Why Do You Get Psoriasis

Who Is Most Likely To Get Psoriasis

Psoriasis is more common in families , so your suspicion should be raised if you have a family member who also has psoriasis. The most common time to develop psoriasis is around the third decade of life, though it is also common to develop psoriasis later in life, in the fifth or sixth decade. Psoriasis seems to affect men and women similarly.

Other risk factors for the development of psoriasis include:

• Cigarette smoking

Psoriasis Causes And Triggers

The exact cause of psoriasis is unclear.1 It is thought to be caused by a combination of your genetic makeup and environmental factors .2,3 Not everyone who inherits genes for psoriasis will develop the condition. If one of your parents has psoriasis you have a 1 in 10 chance of getting it yourself. If both your parents have psoriasis, this increases to a 1 in 2 chance.4

Having psoriasis genes and being exposed to certain triggers in your daily life may cause psoriasis to develop.3

Psoriasis triggers are not the same for everyone. What causes one person’s psoriasis to flare up may not affect another.1 You may also find your triggers change over time.1 Knowing your triggers makes them easier to avoid and helps you take control of your skin.

Triggers are different for each person what sets off psoriasis in one person may not have any affect in another. 1

When To Contact A Medical Professional

Contact your provider if you have symptoms of psoriasis or if your skin irritation continues despite treatment.

Tell your provider if you have joint pain or fever with your psoriasis attacks.

If you have symptoms of arthritis, talk to your dermatologist or rheumatologist.

Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number if you have a severe outbreak that covers all or most of your body.

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Don’t Nap For Too Long

If your psoriasis symptoms keep you from getting the sleep you need at night, you may find that a short nap helps you get through the day. After 20 to 30 minutes of shut-eye, you may wake up feeling refreshed. Short naps can be okay, as long as theyre not close to bedtime. If you need one to catch up on sleep, do it long before the clock strikes 5 p.m. and keep it short!

Who Is Affected By Guttate Psoriasis

• Usually young people get guttate psoriasis, in their teens or twenties. Men and women are affected equally.
• It seems to occur all over the world.
• No one really quite knows how common it is. In general, a GP in the UK would have heard of it and probably know how to diagnose it, but they may not have seen a case themselves for many years.

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Why Are There Fewer Options To Treat My Late

At present, there is limited data about the safety of biologic and systemic treatments for seniors. Conditions common among older adults kidney, heart and liver diseases, dementia, diabetes, and obesity can increase the risks of potential side effects and drug interactions. And because biologic treatments target the immune system, they may also be less safe for people with weakened immune systems.

Psoriasis: More Than Skin Deep

The first accurate medical discussion of psoriasis dates back to 1801, but the disease itself is much older. In fact, its very name is borrowed from an ancient Greek word meaning an itchy or scaly condition. About 7 million Americans are plagued by this itching and scaling, and many of them have serious complications involving other organs. Although psoriasis is classified as a dermatologic disease, it doesn’t start in the skin, and its damage may be more than skin deep.

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Psoriasis Can Cause Arthritis

For an unknown reason, psoriasis can cause a form of arthritis known as psoriatic arthritis. Symptoms include:

• discomfort, throbbing or swelling in one or many joints
• tenderness in any joint
• pain caused by inflammation in the joints, which stimulates nerve endings.
• The joints most likely to be affected are the last joint in the fingers or toes, the sacrum , wrists, knees or ankles.

Psoriasis Treatments And Covid

People who are immunocompromised are believed to have a higher risk for COVID-19. While this usually applies to people with cancer on chemotherapy and those with poorly controlled HIV/AIDS, it can also apply to people who take medications that affect the function of their immune systems.

People with psoriasis will use different immunosuppressive drug therapies, including methotrexate, biologics, cyclosporine, and . Taking these medicines can partially inhibit your immune system, which adds to your infection risk.

The current guidelines of the American Academy of Dermatology recommend that people who take immunosuppressive drugs continue to take them unless they test positive or if they have symptoms of COVID-19.

Further, most recent research suggests people with psoriatic disease, including those on biologic drug therapy, are at no additional risk for contracting or being seriously harmed by COVID-19 from their psoriasis treatments.

According to the National Psoriasis Foundation COVID-19 Task Force, the overall existing data suggest that most treatments for psoriasis do not meaningfully alter the risks of contracting SARS-CoV-2 or having a worse course of COVID-19 illness.

The effects of immunosuppressive therapy on the immune system arent a reason to stop treatment. Your doctor is the best person to answer questions about your treatment plan. They can also best advise you on how the pandemic might affect your health situation and current treatment plan.

