Psoriasis is among the most common skin diseases. Although it is not life-threatening, psoriasis can seriously impact patients’ lives. Below, we will talk about more psoriasis, the types of psoriasis, how to treat psoriasis, and various treatments for this skin condition.
What Is Psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a common skin disease that causes itchy, red, scaly patches of skin. It most commonly affects the elbows, knees, and the scalp, but any skin area can be affected by psoriasis. The severity of the disease varies from person to person and can affect one or all areas of the body.
The Common Types of Psoriasis
There are seven main types of psoriasis: inverse psoriasis, guttate psoriasis, plaque psoriasis, pustular psoriasis, erythrodermic psoriasis, nail psoriasis, and sebopsoriasis. Each type has its own unique characteristics that may require different treatment options.
Plaque Psoriasis
Plaques are raised red patches covered with silvery scales. They often itch and sometimes burn. Plaques tend to occur on the elbows, knees, and scalp, but they can also appear anywhere on your body where there is skin — including your nails and genital area.
Inverse Psoriasis
Inverse psoriasis causes smooth red patches on the trunk or limbs that may look like large bruises or hives. Inverse psoriasis can be mistaken for cellulitis (infection under the skin). Inverse psoriasis can also affect areas where there isn’t much friction, such as your palms — these patches will feel soft like velvet when you touch them.
Guttate Psoriasis
This is the most common type of psoriasis. It usually affects younger people and results in small, drop-shaped spots on the body. These spots are often light-colored or silver-grey in color and may ooze fluid when scratched or picked at.
Pustular Psoriasis
This psoriasis causes tiny blisters filled with clear fluid on top of normal-looking skin. The blisters can be quite painful and often burst after a few days or weeks, leaving red scaly patches that eventually go away without treatment. Pustular psoriasis tends to affect older adults more than children or young adults.
Erythrodermic Psoriasis
This type of psoriasis causes the entire body to be covered in red, inflamed skin with scales. It can also cause joint pain and swelling in the hands and feet. The inflammation is so severe that it can lead to organ failure if not treated correctly.
Sebopsoriasis
Sebopsoriasis causes red bumps on the scalp, face, and ears that resemble dandruff. The bumps may also occur on the chest or back, looking like bug bites. They usually go away within a few weeks but could last up to six months if left untreated.
Nail Psoriasis
Nail psoriasis causes flaky nails that can become thickened and discolored from repeated infections under the nail bed. It’s more common in people diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis because their condition weakens their immune systems.
What Parts of the Body Can Psoriasis Affect?
Psoriasis can affect any part of your body, but commonly appears on your elbows, knees, and scalp. The condition tends to flare up periodically, typically in cycles between two weeks and three months (though some people experience longer periods between outbreaks). Sometimes, these cycles may be tied to seasonal changes or stress levels. When psoriasis appears on your nails, it’s called pitting.
What Is Psoriatic Arthritis?
Psoriatic arthritis is a type of inflammatory arthritis caused by inflammation in the joints related to psoriasis. It’s estimated that about one-third of people with psoriasis also have arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis can occur at any age, but it most often affects people between the ages of 40 and 60.
Who Does Psoriasis Affect, and How Common Is It?
Psoriasis is an immune disorder. It’s more common in Caucasians than African Americans or Hispanics/Latinos, but it can occur in anyone regardless of ethnicity. The disease usually first appears during childhood or adolescence, although some people don’t develop symptoms until adulthood.
Is Psoriasis the Same As Eczema?
No, psoriasis is not the same as eczema. It is a chronic skin condition that causes itchy, red patches of skin often covered with silvery scales and can be painful for some people.
What Does Psoriasis Look Like?
Psoriasis generally occurs on the knees and elbows, and psoriasis on the scalp. But it can also appear on other areas of your body, such as your fingernails, toenails, and genitals. The rash can sometimes be redder than the surrounding skin, but it’s more likely to be lighter in color — some people describe it as looking like sandpaper or coral. The rash may also look like scaly patches on your skin. Sometimes psoriasis can cause a burning sensation when you touch it. Your doctor will diagnose psoriasis based on symptoms and the appearance of your skin.
Where Does Psoriasis Usually Start?
Psoriasis usually starts in childhood or teenage years and may continue into adulthood. The severity of psoriasis varies from person to person. Some people only have mild patches of psoriasis, while others may have severe cases that require medical attention.
What Are the Three Primary Symptoms of Psoriasis?
There are three psoriasis symptoms. The most common symptom of psoriasis is skin redness. It may be only slightly noticeable or cover large areas of your body. Another sign is thickened skin with flaky patches covered in silver scales. The third symptom is itching, which can be severe at times.
What Are the Causes of Psoriasis?
It’s unclear what causes psoriasis, but it appears to involve genetic and environmental factors. You’re more likely to develop psoriasis if you have family members with this condition or other autoimmune diseases like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. Males do tend to get psoriasis more frequently than females. Psoriasis outbreaks are usually triggered by external factors such as stress, trauma, or infections. However, there is currently no known cause for psoriasis. Psoriasis triggers vary from person to person.
