Skin Care Talks » Skin Infection

Extinguishing St. Anthony's Fire – A Superficial Skin Condition

skeenz — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:15:03 +0000

Sometimes known as St. Anthony's fire, erysipelas is an acute skin infection which usually involves the lymphatic system, which is your body's infection drainage system through the veins. The rash that this infection causes is quite a bright red, which accounts for the "fire" nickname that was bestowed upon it years ago. Before antibiotics were invented, this erysipelas was a dreaded disease, particularly in the toddlers and infants. Doctors consider this skin infection a form of cellulitis.

The cause of erysipelas aka St, Anthony's fire, is usually from Group A Streptococcus bacteria although other forms of streptococcus and even staphylococcus can be contributors to this skin infection. Typically, erysipelas is preceded by some type of wound such as a cut, scrape or abrasion which opens the skin to infection. Occasionally, there may be no broken skin preceding the skin infection.

Emergence of the Skin Infection

The face is a popular area in which erysipelas presents itself although these days you can also find it on the legs and lower extremities. Wherever your lymphatic system is blocked is typically where the skin infection occurs. You will typically display a few symptoms several hours before this fiery rash occurs, typically anywhere from 8 to 48 hours. These symptoms include chills, fever, general malaise and vomiting.

When the rash presents itself, it is red, swollen and fiery looking that feels warm to the touch. This rash has borders which are clearly delineated and the appearance is that pebbly smoothness, like an orange peel. Typically the appearance of this distinct rash is enough for a doctor to diagnose erysipelas but a blood culture may be taken to rule out other conditions like sepsis. Occasionally, skin lesions or blisters may form at the rash site as well.

It is important to note that when this skin infection occurs on the body, it is typically on just one side of the face or extremities. A bilateral appearance, meaning occurring on both sides, while not rare, just doesn't occur that often.

Treatment of St. Anthony's Fire

The use of antibiotics is the best course of action in treating erysipelas aka St. Anthony's Fire. Typical antibiotics used may be erythromycin, penicillin or one of the cephalosporins. In rare cases where the erysipelas is not responding to the oral antibiotics or the condition turns septic, antibiotics given intravenously at the hospital are required.

As many as 30% of the cases of erysipelas will experience one or more recurrences, simply because the lymphatic and immune systems were previously compromised leaving the person still susceptible to illness. Of course, when the lymphatic system is involved, the first case of erysipelas is laying the foundation for more episodes.

Those people with recurrences may have to stay on a course of daily low-dose antibiotics to prevent this skin infection from cropping up again. In rare cases, the erysipelas can turn into sepsis which is an infection of the blood which could then travel to the organs of the body. It is important to catch erysipelas in its early stages to avoid the rare but serious side effect of the skin infection.

Skin Complications with Diabetes

skeenz — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 01:19:14 +0000

Diabetes is not just about fluctuations in your blood sugar. This disease can also affect blood circulation and the skin. About 33% of the people with diabetes will have some sort of skin condition. In fact, sores that are slow to heal as well as other wounds are also a sure sign of diabetes if the disease has not been diagnosed. With due diligence, many conditions of the skin that diabetics get can be prevented or treated with ease when caught early.

Many skin conditions that diabetics get, others can get as well. The only problem is that diabetics have more trouble with them. Fungal infections, bacterial infections and even the symptoms like itching and burning are more troublesome because of the circulatory problems.

Bacterial Infections in Diabetics

Diabetics get several different types of bacterial infections and staph is one of them. Cuts can become inflamed and the area can become warm to the touch as well as painful. Boils occur as well as styes and even carbuncles. All of these can be detrimental to a diabetic if their blood sugar is not in control. Luckily, many people with diabetes take careful control of their treatment regime and antibiotics also help in the event of bacterial infections.

Fungal Infections

Candida is a major contributor to many fungal infections in diabetics. It is a yeast type of fungus and causes rashes in the moist areas of the body like under the breasts, armpits, and fat folds. This rash has scales and blisters and can be very itchy. This type of rash could also be found around the nails, groin area, athlete's foot and even vaginal yeast infections.

These rashes often cause extreme itching and the diabetes makes it worse. Sometimes, it is due to the reduced blood circulation and other times it is a combination of that along with environmental factors like low humidity and dry skin.

Another skin condition that diabetics get is called dermopathy. These are scaly, brown patches that are round and resemble age spots. These spots can occur on the legs and crop up due to changes in the blood vessels. Luckily, these spots rarely itch and they do not hurt.

