Psoriasis

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Living with Psoriasis

The sight of Psoriasis on the skin is not appealing at all. It is an unpleasant skin condition that everyone wants to get rid of. The skin being the part of the body that is exposed for others to see is very important and needs to be taken care of as well. But, there are some circumstances which are unforeseen that originates these abnormalities, these are evaluated here.

Overview

Psoriasis which is an autoimmune skin disorder causes the rapid reproduction of skin cells. In this rapid abnormal production more than 10 cells can be recreated faster than what is obtainable in normal conditions. All the over produced cells are aligned layer by layer dead on the exterior of the skin. This is what causes itchy scales that are dry and reddish in color.

The resistance nature of Psoriasis makes it long lasting in the patient, requiring treatment to combat it more than once. This is because of the fact that it usually resurfaces after being treated for a while. In fact there is no exact cure for this illness from all medical researches presently. But, most medications given are with the objective of inhibiting the excessive recreation of skin cells, and thereby eliminate symptoms from the skin.

Causes of Psoriasis

There are many factors that can lead to the occurrence of Psoriasis. The predominant factor being that the parent of the patient is predisposed to the disease – genetics. All possible causes are enumerated below:

  • Genetics – studies show that majority of those suffering from this skin disorder indicates they have a parent with the same condition as well. This makes inherited genes one of the major factors that contribute to the formation of Psoriasis in the body. When parents are predisposed, there is a likelihood of children being prone to the disease.
  • Way of life – the living conditions of those with this condition affects the severity of the disease making it worse with certain environmental or behavioral changes. The changes in the environment and behavior that aggravates this disease level within the body are- obesity, smoking, stress, long lasting infections, change in weather condition, too much alcohol intake and so many others like this.
  • HIV – those suffering from HIV are found to be very prone to the occurrence of Psoriasis in the body. This is not as high with those who are HIV negative.
  • Microbes – candida, staph, and malassezia are some microbes whose activities within the body can cause the formation of Psoriasis in the body. Those that just recovered from a strep throat infections are even predisposed to this disease too.

Types of Psoriasis

There are many types of Psoriasis, and the common feature among them all is there characteristic lifecycle transmission. They are severe at the beginning of their lifecycle and remain that way for a while, later on in their cycle they subside or are completely silent. The types of Psoriasis include:

  • Plaque Psoriasis

    This has to do with the formation of plagues on the skin which are very dry swelling that are scaly and reddish in appearance. They occur predominantly on the sexual organs and inside the mouth. They can also occur on other parts of the body.

  • Nail Psoriasis.

    This is when the disease affects the toenails and fingernails of individuals. This results in symptoms like nail discoloration, pitting, and unusual growth of nails. This disease condition can cause nails to pull out of place too.

  • Guttate Psoriasis

    This type of Psoriasis is caused by bacteria infection. Strep infection of the throat is the most common cause. It is prevalent in children and younger people. The scales created are not like plagues but appear better than scales.

  • Inverse Psoriasis.

    This is the type of Psoriasis that forms in the hidden parts of the skin. These parts include under the breast, in the armpits, upon sexual organs and the groin. There are flushed swellings that becomes more severe with the increase of sweat. They are propagated by fungus.

  • Pustular Psoriasis.

    This type of Psoriasis are characterized by blisters that are filled with pus, appearing in reddish color over a large or small area of the skin. They are commonly seen on areas like the feet, hands, or fingertips. This skin disorder also comes with other symptoms like diarrhea, fever, chills and serious scratching.

  • Erythrodermic Psoriasis.

    In this particular instance, rashes that are red in color and that peels will cover the whole body causing severe burning and scratching. This is not a prevalent type of Psoriasis.

  • Psoriasis Arthritis .

    This type of Psoriasis creates pains and swelling on the joints coupled with dry skin with scales. The pains experienced at the joints are not as severe as with other arthritis pains.

Treatment of Psoriasis

Psoriasis does not have a known cure, but some medical procedures and medications are used to combat its symptoms.

  • Corticosteroids are applied tropically to combat the occurrence of the devastating symptoms of Psoriasis. When tropical application proves abortive, these corticosteroids are ingested for better results.
  • Phototherapy uses the technique of sunlight through wavelengths to provide solutions to Psoriasis by eliminating symptoms.
  • Injectable medications and those given orally can also be used to provide a treatment for Psoriasis when other methods are not indicating progress.
  • There are times when surgery can be used as a way to eliminate the symptoms of Psoriasis providing treatment.
  • Diet can be of a good advantage for those with Psoriasis arthritis as the addition of more eicosapentaenoic acid found in fish oil would help elevate symptoms.

 

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