Psoriasis
What is psoriasis?
Psoriasis (pronounced: sore-eye-ah-sis) is an autoimmune condition that occurs when skin cells grow and multiply too quickly, causing the skin’s surface to develop inflamed, thickened and scaly areas. Psoriasis is a common inflammatory disease affecting around 2.5% of the Australian population (or 450,000 people), and includes symptoms such as red raised and inflamed patches of skin, dryness, pain or itching/burning around patches, and whitish silver scales or plaques on the patches.
For most people, new skin cells are generated and move through the layers of skin until they die and flake off from the outer layer every 3-4 weeks. For someone with psoriasis, this process happens much faster, taking around 3-7 days. As a result, cells build up rapidly on the surface of the skin, causing flaky, crusty red patches covered with whitish or silvery scales or ‘plaques’ on the patches. Psoriasis scales typically develop on joints (knees and elbows) but can appear anywhere on the body, such as hands, feet, face, and scalp.
What causes psoriasis?
The cause of psoriasis is unknown, however the immune system and genetics are believed to play a major part. One thing to remember is psoriasis is not contagious, and cannot be caught or passed on from another person. While the exact cause of psoriasis is unknown, there are several factors or ‘triggers’ which may flare up psoriasis or make it worse. Triggers can vary from person to person, but often include:
Stress – whether short term or chronic, periods of stress can cause psoriasis to appear or worsen. Psoriasis itself can be a source of stress.
Hormone changes such as pregnancy or menstruation can cause psoriasis to worsen
Damage to the skin (e.g. sunburn, cuts, or scratches) can cause psoriasis to flare up in that area
Some medications can flare up psoriasis symptoms
Infection from bacteria or viruses can flare up psoriasis
Drinking alcohol and smoking are believed to flare up or worsen psoriasis
Weather – cold, dry weather can dry out the skin, causing the chances of a flare up to increase
Are there different types of psoriasis?
There are five common types of psoriasis that can all appear slightly differently on the skin, with most people experiencing one type of psoriasis at a time:
Plaque psoriasis:
This is the most common type of psoriasis, causing red inflamed patches that cover areas of the skin, often on the elbows, knees and scalp.
Guttate psoriasis:
Most commonly occurring in children, this type looks different to plaque psoriasis and often appears as small, flat pink spots often on the arms, torso and head.
Pustular psoriasis:
Common in adults, this can result in white, pus filled blisters usually localised to smaller areas of the body (like hands and feet), but can be widespread.
Inverse psoriasis:
Patches often develop under armpits or breasts, in the groin, or near genitals, causing areas of red, shiny and inflamed skin.
Erythrodermic psoriasis:
A severe and very rare form of psoriasis, appearing like sunburn and covering large areas of the body. It can result in fever and sickness, and can even be life-threatening, so anyone experiencing this should see a doctor immediately.
What are psoriasis symptoms?
Symptoms and how psoriasis looks can vary from person to person, and for most people start between the ages of 15-25 years. The most common symptoms include:
Red scaly, dry patches of skin (aka. ‘plaques’)
itchiness
shedding of scales on skin
Swollen, painful joints – this may be an indication of ‘psoriatic arthritis’ which can come on from psoriasis
How to treat or relieve psoriasis
There is no cure for psoriasis, so you can’t ‘get rid of it’. However, a range of treatments are available to help reduce inflammation and better manage the symptoms of psoriasis, such as:
Moisturisers (for sensitive skin) can help to keep skin supple and prevent plaques from forming
Topical steroids may help reduce inflammation
Medicated creams or ointments containing ingredients like dithranol, coal tar, or salicylic acid
Oral medications may be prescribed by a GP
Healthy lifestyle can play a huge role in managing psoriasis. Eliminating common triggers such as saturated fats, refined sugars, carbohydrates and cutting down on alcohol and smoking may help reduce flare ups
Cut out smoking and drinking as both are believed to be linked to psoriasis flare-ups
Reducing stress by choosing activities that help relax you, such as yoga, meditation or exercise
Ultraviolet light therapy may be used to help reduce pain and itchiness, reduce inflammation and slow down the creation of skin cells
At MediADVICE, we care for the skin you're in. Our pharmacists are here to support you with expert advice and a range of products that can help in managing psoriasis and other skin conditions. It's always best to speak to your pharmacist or GP about what may suit you.
Sources:
*https://www.healthline.com/health/psoriasis
^:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/psoriasis/causes/
#:https://www.skinhealthinstitute.org.au/page/97/psoriasis
1:https://www.psoriasis.org/about-psoriasis/
2:https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ConditionsAndTreatments/psoriasis#symptoms-of-psoriasis
3:https://www.healthline.com/health/psoriasis/phototherapy-treatment-options#Overview