How familiar are you with psoriasis?
Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin rash that is relatively common in the United States. Men and women have an equal chance of developing it. It’s an autoimmune disease in which your body’s immune system recognizes normal tissues as dangerous and attacks them.
The condition can run in families, and the most common of the several types is plaque psoriasis. Living with this condition can majorly affect your life if you don’t treat it.
Below, let’s take a look at what psoriasis looks like, typical signs of the condition and some treatment options.
What does psoriasis look like, and where can it appear?
Psoriasis causes red or purple lesions with silver-colored scales on your skin. The lesions typically appear symmetrically, meaning they can be located on both sides of your body at the same time.
However, you may develop lesions or damaged tissue in just one area or have multiple spots on your body, including the joints, fingernails, skin and toenails. Many triggers cause psoriasis to flare up, including stress, trauma, some medications and infections.
The good news is, there are many therapies available to treat the condition.
What are the typical signs of psoriasis?
When a person has psoriasis, developing lesions is a strong sign of the condition. These lesions can appear at any time due to various factors.
If you notice lesions anywhere on your skin, fingernails or in other areas, it is essential to seek a professional diagnosis and treatment.
Lesions are not the only sign of this condition. Some other typical signs to watch for include the following:
- Itching
- Abnormal nail growth
- Red, swollen, warm, painful or deformed joints
- Nails separating from the nail bed
- Pitted, crumbling, discoloured or loose nails
- Bleeding where skin scales have come off
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/AOGJS4UJLNHOZGD3RPXMNSEB3Y.jpg)
What options are available to treat psoriasis?
When you have psoriasis, your dermatologist will help you find a suitable treatment option to resolve your condition. They will work with you to create a personalized treatment plan that addresses the lesions and other symptoms related to psoriasis.
Doing so ensures it stays controlled and improves your quality of life.
Some of the options your medical care provider may enlist include:
- Laser therapies
- Medications to suppress your immune system
- Biological therapies
- Phototherapy treatment
- In-patient dermatology treatment
- Oral or topical retinoids (medications related to vitamin A)
- Tars and anthralin, topical corticosteroids, or medications related to vitamin D3
Watch for signs and get medical care when you need it
If you develop symptoms of psoriasis, make an appointment with a dermatologist or your general care provider as soon as you notice signs.
With proper treatment, you can control your psoriasis and enjoy life.
No comments:
Post a Comment