The texture and condition of your skin can change as a diabetic because atherosclerosis, thickening of the arteries. This condition narrows the blood vessels which in turn causes the skin to become shiny and hairless as well as thin out. Toes get less blood circulation and feel cold which in turn thickens the toenails. Exercise can be painful as the muscles do not get the oxygen needed via the blood vessels. In addition, any skin injuries do not heal as quickly as before.

The fact of the matter is, diabetics are more prone to infections, specifically skin infections simply because of the slower blood circulation. By practicing preventative measures, you can avoid many skin infection problems to stay healthy. Keep your blood sugar under control, take your medications as prescribed and immediately clean any wounds. These steps can keep your skin healthy and clear.

Lice – A Common Skin Infestation

skeenz — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:30:03 +0000

Lice seem like such a dirty little secret and come across as a problem that only people who are unclean have. Nothing could be further from the truth as lice can infest anyone from any ethnic or socioeconomic group. Lice are little insects with no wings which can easily hop from one human host to another through shared hair brushes, clothing and plain old body contact. There are three basic types of lice and they come in different sizes from barely discernible to the naked eye up to around 1/8 of an inch which is huge in lice terms.

Types of Lice

Three types of lice are possible to contract and they are head lice, pubic lice and body lice. With head lice, the most common form, these guys infest the hair on your head. This type is the kind spread through shared brushes, combs and hats. School children get this all the time and it spreads like wildfire. Many kids will get sent home every year from school to get treated for lice. Up to several years ago, school nurses still checked each child's head for lice.

Body lice are common in people who have poor hygienic practices. In addition, you can also live in crowded areas with others or even wear clothing that another person with body lice had. In rare instances, you may even get body lice from sleeping on a mattress in a hotel room, especially if the facility is not the kind to put a mint on your pillow. Lice in the pubic area aka crabs are irritating and you are most likely to catch this from a sexual partner. These "crabs" can also spread to your armpit hair, chest hair, eyelashes, eye brows and even a moustache or beard.

Symptoms and Treatment Options for Lice

The first thing you are going to notice with a lice infestation is severe itching. If not careful, scratching excessively can break the skin, which could then lead to bacterial infections. Some children will have mild itching with their head lice while others may do nothing but scratch. You can bet that the body lice and pubic lice are huge irritants to the skin.

The lice, by themselves, can be hard to detect. However, their eggs are quite easy to spot. These eggs are called nits and are a shiny dull white color which looks like little gobs of foreign material on your hair near the scalp. When someone does not completely treat the lice, a chronic infestation occurs. Therefore, occasionally in these circumstances, you will discover the lice eggs a bit further away from the scalp due to hair growth.

These nits are easy to spot and are quite distinguishable from other things because they adhere so strongly to the hair. You may find adult lice as well as the eggs they lay in seams of a mattress or even infested clothing. They will nestle into a hat or brush until a human host comes along.

There are a number of over the counter as well as prescription lice treatments that can help eradicate these little pests. Shampoos and creams can be effective but are best when repeated several times to ensure that both the adult lice as well as their many nits are killed. For more stubborn cases, there are stronger medications but doctors have to be careful with them as some can cause side effects in children or fetuses in pregnant women.

It is important to not only treat the body but also the clothing, bedding, furniture, grooming brushes and more which may have come in contact with the lice. If these are not treated to kill lice, you could get them again and the process starts over. Always follow the product directions as well as that of your doctor to ensure that the lice are gone for good.

Ring around the Ringworm

skeenz — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 03:15:02 +0000

Contrary to popular belief, ringworm is not an actual worm but a fungal infection that affects men and women as well as all ages in the spectrum from babies to seniors. The scientific name for this fungal skin infection is tinea corporis, which is ringworm on the face and body. Ringworm on the scalp is called tinea capitis. This fungal infection prefers warm conditions and its microorganisms like to dine on that insoluble protein that makes up nails, skin and hair called keratin, which resides in the epidermis, the top layer of skin.

What Ringworm Looks Like

Ringworm has a distinct appearance that is usually easy to detect. It is typically a circle shaped rash on the skin which appears swollen and red round the outer "ring" edge but with healthy looking skin in the middle part. Sometimes, the round patch of skin in ringworm is itchy and flat but it can form a raised border while other times, the ringworm affected area could simply be a red, inflamed area not the least bit shaped like a ring.

Sometimes these ringworm patterns overlap creating a larger affected area. In addition, more serious cases of this tinea corporis may produce water filled blisters or even pustules within the borders or even in the center where the healthy skin is supposed to reside.

