All Facts about Psoriasis: A Chronic Inflammatory non communicable Disease

Psoriasis is a genetically determined inflammatory disease mediated by the immune system. Research says that prevalence is approximately around 0.44-2.8 percent in India, and males are two times prone to the disease when compared to females. It is a skin disease that causes red, itchy, scaly patches on the keens, elbow, trunk, and scalp.

The focal cause of Psoriasis:

Psoriasis is a condition caused by the agitated immune system that attacks healthy skin cells, causing them to reproduce more rapidly, leading to the symptoms of Psoriasis. Unlike other chronic diseases, Psoriasis affects your life, including your physical health.

How to identify this no-cure long-term chronic disease?

Psoriasis spreads like slow poison and seems to go through cycles. It surfaces on the skin gradually and blazes up for a few weeks or months, subsides for a while, and repeals for some time. The cycle may repeat but can be avoided if we identify and treat it in the initial stages:

Here are a few symptoms to act fast and escape from this deadly disease:

• Dry and cracked skin causing itching
• Change in the skin colour gradually to red colour
• Swollen and Stiffen joints
• Itching, burning, and soreness
• Small scaling spots like red patches on the skin with thick, silvery scales
• Pitted, thickened, or ridged nails

There are many more symptoms that vary from person to person, create discomfort, and cause Psoriasis. However, treatment options are available to reduce the pain and discomfort, yet there is no cure for Psoriasis.

Triggering Points of Psoriasis:

Diseases in the body do not develop on their own! There are a few triggers that shoot the immune system and make us prone to various diseases.

A few triggers for Psoriasis are listed here:
illness, stress, infections, a few medicines, strep throat, skin injuries, smoking, excess alcohol consumption, hormonal changes in women (puberty or menopause). Do not let these external factors ruin your wonderful life with a dreadful disease like Psoriasis.

How do you identify the types of Psoriasis?

Please scroll down to know the different types of Psoriasis, their symptoms, and their treatment.

Type 1:
Plaque Psoriasis:

Plaque Psoriasis is a frequent type that occurs for about 8 in 10 people. It is called "Psoriasis Vulgaris" by medical professionals. Symptoms are inflamed, red skin surrounded by white scales that appear all over the body but are often observed on elbows, knees, scalp, lower back.

Treatment:

Phototherapy:
Usage of ultraviolet light on the affected areas. The phototherapy unit is found in hospitals, or you can bring the equipment home.

Topical treatment:
It is the doctor's first try to treat Psoriasis. A few prescription drugs might have steroids that go directly to your skin. These medicines slow down the skin cell's growth and ease inflammation.

Systematic Medication:
The prescription drugs treat moderate to severe Psoriasis and work throughout your body called biologics, which target to treat the immune system and are administered through a shot or IV.

Type 2:
Guttate Psoriasis:

It is commonly seen in children and young adults triggered by bacterial infection. Symptoms are identified as small reddish sores or pink spots on the skin covered by fine-scale lining similar to plaque. It may subside on its own or given treatment.

Treatment:

Treatment includes light therapy, oral medications, prescription drugs, steroid creams.

Type 3:
Inverse Psoriasis:

It causes smooth red patches, inflamed skin initially in the armpits, under the breasts, around the genitals, and groin. The condition gets worse with sweating and rubbing. The red patches on the skin are bright, shiny, and smooth but do not have any scales.

Treatment:

Treatment includes low-potency topical corticosteroids or topical calcineurin inhibitors.

Type 4:
Pustular Psoriasis:

This type of Psoriasis occurs in widespread patches in the hands, feet, fingers, fingertips. Initially, your skin becomes red and tender. A few hours later, pus-filled blisters appear, and pustular Psoriasis develops in no time. These blisters disappear after several days and reappear. Medication withdrawal and infections cause pustular Psoriasis.

Treatment:

Treatment includes steroid creams for small patches. Large patches require prescribed oral medication, and healing the root cause is essential. There are many other systematic and topical therapies. Light therapy resolves the blisters and reduces the skin's irritation. There are three types of Pustular Psoriasis: Palmoplantar Pustulosis (PPP), Von Zumbusch, Acropustulosis.

