From healthline.com
When psoriasis develops on your feet, it can cause uncomfortable itching or soreness that makes tasks like walking difficult.
Psoriasis, an autoimmune skin condition, usually causes itchy and scaly rashes but can also cause pus-filled blisters. It most commonly develops on your:
- knees
- elbows
- scalp
- trunk
Psoriasis can affect many other parts of your body, such as your feet. In a 2020
Mild psoriasis on your feet can be managed with home remedies such as moisturizers, but more severe psoriasis may need prescription medications.
Read on to learn more about the signs of psoriasis on your feet and how it can be treated.
Psoriasis is divided into subtypes depending on its features. Several types can develop on your feet.
Plaque psoriasis
Plaque psoriasis is the most common type of psoriasis. It makes up about 90% of cases. It’s also known as psoriasis vulgaris. Vulgaris is the Latin word for “common.”
Plaque psoriasis on your feet causes similar symptoms as when it develops on other parts of your body. It’s characterized by raised patches of dry and scaly skin. These patches tend to be itchy or sore.
Palmoplantar psoriasis on feet
When plaque psoriasis occurs on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet, it’s referred to as palmoplantar psoriasis. In a study of people with psoriasis, 15% of them were found to have palmoplantar psoriasis.
Localised pustular psoriasis on feet (also known as palmoplantar pustular psoriasis)
Palmoplantar pustular psoriasis is a rare form of psoriasis that causes pus-filled blisters to form on your palms or the soles of your feet. It’s much more common in women between the ages of 40 and 69 who smoke.
Nail psoriasis
Nail psoriasis is when psoriasis also causes nail symptoms. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, nail symptoms usually start years after psoriasis develops on your skin. They may include:
- grooves
- blood beneath the nail
- lifting of the nail from the nailbed
Guttate psoriasis
Guttate psoriasis causes small red and scaly spots to form on your skin. These spots often resemble raindrops and generally form on your:
- trunk
- upper arms and legs
- face
- scalp
Guttate psoriasis has also been reported in case studies
Erythrodermic psoriasis
Erythrodermic psoriasis makes up about 1% to 2.25%
Erythrodermic psoriasis requires immediate emergency medical attention to prevent severe complications such as heart failure or hypothermia.
Acropustulosis
Acropustulosis is a rare form of psoriasis that causes a painful rash on the soles of your feet or palms of your hand. The rash may contain small, reddish, flat bumps that turn into blisters.
Acropustulosis is most common in infants but can affect anybody.
Psoriasis can cause similar symptoms on your feet as on other parts of your body. Psoriasis on the feet can be mild, only affecting a small area of your feet, to severe
Plaque psoriasis can cause:
- red and inflamed patches covered in whitish-silver scales
- itching and burning
- pain
- dry and cracked skin
- pitted and thick nails
Plaque psoriasis patches tend to be pink or red on people with light skin and violet or dark brown on people with darker skin.
Palmoplantar pustular psoriasis can cause:
- tiny blisters filled with yellow pus
- scaly skin
- painful cracking
- bleeding
About 10% to 25% of people with palmoplantar pustular psoriasis also have plaque psoriasis.
Psoriatic arthritis
About 20%
- knees
- ankles
- hands
- feet
Symptoms can include:
- swollen and tender joints
- stiffness in the mornings
- swollen fingers or toes
- lower back pain
Psoriasis develops when your immune system attacks healthy skin cells. It’s not clear why this happens, but a combination of genetic and environmental factors likely play a role.
People with family members with psoriasis are at an elevated risk of developing it too. In a 2020 study, researchers found 31.9% (444 of 1,393)
The most common gene associated with palmoplantar psoriasis is HLA. People with a version of this gene called HLA-Cw6 seem more susceptible to developing psoriasis.
Symptoms often develop when genetically susceptible people are exposed to certain triggers.
Triggers vary between people but often include:
- stress
- certain foods
- alcohol
- excess sunlight
- cold and dry weather
- obesity
- smoking
- some medications
- infections
- skin injury
- hormone changes
The majority of people with palmoplantar psoriasis are current or former smokers. It’s been hypothesized that activated nicotine receptors in sweat glands could trigger an inflammatory reaction that leads to psoriasis.
Psoriasis doesn’t have a cure, but a combination of home and medical treatments can help relieve flare-ups and symptoms.
Home remedies
Home remedies might be all you need to treat mild psoriasis. The following remedies may help ease your symptoms:
- warm baths
- oatmeal baths
- aloe vera to soothe irritation
- emollient creams to lower itching and scaling
Making lifestyle changes may help reduce flare-ups. Some habits you can adopt include:
- maintaining a moderate weight
- avoiding smoking and reducing alcohol intake (quitting can be difficult, but a doctor can build a cessation plan that works for you)
- eating a balanced diet
- keeping your skin moisturised
- tracking your symptoms with a diary
- minimising stress
- exercising regularly
Over-the-counter treatments
Some over-the-counter medications may help ease your symptoms. These include:
- coal tar to lower itchiness and flaking
- hydrocortisone creams or ointment to lower inflammation
- moisturizers to keep your skin hydrated
- salicylic acid products to soften scaly skin
- anti-itch creams
Medical treatment
A doctor may prescribe you stronger medications if you have moderate or severe psoriasis. Some of these medications include:
A doctor may also recommend you try light therapy to treat pain and itchiness. This treatment involves exposing your skin to ultraviolet light in a controlled way to lower symptoms.
It’s a good idea to visit a doctor any time you develop an unknown rash or skin lesion. A doctor can help you determine if it might be a sign of psoriasis or another condition.
The National Psoriasis Foundation recommends seeing a dermatologist if:
- your symptoms are flaring up or getting worse
- treatments recommended by your primary care doctor aren’t working
- you’re interested in trying treatments such as biologics, oral medications, or phototherapy
A primary care doctor may be able to diagnose psoriasis based on the appearance of your skin if you have typical symptoms. They may refer you to a dermatologist if your condition is severe or if they aren’t sure if you have psoriasis. They may refer you to a rheumatologist if you have signs of psoriatic arthritis.
In some cases, a small skin sample called a biopsy may be taken to confirm the diagnosis.
Psoriasis can develop on any part of your body, including your feet. Symptoms can range from mild to severe. Some people have soreness that may lead to disability.
There’s no cure for psoriasis, but a number of treatments can help you manage your symptoms. If you have mild psoriasis, a doctor may recommend home remedies and over-the-counter treatments. They may recommend prescription medications or light therapy if your symptoms are more severe.
No comments:
Post a Comment