Psoriasis is an immune-mediated disease that that causes skin cells to grow too quickly, resulting in thick, white, silvery, or red patches of skin.
Psoriasis occurs when the immune system mistakes a normal skin cell for a pathogen or a foreign cell, and sends out faulty signals that cause overproduction of new skin cells. It is not contagious. Normally, skin cells grow gradually and flake off about every 4 weeks. New skin cells grow to replace the outer layers of the skin as they shed. But in psoriasis, new skin cells move rapidly to the surface of the skin in days rather than weeks. They build up and form thick patches called plaques.
Causes of Psoriasis:
Exact cause of psoriasis isnt fully known, but it's thought to be related to the immune system and its interaction with the environment in people who have the genetic susceptibility. More specifically, one key cell is a type of white blood cell called a T lymphocyte or T cell. Normally, T cells travel throughout the body to detect and fight off foreign substances, such as viruses or bacteria. If you have psoriasis, however, the T cells attack healthy skin cells by mistake, as if to heal a wound or to fight an infection.
Overactive T cells trigger other immune responses. The effects include dilation of blood vessels in the skin around the plaques and an increase in other white blood cells that can enter the outer layer of skin. These changes result in an increased production of both healthy skin cells and more T cells and other white blood cells. This causes an ongoing cycle in which new skin cells move to the outermost layer of skin too quickly in days rather than weeks. Dead skin and white blood cells can't slough off quickly enough and build up in thick, scaly patches on the skin's surface. This usually doesn't stop unless treatment interrupts the cycle.
Just what causes T cells to malfunction in people with psoriasis isn't entirely clear, although researchers think genetic and environmental factors both play a role.
Triggers:
Psoriasis typically starts or worsens because of a trigger that you may be able to identify and avoid. Factors that may trigger psoriasis include:
Infections, such as strep throat or thrush
Injury to the skin, such as a cut or scrape, bug bite, or a severe sunburn
Stress, Cold weather, Smoking, Heavy alcohol consumption and smoking
Most types of psoriasis go through cycles, flaring for a few weeks or months, then subsiding for a time or even going into complete remission.
Types of Psoriasis:
Plaque psoriasis
Nail psoriasis
Scalp psoriasis
Guttate psoriasis
Inverse psoriasis
Pustular psoriasis
Erythrodermic psoriasis
Signs and symptoms:
Psoriasis signs and symptoms can vary from person to person but may include one or more of the following:
Red patches of skin covered with silvery scales
Small scaling spots (commonly seen in children)
Dry, cracked skin that may bleed
Itching, burning or soreness
Thickened, pitted or ridged nails
Swollen and stiff joints
Psoriasis patches can range from a few spots of dandruff-like scaling to major eruptions that cover large areas. Mild cases of psoriasis may be a nuisance; more-severe cases can be painful, disfiguring and disabling.
Complications: If you have psoriasis, besides low self esteem and social isolation youre at greater risk of developing certain diseases, such as metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions that include high blood pressure and elevated insulin levels i.e. diabetes; inflammatory bowel disease; cardiovascular disease; and, possibly, cancer.
In addition, psoriatic arthritis can be debilitating and painful, making it difficult to go about your daily routine.
Diagnosis:
A straight forward diagnosis is made by clinical picture and presentation with skin biopsy, if required.
Conditions that can look like psoriasis
Other Conditions that may look like psoriasis include:
Seborrheic dermatitis.
Lichen planus.
Ringworm of the body (tinea corporis)
Pityriasis rosea.
Homeopathy treatment:
Psoriatic treatment depends on the type of disease, the severity, and the total body area involved. Homeopathic treatment at Dr Manus Homeopathy aims to interrupt the cycle of excess skin cell production by stimulating the Genetic code thereby channelising the Immune system to work in harmony with metabolic needs of the body. Individual responses vary depending on various domestic and socio-economic factors involved.
Dr Manus Homeopathy Physicians advice precautions as per the individual genetic need. External medicinal applications are not recommended homeopathically.