Psoriasis Awareness Month Do You Have Itchy Flaky, Red Patches?

By Joseph Onorato, MD, FAAD

Psoriasis is a common skin disorder that affects 125 million people globally; however, what many people don’t realize is that it is an autoimmune disease. When the body’s immune system is triggered, skin cells become overactive and produce more skin than what can naturally be sloughed off, so the end result is red, irritated skin with dry patches that eventually peel. It can affect the scalp, inner and outer ears, feet, limbs, and everywhere in between.

Psoriasis is an outbreak that causes a “rash” on the skin, but it can also affect the nails, tendons, and joints. Some of the most common symptoms are red rashes or spots, dryness, cracking, flaking, peeling, depression, and joint pain.

Symptoms:
• Red, raised, patches with siler or white scales
• dry skin (flakes, cracks, and bleeds)
• Pain
• Itching
• Burning
• painful, swollen joints
• Pitted finger and toenails

Psoriasis is a lifelong disorder and can, in extreme cases, turn into psoriatic arthritis, which is an inflammatory arthritis (also autoimmune) condition. The typical treatments for this disorder, as well as psoriasis, are topicals, pain medications, steroids, Goeckerman therapy (coal tar and light therapy), immunosuppresants, and in advanced cases of psoriatic arthritis, surgery to replace the affected joints.

In the United States, psoriasis affects around 7.4 million. It’s commonly associated other disorders such as the following:
• Type II diabetes
• Heart disease
• Anxiety
• IBS
• Depression

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SWFL Dermatology Plastic Surgery & Laser Center

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