What is Psoriasis: Meaning, Diagnosis, Risk Factors, Treatment & Prevention

Psoriasis is a skin disease that has no cure. The severe stages can be very painful and interfere with daily life activities. This manifests as itchy skin and dry, scaly skin, which gets triggered by several environmental and genetic factors.

In this article, we have covered every aspect of psoriasis to understand this disease better.

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What Is Psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that results from a faulty autoimmune condition and causes inflammation. Sometimes, there might be discoloured skin that is covered with scales.

What are the Types of Psoriasis?

There are various types of psoriasis, among which some are briefly discussed below:

Plaque Psoriasis: Plaque psoriasis is the most common type of psoriasis that causes itching and scaly skin. The usual spots are elbows, scalp, and lower back.
Pustular Psoriasis: By the name, it is well understood that this type of psoriasis is accompanied by pus-filled blisters and are seen in the sole of feet and palm of hand.
Inverse Psoriasis: Inverse psoriasis may originate from fungal infections and affect the folding of the skin, such as the groins, breasts, and buttocks. It is marked by inflamed skin that deteriorates with friction and sweat.
Erythrodermic Psoriasis: It is the rarest variant where peeling rashes cover the body, accompanied by itching and burning sensations.
Guttate Psoriasis: Young adults and children are primarily diagnosed with Guttate psoriasis. This usually occurs post-streptococcal infection and is identified by small scaling spots on the whole body.
Nail Psoriasis: This type causes pitting and discolouration in the nails. Sometimes, it also causes the nail to loosen from the nail bed and separate.

What are the Causes of Psoriasis?

No proper cause of psoriasis has been known to date. Researchers believe it to be some kind of fault in our immune system, where the immune cells attack the healthy skin cells and make them grow rapidly. Some of the common triggers are discussed below:

Streptococcal throat infections
Smoking
Skin Trauma
Cold and Dry Weather
Alcohol

What Are the Risk Factors for Developing Psoriasis?

Although there is no such risk factor for psoriasis as anyone can develop it, doctors consider the following two factors to contribute to this situation:

Heredity: Having parents or ancestors with psoriasis increases your chances to a very high level of developing psoriasis.
Tobacco Smoking: Smoking increases the risk of psoriasis, worsens the conditions, and makes it much more severe.

What is the Recommended Treatment of Psoriasis?

The main goal of psoriasis treatment is to pause the growth of skin cells. Depending on the severity of the condition, there are several treatment courses for psoriasis. However, the most common medications for psoriasis are:

Steroidal Creams: Flare-ups require daily application, once a day, while in normal condition, they are applied on alternate days or weekends. Mild ones are prescribed for sensitive areas such as the face, while stronger ones are for less sensitive areas.
Vitamin D Analogues: These medicines are known to slow down the cell growth of the skin and are used along with steroidal creams. Some vitamin D analogues are quite expensive.
Anthralin: Anthralin also slows skin cell growth but can irritate skin and hence is never used for the face and genitalia. It is used to remove scales and give the skin a smoother texture. However, it is kept very short after application and then washed off.
Retinoids: Retinoids are either available in the market as cream or gel and are applied once or twice throughout the day. It is highly prohibited for antenatal and postnatal mothers, even if they consider getting pregnant.

If your condition doesn’t improve with the common treatments, you might have to switch to other treatment options. Some of them are mentioned below:

Methotrexate: Methotrexate, being hepatotoxic, might only be used in very severe cases. This medicine is used with regular LFTs and liver biopsies to check liver functionality.
Light Therapy: Here, LED lights are directed toward the patient at specific wavelengths to reduce skin inflammation.
Immune Therapies: These medications block our body's immune system, stopping autoimmune reactions.
PUVA: PUVA refers to the combination of psoralen and UV A in the form of a special light that is used to treat psoriasis.
Cyclosporine: Even though it can somewhat improve psoriasis symptoms, it has several side effects, such as hypertension and renal damage.

Note: Always inform your doctor about your existing regular medication to prevent chances of drug interaction.

When to See a Doctor If You Suspect Psoriasis?

If you suspect psoriasis, immediately seek medical help after:

You see the rashes spreading rapidly
The rashes have become painful and cause discomfort
The rashes change your overall appearance
Doesn’t subside with prescribed medications

How to Prevent Psoriasis?

Psoriasis cannot be prevented in any way. However, you can follow the following tips to reduce the flare-ups and avoid the triggers:

Use Moisturizing Cream: Dry skin can cause flare-ups. Therefore, try to keep your skin moist with the prescribed creams or moisturisers. Petroleum jellies tap the moisture under the skin and are known to be the best.
Limit the Quantity of Alcohol Intake: Although there is no clear connection between psoriasis and alcohol, some doctors think it is the reason for men's flare-ups. Certain drugs can have detrimental effects when combined with alcohol. Therefore, always consult your dermatologist before consuming alcohol.
Stay Active and Eat Healthy: Removing dairy products and gluten from the diet reduces symptoms. Also, some doctors recommend a diet rich in fruits and vegetables to psoriasis patients.

Some studies have shown obesity or being overweight to be the reason behind flare-ups. So, you should always maintain a healthy weight.

Don’t Take Stress: Excessive stress can trigger flare-ups. Therefore, whenever you feel anxious, try some relaxation techniques such as meditation to help you calm down.
Use Sunscreen Before Exposure to Sunlight: UV rays are known to affect your skin seriously and can also cause skin cancer. Also, sunburns are a well-known cause of psoriasis triggers. Hence, using sunscreen before heading out is a must.
Try to Avoid Any Kind of Skin Injury: People with psoriasis can get flare-ups if faced with any skin injury. Apart from this, they should also maintain hygiene and stay away from every infection possible.
Stay Away from Dry and Cold Weather: Climate is a big factor for a person with psoriasis. Most people get flare-ups when kept in cold and dry weather, which usually gets better when shifted to any hot area.

Psoriasis occurs due to some fault in the immune system that manifests as scaly lesions all over the body, which may cause itching. Psoriasis may get triggered at any age. It may also contribute to the development of other diseases, such as hypertension, cardiac, and renal problems. There is no proper cure for psoriasis, but it can be kept under check with home remedies and some medical treatments.

What is Psoriasis: Meaning, Diagnosis, Risk Factors, Treatment & Prevention

What Is Psoriasis?

What are the Types of Psoriasis?

What are the Causes of Psoriasis?

What Are the Risk Factors for Developing Psoriasis?

What is the Recommended Treatment of Psoriasis?

When to See a Doctor If You Suspect Psoriasis?

How to Prevent Psoriasis?

FAQs about What is Psoriasis

Where does psoriasis start?

Is psoriasis a fungal infection?

What food helps control psoriasis?

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