Psoriasis On Face And Forehead
Wikipedia claims that more than 2% of the worlds total population is dealing with psoriasis. Thats really a big number. But, not all of them have psoriasis on face and forehead. I have met a lot of people who have severe psoriasis all over their body, but not on the face.
The psychological impact of psoriasis is much more if it exists on the face. It is very obvious also. Your face is the first thing that a person notices on coming in contact. If a person meets you and give awkward stares at your face, then you are bound to feel a little low. Psoriasis marks on the face and forehead can really make an impact on your personal and professional life. I remember, once I got an email from a young lady who was fired from her job because of psoriasis on face. She was a receptionist. Similarly, if you are approaching an opposing sex with the intention of getting into a relationship, then psoriasis patches on your face can really prove a big turn off.
Uncommon Types Of Psoriasis
Some uncommon types of psoriasis can have more serious effects.
Erythrodermic psoriasis causes all of the skin on the body to become red and scaly. This form of psoriasis is serious because, like a burn, it keeps the skin from serving as a protective barrier against injury and infection.
Pustular psoriasis is another uncommon form of psoriasis. In this form, large and small pus-filled blisters are scattered widely on the body.
Palmoplantar psoriasis is a form of pustular psoriasis in which pustules occur primarily on the hands and feet. It is sometimes called palmoplantar psoriasis of the palms and soles.
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Best Homeopathic Medicines For Psoriasis
Homeopathy is a safe and reliable method of treatment for Psoriasis. It uses natural medicine, which is free from side-effects, and a majority of cases can be treated with these remedies. They can be used by people of all age groups. They work by moderating the over-active immune system. The initial aim is to manage the itching and burning sensation in the eruptions. In addition, healing of the current eruptions takes place along with the prevention of further spread of eruptions. Homeopathic medicines also are very beneficial for treating joint pains that are linked with Psoriasis .
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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.
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.
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Is Your Stomach to Blame?
Who would have thought that a severe psoriasis outbreak could start because of something going wrong inside of your stomach and intestines? Yet, new research developed by psoriasis expert Edgard Cayce shows a distinct link between a leaky gut and a scaly psoriatic episode. According to Cayce, the primary source of psoriasis can be found in the intestinal tract, where toxins are leached into the body. This causes the immune system to react by thickening the skin. At the same time, the skin tries to purge the toxins through its layers, which can cause scabs and sores to form.
Could Arthritis Be the Cuplrit?
The intestines arent the only link to psoriasis found by researchers arthritis seems to also contribute to it. As many as one-third of all psoriasis patients eventually develop some form of psoriatic arthritis. Unlike normal forms of arthritis, those with psoriatic arthritis do not exhibit a rheumatoid factor when their blood is tested. This indicates that the arthritic condition comes solely from either the psoriasis itself or the underlying cause of the skin affliction.
Could a Virus Be the Cause?
Arthritis has been linked to certain virus and so have other auto-immune disorders. This leads some researchers to think that psoriasis too may start with a virus, which is what kicks the immune system into overdrive.
What Is Plaque Psoriasis
Plaque psoriasis, which is recognizable due to the scaly plaques it produces on the skin, is the most common type of psoriasis. An estimated 80 to 90 percent of people with psoriasis develop plaques.
Some people will have more than one type of psoriasis. People who have plaque psoriasis may later develop other forms of the condition, such as psoriatic arthritis.
Usually, the turnover of peoples skin cells takes 21 to 28 days. In people with psoriasis, the body attacks healthy skin cells, so new cells develop every 4 to 7 days.
Psoriasis damages patches of skin, leaving areas of redness and irritation. This damage causes the skin to appear scaly and gray and to peel off.
Plaque psoriasis is not an infection, and it is not contagious. However, irritated patches of psoriasis can become infected.
In some people, an infection or injury to the skin can trigger an outbreak of psoriasis. People experiencing their first psoriasis flare-up may mistake their symptoms for an allergic reaction or skin infection.