Diagnosing and Treating the Problem

There are tell tale signs of ringworm and how the rash looks is of utmost important. Therefore, other skin conditions are tested in addition to the ringworm, to rule them out. For instance, a skin yeast infection called tinea versicolor is one related problem as is certain types of eczema. Doctors typically give a person a KOH test, the ingredients being potassium hydroxide.

The most common treatment for ringworm is a general topical anti-fungal ointment that should be applied to the affected areas several times a day for about three weeks. The ringworm usually disappears in about a week and a half but the ointment should still be applied daily for the three weeks as it will ensure that it completely eradicated. Monistat and Nizoral are two of several different kinds of treatment options for the ringworm.

When your ringworm is severe, you may have to take antifungal agents orally. These will usually kill the ringworm virtually 100% of the time as long as you follow the instructions. Lamisil is just one of the many oral treatments used.

Prevention is Key

Keeping dry is important to preventing ringworm from developing whereas moist, warm environments are necessary for ringworm to thrive. Therefore, you should immediately dry off after swimming and sweating and shower quickly to remove any germs lingering behind. It is also important to wear clothing that is not tight and put good hygiene practices to task

When dealing with plants, soil and handling animals, you will again want to wash your hands thoroughly as some of the fungi do hide out in the dirt. Also, you do not want to share your personal items like wash cloths and towels with anyone as you could spread the infection or make contact with them. All in all, ringworm may be bothersome, but it is rarely fatal.

Jock Itch – Fighting that Fungus

skeenz — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 19:15:01 +0000

It's a condition that plagues many athletes and other people who sweat a lot. Old, young, short, tall … anyone of any shape, size, color or gender can get it. The condition is called jock itch and it can be the bane of your existence. It is a fungal infection of the skin that affects your genital area as well as your buttocks and inner thighs. Also called tinea cruris, this fungal infection occurs in the moist, warm part of the body and produces a red, itchy rash in small ringed shapes.

Jock itch is related to athlete's foot and even ringworm found on the scalp because it is often the same type of fungus. In fact, that athlete's foot could have somehow made its way to what is housed within your jockey shorts. As mentioned before, virtually anyone can get jock itch, especially athletes who sweat a lot and the obese with the warm, moist areas between the rolls of fat. Unless you have a compromised immune system, jock itch isn't serious but it sure is annoying and uncomfortable.

Signs and Causes of the Itchy Jockey Times

Your groin, buttock, anal region and inner thighs are all susceptible to jock itch because these are some of the major places where your sweat glands reside. You typically will notice the itching, burning sensation first and want to scratch. Next you will notice that the area is red and has a rash. The skin around the affected areas could eventually crack or peel, like lizard skin, making things quite intolerable. Engaging in activities where you might sweat will aggravate the jock itch just as much as wearing tight clothing.

The little fungi that cause jock itch are called dermatophytes which are normal residents of your skin. However, when you introduce such wet and sweaty conditions, these residents tend to outstay their welcome by laying out the itchy welcome mats for further irritation. They keep to themselves though when conditions are dry and clean.

Luckily, jock itch is not very contagious as you would have to have sex with direct contact of someone infected or share towels that harbor these fungal microscopic organisms. What happens to create a jock itchy friendly environment is that excessive sweating washes away the natural oils of the skin which repel the fungus growth. If your jock itch does not improve within a few weeks or you get a fever along with pronounced redness and swelling, it is doctor time.

Treatment of the Itch

While an ice pack down your shorts will bring you temporarily relief, you need something a bit more permanent. A doctor may take a skin culture to determine the type of infection you may have. These cultures should give the doctor a good idea of what the cause is so that it can be treated. For mild cases of jock itch, your doctor will likely recommend an over the counter remedy to treat the symptoms such as anti-fungal agent that comes in a variety of forms like lotion, powder, spray or cream.

There are also two main types of prescription strength anti-fungal medications that may be prescribed, depending on what your insurance pays. The less expensive azoles family of medications takes longer to work while the allylamines work more quickly. Either way, you may experience a few side effects just as you would with oral medications.

The best treatment is avoidance to begin with. Take a bath or shower every day and dry completely before putting on clothing. When exercising, use a towel to dry off and keep the clothing clean and dry. Most of all, do not try to share other people's exercise equipment and change your shorts frequently.

