Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a widespread chronic skin disease. An individual with the condition usually has blotches of raised skin that is red and carries silvery scales. The affected area may be scaly and red or contain pustules based on the type of psoriasis the patient suffers from. Psoriasis often occurs on the arms, legs, scalp, trunk, or nails, however, it can also occur in other areas of the skin. The usually affected parts are the elbows and knees. The condition is not actually an infection and so it is not contagious, as some may believe. Realize though, that the red and scaly areas do have a higher probability of getting infected, particularly when there are splits in the skin.

Causes and Contributing Factors of Psoriasis

There are some factors known to contribute to psoriasis. For instance, T cells, which are a type of white blood cell, can abnormally set off inflammation in the skin and trigger skin cells to grow quicker than usual. These result in raised blotches on the outer parts of the skin. The condition may also be inherited, where genes make certain individuals more prone to getting it. Though, not all people who happen to carry these genes will have the condition. Another contributing factor is the environment. Exposure to sun, smoking, alcohol, injury to the skin and skin inflammation are known to contribute to flare-ups. Flare-ups associated with the skin condition can last for weeks to months.

Symptoms of Psoriasis

The identification of psoriasis is usually based on typical skin changes that in several cases have an inclination towards certain body parts. Thickening of the skin, redness and scaling are all characteristic changes found in psoriatic skin. Moreover, the condition can target not just the skin, but also the scalp, nails and joints. The most widespread type of psoriasis is plaque psoriasis. The three major signs of this type include red skin, thickened skin and scaling. The thickness of a plaque can range from hardly noticeable to some millimeters thick. They vary in color from a deep red to faint pink. In individuals who have darker skin tones and suffer from the condition, the redness may be less noticeable and darkening more noticeable. Scales can vary from completely absent to thick sticky plates shaped like an oyster shell. These are called ostraceous scales.

Diagnosis of Psoriasis

Doctors oftentimes diagnose psoriasis by studying the affected areas. A piece of affected skin may be cut out and analyzed under a microscope, but in many cases, this isn’t necessarily done. A microscopic study of the affected tissue is needed to make a clear-cut diagnosis of psoriasis and to tell it apart from other skin diseases. Oftentimes, the analysis will indicate proliferation of dry skin cells but without many indicators of infection or inflammation. Changes in the nails characteristic of psoriasis are usually obvious signs.

Treatment of Psoriasis

The aim of treatment is often to thwart the growth of skin cells and cater to individual needs. There are several approaches and either one or a combination of them may be used. Treatment options for psoriasis include creams and ointments, light therapy, oral medications, and immune-modulating drugs.