What Is Psoriasis? Symptoms, Causes, And Treatment

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Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes itchiness and discomfort. It’s believed that many people globally are afflicted with this chronic skin ailment. The condition causes skin cells to multiply faster than usual, causing bumpy red patches with white scales on light skin. On darker skin, the patches are brownish or purplish with grey scales.

Although this condition can develop in any part of the body, psoriasis mostly appears on the scalp, elbows, knees, and lower back. However, psoriasis on scalp is the most common type observed on a large portion of the whole populace. 

Psoriasis can’t be transmitted from one person to another. Living with psoriasis can be painful, disrupt your sleeping schedule, and challenge your concentration. Unfortunately, there’s no direct treatment for psoriasis. Doctors can only employ different treatment regimens to help manage psoriasis and its symptoms. 

Symptoms Of Psoriasis

Psoriasis symptoms present differently depending on the type. Different types of psoriasis include plaque, guttate, inverse, erythrodermic, and pustular psoriasis. 

The symptoms of psoriasis can range from small flakes on your knees to large eruptions covering major body parts. Some common symptoms include:

  • Bumpy and inflamed patches of the skin (red patches on light skin and purple or brown on darker skin);
  • Whitish scales on red patches and gray scales on brown or purple patches;
  • Painful and swollen joints;
  • Itching and burning sensations on patches;
  • Dry and cracked skin that may itch or bleed;
  • Soreness around patches; and others. 

These symptoms can range from mild to severe and last several weeks or months. Nonetheless, some people go through a cycle of symptoms, where the symptoms are severe for a few days or weeks, and then they disappear entirely. 

You may be considered ‘in remission’ if you have no active signs. Yet, this doesn’t mean you aren’t suffering from psoriasis. This period is also known as symptom-free. If you have psoriasis of the scalp and experience chronic symptoms, consult your care provider to prescribe special creams and ointments to help manage them.

What Causes Psoriasis

The exact cause of psoriasis is still unknown. But researchers suggest that the immune system and genetics are associated with its development.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the body attacks itself. This condition makes the white blood cells, called T-cells, to accidentally attack skin cells, causing an overdrive in their production. Since new skin cells are produced too quickly, they’re pushed to the skin’s surface. AdobeStock 283680192They pile up on the surface to cause plaques linked to psoriasis. Moreover, the attacks cause red inflammation on the skin.

Further, inherited genes can cause psoriasis. If an immediate family member has psoriasis or your family has its history, you’re more likely to develop it.

Other common factors that may trigger psoriasis are smoking, stressful life events, alcohol consumption, cold temperatures, and underlying autoimmune disorders like HIV. Skin injury, medications like lithium or beta-blockers, and hormonal changes like menopause and pregnancy care are also associated with psoriasis.   

Psoriasis Treatment Options

Although there’s no specific cure for psoriasis, several treatment options can help manage the risk of flare-ups and uphold the health of your skin. Yet before embarking on a particular treatment, talk to your healthcare provider about the benefits, risks, and side effects of the treatment option. The most common psoriasis treatments used today include:

Topical Treatment

Topical treatments are prescription treatments such as topical steroids or over-the-counter medication applied directly to the skin to manage psoriasis symptoms. They come in different forms, such as cream, lotion, spray, ointment, or shampoo. 

Topical treatments include vitamin D analogs, corticosteroids, and retinoids. However, corticosteroids are prescribed for mild and moderate psoriasis.

Phototherapy

Phototherapy treatment exposes the skin to regulated amounts of ultraviolet light. This helps reduce inflammation and slow down the production of skin cells.

Lifestyle Changes 

Lifestyle changes such as reducing exposure to stressors, regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, following a new skin care regimen, and so on can help alleviate psoriasis symptoms and prevent flare-ups

Systemic Medication

Systemic medication involve different medications impacting the whole body and alter the immune system. They’re mainly given as injections and help to reduce inflammation and slow down the growth of skin cells. 

In addition to these treatments, there are other things you can do to manage your psoriasis symptoms and reduce flare-ups. They include keeping the skin moisturized with creams and ointments, avoiding the triggers mentioned above, avoiding harsh skin care products, taking daily baths, and getting regulated amounts of sunlight daily.

Bottom Line

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune skin disease that affects millions of people globally. The condition has no cure and can be challenging to manage. Nevertheless, some treatments can help manage the symptoms and reduce flare-ups.

Having psoriasis can increase the risk of developing health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancer, liver disease, and high cholesterol. Therefore, it’s essential for people with this condition to heed their doctors’ advice regarding available treatments to prevent the condition from worsening.

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With years of experience as a patient advocate, Sheena Yael is passionate about making healthcare accessible and effective for her clients. She also writes about her industry knowledge on various blogs.

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