Just the Basics on Atopic Dermatitis

skeenz — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:30:02 +0000

To understand atopic dermatitis, you have to understand where the term atopic comes from. Atopic is derived from the word "atopy" which describes a group who have a history, either themselves or in the family, of asthma, eczema, hay fever, and dry skin. Taking all of these factors into account, atopic dermatitis is a form of eczema that is a chronic condition which produces a symmetrical occurrence of itchy rashes. These rashes can become irritated and red with inflammation, cracking, oozing, scaling and crusting.

Just the Basics of Atopic Dermatitis

Fifteen to twenty million people in this country have symptoms that are representative of atopic dermatitis and these cases represent up to 20% of the cases that end up at the dermatologists office. Many people who have atopic dermatitis developed it early in life, with most of them before the age of five. Both females and males have equal chance of developing this itchy rash and are more than likely living in low humidity areas where there is less moisture in the air.

It is important to note that atopic dermatitis can be chronic, starting as an infant, as mentioned above. There are typically unpredictable cycles of this rash condition with it sometimes going into remission for periods of time while progressing at other times. With luck, many youngsters with atopic dermatitis grow up with fewer and fewer symptoms along with decreasing frequency of the skin condition.

While atopic dermatitis can lessen as you age, the skin is still often dry and can be irritated with ease. Therefore, it is important to always keep the skin hydrated and moisturized as outside environmental elements or even an unrelated illness could easily trigger an outbreak of the condition.

You can expect during outbreaks of atopic dermatitis to have the telltale rash over the face and trunk of the body. In addition, this rash can turn quite itchy and break out into papules which ooze fluid and crust over into blisters. Skin can also be dry, scaly and bumpy, especially in the bended areas of the body like the elbows and knees.

Causes and Skin Changes

There seems to be a tie in to both genetic and environmental factors when it comes to atopic dermatitis. For some reason, those with hay fever or asthma or have incidences of it in the family are more susceptible to forming atopic dermatitis. No one quite knows why this is the case. Some researchers suggest there may be abnormalities in certain cells in bone marrow which deal with immunological response. Luckily, atopic dermatitis is not contagious but there is nothing that can be done in terms of a cure.

When skin is in normal condition, the outer layer called the epidermis holds dead and dry skin cells which provide a protective barrier against outside irritants as well as keep the skin hydrated. When you have atopic dermatitis, moisture is lost through the epidermal layer causing cracking and dry skin. Protection of the skin is decreased and you are susceptible to all sorts of other skin conditions like fungal infections, warts, bacterial infections and even the herpes virus that causes cold sores.

Because there is no known cure for atopic dermatitis, the primary part of the treatment of it is spent alleviating the symptoms. Steroid creams can help in reducing the swelling and irritation. There are also anti-itch creams to alleviate the itching so that you scratch less. Keeping the home humid will help to keep skin from drying out as well, as it could exacerbate the atopic dermatitis.

Putting your Best Foot Forward with Athlete's Foot

skeenz — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:30:02 +0000

Do you have itchy feet, especially between the toes? You just might have athlete's foot, a fungal infection caused by dermatophytes, a common fungus that also is a contributor to other common skin infections like jock itch and ringworm. Athlete's foot thrives in such moist, public conditions like locker rooms, public showers and gyms.

Athlete's foot is most noticed on the soles of the feet as well as in between the toes. The skin may look a bit cracked with a dry, almost powdery appearance. It can spread to the sides of your feet as well as to the toenails. Most over the counter remedies like foot sprays and ointments do work but for the more stubborn infections, a prescription from the doctor may be in order.

Symptoms of Athlete's Foot

There are several different signs of athlete's foot and you may only experience one of them or you could be unlucky enough to experience them all. For instance, you could have burning, itching or stinging on the soles of your feet as well as in between toes. You could develop blisters that itch excessively or the skin on the soles of your feet and between your toes could crack and peel.

Your toenails could become discolored and they could grow thick and ragged too. Your feet could become overly dry on the sides and soles that no lotion or dry skin treatment can cure. The toenails could even pull away from the bed of the nail or even fall off.

Causes and Risk

The dermatophytes, these little fungi, shoot up these little extensions which infect the outward most layer of the skin. In retaliation, the skin layer will end up producing more skin cells which are pushed to the surface to create a scaly, thick area. As the fungus spreads, so do the scales and infection on the skin.

Humid, warm, moist conditions are best for this type of fungus to thrive on your feet. This could be from excessive sweating due to physical activity or tight shoes. Going barefoot will spread the fungus onto various surfaces whether it is a rug, bed sheets, floor mats or shower stalls. You could essentially re-infect yourself after spreading the fungus which sloughs off the skin.

