Psoriasis A Skin Disorder

With affecting approximately one out of every 50 adults, psoriasis is a physical skin condition that may cause significant psychological distress. One discovery, perhaps it’s the most interesting discoveries, related to psoriasis is that its onset is rooted in the body’s immune system.

The symptoms that can be associated with a flare-up of psoriasis include skin that is salmon-colored, scaly, flaky and irritated. With plaque psoriasis, one of the most common form, affected areas develop round-, oval- or irregularly shaped patches of red that are covered with skin that’s scaly and silver-colored. There is no common consistency in the size or shape of the patchy areas and in fact, several small patches can merge together and appear as one big irregular shape of irritated skin. Those areas are unsightly and sometimes they crack and may cause bleeding.

Affected skin sometime can be extremely itchy and frequently has a burning sensation. Just like the shape, there is no consistency in how long a flare-up will last. It can last for 20 days or it can last 120 days or even longer. What’s worse for those who are affected is that it is a chronic condition so recurring flare-ups may happen any time.

The body parts that are most commonly affected include the trunk, head, elbows and knees although any parts of the body can develop psoriasis. Flare-ups also tend to be symmetrical; it means that both sides of the body will experience flare-ups in the same areas at the same time.

Genetics plays a certain role in psoriasis, so those individuals with parents or grandparents who have had psoriasis have an increased chance that they’ll develop psoriasis as well. For reasons still unknown, T-cells, which are needed to create the white blood cells that help our bodies fight infection, cause the skin to become inflamed. T-cells also somehow can trigger the production of an overabundance of skin cells. Since there’re nowhere else to go, these excess skin cells pile up on top of one another and create the telltale appearance of raised patches on the skin’s exterior. The red appearance on skin is the increased blood supply that’s needed to nourish these skin cells.

Injured skin, sunlight and streptococcal infections are the most common triggers of Psoriasis. Stress on the other hand can also trigger an outbreak, as can changes in hormone levels. People with early stages of HIV seem to have higher instances of psoriasis as well.

Psoriasis, fortunately, is not contagious so there’s no risk of passing it on. People who smoke cigarettes and consume alcohol increase their risks of developing psoriasis.

Until now days, there still is no cure for this psoriasis problem. However there are many treatments available that are effective at alleviating the symptoms. You can start by keeping affected areas moist and by resisting the temptation to scratch the area.

Topical treatments are used first with the purpose of slowing down the excess production of skin cells. The common topical treatments options are Coal tar, salicylic acid, corticosteroids, synthetic vitamin D, tazorac and anthrallin as are specially-formulated bathing products and moisturizers. Systemic medications are prescribed for treatment on more severe cases. Phototherapy, where patients are exposed to medically supervised ultraviolet radiation, is also an effective treatment for psoriasis.

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