What Causes Psoriasis Outbreaks?
Psoriasis is a condition where cells in the skin grow too quickly and multiply faster than normal. This causes an overproduction of skin cells that build up on the surface of your skin, leading to red patches called plaques. These plaques can cause itching, burning sensations, and pain as they flare up due to irritation or friction from clothes or bed sheets against them.
Is Psoriasis Contagious?
No, psoriasis isn’t contagious — you can’t catch it from someone else. But some things can trigger a flare-up, including stress and certain medications.
How Is Psoriasis Diagnosed?
Psoriasis should be diagnosed by a doctor who knows about this disease and has seen many patients with psoriasis before. Several tests can be used to diagnose psoriasis, including:
Skin biopsy — This involves taking a small sample of skin tissue from an affected area of your body so it can be examined under a microscope for signs of inflammation or abnormal skin cell growth (keratinocytes). This is usually done by your dermatologist and shouldn’t hurt much, if at all.
Dermoscopy — This is another tool your dermatologist will use to diagnose psoriasis because it can give them a good idea of what type of plaque psoriasis.
Is Psoriasis Fungal or Bacterial?
Any type of fungus or bacteria does not cause psoriasis. It’s an autoimmune disorder that causes the overproduction of skin cells, which leads to the rapid growth of skin cells on the surface of your body. It can also cause inflammation and irritation in other body parts, such as joints and organs like the liver and lungs.
Is Psoriasis a Serious Disease?
Yes, psoriasis is a serious disease because it can affect every part of your body, including internal organs such as your liver and lungs. Inflammation can also cause arthritis in some people with psoriasis. The condition can be uncomfortable, embarrassing, and debilitating if it becomes severe enough to interfere with everyday activities like work or school.
How Is Psoriasis Treated?
To date, some of the main psoriasis treatment(s) are medications called corticosteroids, vitamin D analogs, and immunosuppressive agents like methotrexate. These drugs help reduce inflammation by suppressing the immune system’s response to psoriasis plaques. But they don’t cure psoriasis or stop it from coming back after treatment is stopped. Before all these options, however, the most common treatment includes an assortment of ointments and creams to relieve and minimize symptoms.
Some people with mild psoriasis can improve their symptoms by making lifestyle changes such as dieting, exercising regularly, and avoiding stressors like smoking and alcohol use that may trigger flare-ups. However, doctors and patients are turning to Vitastem Ultra more often as a go-to psoriasis treatment since it has proven to be 10x more effective at treating the flare-ups than all other products tested against over the past 10 years.
Are There Complications For Psoriasis?
Psoriasis can be a serious condition if left untreated. Some of the complications you should keep an eye out for include:
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- High-Cholesterol
- Strokes
- Heart Attacks
What Organs Can Be Affected By Psoriasis?
Psoriasis can affect any part of the body, including:
- Skin
- Nails
- Gut (stomach) tract (small intestine)
- Joints (knees, elbows)
- Kidneys
- Heart
- Lungs
How To Prevent Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a chronic immune-system disorder that causes patches of skin to become red and covered with flaky skin. This skin condition can affect any body area but most often appears on the elbows, knees, scalp, and lower back. People often ask how to get rid of psoriasis, but you don’t really get rid of it. You can strive to manage the symptoms, however.
Psoriasis is not contagious; it’s just a genetic predisposition. However, there are things you can do to prevent psoriasis from getting worse or even developing at all. Here are some helpful tips:
- Eat healthy foods (fruits and veggies)
- Exercise regularly (at least 30 minutes a day)
- Quit smoking and limit alcohol intake
Living a Healthy Lifestyle
If you have psoriasis, you probably think about it and worry about how it could affect your life. But having psoriasis does not mean that you will develop other medical conditions; psoriasis does not mean you will die sooner. Though psoriasis causes may vary from person to person and from case to case, the main thing is avoiding triggers and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Considering Vitastem Ultra for Treating Psoriasis
Vitastem Ultra uses the world’s strongest topical delivery system and has proven to be very helpful at treating psoriasis. In many cases, it has even worked in situations where nothing else has alleviated the conditions.
By utilizing a specialized blend of ingredients, Vitastem Ultra has created a delivery formula that allows the medicine to be delivered at 10x the strength and depth of other products on the market today. The formula stimulates damaged cells’ walls so that medicine is 10x more permeable than usual. This allows more medicine to be delivered to the cells, overpowering and killing bacteria in a way that does not allow them to adapt or develop resistance.
Vitastem Ultra, which delivers medicine quickly to the area of need, is why many patients see results in less than 5 to 7 days. It not only treats psoriasis more effectively than other products on the market, but also injects skin cells with vitamin D3 or vitamin C (ascorbic acids) – this leaves the skin treated and rejuvenated too.
Although Vitastem Ultra is not currently FDA-approved to treat psoriasis, it has been used many times to and has proven time and time again to be far more effective than all the other products it has been tested against over the past 10 years. Ask your doctor if Vitastem Ultra today and to try it as a viable psoriasis treatment, so you can get your life back.
