Learning About Psoriasis - Causes and Treatments

Psoriasis affects an average of one out of 50 adults and causes physical and psychological problems. It is now thought that psoriasis is somehow connected to the immune system. Psoriasis causes the skin to appear salmon colored, flaky, scaly, and feel irritated. Plaque psoriasis is a common type of psoriasis wherein you get round or oval shaped areas of red skin with silver colored scales. These patches can be any shape or size and a bunch of smaller patches near each other can look like one big patch of irritated skin in some cases. These patches of skin may even start cracking and bleeding with severe psoriasis.

The areas of skin affected by psoriasis may itch and burn. The psoriasis flare ups can last as short as 20 days or as long as 3 months. Chronic psoriasis can flare up over and over again, causing a lot of pain and discomfort, as well as embarrassment for sufferers. Psoriasis usually affects the same parts of the body: the head, trunk, elbows, and knees. However, it can occur in other places. Most people will have symmetrical flare ups meaning they will have patches of skin on both sides of the body.

There is genetic component to psoriasis so having family members who have had the condition increases your risks of developing it as well. It is thought that T-cells that normally produce white blood cells so your body can fight off infections cause inflammation in the skin and cause excess skin cells to be produced. These skin cells build up on top of each other. The reason these patches become red is that there is more blood flowing to them for nourishment.

Things that can trigger psoriasis include skin injuries, sunlight, and staph infections. Stress may also lead to a psoriasis outbreak because of changes in hormone levels. People who have HIV and are in the early stages of the disease are likely to suffer from psoriasis.

You cannot pass on psoriasis to anyone else. However, smoking and drinking alcohol increase your chances of developing psoriasis. No cure exists for psoriasis but you can find treatment options to reduce the severity of the symptoms. It is helpful to keep your skin moist and not itch it when you have flare ups.

A common treatment method is topical medications, which decrease skin cell production. These include coal tar, corticosteroids, salicylic acid, and synthetic Vitamin D. There are also products specially designed for cleansing your skin if you have psoriasis. For severe psoriasis, systemic medications may be required. Another treatment is phototherapy, a method that uses ultraviolet radiation.