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Psoriasis
What is it?
Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition that is most commonly distinguished by thickened, raised, red, patches of skin that are covered with silver-white scales or flakes. Psoriasis is most frequently found on the knees, elbows, scalp, hands, feet, or lower back. Typically, intense itching and burning accompany this skin condition. While bouts of psoriasis come and go, this condition is chronic in nature. Once a person is diagnosed with psoriasis, they are at risk for experiencing future outbreaks. Treatment is partly aimed at reducing the frequency of these outbreaks.
Most researchers now believe that psoriasis is related to the body's immune system (the system that helps the body fight off diseases and infections). Psoriasis is not contagious, but there is a definite genetic link to the disease. Several different types of psoriasis exist, with each type having certain appearances or symptoms. The various types of psoriasis are discussed below:
- Plaque psoriasis is the most common form of psoriasis, accounting for 80% of all occurrences of the skin condition. Plaques can appear on any skin area of the body but most commonly appears on the knees, elbows, scalp, trunk, and nails. This type of psoriasis is identified by well-defined patches of red, raised, skin that is covered with silver-white scales or flakes.
- Guttate psoriasis often begins in childhood or young adulthood. It can occur suddenly, over the course of a few days and is most often brought on by infections caused by bacteria or viruses. Guttate psoriasis is identified by small, red, individual bumps on the skin, usually on the trunk of the body and the limbs, but it is occasionally found on the head.
- Inverse psoriasis is more common and troublesome in overweight people. This is because of increased rubbing (from skin on skin or skin on clothes) and sweating, which can lead to irritation of the affected areas. Inverse psoriasis is identified by red, swollen plaques that do not have scaling. These plaques are typically found on smooth areas of the skin, often in folds or creases.
- Erythrodermic psoriasis is the least common form of psoriasis. It often involves flare-ups and a burning redness and swelling of the majority of skin on all locations of the body. Erythrodermic psoriasis can disrupt the body's ability to control its temperature and can lead to severe illness. In severe cases, people with this type of psoriasis may need to be hospitalized if they become dehydrated, have an infection, or have poor blood circulation.
- Pustular psoriasis is identified by a general reddening of the skin that appears quickly and is tender. This redness then progresses, within as little as a few hours, to pus-filled blisters or lesions. Fever, chills, severe itching, a rapid pulse rate, exhaustion, anemia (a condition where there are not enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to your body's tissues), weight loss, and muscle weakness may also accompany this form of psoriasis. Pustular psoriasis can cover the trunk of the body, arms, and legs (the most severe form of this type of psoriasis) or can be confined to the palms of the hands or soles of the feet.
- Psoriatic ("sore-ee-AA-tic") arthritis is diagnosed in about 23% of the individuals who have any of the other types of psoriasis. Rarely will an individual develop psoriatic arthritis without having another form of psoriasis. Psoriatic arthritis typically occurs about 10 years after the first signs of psoriasis and most commonly affects the ends of the fingers, toes, and the spine. Early diagnosis is important for preventing long-term damage to joints and tissues. Some symptoms include stiffness, pain, swelling, and tenderness of the joints and surrounding tissues and a decrease in range of motion of the arms or legs.
Typically, individuals have only one type of psoriasis at a time (excluding psoriatic arthritis). Occasionally, two different types can occur together or one type may change to another type. Psoriasis can be mild to debilitating, depending on which body areas are affected and how much of the body is affected. For instance, many people get psoriasis on their scalp, which may be annoying but not as debilitating as developing psoriasis on the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet (which may hinder the ability to use the hands or to walk).
It is important for your doctor to differentiate between the various types of psoriasis because each type may require different treatments. It is very important that you talk with your physician about what treatment is best for your specific type of psoriasis.
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What is it?
