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 Is Psoriasis Everything You Need To Know
What is psoriasis? might seem like a pretty straightforward questionits a skin condition that causes raised bumpy patches, right? Not quite, actually. Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes issues with the skin. And its so much more than the physical symptoms you probably associate with it. For one, there are several different types of psoriasis and each persons experience with the condition is unique. Moreover, psoriasiss impact is more than skin-deep, with the potential to cause everything from painful psoriatic arthritis to serious self-image issues.
Before we dive in, lets cover the basics: Psoriasis causes the skin to regenerate more quickly than normal. Typically, your skin cells go through a cycle known as cell turnover, starting deep in your skin and slowly rising to the surface. Usually, this takes about a month, but according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, it can take only a few days when you have psoriasis, causing the skin cells to rise too fast and pile up on the surface of your skin. Because of this, people who have psoriasisabout 7.5 million people in the U.S., per the American Academy of Dermatology can have flare-ups that cause the characteristic itchy, scaly skin patches to show up on their skin.
What Does Plaque Psoriasis Look Like
About 80 to 90 percent of people with psoriasis have plaque psoriasis, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation. This makes it the most common type of psoriasis.
A plaque psoriasis rash looks like raised patches of thick, inflamed skin. On light skin, it looks red and scaly, often with a layer of silver on top. On skin with more pigment, the plaques look purple, gray, or darker brown and tend to be thicker.
Plaques can develop anywhere but are most likely to appear on your:
- scalp
- knees
- lower back
Plaques also tend to be symmetrical. For example, youre more likely to have plaques on both knees or elbows than on just one side. Other symptoms include:
- itching
2009 study of 1,593 people with psoriasis found that guttate psoriasis affects about 8 percent of people with psoriasis.
You can spot this type of psoriasis rash by small, raised round spots called papules. They sometimes have a scaly appearance. The spots might look red on light skin and purple or brown on skin with more pigment.
Guttate psoriasis can start at any age. For most people, though, it starts in childhood or adolescence. It can develop after an infection, such as strep throat or tonsillitis.
Its most likely to develop on the limbs and torso, though some people get it on the scalp, face, or ears.
Psoriasis can appear anywhere on the body. It can develop in just one area, or it can show up in several. For example, theres:
Plaque, inverse, and guttate are the most common types. Others include:
Read Also: How To Stop Plaque Psoriasis
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.
Irritated Psoriasis Can Resemble Eczema
Plaque psoriasis can by very itchy causing some people to scratch it.
“Irritated psoriasis in a patient that is doing lots of rubbing and scratching can become inflamed and have features of chronic eczema. The more you scratch, the more it thickens, and so on,” says Dr. Brodell.
While both conditions may cause your skin to be red and inflamed, a dermatologist can tell the difference. Subtle differences in the appearance, location and distribution of the rash, and other clues allow the diagnosis to be made without a biopsy or blood test.
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Psoriasis Support Groups And Counseling
Education of psoriasis patients is one of the foundations for managing this chronic and typically relapsing disorder. Patients should be familiar with the treatment options in order to make proper informed decisions about therapy. The National Psoriasis Foundation is an excellent organization that provides support to patients with psoriasis.
When To See A Doctor For Plaque Psoriasis
If you think you might have plaque psoriasis, don’t wait until your condition is severe, advises Dr. Friedman. Your primary care doctor can refer you to a dermatologist who can diagnose your condition based on symptoms and medical history.
“In general, if there was ever a time to have moderate to severe psoriasis, it’s now,” he says. “There are so many effective treatments available, and more on the rise.”
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Visit Your Trusted Dermatologist
If youre struggling with scalp psoriasis or youre just ready for an annual skin exam, the U.S. Dermatology Partners team is here to help. You can get started planning your visit right away by completing our online scheduling request form. After we receive your appointment request, a team member will be in touch to finalize appointment details.
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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.
Recommended Reading: I Have Psoriasis In My Ears
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.
Ready to talk to your dermatologist? Learn about your options: Psoriasis Treatments
What Does Psoriasis Look Like When It Starts
Psoriasis is a common, chronic skin condition that can cause patches of dry skin on the body. But how can you tell if it is psoriasis or something else?
Affecting up to 11% of the worlds population, psoriasis is a common inflammatory skin disorder. It is caused by an imbalance in the immune system that leads the body to produce too many skin cells.
Psoriasis can run in the family it can also start after events such as a bacterial infection, damage to the skin, ingesting or withdrawing from certain medications.
Ordinarily, skin cells replace themselves every three to four weeks but in people who have psoriasis this happens every three to four days. The resulting buildup of dead skin cells creates inflamed patches, often overlaid with scales. These patches, which occur in small or large outbreaks all over the body, are characteristic of psoriasis.
For people with Caucasian skin, patches generally appear as red or flushed. However, psoriasis in the skin of people of colour can easily be misdiagnosed if clinicians or patients are looking only for redness. Inflamed patches present differently depending on skin tone. With that in mind, its important to consider other typical symptoms to be sure that your skin condition is definitely psoriasis.
How do I know if this is psoriasis? Here are some of the tell tale signs:
When psoriasis starts, its really important to keep your skin moisturised.
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Ringworm: Fungal Infections Of The Skin And Nails
Tinea is a type of fungal infection that resembles some symptoms of psoriasis. Psoriasis can cause the thick fingernails symptomatic of fungal nail infections, and both can cause red, itchy skin rashes. When tinea grows on your skin, it can cause a scaly, red skin rash that clears in the middle, called ringworm . Fungal infections of the skin and nails can be hard to treat. Antifungal medications work, but you may need to take them for a long time.
