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.
Self Care Helps Us Stay In Shape
If you have psoriasis, the benefits of exercise are so great that it is critical you make time to work out regularly. According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, many people with psoriatic disease are nervous to move they worry exercise will intensify their symptoms. However, making time to sweat will help you keep a healthy body weight and keep your joints strong.
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.
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What Treatment Options For Late
The National Psoriasis Foundation recommends topical ointments for older adults with mild psoriasis. These include over-the-counter products like coal tar and salicylic acid, and prescription treatments such as retinoids, steroid creams, and forms of vitamin D. For older adults with severe psoriasis, the NPF recommends or biologic drugs, but only with careful monitoring.
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.
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What Are The Types Of Psoriasis
There are different types of psoriasis, but the most common kind isplaque psoriasis. It appears as raised, red patches of skin that are covered by silvery-white scales. The patches usually develop in the same pattern on both sides of the body and tend to appear on the:
- Scalp.
- Limbs, especially the elbows and knees.
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.
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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
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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Problems With The Immune System
Your immune system is your body’s defence against disease and it helps fight infection. One of the main types of cell used by the immune system is called a T-cell.
T-cells normally travel through the body to detect and fight invading germs, such as bacteria. But in people with psoriasis, they start to attack healthy skin cells by mistake.
This causes the deepest layer of skin to produce new skin cells more quickly than usual, triggering the immune system to produce more T-cells.
It’s not known what exactly causes this problem with the immune system, although certain genes and environmental triggers may play a role.
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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How To Get Rid Of Psoriasis This Summer: 5 Tips From Our Doctors
Do you suffer from psoriasis? Are you worried about how to look after your skin this summer? Then this is the guide for you!
For the two million people in the UK who have psoriasis, summer can be a challenging time.
While sunlight and humidity can keep the worst of their symptoms at bay, there are other aspects of summer than can cause psoriasis to flare up. We’ve teamed up with our smart network of doctors to help you manage your symptoms effectively.
Aloe Vera + Olive Oil/coconut Oil
img source: grelia.gr
This remedy is a top-of-bill when there are flare-ups of psoriatic conditions. This is a perfect remedy for cracking of skin whose soothing is quadrupled with the addition of olive or the natural healer.
Tips for you:
- Use freshly extracted aloe gel
- Massage gently
- Do not massage if the area irritates/inflames too much or have cracks and scales
- Apply vitamin E or extra virgin oil instead of massage
Select your favorite oil or whatever is available in your kitchen storage.
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How Can I Be Sure That Its Psoriasis And Not Something Else
For people with plaque or nail psoriasis, a primary care doctor can diagnose and treat the condition. People with unusual symptoms may need to see a dermatologist to rule out other conditions that can be mistaken for psoriasis. These include eczema, fungal infections, drug reactions, pityriasis rubra pilaris, and a form of skin cancer called cutaneous T cell lymphoma.
Taking Time Away Can Change Your Perspective And Environment
It is easy to get fixated on any one aspect of your disease. Sometimes a change in scenery can help you to put your own issues into a different perspective. A change in your environment may also provide a little extra healing. For example, if you are suffering from dactylitis, taking a break from your everyday work shoes may help you to begin to feel better.
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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.
Self Care Can Help Prevent Depression
People with psoriasis are more likely to become depressed, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation. When you make the effort to take care of yourself, especially in the areas of diet, exercise, and making your doctor appointments, you decrease your chances of developing depression. Understanding that depression is closely linked to psoriasis should empower you to do everything in your power to take the best care possible.
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Psoriasis Drugs: Biologic Medication
Biologic drugs are protein-based medicines that are derived from living cells cultured in a laboratory.
These medicines are administered through an injection or IV and target parts of the immune system.
Biologics work by blocking the action of a specific type of immune cell and proteins in the immune system that play a major role in the development of psoriasis.
The following medicines are examples of biologics:
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?
