Psoriasis Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

What is Psoriasis Disease?

Psoriasis, a skin disorder that causes red coloured itchy and scaly skin patches. The skin cells start multiplying 10 times faster than the normal which results in the build up of skin into the bouncy red patches roofed with the white scales. The immune system become overactive which increases the increased cell growth which causes shredded skin cells to pile up on the surface of the skin. The scales of psoriasis can be found on any part of the body but most commonly they occur on the scalp, elbow and knees. Psoriasis is categorized into the immune-mediated disease which means the exact cause is not clear.

Few Facts on Psoriasis

1. According to one estimate, psoriasis affects 0.44% to 2.8% of the population in India - with twice as many cases recorded in men.
2. According to the World Psoriasis Day Consortium, from the 125 million of population, 2-3% of population is suffering from psoriasis. 
3. Approximately 30% of people who are suffering from psoriasis, most likely to develop psoriatic arthritis too.

Symptoms of Psoriasis

There are different types of symptoms depending on the type of psoriasis you have but most common types of symptoms of psoriasis are;

• Patchy red rash that varies from person to person. The patch looks like spots of dandruff-like scales.
• Colour of rashes tend to be diverged from purple with grey, brown, black, pink or red with silver or white scale. 
• Small spots usually seen in children.
• Cracked or dry skin resulting in itching and burning. The sore skin may also bleed.

Types Of Psoriasis

There are 5 types of psoriasis. A person can develop more than one type of psoriasis at a time or in the life span. Following are the different types of psoriasis;

1. Plaque Psoriasis: It is the most common type of psoriasis and approximately affects the 80% of the people suffering from psoriasis. These plaques can appear on any part of the body as raised patches. These patchy scales are inflamed, itchy and are painful. The colour of the skin changes in people with plaque psoriasis. It can be red with silver white scales and for some people it can look purple in colour. The plaque psoriasis can occur on scalp, knees, elbows, lower back and around the belly but it can occur on any part of the body. 
2. Guttate Psoriasis: Guttate psoriasis causes tiny, round red spots due to inflammation which usually appears on the torso, arms and legs but can occur on any part of the body. Guttate psoriasis coarsely affects the 8% of the people facing psoriasis.
3. Pustular Psoriasis: Pustular psoriasis approximately affects the 3% of the population who have psoriasis. The common symptoms of pustular psoriasis are pus filled white pustules which are painful and are surrounded by the inflamed or bumped skin. It mostly appears on hand and feet.
4. Inverse Psoriasis: It affects ¼ % of the population living with psoriasis. Inverse psoriasis shows symptoms such as deep red inflamed skin without scales. It mainly affects the folding area of the body such as underarms, under breasts, genital area and buttocks. The itching and pain can get worsen due to sweating and frequent rubbing on the area.
5. Erythrodermic Psoriasis: This type of psoriasis is very rare and affects only 2% of the population with psoriasis. It causes severe redness and shedding of layers and that too in large sheets. It can be quite serious and can affect the whole body. The other symptoms which one can notice are decreased heart beat rate, temperature, dehydration and nail changes.

Root Causes of Psoriasis

Psoriasis is known as an autoimmune disease which means the immune system of the body becomes overactive and start attacking the normal cells of the body. It is believed that genetics also play a role in the occurrence of psoriasis. A person can develop psoriasis with no family history of this disease. The change in immune system can be due to any trigger which results in the inception of psoriasis symptoms. This trigger results in the shedding of skin cells in 3-4 days whereas the normal skin cells shed after every 10-30 days. The build-up of old cells over new skin cells results in the formation of silver scales. The common triggers of psoriasis are;

• Stress
• Injury to Skin
• Illness
• Weather
• Allergy
• Certain Food Items
• Strep Infections
• Certain Medications.

Can Psoriasis be Cured?

Yes, there many treatments available for psoriasis. It is not contagious and you cannot catch it by touching someone. Psoriasis treatments involved the drugs or medications which causes the slow growth of the skin cells and some medications help in reliving from itching and dryness. Depending upon the severity of psoriasis you have, you may need to undergo combination of treatments. It is observed that in some cases disease may occur again even after the treatment in severe cases. The best treatments of psoriasis are;

• Topical Therapy: There are several OTC ointments for psoriasis which have proven in reliving the symptoms of psoriasis. The topical therapy is prescribed for the people having mild to moderate psoriasis. These ointments contain corticosteroids, referends of Vitamin D, Retinoids, Salicylic Acid, Anthralin etc. and are consider as the best ointment for psoriasis. These are used to slow down the growth of skin cells and to calm the skin rashes, irritation and to reduce the scalp build up. 
• Light Therapy: It is a first line of treatment for moderate to severe psoriasis which can be given alone or in combination with medications. In this treatment, a controlled amount of light (Natural or Artificial) is exposed to the skin to control the psoriasis. The light therapy involves Sunlight, UVB broad and narrowband, Goeckerman Therapy, PUVA (Psoralen plus ultraviolet A) and Excimer Laser.
• Medications: These medications can be given as an alternative or in combination with the other treatments for psoriasis. The medications such as Steroids, Retinoids, Cyclosporine, Methotrexate and Biologics. The biologics involves the drugs which are approved for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis and works by altering the immune system to disrupt the cycle of disease. Drugs containing Apremilast, Etanercept, Infliximab, Adalimumab, Ustekinumab, Secukinumab, Ixekizumab, Guselkumab, Tildrakizumab and Certolizumab. The approved drugs of psoriasis for children are Etanercept, Ixekizumab and Ustekinumab. 

Home Remedies for Psoriasis

Above given is the list of best psoriasis treatment but you can also give a try to these easy home remedies for psoriasis. These methods of treating psoriasis will definitely give you relief from the symptoms like itchiness, redness or inflammation, scaling etc.

> Switch to Healthy Diet: It is suggested that eating healthy diet can help in the management of psoriasis. Omega Fatty Acids, nuts, seeds etc are helpful in reliving the symptoms of psoriasis. You can ask your doctor for psoriasis diet. Olive oil has been known effective due to its soothing properties. You can even apply topically on the affected area. > Hair Wash with ACV: It has been suggested by the National Psoriasis Foundation that rinsing your scalp with Apple Cider Vinegar gives relief in itching of scalp if you have scalp psoriasis. But do not forget diluting the apple cider vinegar to avoid burning sensation. Wash properly after rinsing with ACV and do not apply if you have cuts/cracks or bleeding on your scalp.

FAQS:

Is psoriasis contagious?

No, psoriasis skin disease is not contagious disease. Mostly people assume that it is infectious but it is not and the scaly patches due to psoriasis will not spread to another person.

Is psoriasis the same as eczema?

No, they are not the same diseases. Eczema causes severe itchiness, and does not involve the scaly patches in case of psoriasis. You can talk to your doctor. He/she will help you to identify the disease.

Is psoriasis caused by being unclean?

No. It is not brought on by the poor hygiene routine, and the presence of psoriasis does not indicate the person’s poor hygiene.

Is there are cure for Psoriasis?

Unfortunately, there is no permanent cure of psoriasis but there are treatments or psoriasis medications available which can help to improve the symptoms of psoriasis and also improves the quality of life.

Is it possible for my children to inherit psoriasis from me?

If a parent is suffering with psoriasis, then it increases the risk of a child developing it, and if both the parents are suffering with psoriasis, then this increases the risk further. A single parent with the disease has approximately 16% chance of passing it down to their child but if both the parents have psoriasis, then there’s a 50% chance of passing it down to the trait.