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Itchy Rash All Over The Body Due To Dermatitis:
Dermatitis is one more condition which can cause itchy rash along with bumps all over the body. This is commonly referred as Eczema and it is usually induced by dry skin and is more common during the colder months of the year. Contact with allergens or irritant chemicals, exposure to excessive water can also cause dermatitis. This skin rash may appear dry, red and itchy. You should avoid scratching, as it can make the rash worse. Apply OTC 1% hydrocortisone cream, 2 times in a week and also use moisturizing cream as often as possible so as to keep the skin dryness away. Make sure that you visit a dermatologist in case there is no improvement of the condition in few days.
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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 girls breasts.
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Evaluation And Differential Diagnosis
Less common variants of psoriasis include inverse psoriasis, pustular psoriasis, guttate psoriasis, erythrodermic psoriasis, and annular psoriasis .6). These variants can be differentiated from the common plaque type by morphology. Differential diagnoses include atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, lichen planus, secondary syphilis, mycosis fungoides, tinea corporis, and pityriasis rosea . Careful observation often yields the diagnosis. For more atypical presentations, a skin biopsy might be helpful.
Differential diagnoses and distinguishing clinical features
| DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSES | DISTINGUISHING CLINICAL FEATURES |
|---|---|
| Atopic dermatitis | Predominant symptom of pruritus and typical morphology and distribution |
| Contact dermatitis | Patches or plaques with angular corners, geometric outlines, and sharp margins dependent on the nature of the exposure to the irritant or allergen |
| Lichen planus | Violaceous lesions and frequent mucosal involvement |
| Secondary syphilis | Copper-coloured lesions and frequent involvement of palms and soles |
| Mycosis fungoides | Irregularly shaped lesions with asymmetric distribution, peculiar colour, and wrinkling due to epidermal atrophy |
| Tinea corporis | Fewer lesions with annular configuration |
| Pityriasis rosea | Tannish-pink, oval papules and patches with Christmas tree configuration on trunk with sparing of the face and distal extremities |
Are Psoriasis Shampoos Available
Coal tar shampoos are very useful in controlling psoriasis of the scalp. Using the shampoo daily can be very beneficial adjunctive therapy. There are a variety of over-the-counter shampoos available without a prescription. There is no evidence that one shampoo is superior to another. Generally, the selection of a tar shampoo is simply a matter of personal preference.
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Whats Triggering Your Psoriasis Flare
Science isnt exactly sure what causes psoriasis. It seems to be a combo of genetics, environmental triggers, and your immune system going rogue against your skin cells.
If youre genetically predisposed to psoriasis , youll prob experience your first flare-up because of an environmental trigger.
Even folks with a tried-and-true treatment protocol can get flare-ups. Theres just no way to control *everything* around you and trying to control everything would be a lot of stress.
Most psoriasis flare-ups start as a small itchy patch that spreads pretty quickly. Scratching it wont speed up the spread, but it could lead to irritation and infection.
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How Do You Know If You Have Psoriasis
Its almost always a skin rash, says Mark Lebwohl, MD, a dermatologist in New York City and chair of the department of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
The most common type of psoriasis is plaque psoriasis. With this kind of psoriasis, you tend to develop salmon-pink or red patches or plaques with an overlying silvery scale. They appear in areas like the tops of the knees and elbows, scalp, behind the ears, and on your torso, says Susan Massick, MD, a dermatologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
In addition to plaque psoriasis, there are several other kinds of psoriasis:
- Guttate psoriasis, which causes small, round or teardrop-shaped lesions or papules and often develops after an infection like strep throat
- Inverse psoriasis, which tends to develop as red, inflamed skin in high-friction areas and can be triggered by a fungal infection
- Nail psoriasis, which may cause small pits on the top of your nails, or thickened, crumbly nail beds that might mimic a fungal infection.
- Pustular psoriasis, a less common type of psoriasis that shows up as pus-filled blisters
- Erythrodermic psoriasis, a very uncommon type of psoriasis that causes a very painful red, peeling rash all over your body.
The symptoms vary, depending on what type of psoriasis you have. But most people think of those raised, red patches that are the hallmark of plaque psoriasis.
