Psoriasis, also known as scaly skin disease, causes redness, scaling, and irritation of the skin.
What Is Psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition that causes thick, red, scaly patches in different areas of the body and often causes itching, discomfort, and pain.
Causes of Psoriasis
Several factors can contribute to the development of psoriasis, known as risk factors, with the most common being:
- Genetic factors: there’s a genetic predisposition to psoriasis, meaning people with a family history of the condition have a higher risk of developing it. About 30% of cases involve at least one first-degree relative with the condition.
- Immune system: research suggests psoriasis may be an autoimmune disease, meaning the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy skin cells.
- Other factors: environmental factors such as skin injuries, infections, stress, weather, or even certain medications can trigger the condition in people who are already genetically predisposed to it.
- Lifestyle factors: conditions such as obesity, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption, among others, can increase the risk of developing psoriasis or worsen symptoms in those who already have it.
Symptoms of Psoriasis
Psoriasis symptoms can present in various ways, including:
- Scaling: skin affected by psoriasis tends to flake off in white or silvery scales; when it occurs on the scalp, it’s often referred to as dandruff.
- Irritation: these patches can cause itching, burning, and pain, with intensity varying from person to person.
- Skin patches: patches that can appear in different areas of the body, often red, thick, raised, and scaly; they’re most commonly found on the lower back, scalp, elbows, and knees.
- Dry skin: affected areas can feel dry and cracked, especially where scales tend to build up.
- Joint stiffness: particularly in people with severe plaque psoriasis, joint pain and stiffness can occur, a condition known as psoriatic arthritis.
- Thickened nails: when psoriasis affects the nails, they can develop changes in appearance, including thickening, pitting, and discoloration.
Symptoms of psoriasis, and their severity, vary from person to person and may also come and go over time.
Types of Psoriasis
Psoriasis is classified based on specific characteristics:
- Plaque psoriasis: also known as psoriasis vulgaris, this is the most common type, accounting for more than 80% of cases. It presents as red, scaly patches on the skin.
- Erythrodermic psoriasis: a rare, severe form of psoriasis that affects most or even all of the skin. It causes widespread redness, pain, and severe scaling.
- Guttate psoriasis: characterized by small, teardrop-shaped spots on the skin, along with scaling. It’s often linked to bacterial infections.
- Inverse psoriasis: also known as flexural psoriasis, this type affects areas of skin with folds, such as the groin or armpits; lesions here are typically smooth, red, and without scaling.
- Pustular psoriasis: characterized by small, pus-filled blisters or pustules on the skin; it can affect small or large areas of the body.
- Psoriatic arthritis: although not considered a skin form of psoriasis, this related condition affects the joints, causing inflammation, stiffness, and pain.
Treatment and Care for Psoriasis
Depending on factors such as severity, type, and the area of the body affected, doctors may use different treatments to manage psoriasis. Main treatment options include topical creams and ointments applied to the affected skin, phototherapy, systemic medications for severe cases or when other treatments aren’t effective, intralesional injections, and other complementary topical options.
See a dermatologist not only to identify the specific type of psoriasis you may have, but also to determine the best treatment and prevent complications that could worsen the condition.
In Internal Medicine, you’ll find the Dermatology area at ABC Medical Center, where we can provide specialized care for psoriasis. Contact us!
