There Is Hope To Manage Your Psoriasis

Many young adults are affected by a chronic skin condition that can be emotionally stressful and embarrassing because it cannot be cured. It will result in unattractive skin and can become worse as the weather changes and usually is a condition that can last throughout your life.

It can be found in all races from small children to senior citizens. It can be found around the world, however it occurs in African Americans about 50% less than in Caucasians. The goal is to find the road to healthier skin for those who have psoriasis.

What is Psoriasis?

With no known cause, psoriasis is assumed to be produced when environmental and genetic factors unite to cause the rapid skin cell reproduction that shows itself as dry red patches of thickened skin that develops into scales and flakes. It can be found usually on the skin of the scalp, knees and elbows. Severe cases can cover a person's entire body with very thick red scaly patches of skin.

What are the Symptoms of Psoriasis?

Psoriasis can appear differently in different areas of the skin but it is often small flattened bumps that are raised red or pink patches of skin. Because it is dry it is very flaky yet it can cause spots of blood when you sometimes try to pull off the patches of flaky skin.

There are several types of psoriasis that can take on other looks like small drops or liquid filled small blisters. These can be found under the arms or in the navel or buttocks and there are also genital lesions. White spots on the fingernails could be nail psoriasis while the psoriasis found on the scalp often looks like dandruff.

How Do You Treat Psoriasis?

Like most other skin conditions, the treatment of psoriasis depends on the severity of the condition on the individual. Mild cases that involve a small area of the body of less than 10% can be effectively treated with topical skin creams or lotions with good results. Sometimes a local injection of steroids can assist a particularly resistant area but if the psoriasis is limited to a small area this will work well.

Treatment Depends on Severity

Those with moderate cases of psoriasis where the skin condition is in a much larger distribution topical products are more difficult to be effective as there is too large an area to treat making it more impractical. This includes more severe cases as well because sometimes the variety of locations on the body makes it harder to apply lotions or creams. Treatments for these more severe cases include injections or pills or light treatments with stronger medications needed to treat the severity of the psoriasis.

This in turn increases the risks involved as some medications are more effective than others depending on the individual. A common practice for psoriasis has been to rotate the types of treatments used every six to twelve months to minimize any possible side effects. Use of a light therapy for a year or more could then be changed to an injection of biologic drugs to also ensure that the individual is getting the optimal treatments available while ensuring that there are few risks involved.

How to Have Healthier Skin with Psoriasis

Psoriasis is not curable and with no known cause, it can develop spontaneously in people and then disappear again. This chronic inflammatory skin condition can get better with proper care and can go into remission. With many types of treatments available including light therapy and biologic drugs that offer some promising results, psoriasis is definitely treatable and can be controlled.

It is essential that if you have psoriasis that you seek advice from a dermatologist or a skin care professional because the skin care and facial creams that you use can affect your skin dramatically. Sensitive skin needs protective measures with skin care products that will ensure that you live successfully with your psoriasis and that your skin continues to be healthier and your outbreaks are fewer and fewer from psoriasis.