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Kali Ars For Discoloration On The Skin
Kali Ars is indicated where eruptions leave a discoloration on the skin. In individuals needing Kali Ars abundant scales fall off from the skin and leave behind a discolored red skin. The psoriatic patches are numerous and mainly located on the back, arms, and legs. Intolerable itching is also present. Itching tends to get worse on undressing. The person scratches the skin until an ichorous fluid oozes out.
How Can Psoriasis Be Treated
Treatment of psoriasis depends upon your individual circumstances. Treatment applied to the surface of your skin is sufficient alone in most patients. For people with more extensive or difficult to treat psoriasis, ultraviolet light treatment , tablet treatment or injection treatment may be required.
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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.
Treatments Include Light Therapy And Topical/oral/injectable Medications
Doctors choose the individual treatment based on the type and severity of psoriasis and the areas of the skin that are affected. The treatment goal for psoriasis is to reduce inflammation and itching, slow the growth of skin cells, and clear up the skin by removing dead skin cells.
Lotions, creams, and ointments are applied to the skin directly and have been shown effective for mild or moderate psoriasis. With more severe symptoms, topical medications are combined with other types of treatments. Because ultraviolet B light penetrates the skin and can slow the growth of affected skin cells, doctors may prescribe regular exposure to natural or artificial light to control symptoms of psoriasis. Light therapy usually involves regular, scheduled sessions of UVB light exposure, either via natural sunlight or using special lights or lasers.
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Traditional Treatment Cautions Humira And Body Temperature Swings
You make an appointment to see your doctor because your psoriasis is flaring. He takes a look and then whips out his prescription pad to order one of the following:
. A prescription strength topical treatment
. phototherapy
. oral and injection therapy
. over the counter drugs
Any of these treatments may work fine to relieve your symptoms and make you feel better for now. The trouble with conventional treatment methods is that they rarely work to cure the underlying cause of this skin condition and that can leave you suffering repeat attacks. Still it is important to know what helps are available, and how they may help or hurt your chance of treatment success.
Topical Ointments Humira and Body Temperature Swings
Topical ointments are used at the first sign of psoriasis. If caught early enough they can sometimes stave off a full-blown attack. Unfortunately, most people report becoming immune to them when used often, which makes them useless for long term use. Still, using the occasional cream or gel can help relieve some of your symptoms. Steroids
Both topical and internal steroids can be prescribed to help ease psoriasis swelling inflammation and itching. Immunomodulators
An immune suppressing drug that was originally used to help transplant patients beat organ rejection, Cyclosporine helps to inhibit T lymphocyte production so that scaly plaque is unable to grow on the surface of the skin.
Oral Retinoid Humira and Body Temperature Swings
. stretch marks
Biologics Target Cell Growth
Many of the recent advancements in the treatment of psoriasis have been in the introduction of new oral and injectable medications for moderate-to-severe psoriasis. These medications, called biologics, are protein-based drugs developed from living cells that target specific parts of the immune system to control the rapid growth and movement of skin cells. The biologics approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis include etanercept , infliximab , adalimumab , ustekinumab , golimumab , apremilast , secukinumab , and ixekizumab . Most of these drugs are injections used for people who have failed to respond to traditional therapy or who also have psoriatic arthritis. If you have any questions about psoriasis or about the medications used to manage it, speak with your trusted local pharmacist or another healthcare provider.
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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.
Medical Treatment Topical Agents
The first line of treatment for psoriasis includes topical medications applied to your skin. The main topical treatments are corticosteroids , vitamin D-3 derivatives, coal tar, anthralin, and retinoids. These drugs may lose potency over time, so often they are rotated or combined. Ask your doctor before combining medications, as some drugs should not be combined.
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Main Symptoms Of Psoriasis
Psoriasis typically causes patches of skin that are dry, red and covered in silver scales. Some people find their psoriasis causes itching or soreness.
There are several different types of psoriasis. Many people have only 1 form at a time, although 2 different types can occur together. One form may change into another or become more severe.
Most cases of psoriasis go through cycles, causing problems for a few weeks or months before easing or stopping.
You should see a GP if you think you may have psoriasis.