What is Psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a common and chronic skin disease of unknown cause. It can
begin at any age but most commonly begins in young adults. About 2% of
persons develop psoriasis. In most cases both heredity and environment
appear to influence the development of psoriasis. About 30% of those who
have psoriasis have a family history of psoriasis. Once psoriasis occurs in
an individual, it usually persists indefinitely if not treated, although in
mild cases it may resolve and then recur spontaneously in cycles. Psoriasis
has little effect on general health and is primarily a cosmetic problem
except in severe cases, where thickened psoriatic skin may make movement
painful. About 5% of persons with psoriasis develop an arthritis which is
associated with the psoriasis.
What are the symptoms?
Psoriasis can appear in several different forms. The most common type of
psoriasis consists of sharply demarcated red patches with adherent white
scales. These occur most frequently on the scalp, elbows, knees, and lower
back, but can occur anywhere on the skin. Psoriasis often gets worse with
physical or emotional stress or with injuries to the skin. Fingernails and
toenails can be affected with small pits in the nails, separation of nails
from nailbeds, or abnormal growth of nails. A less common form of psoriasis,
however, several other skin diseases may be mistaken for psoriasis. It is
best to see your family physician or a dermatologist if you think you might
have psoriasis.
What causes psoriasis?
Although the cause of psoriasis is not known, experiments and microscopic
examinations have shown that the cells in the upper layer of the skin called
the epidermis are dividing and multiplying too rapidly, causing thickening
of the epidermis.
Treatments for psoriasis
Treatments for psoriasis act primarily by slowing down the rate of epidermal
cell division and multiplication. These treatments do not cure psoriasis
permanently but do control or improve it temporarily. One commonly used
treatment is topical (surface) cortisone cream applied 2 or 3 times a day.
Special shampoos and medications are used for psoriasis on the scalp.
Ultraviolet light and tar treatment is more time consuming than cortisone
cream but usually gives longer lasting results. Many people who have
psoriasis notice improvement in the summer with the increased ultraviolet
light exposure from sunshine. Another treatment which is widely used for
psoriasis is the PUVA treatment. In this treatment the person is exposed to
ultraviolet light in a special light cabinet 2 hours after taking an oral
medication called methoxalen. All treatments for psoriasis should be done
under the supervision of a physician.
This
information was taken form the University of Wisconsin Self Care website