Contracting it from another person is possible especially of you share shoes, socks or even a bed. Pets can pick up the fungus on their own paws and pass it on to you. Public places like swimming pools, gyms, saunas, locker rooms and the like where warm, humid conditions are the norm and people walk barefoot are primary places to pick up the foot fungus that causes athlete's foot.

Treatment and Prevention

For mild cases of athlete's foot, over the counter medications are fine like anti-fungal lotions, powders, sprays or ointments. Lotrimin and Lamisil are two suggestions to look for. However, if your athlete's foot is stubborn, your doctor may prescribe an oral anti-fungal medication like Diflucan or prescription Lamisil.

The best defense against athlete's foot is wearing protective shoes in public places like the swimming pool or locker room. Keep your feet dry and if they sweat, change your socks and shoes and allow to air dry as necessary. As a preventative, if your feet naturally sweat, you might want to consider dusting them with an anti-fungal powder daily.

Folliculitis No Folly for the Skin

skeenz — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 19:15:02 +0000

With a name like folliculitis, it sounds like something really serious, doesn't it? The reality is that while not life threatening, if can make you a bit uncomfortable for a while. Folliculitis is an infection of the hair follicle which appears as little pimples filled with pus. Sometimes known as a razor bumps or hot tub rash, folliculitis has a number of different causes and all of them result in itchiness and on occasion, some pain.

Most cases of folliculitis clear up within a few days because they are superficial but there are instances when this skin infection runs deeper than the hair follicle and needs additional treatment. The superficial form of folliculitis occurs often after a shave or even a soak in the hot tub. When you shave, sometimes the stubble of hair becomes ingrown, forming the small pimple-like formations. It's itchy and red but within a few days, it clears.

With the hot tub version of folliculitis, a special bacterium called pseudomonas auruginosa is often found in hot tubs, pools used for therapy, water slides and even loofah. It is the water that is typically contaminated due to improper chlorine levels and the folliculitis is most prevalent where your swimming suit adheres to the skin.

Signs and Symptoms

As mentioned above, superficial folliculitis forms these groups of red bumps around the infected hair follicles that appear like a red rash. These bumps eventually form tiny pimple-like formations that often fill with pus, similar to a blister. Eventually these bumps break open, weep out the pus and crust over. There is itchiness and sometimes, the area is slightly tender to the touch.

There are more serious cases called deep folliculitis as well which could form into a boil or worse, a carbuncle which is a cluster of boils. Signs that you may have or are forming a boil caused by deep folliculitis include a big swollen area, typically infected by staph bacteria. This area forms a tender, red mass filled with pus which eventually forms a solid white head. If you are lucky, it ruptures and drains out the infection. If you are unlucky, the infection gets worse and more boils form requiring medical intervention.

Causes

As mentioned before, hot tubs and shaving are two causes of folliculitis. However, there are several other instances where folliculitis can occur such as excessive sweating, adhesive from band aids or surgical tape which is used to cover wound dressings and even acne and dermatitis. These things can temporarily damage the hair follicle which in turn causes a skin infection.

Treatment

With superficial folliculitis, you can use anti-itch creams to soothe the itch or even use warm compresses which will help bring these red bumps to a pimple white head. From there, you can gently exfoliate the area, rinse and then apply antibiotic cream. Your folliculitis should disappear within a few days with self-treatment.

However, if you have a deeper case such as a boil or carbuncle, your doctor should be the one to lance it and allow it to drain on sterile gauze. Once drained, it can be treated with antibiotic ointments and covered until healed. In extreme circumstances, oral antibiotics and repeated lancing may be necessary if the infection lingers on in the hair follicle. If this occurs, there may be some scarring and hair loss in the area.

Overall though, folliculitis is just a troublesome skin infection that easily goes away with self-treatment. By avoiding the causes of it, you can avoid the issue all together.

Getting Plagued by Plague – Yes, It Still Happens

skeenz — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 01:30:02 +0000

While flu is the illness that has been a widespread killer for centuries, Black Death also known as the plague has also tortured many souls as well. Its reach extends for centuries with a major epidemic in the 6th century in the Byzantine Empire and again in 14th century Europe. Flash forward to today and a few hundred cases each year worldwide can be attributed to the plague with the death toll at 15-20%.

Yersinia pestis is a gram negative bacterium which causes the common plague. For centuries, the host for this plague was the disgusting rat but these days other rodents share in spreading the disease like prairie dogs, rock squirrels and ground squirrels. What happens is these infected rodents are infested with fleas which nibble on some blood and skin. In turn, these fleas, now carrying the plague, hop to other hosts in search of another meal.