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Slip Into Cotton Pajamas

Choose soft cotton sleepwear, Weiss says. Cotton wont rub against your skin and irritate your psoriasis plaques. Skin that itches severely or causes you pain can wake you up, and then you can have trouble falling back to sleep. Cotton is also the most breathable fabric and can help you stay cool, which is important when you are trying to sleep.

Is There A Test For Psoriasis

To see if you have psoriasis, your doctor usually examines your skin, scalp, and nails for signs of the condition. They may also ask questions about your health and history.

This information can help the doctor figure out if you have psoriasis, and, if so, identify which type. To rule out other skin conditions that look like psoriasis, your doctor may take a small skin sample to look at under a microscope.

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What Psoriasis Creams And Topical Agents Can I Use

Medications applied directly to the skin are the first line of treatment options for psoriasis.

The main topical treatments are:

• corticosteroids,
• anthralin, or
• retinoids.

For more detailed information on each medication, see Understanding Psoriasis Medications. Generic drug names are listed below with examples of brands in parentheses.

Topical Medications

• Corticosteroids: Topical corticosteroids are the mainstay of treatment in mild or limited psoriasis and come in a variety of forms. Foams and solutions are best for scalp psoriasis and other thickly hair-bearing areas, such as a hairy chest or hairy back. Creams are usually preferred by patients, but ointments are more potent than any other vehicles, even at the same percentage concentration.
• Super potent topical corticosteroids such as clobetasol propionate and betamethasone dipropionate augmented are commonly prescribed corticosteroids for use on non-facial, non-intertriginous areas .
• As the condition improves, one may be able to use potent steroids such as:
• mometasone furoate or
• halcinonide or
• mid-potency steroids such as triamcinolone acetonide or betamethasone valerate . These creams or ointments are usually applied once or twice a day, but the dose depends on the severity of psoriasis as well as the location and thickness of the plaque.

Creams For Penis Psoriasis

Treatment using creams can really work to improve psoriatic symptoms on the genitals since the skin allows for excellent absorption.

• Some of the OTCs creams or ointments which contain Dithranol, Tazarotene should be avoided because they cause irritation
• Steroidal creams should be applied as directed
• You should not exceed the application duration even if the symptoms do not get better or improve

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What Does Psoriasis Look Like

The skin changes of psoriasis are well defined and slightly raised pink or red areas with silvery-white scales. Many people have just a few plaques but some individuals with moderate to severe psoriasis may have several plaques covering large areas of their body.

Several patterns of psoriasis are recognised:

• Chronic plaque psoriasis is the most common type of psoriasis. Plaques of psoriasis are usually present on the knees, elbows, trunk, scalp, behind ears and between the buttocks although other areas can be involved too.
• Guttate psoriasis consists of small plaques of psoriasis scattered over the trunk and limbs. It can be caused by a bacteria called Streptococcus which can cause throat infections.
• Palmoplantar psoriasis is psoriasis affecting the palms and soles. Psoriasis may appear at other sites too.
• Pustular psoriasis is rare type of psoriasis where the plaques on the trunk and limbs are studded with tiny yellow pus filled spots. It can be localised or generalised and can flare rapidly necessitating hospital admission for treatment.
• Erythrodermic psoriasis is an aggressive rare form of psoriasis which affects nearly all of the skin and can sometimes require hospital admission for treatment.

Nail psoriasis is present in about half of people with psoriasis. The features of nail psoriasis are:

• Pitting and ridging of the surface of the nail
• Salmon pink areas of discolouration under the nail
• Thickening and yellowing of the nails.
• Complete nail destruction.

How Will Psoriatic Arthritis Affect Me

Starting the right treatment as soon as possible will give you the best chance of keeping your arthritis under control and minimise damage to your body.

Psoriatic arthritis can vary a great deal between different people. This makes it difficult to offer advice on what you should expect.

It will usually have some effect on your ability to get around and your quality of life, but treatment will reduce the effect it has.

Psoriatic arthritis can cause long-term damage to joints, bones and other tissues in the body, especially if it isnt treated.

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Can Guttate Psoriasis Be Confused With Anything Else

• There are other conditions that give similar skin problems.
• Pityriasis rosea can look a bit like guttate psoriasis, but doesn’t follow a throat infection.
• Pityriasis lichenoides can resemble guttate psoriasis, but again doesn’t follow a throat infection. And the lesions look a bit different to guttate psoriasis.

