It is quite common for individuals with chronic diseases to suffer from depression. The long-term pain and discomfort endured by those who have chronic disease can seem never-ending. Psoriasis is a disease that has an impact on the image because it is a very visible disease. Your skin is the largest organ of your body and what people look at first, when they meet you. People tend to make judgments about your looks that determine how they treat you. A skin disease can make you feel isolated from others, embarrassed and anxious. Depression is a common result of the feelings stirred up by how others see the individual with psoriasis.
Psoriasis is a disorder of the skin that affects over 6 million residents of the United States. Research has not definitively established what causes psoriasis, but some recent studies have indicated that it may be in immune-mediated disorder. Psoriasis occurs when the body generates too many skin cells. Normal skin typically matures within a 28 to 30 day time period, but cells in the psoriatic skin area matures within less than one week. Psoriasis can change from one type to another and has been known to have several types active on a person at the same time. Psoriasis flare ups may improve and go into remission only to return later. Complementary medicine is used in conjunction with conventional medicine and has become more common. However, it is difficult to come to a conclusive statement regarding the effectiveness because alternative treatments are administered differently from practitioner to practitioner. Anyone suffering with psoriasis needs to consult with their physician to best determine the best course of action for their condition.
Psoriasis affects almost 5.8 to 7 million people in the U.S. and it occurs in all age groups. Males and females can get psoriasis and it affects all skin colors. Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition, which means that once you have it, it lasts for the rest of your life.
Psoriasis is not just a disease that affects your skin, it affects your emotions as well and can be very uncomfortable even painful. Psoriasis can be mild or it can be severe. You can have just a small patch of it or it can cover your entire body. Psoriasis can be anywhere on your body that has skin covering it including elbows, knees, your scalp, lower back, your face, the palms of your hands and the soles of your feet, finger nails and toe nails, your neck, ears, even your genitals.
Psoriasis defined as a chronic skin disorder that commonly affects 1% to 3% of the world's population. Psoriasis is characterized by periodic flare-ups of red patched covered by a silvery and flakey scale typically on the scalp. There are several variations of psoriasis, but the most common plaque psoriasis, but the exact cause of psoriasis is unknown. It is believed that a combination of several factors contribute to the development of psoriasis.
There are five types of psoriasis that can affect your skin. Plaque psoriasis is the most common form of psoriasis and is characterized by red patches of skin that has raised lesions that are covered with silvery-white scale. These plaques can appear on the elbows, knees, and also the lower back. Guttate psoriasis looks like small, red spots on the skin. Pustular psoriasis is pus filled pimples on the skin surrounded by red skin. Inverse psoriasis is smooth in appearance, red lesions that appear in the folds of your skin. Erythrodermic psoriasis appears in large areas of the skin, itches severely and is painful.
Psoriasis is a disorder of the skin that affects over 6 million people in the United States alone. Research has not definitively established what exactly causes psoriasis, but recent studies have indicated that it may be an immune mediated disorder. Psoriasis occurs when the body generates too many skin cells and may change from one type to another within a matter of days. It may improve, flare up, and even go into remission only to return at a later date. When alternative treatments are used in conjunction with other treatments the patient is given a feeling of control over the negative mental aspects associated with psoriasis.
The type of psoriasis you have will have a lot to do with what symptoms and triggers you are likely to experience.
The symptoms for plaque psoriasis which is the most common type of psoriasis are: reddened areas of skin usually covered with loose, silvery colored scales. The area will be very itchy and also painful. The skin may be cracked and if scratched will also be bleeding. When your psoriasis case is severe you will notice that the areas of affected skin will grow and merge together into each other until they are one big patch of affected skin. It is common to have both fingernails and toenails also be affected (discoloration and also pitting of the nails involved). You may also experience in the most severe cases crumbling of the nails and detachment of the nail from the nail bed. There may be areas on the scalp that are crusty or scaly. It is also common to notice small areas of bleeding where the scalp skin has been scratched.
Psoriasis sufferers much like any other individual with a disease, should consult with their doctor and be an active participant in the treatment plan. It is after all he/she who have to follow the plan in order for the treatment to have a chance at working. The treatments are typically done in steps that are focused on the type of psoriasis that the individual has and based on the severity of the particular case. Severity can change from one flare-up to another in the same individual, so treatment plans do change as time goes on. The steps for treatment are implemented in a 3 phase process. The first step is to apply topical medications, the second step is to use therapy such as phototherapy and the third step usually involves oral medications that are designed to systemically treat the individual. Step 3 medications are usually oral but can also be by injection or intravenously (IV). The delivery method will depend on the medication used and the severity of the particular flare-up.
When patients have psoriasis that does not respond to topical medications alone or have lesions that are too extensive for topical treatment, phototherapy becomes an option. During phototherapy, the patient's skin or just the lesions are exposed to ultraviolet lights. Patients usually receive phototherapy treatment in a dermatologist office or psoriasis clinic. There are several types of phototherapy programs available, all with their own advantages and disadvantages.
Psoriasis is one of those diseases that those who do not have it, avoid those who do. Looking at it is difficult as it looks as itchy as it probably feels. The red, often times scaly skin is hard to look at while you are eating. The first thought most people have is, "don't touch me, I do not want to get whatever you have!" What do you know about psoriasis? Is your information fact or something that you heard someone say about it?
Did you know that there are five different types of psoriasis?