Humans who come into contact with these rodents, usually in the wild, may have these fleas hop on and start nibbling them. The bite from the infected flea then causes the lymphatic system in your body to become infected which can lead to the bubonic plague. Someone developing a biological weapon could conceivably aerosolize these bacteria and release it into the air. If breathed in, it causes the pneumonic plague, an infection of the pulmonary system.

Bioterrorism at its Worst

While not likely, some form of plague could conceivably be used as a biological weapon. It seems every major country has its own labs testing plagues to transform them into workable weapons to devastate the enemy. In fact, the Japanese used the plague during WWII against the Chinese by releasing infected fleas and to this day, parts of China still encounters cases of the plague. You are much more likely to develop the plague cuddling up to your favorite rodents.

Symptoms of the Plague

You must be bitten by an infected flea in order to contract the bubonic plague. Typically, the incubation period is anywhere from two to seven days. The first thing you might notice is a bad headache, followed by fatigue, fever and achy muscles. Several hours after the sudden onset of these symptoms, your lymph nodes in the groin and armpit area may become painful and swollen. If not treated, over half of all people who contract it could die.

Close contact with someone with the plague, such as droplets from their respiratory system (like a sneeze or cough) could cause pneumonic plague. The incubation period is quicker with this form at one to four days. You will suddenly feel muscle pain, fever, fatigue and develop a cough. The next stage of pneumonic plague is the coughing up of blood, labored breathing and cyanosis, which is a bluish coloration due to lack of oxygen in the blood. Everyone who contracts this could die unless treated.

Treatment of the Plague

Just think … this deadly serious illness is caused by the bite of an infected flea. Luckily, if caught in time, plague can be treated successfully with antibiotics. For some though who contract a plague strain that is resistant to some forms of antibiotics, the fight to live will be a little tougher. If you know that you have been exposed to the plague but have not shown symptoms yet, you can head it off at the pass with an antibiotic course of treatment.

Luckily, the plague is something that most of the world does not have to worry about any longer. However, as long as there are rodents and the fleas that bite them, there will always be that small chance.

Psoriasis – A Flaky Skin Condition that Has You Seeing Red

skeenz — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 06:00:04 +0000

While not a life threatening condition, psoriasis is chronic and can affect your quality of life. It is a skin disease which disturbs the phases of skin cell development and shedding. What happens is that new skin cells take several weeks to move from the deepest skin layer when skin cell production begins to the outside layer where they die and fall off. With psoriasis, the phases of skin cell development take mere days instead of weeks resulting in an accumulation of skin cells. This accumulation is in the form of thick scales and patches of dry, red skin.

While chronic, psoriasis may go into periods of remission or noticeable improvement. Some people who have arthritis may become disabled when that condition is coupled with psoriasis because of the pain. No one has found a cure, although there are remedies that can provide moderate to extreme relief. There are both self-treatment options as well as options that require medical intervention.

Types of Psoriasis

The most common appearance of psoriasis is plaque psoriasis which forms red, dry skin lesions also known as plaques which are covered in scales. These lesions are sore and may itch. This type of psoriasis can be found anywhere on the body and there are levels of severity with the worst being areas that crack and bleed.

Scalp psoriasis is another common condition which strongly resembles dandruff. You would have itchy red areas on the scalp which form the telltale silvery scales. These slough off easily but they also form new layers of scales rather quickly.

Some children and young adults may develop guttate psoriasis which is often triggered by an infection they get like strep throat. This type of psoriasis looks like small droplets that often form on the scalp legs, trunk and arms but form sores which then crust over into the telltale scales. For some, it is a one time thing while for others who may be susceptible to illness, it may be repeated.

There are at least five other types of psoriasis but they do not occur as often as the ones listed above. Only a medical professional can accurately assess the type of psoriasis you may have. A theory about why psoriasis develops is often bandied about and it has to do with the body's T-cells mistaking the healthy skin cells as enemies which could account for the fast life cycle of the skin cell development process.

Treatment Options

It is important to note that everyone's psoriasis reacts quite differently to treatment so what may work for one person may not work for you. Traditionally, the first line of defense is to start off with a mild treatment like topical ointments or even phototherapy which is ultraviolet light therapy. Then slowly step up the intensity of the treatments as necessary.

The goal of any psoriasis treatment option is to find a way to slow down the process of the turnover of skin cells without creating too many side effects in the process. It may take years to find a treatment that works best for you.