Psoriasis: definition, causes, symptoms, to treatment

Definition

What is psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease characterized by the rapid growth of new skin cells. As a result, new skin cells will continue to accumulate on the surface to form thick, red, scaly patches.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease with no known cause. Apart from immune system problems, psoriasis usually appears triggered by various factors both from within and from the environment.

Although there is no cure for psoriasis, this disease can recur at a later date. You also don't need to worry because there are many drugs and treatments available to treat the symptoms.

Psoriasis is also not a contagious skin disease, because psoriasis is not caused by a viral or bacterial infection. Even if you make skin contact or borrow personal items belonging to a patient, you will still not catch the disease.

How common is this disease?

This skin disease is quite common, and usually occurs in adults. Men and women are both prone to this skin disease. You can minimize your chances of getting hit by reducing the causes.

Cause

What causes psoriasis?

Actually, the cause of psoriasis is not known for sure. However, this condition is strongly suspected to be the result of a disturbance in the immune system.

The immune system contains white blood cells called T lymphocytes (T cells) to detect and fight foreign substances such as viruses or bacteria. Unfortunately, due to an error, T cells attack healthy cells as if they were fighting an injury or infection.

This attack causes the body to make new skin cells more often than it should. As a result, there is a pile of extra skin cells on top of the skin. For this reason, psoriasis is also an autoimmune disease.

In addition, genetic factors also have a possible cause for this condition. Scientists found that people with certain genes are more likely to develop psoriasis.

Please note, this does not apply to everyone. There are those who have psoriasis without the gene, there are also those who have the psoriasis gene but do not have the disease.

Signs & symptoms

What are the symptoms of psoriasis?

The signs and symptoms of psoriasis can vary from person to person. Quoted from the Mayo Clinic, this condition usually depends on the type of psoriasis you have. The following are the symptoms that appear based on the type of disease.

Plaque psoriasis

Plaque psoriasis or psoriasis vulgaris is the most common type of psoriasis. Reporting from the American Academy of Dermatology, some of the symptoms are as follows.

• Red patches on the skin with thick silver scales.
• A dry, thin, silvery-white layer covering the plaque.
• It most commonly appears on the scalp, elbows, knees and lower back.
• Dry, cracked skin that bleeds.
• Itching and burning in the affected area.

This skin problem can also spread to toenails and hands. Here are various symptoms that spread to the nails (nail psoriasis).

• Small indentation on the nail.
• Nails that are rough, thickened, and prone to breakage.
• The appearance of piles of skin cells under the nails.
• White, yellow, or brown appearance under the nails.

Guttate psoriasis

Guttate psoriasis or guttate psoriasis is a psoriasis that often appears in children through adolescence. Usually psoriasis conditions like this are triggered by a bacterial infection such as strep throat.

This type is characterized by the sudden appearance of small bumps on the skin. Usually the lump covers most of the body, legs, and arms. Sometimes bumps appear on the face, scalp and ears.

The lumps that appear are often scaly and pink in color. However, the texture is not as thick as the plaque in psoriasis vulgaris.

Inverse (reverse) psoriasis

This type usually appears and develops in areas of skin that stick together such as the armpits, genitals, and buttocks creases. Generally, inverse psoriasis is triggered by a fungal infection of the skin.

Its appearance is characterized by signs and symptoms such as the following.

• Red patches that look smooth on the skin.
• Inflammation of the skin that gets worse when rubbing and sweating.
• The appearance of a very thin silvery white coating.
• Skin feels sore.

Pustular psoriasis

Pustular psoriasis is usually characterized by various symptoms such as red and swollen skin accompanied by pus-filled bumps, pain that feels on the skin, and the appearance of brown dots when the bumps dry up.

Pustular psoriasis makes sufferers experience pain during activities, especially those using their hands or feet.

Erythrodermic psoriasis

Erythrodermic psoriasis is the rarest rare case. This one health problem usually leaves a growth filled with a red, flaking rash that itches and feels like burning.

Psoriatic arthritis

In addition to inflammation of the skin, psoriasis arthritis usually makes joints swollen and painful. This disease can affect any joint in the body. Although not crippling, this type can make joints stiffen and gradually break down. As a result, a person is at high risk for permanent joint deformities.

Sometimes, the symptoms of psoriasis are difficult to distinguish from fungal infections. Yet if we observe more clearly, there are several differences between the two.

The hallmark of psoriasis is the appearance of silvery scales, which do not appear on patches caused by a fungal infection. In addition, the center of the lesion from a fungal infection often looks clean, while the periphery still looks active and feels itchy. This is also often called central healing.

When should I see a doctor?

If you feel the symptoms above, see a doctor immediately for an examination. Talk to your doctor if your disease:

• is persistent and makes you sick and uncomfortable,
• make you worry about your appearance,
• cause joint problems, such as pain, swelling or that interfere with daily activities, as well
• difficult to do daily routine.

Seek medical advice immediately if signs and symptoms worsen or don't improve with treatment. That's a sign you need a different drug or a combination of other treatments to help control it.

More details

Risk factors

What increases my risk for this skin disease?

The following are various factors that increase a person's risk for skin disease, this one includes the following.

• Family history. If your parents have psoriasis, you have a higher risk of developing the same disease.
• Viral and bacterial infections. People with recurrent infections, especially strep throat, are more prone to this disease.
• Stress. Excess stress can weaken the immune system, which in turn makes the body more susceptible to disease.
• Obesity. Obesity can stimulate inflammation trigger factors in the body. In addition, lesions (abnormal skin tissue) in psoriasis also develop easily in the skin folds.
• Smoke. Not only does it increase the risk of its occurrence, smoking will also exacerbate the disease due to the content of nicotine and tobacco, which can trigger inflammation.

