It's A Myth That Psoriasis Is Contagious

From etvbharat.com

If someone has psoriasis, they do not need to be avoided, quarantined or treated as though their skin comes with a public-health warning

Skin has a talent for making life complicated. You could have your calendar under control and your social life sorted, only for a patch of red, scaly skin to turn up uninvited. If you have psoriasis, this is not merely an occasional bad-skin day. It is a chronic condition that can flare up, settle down and then make another appearance when you least want it to.

Psoriasis occurs when the immune system causes skin cells to grow faster than usual. The result is red, scaly patches that commonly appear on the scalp, elbows and knees, although other parts of the body can be affected too. It is a long-term condition, which means managing it is less about finding one miracle fix and more about working with a dermatologist to keep symptoms under control.

Dr. Rinky Kapoor, dermatologist and co-founder of The Esthetic Clinics, says, “Psoriasis can affect people differently, and its impact extends beyond what appears on the skin.”

You Cannot Catch Psoriasis From Someone

Let's clear up one particularly persistent misconception: psoriasis is not contagious. “You cannot catch it by touching someone who has it, sharing a towel or sitting beside them on the bus. It is not an infection that spreads from person to person,” says Dr. Kapoor.

Unfortunately, the visible patches can still attract the sort of attention nobody has asked for. People may mistake psoriasis for a contagious skin condition, leaving those affected feeling judged, embarrassed or uncomfortable in social situations. “If someone has psoriasis, they do not need to be avoided, quarantined or treated as though their skin comes with a public-health warning. They need understanding, not a wider berth,” she adds.

People may mistake psoriasis for a contagious skin condition, leaving those affected feeling judged, embarrassed or uncomfortable (Getty Images)

A Flare-up Needs More Than Patience

Psoriasis does not follow the same script for everyone. Some people experience limited patches, while others develop more extensive symptoms. Persistent redness, scaling or skin patches should be assessed by a dermatologist rather than left to guesswork or treated with products chosen at random.

There is also a reason not to think of psoriasis as exclusively a skin problem. Some people develop psoriatic arthritis, a condition that can cause joint pain, swelling and stiffness. If you have psoriasis and notice persistent joint symptoms, mention them to your doctor. Recognising associated problems early can help ensure they receive appropriate attention.

Psoriasis can be frustrating, particularly when a flare-up arrives at an inconvenient moment. But embarrassment and misinformation should not be allowed to dictate how you live, and persistent symptoms should not be left to manage themselves.

It's important to remember that psoriasis is not contagious; it can affect more than the skin, and effective treatments are available to help manage it. If you notice persistent patches, redness or scaling, consult a dermatologist rather than trying to diagnose or treat the condition on your own. Your skin may have other plans. With the right medical care, however, it does not have to run the whole show.

https://www.etvbharat.com/amp/en/lifestyle/world-psoriasis-day-myth-contagious-enn26102903219

Eczema vs. psoriasis: How to tell these common skin conditions apart

From keyt.com/stacker-medical-care

By Veronica Hackethal for Doctronic

If you’ve noticed red, scaly patches on your skin, you might be wondering whether you’re dealing with eczema or psoriasis. These two common inflammatory skin conditions share many similarities, making them notoriously difficult to distinguish at first glance. Here, Doctronic explains how to tell the two apart.

Both can cause dry, irritated skin that significantly impacts your quality of life. However, understanding the key differences between these conditions is crucial for receiving the right treatment and managing your symptoms effectively. While over 30 million Americans live with eczema and 8 million have psoriasis, many people struggle to identify which condition they actually have, leading to delayed or inappropriate treatment. 

• Eczema and psoriasis are distinct inflammatory skin conditions that are often confused due to similar appearances.
• Location patterns differ significantly: psoriasis favours outer elbows and knees, while eczema appears in skin folds and creases.
• Eczema causes intense itching, while psoriasis typically produces burning or stinging sensations.
• Both involve immune system dysfunction but through different inflammatory pathways, requiring targeted treatments.

Understanding What Each Condition Looks Like

The visual differences between eczema and psoriasis become more apparent when you know what to look for. Eczema, particularly atopic dermatitis, typically presents with ill-defined borders and can vary significantly based on your skin tone. On lighter skin, eczema appears as pink or red rashes with bumps and crusting, while on darker skin tones, it may look dark brown, grey, or purple with dry, small bumps.

Psoriasis, in contrast, has a much more distinctive appearance characterized by well-defined, thick red plaques topped with silvery-white scales. These patches look like they have layers of scaly build-up on top of the underlying redness. The scaling occurs because psoriasis causes your skin cells to grow too rapidly, creating an excess build-up that your body cannot shed quickly enough. This results in the characteristic thick, raised patches that feel different to the touch compared to eczema’s typically flatter appearance.

