psoriasis is and punishing the patients,” Dr. Friedman says.
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What Happens If My Gp Cannot Help
If you are referred for further treatment or advice it is likely to be to outpatients at your local hospital where a consultant dermatologist or a specialist dermatology nurse will assess you or it may be to another General Practitioner with enhanced role often referred to as GP with special interest .
It is likely that you may be offered the same treatment that your GP has already given you or other treatments that your GP is unable to prescribe.
How Do You Develop Psoriasis
The exact cause of psoriasis isnt fully understood. Its thought that overactive T cells, which are cells that fight off viruses and bacteria in your body, are involved. In people with psoriasis, T cells attack healthy skin cells and activate other immune responses. This increases the production of healthy skin cells, T cells, and other white blood cells.
As a result, too many skin cells accumulate on the skins outer layer. This is why some types of psoriasis cause the skin to have a scaly appearance. It normally takes weeks for new skin cells to form, but in people with psoriasis, skin cells form within days. The body doesnt shed the excess cells and psoriasis lesions occur.
People with a compromised immune system, including those with HIV or those who get repeated infections, have a higher risk of getting psoriasis.
Many environmental and lifestyle factors may trigger psoriasis flares. Not everyone with psoriasis has the same triggers. Common triggers are:
- sun exposure
- skin trauma, such as cuts, bug bites, and burns
- stress
- certain medications, such as lithium, blood pressure medications, and iodides
- heavy alcohol use
Smoking isnt just a psoriasis trigger. It may also be involved in its development and increase the severity of the disease.
Research shows that smoking may cause one in five cases of psoriasis and doubles your risk of getting the condition. This may be due to the effects of nicotine on skin cells, skin inflammation, and your immune system.
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Causes And Risk Factors Of Psoriasis
Psoriasis, in general, is a genetic condition passed down through families. “It’s likely that multiple genes need to be affected to allow psoriasis to occur and that it’s frequently triggered by an external event, such as an infection,” says James W. Swan, MD, professor of dermatology at the Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine in Maywood, Illinois.
Certain risk factors, such as a family history or being obese, may increase your odds of developing psoriasis.
According to the National Psoriasis Foundation , at least 10 percent of people inherit genes that could lead to psoriasis, but only 3 percent or less actually develop the disease. For this reason, it is believed that the disease is caused by a combination of genetics and external factors or triggers.
A psoriasis outbreak may be provoked by:
How Do You Get A Psoriasis Diagnosis
Your physician will do a physical exam if they think you have psoriasis. They will probably also ask if you have any symptoms like itchy skin in addition to getting your medical history so they can learn if you have blood relatives with the condition or if youve experienced possible psoriasis triggers.
Your doctor may also remove a very small piece of your skin that can be analyzed to confirm that you have psoriasis, according to the AAD3. A biopsy can also help your doctor rule out other skin disorders and diagnose your specific form of psoriasis, according to the Mayo Clinic1.
For people of color, getting diagnosed with psoriasis can be really frustrating. Often, people with dark skin are misdiagnosed with other skin conditions because theres not enough medical awareness about how psoriasis looks on skin of color.
The length of time youve have psoriasis, any treatments you are using to help your symptoms, and scratching your flare can change the way psoriasis looks, according to Dr. Wassef. So, your physician might do a biopsy just to confirm that you do have psoriasis if they cant tell visually.
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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.
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.
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