Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated disease that appears as thick, red patches of flaky, silver-white skin scales, and is the most common type of psoriasis. It occurs when the immune system speeds up skin cell growth cycles. The cause is not fully understood, but it may be due to either excessive skin cell growth or immune system factors producing skin cell growth. Symptoms include dry, scaling skin patches, nail changes, and potential joint pain. Diagnosis is usually based on skin appearance, and treatments include topical medications, systemic medications, and phototherapy.
2. Psoriasis
• Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated disease that appears on the skin. It occurs when the immune system
sends out faulty signals that speed up the growth cycle of skin cells. Psoriasis is not contagious.
− There are five main types of psoriasis:
• Erythrodermic -- The skin redness is very intense and covers a large area.
• Guttate -- Small, pink-red spots appear on the skin.
• Inverse -- Skin redness and irritation occurs in the armpits, groin, and in between
overlapping skin.
• Plaque -- Thick, red patches of skin are covered by flaky, silver-white scales. This is the most
common type of psoriasis.
• Pustular -- White blisters are surrounded by red, irritated skin.
− The cause of psoriasis is not fully understood. There are two main hypotheses about the process that occurs in
the development of the disease:
• The first, considers psoriasis as primarily a disorder of excessive growth and reproduction of skin cells. The
problem is simply seen as a fault of the epidermis(outer layer of the skin) and its keratinocytes.
• The second hypothesis sees the disease as being an immune-mediated disorder in which the excessive
reproduction of skin cells is secondary to factors produced by the immune system.
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3. Psoriasis
• Symptoms
− Dry and covered with silver, flaky skin (scales)
− Skin is pink-red in color (like the color of salmon)
− Genital lesions in males
− Joint pain or aching (psoriatic arthritis)
− Nail changes, including nail thickening, yellow-brown spots,
dents (pits) on the nail surface, and separation of the nail from
the base
− Severe dandruff on the scalp
• Tests & Diagnostics
− Diagnosis is usually based on what the skin looks like.
− Skin biopsy is done to rule out other possible conditions.
− If you have joint pain, your doctor may order x-rays.
• Treatments
− Topical medications such as lotions, ointments, creams, and
shampoos
− Body-wide (systemic) medications, which are pills or injections
that affect the whole body, not just the skin
− Phototherapy, which uses light to treat psoriasis
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