Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic disease of the skin, developing when a person’s immune system send faulty signals that tells skin cells to grow too quickly.  Instead of forming skin cells slowly, over weeks, the immune system sends out signals that cause these cells to form in a matter of days.

Q: What are the symptoms of psoriasis?

A: There are several varieties of psoriasis including plaque, guttate, pustular, inverse and erythrodermic. None of them are contagious. Each type of psoriasis has its own characteristic symptoms.  In is not uncommon to have more than one type, or for any type to change.

Plaque psoriasis: This is the most common form of psoriasis and is characterized by raised, reddish patches that may be covered with a silvery-white coating. Patches can range in size and can appear anywhere on the body, most often found on the knees, elbows, lower back and scalp. These patches may itch and scratching causes thickening. Sufferers of plaque psoriasis sometimes have crumbling or pitted fingernails as well.

Guttate psoriasis: Small, red spots that can show up anywhere on the body but most often on the trunk, arms and legs. The spots may show up in the wake of an illness, especially strep throat. This kind of psoriasis may clear up in a few weeks or months without treatment.

Pustular psoriasis: Characterized by small, red, swollen, pus-filled bumps usually limited to the palms and soles of the feet. The bumps can feel sore and painful. When the bumps dry, they can leave behind brown marks. Should the bumps occur all over the body, they might be accompanied by fever, chills, loss of appetite, itching, and a general feeling of being sick and fatigued.

Inverse psoriasis: Smooth red patches of skin that look raw, resembling chafing. They develop in folds where skin rubs against skin, such as the armpit, buttocks, groin, genitals and under the breasts. The patches can feel very sore.

Erythrodermic psoriasis: A potentially life-threatening condition in which the skin on most or even all of the body looks and behaves like it has been badly burned. The skin can be intensely itchy and painful. Victims cannot maintain normal body temperature and may get flashes of intense heat or cold.

Q: Who gets psoriasis?

A: Psoriasis is fairly common. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, some 7.5 million Americans have the condition. Of those, about 80% have the plaque variety. The disease can begin at any age but usually manifests between the ages of 15 and 30. Having one or more family members with psoriasis makes it more likely that you’ll have the disease. Caucasians are more prone to psoriasis than other races.

Q: What causes psoriasis?

A: Not everyone who inherits the genes for psoriasis gets the condition. Most likely, psoriasis is caused by a combination of inherited genes and a triggering incident that impacts the immune system such as a stressful event, strep throat, injury to the skin (a cut, sunburn, or other damage), cold and dry weather, or certain medications. Psoriasis is not contagious. You cannot get it by sharing clothing, having sex, or swimming in a pool with someone who has it.

Q: How is psoriasis treated?

A: It is important to recognize that because psoriasis is an immune disorder, it can be managed but not cured. There are many treatments for psoriasis but they fall into three distinct categories: topical medications applied to the skin, phototherapy where the skin is exposed to ultraviolet light, and systemic drugs delivered either orally or by injection. Some of these therapies are appropriate for mild cases of psoriasis while others are reserved for treating only the most severe cases.

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