Plaque Psoriasis

There are several types of psoriasis, though the most wide-spread one is plaque psoriasis, which is also known as psoriasis vulgaris or common psoriasis. Such symptoms as patches of red, raised, scaly areas on skin are typical of this disease. The patches first appear as red bumps, but then they become thicker and form silvery white scales on the top. Such skin lesions generally tend to appear on both sides of body parts at the same time, for example, on both knees or both elbows. However, such locations as trunk or scalp may also be affected.
The lesions may be of different size, sometimes even a big part of the body may be covered with them. Plaque psoriasis patches may cause burning sensation, may be itchy or even slightly painful, especially when cracking. They may grow bigger or become smaller and usually have chronic character.
As it has been mentioned before, the patches with clear-cut borders generally affect such locations as knees and elbows, trunk and scalp. Sometimes they may appear on a forehead, ears and hair line, especially if the scalp is affected.
Plaque psoriasis patches may differ in size, shape and even colour. This depends on their location, because skin thickness may vary on different body parts. For example, the plaques on legs can have blue tint, whereas those on palms can be quite pale, though very scaly.
Scaling generally depends on the fact if a plaque is well-moisturized. For instance, if an armpit is affected, the plaque there may be not scaling at all, though it will be red in colour and have a clear-cut edge.
This variety of psoriasis (plaque psoriasis) is the most common one and up to 9 out of 10 people, having psoriasis suffer from this very form. These people typically have their knees and elbows, trunk and scalp affected. Almost all of them are grown-ups.
The most important problem that people with psoriasis face is not only physical discomfort that the lesions cause, since sometimes they may not be itchy or painful at all. The non-aesthetic look of the plaques is also a reason for suffering.

Plaque psoriasis is called so because of the shape of the patches, since in most cases they are of round or oval shape. Even if lesions have irregular shape, these areas are always elevated and can easily be told from healthy skin. The growth of every lesion may take from several days to several weeks. The patches may affect a vast part of a body, especially when they start joining and forming bigger lesions.
After the growth of the patches has reached its peak they might start to become smaller and less distinctive and finally completely disappear. But between the periods of growth and reduction there may be a period of stabilization, which also takes some time.
The most important thing about treating plaque psoriasis patches and avoiding scaliness is keeping these raised and rough areas well-moisturized all the time. There are many special creams that have been formulated specially for people with this condition. Moisturizing the skin even after a lesion has disappeared is the issue of great concern for all the people with plaque psoriasis, since the skin in this area may not have totally healed and can develop a new scaly patch very quickly.

Guttate Psoriasis

One of the forms of psoriasis, though one of the most uncommon ones is guttate psoriasis, the name of which deriv

es from a Latin word “gutta” meaning “drop”. It can be characterized by little droplike papules on skin that are red

in colour. There droplike spots may appear on various body parts, including trunk, legs and arms.

This disease in not contagious and it cannot be transmitted from one person to another. Guttate psoriasis is said to be triggered by a previous streptococcal infection. The disease develops quite quickly and is more common of those, who are under their forties. It seems to be an inherited disease, which develops as an inflammatory response of a body that has mistaken its own cells for an infection.

Though streptococcal infection is the most common thing to trigger this condition, there may be some other causes of guttate psoriasis, such as various infections, some medicines, skin injuries (burns, cuts and bites), stress or alcohol abuse.

People that undergo cancer chemotherapy or those with AIDS or other autoimmune disorders (for example, rheumatoid arthritis) form the risk group for this disease.

The droplike spots of red or pink colour that appear on legs, arms and trunk and sometimes on some other body parts may be the symptom of guttate psoriasis. These spots are usually scaly and may be itchy.

When examining a person’s skin a doctor should always pay attention to the shape of these spots and their colour. One more important fact is whether this person has recently had streptococcal infection. After the examining a patient such tests as throat culture and skin biopsy are generally done. These tests are necessary for the confirmation of the diagnosis.

When the diagnosis has been confirmed it’s time to start treatment, which can take place at home or in hospital, depending on the difficulty of the case. As a rule, guttate psoriasis treatment is focused on reduction of symptoms, treatment of current infection, if there is one, as well as preventing secondary infections. The most widely prescribed medicines to control the symptoms are cortisone, which helps to reduce itch and inflammation, vitamin A and vitamin D. Moisturizers, anti-dandruff shampoos and lotions with coal tar can also help to improve the state of skin. If there is a recent infection, some antibiotics can be prescribed.

Corticosteroids, cyclosporine, and methotrexate may be prescribed if there is a severe case of guttate psoriasis. The aim of these medicines is to suppress the immune response.

There are some other ways of treating this condition, such as sunbathing, which can help to reduce the symptoms, and phototherapy. What these two ways of treatment have in common is ultraviolet, to which a patient’s skin is exposed. Those whose skin is not sensitive enough to ultraviolet might have to take special medicine.

There is a possibility that guttate psoriasis might develop into a chronic disease or even into plaque psoriasis. There might also be some complications, such as itching or pain and secondary infections. But if the disease is treated correctly, a person may be totally cured.

The earlier the disease is diagnosed, the easier it is to cure, that is why it is if high importance for a person who has such symptoms to contact a doctor as soon as possible.

Pustular Psoriasis

If you are a person under the age of fifty you are rather lucky because this uncommon type of psoriasis (pustular psoriasis) is more common for elder people. The other very rare cases of this disease which can be found between children aged two-ten years. Of course it is not the law for the pustular psoriasis and it can affect all races and all ages. If you are an adult person it does not matter who you are (a man or a woman), it affects these two genders equally. Speaking about teenagers it is important to note that boys are affected somewhat more often than young ladies.
As you might know psoriasis has several forms and pustular psoriasis is an uncommon form of it.
Pustular psoriasis or it also can be called as exudative psoriasis is the most severe form of psoriasis of the skin. It looks like raised above the surface on the healthy skin vesicles or blisters which are filled with uninfected, transparent inflammatory exadate (pustules). The skin above and below the surface of the pustules and around them is red hot, swollen, inflamed and thickened, it is easy to peel. There may be a secondary infection with pustules; in this case the exudate takes a purulent character.
Pustular psoriasis may also be limited and have a specific localization. Its most frequent place localization is the distal ends of the limbs (arms and legs) i. e. lower leg and forearm. This type is called pamoplantar pustulosis. In other more severe cases of pustular psoriasis may be generalized. In this case pustules are widely spread all over the surface of the body and have their tendency of amalgamation into larger pustules.
Depending on the symptoms the pustular psoriasis can be divided into several types: acute, chronic and subacute. If the symptoms are sudden and severe it indicates the acute type. If the symptoms are of a long term it means only chronic type. But if you find the symptom somewhere between these two types it can point you only on the subacute type.

Causes of pustular psoriases

We would like to distinguish seven causes: 1 – taking systemic steroids, 2 – drugs, 3 – infections, 4 – sunlight or phototherapy, 5 – cholestatic jaundice, 6 – pregnancy, 7 – hypocalcemia. Among drugs we can list several names: iodine, a topical antiseptic, salicylates (salicylic acid id often used in treatment for fever or pain), antidepressants, lithium, antibiotic and some other.

Psoriasis Treatment & Symptoms

Sunday, June 3, 2012