Can You Get Psoriasis That Looks Like Parapsoriasis
Parapsoriasis is the term for a group of rare skin problems that look like psoriasis but behave differently. Your doctor may need to take a sample of your skin to be sure of what you have. Like psoriasis, parapsoriasis shows up as a patchy rash.
Psoriasis is a common skin disorder that forms thick, red, bumpy patches covered with silvery scales. They can pop up anywhere, but most appear on the scalp, elbows, knees, and lower back. Psoriasis cant be passed from person to person. It does sometimes happen in members of the same family. It usually appears in early adulthood.
Read Also: What Causes Psoriasis In Children
Flexural Or Inverse Psoriasis
Flexural or inverse psoriasis often appears in skinfolds, such as under the breasts or in the armpits or groin area. This type of psoriasis is red and often shiny and smooth.
The sweat and moisture from skinfolds keeps this form of psoriasis from shedding skin scales. Sometimes its misdiagnosed as a fungal or bacterial infection. The skin-on-skin contact can make inverse psoriasis very uncomfortable.
Most people with inverse psoriasis also have a different form of psoriasis in other places on the body.
What Body Parts Does Plaque Psoriasis Affect
The American Academy of Dermatology Association states that plaque psoriasis can occur on any part of the body but most often appears on a person’s:
- knees
- lower back
- scalp
“One of the reasons we think psoriasis develops on the extensor elbows and knees is because there’s frictional stress on those areas,” says Dr. Brodell.
Whether a person has one or more areas of their body affected varies. Dr. Brodell sees patients with psoriasis just in one area of the body and some with several areas of the body affected. “We even have people who just have pitting in their nails for years before we find that they have psoriasis showing up on areas of their body,” he says.
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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.
Eczema: Red Itchy Irritated Skin
Like psoriasis, eczema is a chronic skin condition that often causes intense itching. Scratching causes redness and inflammation of the skin, leading to a worsening of the eczema. Scratching can also cause a secondary bacterial infection. The most common type of eczema is caused by a reaction to irritants like detergents, soaps, or household cleansers. So if you have eczema, you should be careful to use mild soap and regularly moisturize your sensitive skin. Your doctor may prescribe a steroid cream or other medications if eczema is severe.
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Guttate Psoriasis: Small Red Spots
Guttate psoriasis the second most common type of psoriasis is characterized by multiple small, round red spots on the skin, usually widespread across the trunk and limbs. Often resulting from a bacterial or viral infection in children, such as strep throat, these spots come on suddenly and sometimes require oral medication or injections. Mild cases, however, may clear up without treatment.
Are There Alternative Therapies For Psoriasis
Conventional therapy is one that has been tested with clinical trials or has other evidence of clinical effectiveness. The FDA has approved several drugs for the treatment of psoriasis as described above. Some patients look to alternative therapy, diet changes, supplements, or stress-reducing techniques to help reduce symptoms. For the most part, alternative therapies have not been tested with clinical trials, and the FDA has not approved dietary supplements for treatment of psoriasis. There are no specific foods to eat or to avoid for patients with psoriasis. However, some other therapies can be found on the National Psoriasis Foundation web site. Individuals should check with their doctors before starting any therapy.
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Psoriasis And Quality Of Life
Doctors and people with psoriasis donât always agree on whatâs mild and whatâs serious. Psoriasis can affect self-image and make people self-conscious. This can even lead to depression and social isolation.
Only a frank discussion with your doctor about what living with psoriasis means to you will get these issues out in the open.
What Do Psoriasis And Ringworm Look Like
Psoriasis and ringworm both cause a red itchy rash. However, they are very different conditions. Ringworm patches are usually circular. The edges of the circle are raised so it may look like a worm under the skin. The itching is often very intense.
As the infection spreads, the circle grows larger, but the center will clear up. It can affect the feet, where it is called athletes foot. It can also affect the groin area of males, where it is called jock itch. Other common locations are the scalp and nails, but it can show up anywhere on the body.1-3
Psoriasis patches may be circular but usually look more irregular. The patches are scaly. They may appear white or silver in some areas where the skin is shedding. They are usually found on the elbows, knees, scalp, back, and palms.
Psoriasis patches can grow in one spot or they can appear in multiple areas at once. Psoriasis can cause symptoms other than the rash. Some people may experience a fever or muscle aches.4
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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.
Psoriasis On Hands Pictures
The picture of Psoriasis on hands depends on the kind of the condition. They recognize a common form of the disease with specific silver scales, which appear also on the elbows. The so-called erythrodermic psoriasis often affects the palms causing dry skin, itching and flaking all over the touched area. The skin loses elasticity, becomes tougher and gets covered with a corneal layer.
Such psoriasis on hands can be of severe form and that means that it penetrates inside the organism provoking ulcers, kidney failure. There are atypical forms, which can be found on the creases. This form of the disease is usually followed by lesion of feet with the same symptoms. Moreover, there is psoriatic arthritis a painful condition causing physical limits. It can attack a lot of joints but in the hands it is very severe and appears after the skin symptoms become obvious.
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What Causes Psoriasis And Ringworm
The name ringworm can be confusing. It is actually a fungal infection. No worms are involved. Ringworm is very contagious and is passed through contact. Anyone can get ringworm, but certain people are at a higher risk. The fungi that cause ringworm like to live in warm, damp areas. They can be found in locker rooms or public showers.3
Ringworm of the foot is also very common if you wear tight, damp shoes often. Because of this, ringworm is very common in athletes like wrestlers or football players. People living with a weakened immune system may also be at higher risk for ringworm.5
Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disease. In autoimmune diseases like psoriasis, the bodys immune system sees itself as a threat so it will attack itself. It is not contagious.4
Scientists believe that psoriasis is passed in families through DNA. Patches often come and go in waves called flare-ups or flares. Many things can cause a psoriasis flare, such as stress or drinking alcohol.6