The texture differences are equally telling. Psoriasis patches tend to be significantly thicker and more inflamed than eczema lesions. While eczema may present with some scaling, it’s typically much lighter and less pronounced than the prominent silvery scales seen in psoriasis.

Location Patterns Reveal Important Clues

One of the most reliable ways to distinguish between these conditions is examining where they appear on your body. Psoriasis shows a strong preference for specific areas, most commonly affecting the outer edges of your elbows and knees, scalp, lower back, and the soles of your feet and palms. It may also appear on your ears, around your mouth, on your eyelids, buttocks, or affect your nails.

Eczema follows a completely different pattern, favouring the skin folds or creases of your body. You’ll most commonly find eczema symptoms in areas like the inner elbows, behind the knees, around your wrists, neck, and ankles. Eczema is also much more likely to affect your face and neck compared to psoriasis. In babies, eczema frequently appears on the chin, cheeks, scalp, chest, arms, and legs, while adults often experience symptoms on their faces or hands.

This location preference isn’t just coincidental. It reflects the different underlying mechanisms of each condition. Eczema tends to develop in areas where skin is more sensitive or prone to irritation from friction and sweating, while psoriasis often affects areas that experience more mechanical stress or trauma. Understanding these patterns can help you and your healthcare provider make a more accurate diagnosis, especially when combined with other distinguishing factors.

Symptoms and Sensations: Beyond the Visual

While both conditions can cause discomfort, the type and intensity of symptoms differ significantly. Eczema is notorious for causing intense itching that can be particularly severe at night, often disrupting sleep patterns. This itching can become so intense that it leads to a cycle of scratching and further skin damage. The itch associated with eczema is often described as relentless and can significantly impact daily activities and quality of life.

Psoriasis, on the other hand, may not cause itching at all. When it does, the sensation is typically described as more of a burning or stinging feeling rather than the intense itch characteristic of eczema. Some people with psoriasis report mild itching, but it’s generally not the overwhelming sensation experienced with eczema. Instead, psoriasis patches may feel tight, painful, or cause a burning sensation.

The difference in symptoms extends beyond just itching. Eczema can sometimes present with oozing or weeping lesions, especially during active flares or when the skin barrier is severely compromised. This can lead to crusting as the lesions heal. Psoriasis rarely presents with oozing; instead, you might notice bleeding when scales are removed or if the thick skin cracks.

Age of Onset and Demographics

The timing of when these conditions first appear can provide valuable diagnostic clues. Eczema is predominantly a childhood condition, with most cases beginning before age 5. Many children with eczema find that their symptoms improve or even disappear as they reach adulthood, though some continue to experience symptoms throughout their lives.

Psoriasis typically develops later, most commonly appearing after age 18, though it can occur at any age. Unlike eczema, psoriasis tends to be a lifelong condition that requires ongoing management. However, both conditions can have periods of improvement and flare-ups throughout a person’s life.

Doctronic

These demographic differences reflect the distinct nature of each condition. Understanding whether eczema is an autoimmune disease helps explain why it often begins in childhood when the immune system is still developing, while psoriasis’s autoimmune nature typically manifests later when genetic predispositions combine with environmental triggers.

The Immune System Connection

Both eczema and psoriasis involve immune system dysfunction, but they affect different immune pathways. This distinction is crucial for understanding why certain treatments work for one condition but not the other. Eczema is primarily driven by T Helper 2 (TH2) cells, which are associated with allergic-type inflammation. This explains why people with eczema often have other allergic conditions like asthma or hay fever.

Psoriasis, conversely, is driven by Th1 and Th17 cells, which are part of the immune system branch involved in fighting fungal and bacterial infections. This different immune pathway explains why psoriasis causes the characteristic rapid skin cell growth and thick scaling that distinguishes it from eczema.

These immune differences have significant implications for treatment. Biologic medications, which target specific immune pathways, are designed to work for either eczema or psoriasis, but not both. This is why accurate diagnosis is essential before starting advanced treatments. Whether you’re dealing with breast eczema, penile eczema, ear eczema, or other forms, getting the right diagnosis ensures you receive the most effective treatment approach. 

The Bottom Line

Understanding the differences between eczema and psoriasis empowers you to seek appropriate treatment and manage your skin condition effectively. While both conditions can significantly impact your quality of life, accurate diagnosis is the first step toward relief. Key distinguishing factors include location patterns, type of symptoms, age of onset, and underlying immune mechanisms. Remember that these conditions require different treatment approaches, from basic skincare routines to advanced therapies, such as medication, for eczema management.