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Putting Yourself First Allows You To Examine Your Own Diet
While there is no one best diet for psoriasis, there are foods that can help you feel your best. It can be easy to serve everyone else the foods they prefer and put your own nutritional needs on the back burner. When you think about yourself first at mealtime, you will be more likely to eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. These foods can ease your psoriasis symptoms and prevent other conditions such as obesity and heart disease.
What Is Genital Psoriasis
Psoriasis is an inflammatory autoimmune condition that can affect the skin anywhere on your body. Genital psoriasis develops around your genital area. It can flare up on the vulva or the penis. It can also appear on your upper thighs, the folds of skin between your thigh and groin, or between your buttocks. It rarely affects the inside of the vagina.
Anyone can get psoriasis, but researchers dont know the precise cause. Its not clear why some people with psoriasis get it around their genitals.
If you have psoriasis, you might go a long time without a problem and then have a flare-up. Flare-ups may be triggered by factors such as stress or illness, but it can be hard to determine those factors and avoid them.
Psoriasis tends to run in families, but it isnt contagious. The condition can be managed effectively, but theres currently no cure.
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What Are The Risk Factors For Psoriasis
While anyone can develop psoriasis, the following factors can increase your risk:
Family History Having one parent with psoriasis increases your risk, and having two parents with the condition puts you at greater risk.
Infections People with HIV are more likely to develop psoriasis. Additionally, strep throat has been linked with the development of a certain type of psoriasis, called guttate psoriasis. This causes small, round, scaly rashes to develop, usually on the trunk and arms. Kids and young adults with this type of recurring infection may be at increased risk.
Stress Since stress can impact your immune system by causing inflammation, high stress levels may increase your risk of psoriasis.
Obesity Being overweight or obese increases your risk, and psoriasis often develops in the creases and folds of skin.
Smoking Smoking tobacco increases your risk and the severity of psoriasis, and may initiate the development of the disease.
Eating A Healthy Diet
Being obese or overweight appears to make psoriasis symptoms worse. So its important to manage your weight by exercising regularly and eating a healthful diet. If you have trouble eating healthy, you may want to see a nutritionist for help. They can help you figure out how much food and which foods you should eat every day to lose weight.
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How To Get It Back In Working Order
While the groin and penile area is very sensitive, and therefore can be quite difficult to treat in cases of severe penile psoriasis, it also means that it responds super quickly to creams.
The first line of attack is usually a topical treatment using a cream such as hydrocortisone. Hydrocortisone in particular is one of the weakest steroid creams you can get, and it works well in the groin area.
One word of warning since the skin is so thin, it can increase the bodys absorption of the cream to 30%. This can lead to a thinning of the skin and even discolouration. However, in my experience, if you use it SENSIBLY, it works well, even in the long-term.
For me, all it takes is 2 to 4 applications over a couple of days to stop the psoriasis before it sexually abuses my love wand. Just take a pea-sized amount and rub it in a little goes a long way down there and youll be back in business in no time.
The second treatment option is phototherapy using UVB light. It can take from 20 to 60 sessions for this to have an affect, and it also has side effects, such as leading to testicular cancer, which is why Ive never tried it. I recommend that you stick to the creams for quick relief
Is Psoriasis Genetic
What do curly hair, eye color, and psoriasis all have in common?
They are all influenced by genetics. In fact, 1 out of 3 people with psoriasis has a relative who also has the disease. Not to mention, up to 10% of the population inherits one or more of the genes that predispose them to psoriasis, however, only 2% to 3% will actually develop the disease.
So, is psoriasis hereditary? The answer just might be, yes.
You might not be able to control your genetics, but here are some things you can control.
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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 severity of the disease varies enormously, from a minute patch to large patches covering most body areas. Psoriasis can also run in familiesand it is known that the disease is multi-genetic and therefore children may not necessarily inherit psoriasis. It is estimated that if one parent has psoriasis then there is a 3 out of 20 chance that a child will develop the condition. If both parents have psoriasis this increases to about 15 out of 20 . Interestingly, if a child develops psoriasis and neither parent is affected there is a 1 out of 5 chance that a brother or sister will also get psoriasis. This is because the condition is known to skip generations, so somewhere there will be a familial link to a relative via one or both parents.