What is Psoriasis

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Sunday, October 12th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed

Affecting in the region of one out of every 50 adults, psoriasis is a physical condition that can cause considerable mental distress. Clinical research has concluded that although psoriaisis manifests itself as a skin condition, the actual onset is rooted in the immune system of the body.

There are a number of various symptoms associated with a flare up of psoriasis including salmon colored skin that becomes scaly, flaky and irritated. One of the more common forms is called plaque psoriasis where the afflicted area develops eliptical, round or irregular formed patches covered with scaly, silver colored skin. There is no consistence in the size or form of the patchy areas and on occasions, several smaller patches can combine together and appear as one large irregular shape of irritated skin. occasionally cracks and bleeds|These areas are unsightly and on occasions crack and start bleeding].

The area of affected skin can become very tender and feel as though it is burning. There are no hard and fast rules as to how long any certain flare-up will last. It could go away within a week but then again, you may be suffering for weeks on end. One of the worst aspects for those affected is that it is a lifelong condition and recurring flare-ups can happen at any time.

Areas of the body that are most often affected include the trunk, head, elbows and knees although any part of the body can develop symptoms of psoriasis. One unusual anomaly is that flare-ups tend to be balanced in as much that both sides of the body will be affected in the same areas at the same time.

It appears that genetic factors also have a bearing on who is likely to develop psoriasis. Folks whose parents or grandparents suffered with the ailment have a greater prospect of developing it as well. For reasons that are not yet fully understood, T-cells, which are required by our bodies to produce infection fighting white blood cells, cause inflammation of the skin. T-cells also somehow trigger the production of an overabundance of skin cells. With nowhere else to go, these surplus skin cells pile up on top of one another and create the telltale appearance of raised patches on the skin’s exterior. To nourish these extra skin cells, an increased blood supply is necessary which results in the red appearance.

Although not the causes of psoriasis, common triggers include sunlight, strep infections and traumas, both past and present, to the skin Changes in the bodies hormone levels as well as stress and anxiousness can also trigger off outbreaks. Higher incidences of psoriasis have also been noticed in those folks with the early stages of HIV infection. Smokers and alcohol drinkers are considered to be at greater risk of developing psoriasis although it is not contagious and cannot be passed on.

Presently, there is still no recognized remedy for psoriasis. However there are many effective treatment choices that can alleviate the symptoms. Start by keeping the affected areas moist and by resisting the temptation to scratch the area.

Localized treatments are applied initially with the goal of slowing down the excess production of skin cells. Coal tar, salicylic acid, corticosteroids, synthetic vitamin D, tazorac and anthrallin are common topical treatment choices as are specially developed bathing products and moisturizers. For more severe cases where localized treatments maybe ineffective, systemic medications may be prescribed by the physician. Another effective method of treating psoriasis is with the use phototherapy, where, under strict medical supervision, the patient is exposed to ultra violet radiation.

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