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| | Skin Conditions - Psoriasis |
Psoriasis |
Affecting
approximately one out of every 50 adults, psoriasis is a physical
condition that can cause significant psychological distress. One of the
most interesting discoveries related to psoriasis is that its onset is
rooted in the body's immune system. 
The
symptoms associated with a flare-up of psoriasis include skin that is
salmon-colored, scaly, flaky and irritated. With plaque psoriasis, the
most common form, affected areas develop round-, oval- or
irregularly-shaped patches of red that are covered with skin that's
scaly and silver-colored. There is no consistency in the size or shape
of the patchy areas and in fact, several small patches can merge
together and appear as one big irregular shape of irritated skin. These
areas are unsightly and sometimes they crack and cause bleeding.
Affected
skin can be extremely itchy and frequently has a burning sensation.
Like the shape, there is no consistency in how long a flare-up will
last. It can last 20 days or it can last 120 days or longer. What's
worse for those affected is that it's a chronic condition so recurring
flare-ups can happen any time.
The most commonly
affected
parts of the body include the trunk, head, elbows and knees although
any body part can develop psoriasis. Flare-ups also tend to be
symmetrical, meaning that both sides of the body will experience
flare-ups in the same areas at the same time.
Genetics
plays
some role in psoriasis so those individuals with parents or
grandparents who have had psoriasis have an increased chance that
they'll develop it as well. For reasons still unknown, T-cells, which
are needed to produce the white blood cells that help our bodies fight
infection, cause the skin to become inflamed. T-cells also somehow
trigger the production of an overabundance of skin cells. With nowhere
else to go, these excess skin cells pile up on top of one another and
create the telltale appearance of raised patches on the skin's
exterior. The red appearance is the increased blood supply that's
needed to nourish these skin cells.
Injuries to
the skin,
sunlight and streptococcal infections are common triggers of Psoriasis.
Stress can also trigger an outbreak as can changes in hormone levels.
Individuals with early stages of HIV seem to have higher instances of
psoriasis as well.
Psoriasis is not contagious so
there's no
risk of passing it on. Those who smoke cigarettes and who consume
alcohol increase their risks of developing psoriasis.
Currently,
there still is no cure for psoriasis. However there are many treatments
that are effective at alleviating the symptoms. Start by
keeping
affected areas moist and by resisting the temptation to scratch the
area.
Topical treatments are used first with the
goal of
slowing down the excess production of skin cells. Coal tar, salicylic
acid, corticosteroids, synthetic vitamin D, tazorac, anthrallin are
common topical treatment options as are specially-formulated bathing
products and moisturizersinclusing those containing tea tree oil.
Systemic medications are prescribed to treat
more severe cases. Phototherapy, where patients are exposed to
medically-supervised ultraviolet radiation is also effective in
treating psoriasis.
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