Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition. Not life threatening, it can be a debilitating and disabling disease. This article discusses what's known about this disease.
Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that effects the skin’s life cycle. According to the National Psoriasis Foundation two to three percent of the world’s population is affected with psoriasis, as well as between six to seven percent of all Americans. Normally, when new skin forms, it takes approximately one month for it to go from the deepest layers to the outermost layers, where it dies and flakes off. Psoriasis causes this life cycle to get completed within a few days. This results in skin cell buildup that causes red patches and silvery skin, which may or may not be painful. There’s currently no cure, but the disease can usually be managed.
Symptoms
Psoriasis, according to the Mayo Clinic, can appear in a variety of forms. The most common appearance is that of a red skin patch, with silvery skin. The patches that form can appear as a few spots to large areas that cover the skin. The onset of symptoms is quick, and can last up to several months. It isn’t unusual for the disease to go into remission, only to have it reappear at another time. Psoriasis can mimic many other skin diseases or problems, and can be confirmed upon microscopic examination. Symptoms can include dry cracked skin that bleeds easily, itching, burning, soreness, thick or pitted nails and stiff or aching joints. For some, psoriasis is just a nuisance. For others its symptoms can be more severe. In the severe cases, psoriasis can be extremely painful, disfiguring and disabling. It occurs more in adults than children and equally affects males and females.
Causes
Scientists have come to realize that although there’s a genetic and environmental predisposition to the disease, anyone can be at risk to get it. The main mechanism involves a malfunction with the immune system, namely with a white blood cell called the T lymphocyte or T-cell. T-cells help the body fight disease. People with psoriasis trigger T-cell activity erroneously and this in turn increases over production of skin cells and more T-cells. The dead skin cells can’t exfoliate quickly enough and the skin, as a result, thickens and forms scaly patches. Some factors that trigger psoriasis, include throat infections, thrush, sunburn, stress, heavy alcohol consumption, cold weather, skin injury and certain medications.
Treatment and self-care
Currently there is no known cure for psoriasis. However, there are many different methods to try to control an outbreak. The Mayo Clinic lists that some of these include topical treatments, such as corticosteroids or other anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce inflammation and itching, ultraviolet light therapy which helps deactivate and kill active T-cells in the skin, slowing its turnover rate and oral medications for severe psoriasis. Due to the fact that the majority of oral medications tend to have severe side effects, their use is limited for brief periods.
Besides treatments, many patients with psoriasis can help themselves by using moisturizers to keep the skin moist and prevent it from drying out. Taking lukewarm baths daily to help soothe inflamed skin and its scales, exposing affected skin to small amounts of sunlight and eliminating the other risk factors mentioned above, such as excessive alcohol consumption, will help quite a bit. It’s important to try to keep psoriasis under control. Complications that can result from psoriasis include skin infections, anxiety, stress, low self-esteem and depression. In some forms of psoriasis, fluid and electrolyte imbalance, have been documented.
The key to psoriasis is to keep it from starting. If it starts, the key is to minimize its symptoms. For most, psoriasis is more of an inconvenience, than a true problem. Severe psoriasis on the other hand, especially when coupled with arthritis, can lead to devastating, debilitating consequences that can make everyday life difficult. Consulting a trained physician, knowledgable with psoriasis, is advised.