Type 5:
Erythrodermic Psoriasis:

Erythrodermic or Exfoliative Psoriasis occurs rarely and looks like severe burns and can be a medical emergency as it is a serious condition. The patient might need hospitalization as it could be hard to control the body temperature. It appears red, scaly, and spreads wide to large portions of the body. It develops from pustular Psoriasis, uncontrolled plaque Psoriasis, stress, infection, intense sunburn.

Treatment:

Treatment includes hospital attention to receive a combination of various therapies. Various medications: application of wet dressings, topical steroid dressings, biologics, or prescribed oral medicines should be used until the improvement of the symptoms.

Type 6:
Psoriatic Arthritis (PSA):

PSA impacts an individual beyond the skin. It is painful and affects the joints. They become stiff, swollen, and the condition differs from person to person. The symptoms range from mild to severe and affect only a few or all joints. It is mostly seen in 20 to 30% of people with Psoriasis. There are five subtypes of PSA, and they are:

• Asymmetric Psoriatic Arthritis: It impacts less than five joints on one side of your body.
• Symmetric Psoriatic Arthritis: Impacts five or more joints on both sides of the body. Hands and feet joints are commonly affected.
• Distal interphalangeal predominant Psoriatic arthritis (DIS Predominant PSA): Impacts the distal interphalangeal joint situated at the fingers and toes end. It can be both Symmetrical and Asymmetrical.
• Spondylitis Psoriatic Arthritis: Impacts the joints between spinal vertebrae, also referred to as axial arthritis.
• Psoriatic Arthritis Mutilans: It is rare, serious, and impacts the small joints of the hands, feet, and wrist.

Type 7:
Nail Psoriasis:

It affects the fingernails, toenails, and causes pitting, discoloration, and abnormal nail growth. Nails loosen and get separated from the nail bed (Onycholysis). It comes with plaque Psoriasis.

Treatment:

Treatment includes oral and injected medicines.

Type 8:
Scalp Psoriasis:

Severe dandruff is the primary reason for Scalp Psoriasis. It also comes with plaque Psoriasis. It is painful, itchy, and noticeable at the hairline. It might extend to the neck, face, and ears in a single large patch or many small patches. Excess scratching might result in hair loss and infections. It causes due to stress.

Treatment:

Treatment includes topical treatment for scalp Psoriasis for a minimum of two months application plus regular and permanent maintenance. Topical treatment includes medicated shampoos, steroid-containing lotions, tar preparations, vitamin D ointment known as Calcipotriene. Light therapy, oral medications, and biologics treatments are also recommended to reduce the effect of Psoriasis.

How do you observe the effect of Psoriasis and take preventive measures?

If you experience: Red patches on the skin covered with thick silvery scales. Thickened, pitted, or ridged nails. Irritation, itching, burning, or soreness. Dry cracked bleeding or itching in the skin. Small scaling spots on the skin. Please do not ignore these symptoms. Try to identify them in the initial stages and resolve them with medical help before they intensely spread on your skin and change your life.

How to cure Psoriasis?

There is no cure for Psoriasis. However, remission and crucial healing are possible. Seek medical help to manage your conditions, and these are a few home remedies to reduce the effect of Psoriasis:

• Intake healthy diet
• Do not scratch or rub the Psoriasis.
• Wear comfortable clothes that don't irritate your skin or rub the Psoriasis.
• No smoking.
• Do not let your skin dry, moisturize, and stay hydrated.
• Stay away from stress, anxiety, and other mental disorders. Practice relaxation techniques like meditation.

On the Whole:

Researchers say that Psoriasis occurs due to environmental factors, the combination of genetics, and immune system factors. It is not contagious, does not spread from person to person. Treatment depends upon the individual's clinical conditions, response to medication, and complexity of Psoriasis. Psoriasis in recent years has been gaining support, and many health activists are aiding in spreading awareness about the severity of the disease.