Description

Normal skin cells take about 30 days to make their way from the bottom skin layer up to the skin’s top surface. Skin cells affected by psoriasis, however, can make the trip in four days, causing thick scales of dead skin and other glitches, such as the formation of pustules, cracking, bleeding, and itching.

Unfortunately, psoriasis is incurable. If you have it, periods of remission will occasionally be broken by flare-ups. Though it can strike at any age, most people who have the condition experience their first bout between the ages of 10 and 35. The condition, which is believed to be a genetic one, can occur anywhere on the body-from the toes to the scalp. However, an individual’s outbreaks usually recur in the same spot.

Flare-ups can be prompted by a number of factors: a night of binge drinking; a bug bite, cut, or burn in the “designated” zone; a reaction to a medication; friction of clothing or shoes against the affected spot; a viral or bacterial illness some where else in the body (such as strep throat or a cold); or becoming overweight.

Signs and Symptoms

• Dry, red or purple patches of skin in a localized area
• Silvery scales that cover affected patches of skin
• Cracked skin (in some cases)
• Minor bleeding of affected skin (in some cases)
• Small pustules (in some cases)
• Itching of affected area (in some cases)

Conventional Medical Treatment

If you’ve experienced a recurring rash, visit your dermatologist, who can examine the area and take a skin sample for analysis. Treatment varies, but mild cases are typically treated with over-the counter cortisone ointments and/or coal-tar shampoos and soaps. More severe cases may be treated with Calcipotriene ointment, a vitamin D-3 derivative. In studies of 301 patients who had used the ointment twice daily for eight weeks, 10 percent had complete clearing and 70 percent had a significant improvement in symptoms. Etretinate, a synthetic retinoid, has produced a good response in 60 to 70 percent of patients with few side effects. In extreme cases, the anti-cancer drug methotrexate may be prescribed to slow the accelerated production of skin cells. Because it causes liver and kidney damage with long-term use, this oral medication is prescribed only for the most severe cases of psoriasis.
Related Links
http://www.webmd.com/

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