This story was produced by Doctronic and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.

https://keyt.com/stacker-medical-care/2026/10/29/eczema-vs-psoriasis-how-to-tell-these-common-skin-conditions-apart/

Belgium: Psoriasis Day aims to break down taboos around rare skin disease

From brusselstimes.com

AbbVie and the French-speaking patient group Psoriasis-Contact are launching a campaign on 29 October, World Psoriasis Day, to break the taboo around genital psoriasis and encourage patients to speak openly about it.

Psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin condition, affects 2% to 3% of the Belgian population. Studies suggest that up to 63% of people with psoriasis experience genital symptoms at some point in their lives.

Yet almost half of those affected have never discussed the problem with their doctor. In Belgium, it takes an average of two and a half years for the condition to be diagnosed.

Symptoms such as itching, redness, burning and pain can easily be mistaken for irritation, thrush or a sexually transmitted infection. Dermatologist Lisa Goldberg said an accurate diagnosis was essential to ensure patients received the right treatment.

Under European guidelines, genital involvement alone is enough for psoriasis to be classified as moderate to severe. This can justify the use of systemic treatment.

The condition can also have a serious impact on self-confidence, sexual desire and relationships. Sexologist Laurane Wattecamps said shame often caused more harm than the pain itself, adding that people with genital psoriasis could still have a full and satisfying intimate life.

The campaign, called C’est la gêne, includes posters and leaflets in waiting rooms, as well as a dedicated website with information about the disease. A podcast featuring dermatologists, sexologists and patients discussing the illness and intimacy is also available on major audio platforms.

The organisers said patients’ need for information and support remained largely unmet, and that the taboo surrounding this form of psoriasis had become a real societal issue.

Psoriasis-Contact, a volunteer-run non-profit organisation, has been active in Brussels and Wallonia for the past 10 years.

https://www.brusselstimes.com/health-news/2377338/psoriasis-day-aims-to-break-down-taboos-around-rare-skin-disease 

Dermatologist Dr. Philip Werschler Discusses Expert Psoriasis Care and Management Tips

From medicaldaily.com

Psoriasis affects about 3.2 percent of adults in the United States, and the people living with it know it's rarely just a skin problem. Good psoriasis care starts with understanding that it's a chronic, immune-driven condition that often reaches beyond the skin. It also means working with a provider who can match treatment to severity over time.

Wm. Philip Werschler, MD is a board-certified dermatologist with more than 30 years of clinical experience and a long record as an FDA clinical trial investigator. He's a founding member of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery and the founding Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology (JCAD). Additionally, Dr. Werschler serves as a professor of dermatology at the University of Washington and Washington State University medical schools. During his seasoned career and through extensive research, he has treated thousands of psoriasis patients and shares his expertise on managing the condition.

Understanding Psoriasis as a Chronic Condition

Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated disease that's been linked to other health conditions, and managing it well means looking past the visible plaques. The skin changes happen because the immune system tells skin cells to grow far faster than normal. Those cells pile up and form the raised, scaly patches most people know.

Plaque psoriasis is the most common type, making up about 90 percent of cases. Other forms include guttate, inverse, pustular, and erythrodermic psoriasis. Each one looks different and may need a different approach.

Because psoriasis raises the risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and depression, it's treated as a long-term condition rather than something that can be cleared once and forgotten. Flares can come back after months or even years of calm, and triggers shift over a lifetime. Ongoing care, regular skin checks, and teamwork with a primary care provider help patients stay ahead of both the disease and the health risks tied to it.

How Dermatologists Assess Psoriasis Severity

Dr. Werschler explains that specialists most often use the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index, or PASI, to grade severity. PASI measures how much of the body is affected along with the redness, thickness, and scaling of plaques. It sorts cases into mild, moderate, or severe categories.

Severity matters because it shapes which treatments make sense and which therapies insurance will cover. Location of plaques is also a key factor. Plaques on the scalp, nails, palms, soles, or genital area often need a special approach, even when the total skin area involved is small.

A full evaluation also includes screening for psoriatic arthritis, which develops in about one in three people with psoriasis. Joint inflammation can start quietly with stiffness or swelling in the fingers or toes, and untreated psoriatic arthritis can cause permanent joint damage. Catching it early gives patients the best shot at keeping their joints working well.

What Are the Main Treatment Options for Psoriasis?

As Dr. Werschler notes, psoriasis care today includes five main types of treatment: topical therapies, phototherapy, oral medications, injectable biologics, and medicated shampoos for scalp involvement. Most plans incorporate more than one, he explains, and the right mix depends on severity, where the plaques are, health history, and how the disease responds over time.

Topical therapies

For mild to moderate psoriasis, a topical psoriasis cream is usually the first step. Options include corticosteroids, vitamin D analogues like calcipotriene, topical retinoids, and calcineurin inhibitors.

