Psoriasis Treatment

If you find you have small patches of red, itchy skin, you may have psoriasis. Watch the area closely and if it persists, schedule an appointment with your physician.

If you find white patches in the area of the folds of the arms, the breast area or legs, even if there is now irritation present, it could possibly be psoriasis. It is possible that heredity may play a part but most commonly it is found in people aged 15 to 35. The disease is slow to begin. It can be assumed that they certain signals may be sent to the body's white blood cells during any injury and the skin reacts by activating its defense system, with a supply of white blood cells there by making the skin red and irritable.

There are many reasons that psoriasis may be present. These include; a lack of vitamin D, drinking an excess amount of alcohol, the medications you may be taking, a viral or bacterial infection or allergies along with a variety of weather conditions. No one knows for sure what the exact trigger may be for the onset of this disease.

The disease may affect any, or even all, areas of the body. Most commonly the areas affected are the folds of the skin, around the armpits, the legs and breast areas. The five known types of psoriasis are:

• Erythrodermic- This type covers a large area of the body and is usually a dark reddish color.

• Guttate- consists of small pink or red spots on the skin.

• Inverse- this type is shown by red patches in or near the armpits, breasts and other folds of skin.

• Plaque- this one shows as red patches with silvery white scales.

• Pustular- is the type that shows white blisters that are covered by red, itchy skin.

Treatment of psoriasis depends on what situation the person is facing. The physician may prescribe a biopsy along with an X-ray. They will concentrate on the root of the problem. There are times when hospitalization may be necessary, such as when a large area of the body is affected. This is purely a safety measure taken in order to prevent other problems from arising.

Most of the time an antibiotic along with a cream or ointment may be prescribed by the physician. They will also recommend certain shampoos and moisturizers that could be beneficial in stopping the spread of the disease.

The best prevention against psoriasis is to clean your skin regularly. There is ongoing research into the best solutions and medications for the treatment of psoriasis.

The best advice is to consult your physician regularly for a checkup so any issues can be caught early on. Watch any area of the body that seems to be affected by redness and irritation. This could be a sign of psoriasis.

By Louise Forrest

Labels: arthritis psoriasis, guttate psoriasis, psoriasis, psoriasis causes, psoriasis cure, psoriasis guttate, psoriasis natural, psoriasis treatment, psoriatic, scalp psoriasis, skin psoriasis, treatment for psoriasis

Psoriasis is a condition of the skin that is little understood. The underlying cause appears to be an autoimmune disorder that causes the body to produce new skin cells at an accelerated rate that leads to the inflammation and itching that is characteristic with psoriasis. Normally skin cells take 28 to 30 days to grow to maturity, but in people who have an outbreak of psoriasis this process is shortened to 3 to 6 days. The scaling, itching and inflammation of the skin is caused by the over build-up of skin cells.

It is believed that the main cause of psoriasis is driven by a certain type of white blood cell known as a T-cell. T-cells are one of the body’s defenses against disease and infection, but in the case of psoriasis they leap into action unintentionally and begin to trigger other immune systems which accelerate the creation of new skin cells. Because the skin cells grow and mature quicker then normal they also die off much faster, creating a build up of dead skin cells on the surface. This build up of dead skin cells forms the characteristic plaques, or flaky patches, that sufferers of psoriasis are familiar with. The redness and inflammation of the underlying skin is a product of the increased blood supply needed to feed the new skin cells that are growing at an accelerated rate below the plaques.

While anyone at any age can suffer from psoriasis researchers have found that people in their thirties and sixties are more likely to develop this skin condition than people in other age groups. Why this is the case no one knows. It is also apparent that heredity can be a marker for an increased chance of contracting psoriasis. Children who have one parent who suffers from psoriasis have a ten percent chance of contracting the disease. That percentage goes up dramatically to fifty percent if both parents have this condition. Scientists, who have done studies on families afflicted with psoriasis, have been able to identify genes that are known links to the condition.

The exact causes of psoriasis remains something of a mystery but there are known triggers that are linked to outbreaks. Many people who suffer from this disease notice that there are times the condition is worse and times it seems to get better. Reactions to certain drugs, such as lithium and beta blockers, have been shown to trigger a psoriasis outbreak and in extreme instances make the condition worse.

Because psoriasis is caused by a faulty immune system anything that stimulates the body’s defenses can bring about an outbreak. An injury such as a cut or bruise or an infection, particularly strep, can all cause an outbreak.

Another factor that can cause an outbreak of psoriasis is stress. People who suffer from psoriasis have noticed that as their stress levels go up so does the potential for a severe outbreak of their skin inflammation. Psoriasis in and of itself also causes stress leading to a self perpetuating problem of continual outbreaks that increase in severity as a person’s stress level increases.

One way that psoriasis cannot be caught is through contact with someone who suffers from the disease. It is not a contagious skin condition, and although it is unsightly and can cause repulsive reactions from those who do not suffer its affects it is important to remember that those who suffer from it need the reassurance and support of friends and family along with proper treatment to help them live a normal life.

By Andrew Bicknell

Labels: arthritis psoriasis, guttate psoriasis, psoriasis causes, psoriasis cure, psoriasis guttate, psoriasis natural, psoriasis treatment, psoriatic, scalp psoriasis, skin psoriasis, treatment for psoriasis