Psoriasis is a skin condition that causes the cells in the skin to grow rather too quickly. The result is that the signals sent to the immune system become corrupted causing new skin cells to form in a few days rather than weeks.  And because the body fails to shed off the extra cells they begin piling up on each other to form the lesions that we see outwardly.

Signs and symptoms

Doctor Examining Patient's Leg

There are basically about five types of psoriasis and this causes the appearance of the lesions to differ depending on the type that affects an individual. The five types of the condition are: Plaque, Guttate, Pustular, Inverse, and Erytrodermic. The most common type of the disease is the Plaque that affects over 80 percent of the sufferers. The most visible symptoms of plaque psoriasis are some thick, scaly skin whose color may be anything from white, silvery or red. Although these patches thatare called plaques can appear anywhere in the skin, they are most common around the knees, elbows, scalp and lower back.

It is also not uncommon to find the condition attacking the nails as well. About half of all the people who suffer the condition get their finer nails and toe nails somehow affected by it. A common complication that affects such people is know as psoriatic arthritis as is manifested by nails that begin pulling away from the nail bed or developing pitting, ridges or some yellowish orange pigmentation. It becomes very significant to see your dermatologist at the firs sign of psoriatic arthritis because it can become devastating if left for sometime without medical attention.

What causes psoriasis?

The truth of the matter is that psoriasis is not a contagious condition so it may not be possible to contract the disease from coming into contact with an infected person’s skin, or swimming in the same pool, or even some intimate contact. This is a disease that is much more complex than you can imagine.

Scientists are still trying to understand the real nature of this condition but what is generally known is that a person’s genes and the immune system are involved a great deal in the development of the condition. It is now known that when someone is affected by the condition, the T cells mistakenly trigger the reaction in the skin cells. This is the reason why it is referred to as a T cell mediated disease. T cells are a type of white blood cells whose main duty is to attack any unwanted invaders such as bacteria and viruses.

It is that reaction that begins a series of events that cause new cells to form too quickly. The reason why this would happen is what scientists are trying to discover, but it generally lies in our DNA. These genes that cause psoriasis can be inherited and passed on. There are possibilities that unlike many other autoimmune diseases, those that cause psoriasis appear to be quite a number and are varied. That is the other reasons it could have taken time for scientists to discover all the genes that are responsible. One of the genes that have been identified is one that regulates how the immune system fights infections in the body.

However, the good news is that not everyone who inherits the genes responsible will end up getting psoriasis. There must be the right mix of the genes to cause the condition to appear in a person. The most common triggers of the diseases are events in life that cause extreme levels of stress, skin tissue injuries, and having a strep throat. Although the triggers are not the same in all people, a majority of them confess that these are the things that triggered their own cases of psoriasis.

Who gets psoriasis?

Psoriasis seems to be a universal disease appearing all over the world and almost equally among males and females. However studies seem to indicate that it is a little more prevalent in Caucasians than in other races, though this is to a small percentage. Family history also plays a great role in the manifestation of the condition although it is important to point out that having a family member with the disease does not automatically mean we will get it.

When do people get psoriasis?

The disease can develop at any age beginning from infancy until old age. Although most people who have it will develop it between the ages of 15 and 30 and about 75 percent of people develop the disease before they reach the age of 40. There are also many others who develop the condition at between 50 and 60 years of age.

Does psoriasis affect quality of life?

The answer to this question is neither here nor there. Whereas for some people this will simply be a nuisance there are those whose entire life will change because of the disease. The nature of the disease is also so unpredictable so it’s not easy to tell. Get to know also that this is a lifelong disease and as such some people have flare ups that could occur weekly or sometimes monthly and others simply have occasional ones.

The flare up of the disease can cause severe itching, pain and sometimes the skin develops cracks that can bleed. The challenge with the cracking and bleeding becomes very serious at night when a person is trying to sleep and you know what lack of sleep does to your performance either in school or at work. Special additional treatment sometimes becomes a necessity requiring a visit to your dermatologist.

These kinds of flare ups and the treatments that follow may sometimes lead to feelings of anger, guild, sadness, despair as well as a low self esteem that leads to depression. Depression is reported to be very common in people with psoriasis and also feelings of embarrassment become quite common.

Knowledge is power

The best thing you need to remember is that psoriasis is a lifelong condition and therefore there is a need to learn what your active role is going to be in the management of it. Take your time to learn all you can about psoriasis and also talk to your doctor but especially a dermatologist about it. With knowledge you will know how to develop a lifestyle that will help you to manage it and live a comfortable long life as well.