Dr. Werschler notes that there are several newer topical treatments, including roflumilast and tapinarof. "These medications may be referred to as 'steroid sparing' because they are cortisone-free and have fewer side effects, especially with prolonged use. Generally, the use of steroid creams is limited to non-facial and non-genital areas of the body."

Many patients rotate between products to balance how well they work with how the skin tolerates them.

Phototherapy

Controlled exposure to ultraviolet light, most often narrowband UVB, can clear widespread mild to moderate plaques. Treatment can happen in a clinic or with a prescribed home unit.

While phototherapy is used less today, it remains a viable option for some patients, although it is not considered a systemic therapy that treats psoriatic arthritis. For fair-skinned individuals, it may increase the risk of skin cancer, especially with prolonged use.

Oral medications

Methotrexate, cyclosporine, and deucravacitinib are used for moderate to severe disease. Each one needs monitoring through regular lab work and follow-up visits.

Apremilast is an oral medication FDA-approved for mild to moderate psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Apremilast does not require any specific laboratory monitoring and is generally well tolerated. Some patients may experience gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea and diarrhoea.

A newer oral psoriasis medication, icotrokinra, was recently approved by the FDA. This medication targets a similar part of the immune system as some injections, known as an IL-23 blocker. This medication must be taken every day on an empty stomach and 30 minutes before eating. The most common side effects include headache, nausea, cough, fungal infections, and fatigue.

Injectable biologics

This newer class targets specific immune signals involved in psoriasis and is approved for moderate to severe cases. Biologics have become a mainstay of therapy for many psoriasis patients.

Medicated shampoos

Scalp psoriasis often responds to over-the-counter or prescription shampoos with coal tar, salicylic acid or ketoconazole, sometimes paired with a topical steroid.

Treatment rarely stays the same. As the disease changes, as new therapies come out, and as patients move through different life stages, the plan should change with them.

When Biologics Become the Right Choice

Biologics aren't the starting point for every patient. They're reserved for moderate to severe psoriasis, usually after topical therapy and oral medications haven't delivered enough relief. Instead of broadly suppressing the immune system the way older drugs do, newer biologics target specific immune pathways involved in psoriasis. As a result, they often produce clearer skin with fewer side effects when properly monitored.

Before starting a biologic, patients are screened for active infections, tuberculosis exposure, and any health conditions that could affect safety. Regular follow-up keeps treatment on track, and serious complications are uncommon with proper care.

Choosing among the available biologics is where research experience makes a difference. Having served as a principal investigator on many FDA approved psoriasis clinical trials through Premier Clinical Research in Spokane, Dr. Werschler's work shapes how he weighs efficacy data, how long a response lasts and patient-specific factors when guiding these decisions.

Lifestyle Factors That Make Psoriasis Worse (and Better)

Dr. Werschler points out that there are seven lifestyle factors that consistently affect psoriasis: stress, smoking, alcohol, skin injury, body weight, certain medications, and sun exposure. Daily habits won't replace medical treatment, but they can make a real difference in how often flares happen and how well treatment works.

• Stress is one of the most commonly reported triggers, and stress management techniques can ease flare intensity.
• Smoking and alcohol are both tied to more severe disease and a weaker response to treatment.
• Skin injury can trigger new plaques at the site of cuts, scrapes or sunburn. This pattern is called the Koebner phenomenon.
• Weight plays a role too. Obesity is linked to more severe psoriasis, and losing weight often improves how patients respond to treatment.
• Certain medications can make the disease worse, including beta-blockers, lithium, antimalarials, and some anti-inflammatory drugs. Patients should always tell their dermatologist about every prescription and supplement they take.
• Dry skin fuels itching and scaling. Heavy moisturizers, ointments, or petroleum jelly applied to damp skin after bathing help seal in moisture.
• Sun exposure in small amounts can briefly improve plaques, but sunburn triggers flares. Broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher on unaffected skin and limited time in peak sun are the safer choice.

Dr. Werschler also notes that because long-term inflammation can raise heart disease risk, patients with moderate to severe psoriasis benefit from heart health screening as part of regular care. Working with both a dermatologist and a primary care provider helps catch related conditions early.

Building a Psoriasis Care Plan That Works

Psoriasis is chronic, but Dr. Werschler says it's far more manageable than it was even a decade ago. The range of available therapies has expanded, and patients who once cycled through limited options now have real choices at every severity level. According to Dr. Werschler, success starts with an accurate diagnosis, an honest look at severity, and a plan built around the patient.

For anyone whose psoriasis hasn't responded to first-line treatments, a visit with a board-certified dermatologist is often the turning point. Beyond clearing skin, the right plan has the power to protect long-term health.

https://www.medicaldaily.com/dermatologist-dr-philip-werschler-discusses-expert-psoriasis-care-management-tips-480246