What Are The 7 Types Of Psoriasis

Occasionally psoriasis of one clinical type may evolve into another such as pustular psoriasis, erythrodermic psoriasis, or guttate psoriasis. Clinical types of psoriasis include the following:

1. Plaque psoriasis

• In plaque psoriasis, there are raised, inflamed, and scaly patches of skin that may also be itchy and painful
• Can occur anywhere on the body and skin may be red with silvery-white scales or may appear purple-ish, depending on a personâs skin type
• Plaques most often appear on the scalp, knees, elbows, and in or around the belly button and lower back, but can develop on any area of the body
• Itâs the most common type of psoriasis, affecting up to 80% of patients

2. Pustular psoriasis

• In pustular psoriasis, there are white, pus-filled, painful bumps that may be surrounded by inflamed or reddened skin
• May develop only on certain areas of the body, such as the hands and feet as in palmoplantar psoriasis, or it may affect most of the body
• Affects about 3% of people with psoriasis

3. Erythrodermic psoriasis

4. Guttate psoriasis

• In guttate psoriasis, there are many isolated small, red, round scaling bumps.
• It frequently develops on the arms, legs and torso but can affect any part of the body
• Affects about 8% of psoriasis patients

5. Inverse psoriasis

6. Psoriatic arthritis

• Nail tenderness

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What Does Genital Psoriasis Look Like

In general, psoriasis looks like patches of red skin with thick, shiny scales. When it develops in the genital area, the patches may be a brighter red, but you usually wont see the classic scales of psoriasis.

When it occurs within the folds of your skin, also known as inverse psoriasis, the color may be more of a reddish-white or reddish-grey. Your skin can become cracked and sore and may bleed. When it occurs in the skin folds, psoriasis can also look a lot like a yeast infection. Learn more about what inverse psoriasis looks like.

The genitals are a sensitive area, so your skin is likely to be tender. Genital psoriasis can cause itching, burning, and discomfort. It can even become painful.

Many items can aggravate symptoms, including:

• tight clothes

Psoriasis Triggers To Know

There are also other day-to-day triggers that dont necessarily cause psoriasis, but might make it worse or spark a flareup:

• Infections
• Drinking a lot of alcohol
• Vitamin D deficiency

About half of patients with psoriasis experience a flare in their disease with stress. It can be mental stress or a physical stressor, says Dr. Reichenberg. Another common cause of flares is infections. We think that when a persons body starts to get the immune system ready to fight an infection, it also makes the part of the immune system responsible for psoriasis get over active.

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Turmeric + Lavender Oil

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Combining these two great natural healers for skin ailments can be a step to getting relief from inflammation on the penis skin and the sensitive penis glans.

• Measure a small amount of turmeric powder
• Add 1 tablespoon lavender oil to turmeric
• Apply to the affected areas when or best before the inflammation is likely
• Use warm water to rinse especially in the colder mornings and evenings

IMPORTANT: Avoid any additions of ingredients that may cause irritations on the scrotum

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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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.

Does Guttate Psoriasis Make You Feel Ill

• Usually the appearance of the spots is the worst thing about it.
• It doesn’t usually make you feel ill or feverish.
• The spots are not usually painful, but they can be a tiny bit itchy .
• You can imagine that coming up in spots all over your body in just a few days can be pretty distressing: a lot of people are quite upset when they see their doctor.

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Psoriasis Can Affect Both Fingernails And Toenails

Psoriasis can affect both fingernails and toenails, with half of those with psoriasis alone having some form of nail involvement. The risk increases in those with psoriatic arthritis, and it is reported that this could be as high as 4 out of 5 people seeing changes to their nails. For some unknown reason fingernails are more often involved than toenails. For many people, nail psoriasis is often mild and causes few problems.

The nails are part of the skin, so it is perhaps not surprising that a skin disease such as psoriasis can affect the nails. No one knows why some people get nail involvement and others dont. Nails grow from the nail root , which is just under the cuticle. In people who develop nail psoriasis it is involvement of the nail root that causes pitting and ridging of the nails.

Onycholysis , subungual hyperkeratosis and splinter haemorrhages are all caused by disease of the nail bed. These conditions are explained in the next section.

The nail is made of modified skin and, once it has grown, it can only be altered by filing or clipping. Treatments are usually directed at the nail bed that supports the nail or the nail folds that tuck around the edges. Soothing these tissues can result in better nail growth with fewer features of psoriasis.

What changes can occur with nail psoriasis?

These are the most common changes in nail psoriasis:

What can be done about it?

Tips on general nail care

Medical treatments for nail psoriasis include: