A Quick Guide to Psoriasis: What causes it, how to treat it and what it looks like on the skin.
Body Temperature If the word psoriasis sounds familiar, but you're not sure exactly what it is, or what its causes or treatment options are, you are not alone. Read on for a quick, easy-to-understand guide to the chronic skin condition.
Psoriasis Symptoms
While psoriasis often shows up differently in people, its symptoms often include flaky patches of skin, red bumps or silvery scales of skin. A person can have one or all of these symptoms, and they can range from mild to severe.
Common areas that it affects are the hands, feet, scalp, knees and elbows. When patches are large, and skin becomes very itchy, it can be highly uncomfortable for the sufferer.
What are the Causes?
Psoriasis results from the overproduction of skin cells. While the average growth timeline for new skin cells is about one month, a person with psoriasis has a growth period that is often less than one week!
As new cells quickly rise to the skin surface, it builds thick patches that show up as the symptoms earlier explained. In some cases, it runs in the family, and it can worsen during cold weather, stressful situations or after taking certain medications.
Treatment of Psoriasis
The skin condition can be embarrassing to the point that people with it avoid public events or attempt to cover up the affected skin areas to avoid the questioning looks of others. However, successful treatment for psoriasis is possible; the best first step is to see a dermatologist.
To begin with, this professional will correctly diagnose the condition, usually by looking at the area rather than by a special test. The dermatologist then provides a personalised treatment plan that may include medicines, special shampoos or topical products such as lotions that add moisture to the skin. If you are suffering from psoriasis or know someone who is, contact us to help you to treat the issue successfully.