What is Psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a skin disorder where skin cells start to multiply much faster than usual and this results in areas of skin becoming raised, bumpy, and reddened. Psoriasis most regularly occurs on the scalp, lower back, knees, and elbows and there are 5 different types of psoriasis. Plaque psoriasis is the most common form of the disorder, and nail psoriasis, scalp psoriasis, pustular psoriasis, and guttate psoriasis are the other primary condition types. Sub types include inverse and erythrodermic psoriasis. 

Most sufferers will be experiencing mild or moderate psoriasis, with the criteria for that being that less than 10% of their body is affected. Some people with psoriasis may also experience psoriatic arthritis as a result of having the disorder. 

What Causes Psoriasis?

Psoriasis can have a genetic component to it, which means you can inherit it from family members. It is not a contagious disorder and those with psoriasis cannot pass it to another person through contact. The physiological cause of psoriasis is based in the body’s immune system and the way it overreacts to stimuli and promotes inflammation in the skin. This inflammation is what causes the cells to start overmultiplying, and skin cells multiplying in just 3 or 4 days rather than the standard 10 to 30 days for normal skin. 

This is what causes the scaling on the skin that is the primary symptom of plaque psoriasis. There can be more to what causes psoriasis. Some people will experience it because of hormonal changes during menopause or pregnancy, excessive stress, or use of medications like high blood pressure treatment meds or ones to prevent heart disease. Antimalarial medications or overuse of steroidal medications can also cause psoriasis. 

Psoriasis Symptoms

Developing plaques on the skin is the primary one of psoriasis symptoms. These plaques will be different in color based on the sufferer’s skin tone, and having the plaques be itchy is common. They may also crack and bleed, and if the person has severe psoriasis the plaques may grow across skin surface areas and merge with each other. Fingernails and toenails may also change color, get small pits in them and / or come loose from the nail bed.

Scalp psoriasis causes small scaly flakes seen on the scalp or in hair, and with pustular psoriasis sufferers will have discolored, scaly skin with tiny pustules on the palms of hands and soles of their feet. Guttate psoriasis causes pink, red, brown, or purple spots on the torsos of children and young people. 

Psoriasis Treatment

There are a number of different potential treatment approaches for psoriasis. For plaque psoriasis it is a common approach to use a medicated steroidal cream like Roflumilast (Zoryve) that is formulated to slow the growth of new skin cells and provide relief from itching and general skin discomfort. Sufferers may also want to apply a moisturizing cream to help with the skin dryness that is also a problem when a person has psoriasis. 

Coal tar shampoo is often recommended for scalp psoriasis treatment, and this shampoo is available without a prescription. Vitamin A retinoid creams can also be helpful to reduce the severity of psoriasis. Biologic treatments for psoriasis with medications like Adalimumab (Humira) or non-biologics like Tofacitinib (Xeljanz) may also be suggested based on the doctor’s assessment of what is causing psoriasis and how the skin disorder is progressing for the patient.