In addition, this autoimmune skin disease can appear at any time if you experience the following conditions.

• Have skin sores such as blisters or insect bites.
• Drinking too much alcohol.
• There are drastic hormonal changes, especially in women (for example, during puberty and menopause).
• Take certain medications, such as lithium, anti-malarial, anti-inflammatory, and beta blockers.
• Experiencing extreme weather changes.

Everyone has different triggers for this skin disease. Therefore, sufferers must know what factors trigger the appearance of symptoms to avoid them.

Complications

What are the complications of this disease?

This skin disease can cause other serious problems if you don't treat the symptoms right away.

The most common complication is the spread of psoriasis symptoms to other areas of the body. In addition, some people also experience complications in the form of arthritis, also known as psoriasis arthritis. Symptoms include swelling and stiffness and pain, especially in the joints of the hands.

Other complications include:

• hypertension,
• type 2 diabetes,
• Kidney illness,
• metabolic syndrome (hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, or obesity), as well
• other autoimmune diseases.

In more severe cases, psoriasis complications can also attack organs in the body, one of which is the heart. This can occur when inflammation in the skin causes pro-inflammatory substances to enter the blood.

Inflammation of the blood vessels eventually causes a condition called atheroclerosis, in which the blood vessels narrow due to a buildup of plaque on the inner walls of the arteries.

This condition results in obstructed blood flow to the heart and increases the risk of diseases such as coronary heart disease or heart attack.

Diagnosis & treatment

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

What are the usual tests for this disease?

A physical examination and a biopsy are the two main procedures for diagnosing psoriasis.

First, the doctor will usually perform a physical examination and medical history first to check for this condition. The doctor will examine the skin, scalp, and nails to see if the symptoms are present.

In addition, the doctor will also ask about family medical history. The goal is to check whether you have a risk of psoriasis that runs in your family or not.

If needed, the doctor will usually take a small sample of skin for examination. Before taking a skin sample, the doctor will provide a local anesthetic first. Then, the sample will be examined under a microscope for further investigation.

What are the treatment options?

Psoriasis cannot be cured but treatment can help control the symptoms. Treatment is generally divided into three categories, namely topical drugs, oral or injectable drugs, and light therapy.

Topical medicine

The following are various topical drugs or ointments for psoriasis that are usually prescribed, namely:

Corticosteroids

Corticosteroids can reduce inflammation and itching. Light doses of ointments are intended for sensitive areas such as the face or skin folds. While strong doses are needed to treat areas that are difficult to treat.

Retinoids

This drug is a derivative of vitamin A to help reduce inflammation. However, this drug can make the skin more sensitive to the sun. For that, you need to use sunscreen when doing outdoor activities.

Anthralin

This drug helps inhibit the growth of skin cells. In addition, anthralin can also remove scales, making the skin smoother. Make sure to use it according to the directions as it may irritate the skin.

Salicylic acid

Salicylic acid helps shed dead skin cells and reduces scale. Usually this drug is available in the form of shampoo or ointment.

Vitamin D analogues

Vitamin D analogues are artificial vitamin D products that help slow down the growth of skin cells. Calcipotriene is a prescription cream containing a vitamin D analogue for treating mild to moderate psoriasis.

Calcineurin inhibitors

Calcineurin inhibitors aim to reduce inflammation and plaque buildup. Although effective, this drug is not usually recommended for long-term use. Because it can increase the risk of skin cancer and lymphoma.

Tar coal

Coal tar or coal tar helps reduce crusting, itching, and inflammation of the skin. Usually these drugs are available in the form of shampoos, creams, and oils. However, coal tar should not be used for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Moisturizer

Moisturizer is not going to help cure this skin disease. However, this care product keeps the skin moisturized.

That way, the skin will avoid dryness which can make it itch even more. To lock in moisture, use immediately after showering when skin is still half dry.

Drinking or injecting medicine

For people with moderate to severe disease, the doctor will give oral or injected drugs. Psoriasis medication will go directly to the body and circulatory system.

The various drugs that are usually prescribed are:

• Methotrexate.
• Cyclosporine (Sandimmune).
• Medicines that change the immune system (biology).

Light therapy

Light therapy is a frequently recommended additional treatment procedure for psoriasis. This one treatment procedure usually uses natural or artificial ultraviolet light.

Light therapy can help kill white blood cells that are overactive attacking healthy skin cells. The doctor will use ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays to help reduce symptoms. The type and amount of therapy depends on the severity and condition of your skin.

In addition, light therapy is also a complementary treatment for this health problem. The goal is to make the symptoms of this autoimmune disease no longer hinder your activities.

Home remedies

What are some lifestyle changes or home remedies for treating psoriasis?

Psoriasis is an incurable disease. However, a combination of doctor's medications and home remedies can help alleviate the condition as well as prevent psoriasis. Here are various things that can be done.

• Bathing regularly to remove scale and moisturize the skin.
• Sunbathing regularly in the morning sun.
• Do not drink alcoholic beverages.
• Apply aloe vera to the skin to relieve inflammation.
• Take fish oil supplements to reduce inflammation from within.
• Comply with psoriasis sufferers such as red meat and dairy products.

Do not hesitate to consult a doctor if the symptoms you are experiencing are very disturbing. Also, join a support group of people with psoriasis and professionals so you don't feel alone.

If you have any questions, consult a dermatologist for the best solution to your problem.