A dermatologist for psoriasis will likely specialize in this skin condition in addition to many others. But what is psoriasis, exactly? Psoriasis is a dermatological disease that can cause a lot of discomfort for those who suffer from it. It is estimated that around 7.5 million people in the United States have psoriasis, and many of them don’t even know it. Psoriasis is a chronic condition that causes patches of red, dry, and scaly skin to form on the body. In some cases, psoriasis can be quite severe and lead to other health complications. In this article, we will discuss what psoriasis is, what causes psoriasis, the treatment for psoriasis, and more! 

What Is Psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease known for causing an itchy, scaly rash that can be extremely painful and disruptive to everyday function and sleep. It most commonly occurs on the elbows, scalp, and knees, and is known to occur in waves of flare-ups and remissions.

What Causes Psoriasis?

Unfortunately, the exact cause of psoriasis is yet unknown. Current medical practice believes that it is an immune system response causing skin cells to rapidly grow well beyond their normal rate, resulting in rash-like symptoms. The immune system’s infection-fighting cells mistakenly attack the rapidly growing skin cells, believing them to be pathogenic.

Current research points to environmental triggers as well as genetic indicators that may play a role in causing psoriasis to flare up. Other factors that make cause a flare-up include:

• Changes in weather, particularly cold and dry weather conditions
• Lacerations, burns, abrasions, or bites to the skin
• Cigarette smoking or secondhand smoke
• Excessive alcohol use
• Any immune system infection
• Prescription medications like blood pressure medications, antimalarial drugs, or lithium
• A family history of psoriasis

What Are the Symptoms of Psoriasis?

Psoriasis is an uncomfortable skin condition that can occur with varying degrees of severity. Symptoms include:

• Scaly, red spots on the skin
• Cracked and dry skin that is prone to bleeding
• Patchy rashes that vary in color and severity, from purple or grey to pink or red
• Tenderness, sensations of burning, and itchiness

Flare-ups of psoriasis can last for weeks or months at a time before subsiding.

What Are the Different Kinds of Psoriasis?

Psoriasis itself can take many different forms, the most common of which is plaque psoriasis. This causes scaly rashes to appear commonly on the knees, lower back, scalp, and elbows, though these rashes can occur on other areas of the body as well. This often results in post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, or changes in skin color of the affected area. Other types of psoriasis include:

• Guttate psoriasis: This form of psoriasis typically occurs as a result of some kind of infection, commonly strep throat. It tends to primarily affect youth and young adults, and is characterized by small, scaly patches on the arms, legs, or neck.
• Inverse psoriasis: This form of psoriasis is particularly painful because it occurs around skin folds around the breasts, buttocks, and groin. As you can imagine, any increased friction from movement or sweating causes this form of psoriasis to worsen, and may even be triggered by fungal infections.
• Nail psoriasis: This type of infection targets the fingernails and toenails. This causes all sorts of problems for the nail, including onycholysis (separating from the nail bed), discoloration, abnormal nail growth, or degenerating nails.
• Pustular psoriasis: With pustular psoriasis, blisters filled with pus can occur on patients in patches, typically on the palms of the hands or on the feet. This type of psoriasis is considered rare.
• Erythrodermic psoriasis: The rarest form of psoriasis, this is version is also the most acute. With erythrodermic psoriasis, a burning, itching rash can cover the patient’s entire body either for short periods of time or as a chronic condition.

Will Psoriasis Spread?

The good news is, psoriasis is not contagious—meaning it cannot be transmitted from person to person. However, depending on the environmental and genetic triggers at play, you may experience a flare-up that may expand across your skin, causing it to “spread” in size.

Can Psoriasis Be Cured?

There is yet no known cure for this chronic disease. The millions of Americans living with psoriasis focus on managing the symptoms and reducing environmental triggers that may cause flare ups.

What Is the Treatment for Psoriasis?

While there is no current cure for psoriasis, there are still steps your dermatologist can take to help you manage the disease. Depending on the severity and the type of psoriasis, patients can expect phototherapy (or light therapy), oral or subcutaneous medications, or topical ointments. The general idea behind psoriasis treatment is to remove the scaly patches resulting from the associated rashes and to stop the skin cells from growing out of control. The following steps can be taken to help manage symptoms of psoriasis to manage patient discomfort:

• Anthralin: This tar cream aims to slow the rapid growth of skin cells associated with psoriasis flare-ups. It can also help to smooth irritated areas where rashes have occurred, though it will stain most surfaces. It also may further irritate the skin, depending on the patient.
• Coal tar: This old-school method of psoriasis management reduces inflammation, itching, and overall rash-like symptoms. This type of treatment does not work for every patient, as it can cause some people’s skin to become irritated—and coal tar also has a very strong smell and can stain fabrics or upholstery.
• Calcineurin inhibitors: A topical ointment designed to reduce the severity of rashes, this type of cream is particularly beneficial for more sensitive areas of skin that may become irritated with other methods of treatment, such as around the eyelids. However, calcineurin inhibitors are not recommended for long-term use, as they may increase the risk of lymphoma or skin cancer. This type of ointment is also not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Corticosteroids: Available in a wide assortment of gels, ointments, creams, sprays, and shampoos, this type of treatment is commonly prescribed for patients with mild to moderate psoriasis. These corticosteroids come in an array of different strengths as well, so some may be beneficial to more sensitive areas while others can treat tougher skin. However, over time, corticosteroids may lose their effectiveness, and long-term use of high-dose corticosteroids can cause the skin to become thinner.
• Retinoids: Typically found in gel or cream form, this type of treatment is applied up to twice daily by psoriasis patients. It can cause skin irritation and sensitivity to UV light. This type of medication is also not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Salicylic acid: Available in both prescription and nonprescription doses, this topical product is often used to treat scalp psoriasis in the form of a shampoo. It is typically used in tandem with another form of treatment, as it helps the skin to more readily absorb additional medicine.
• Vitamin D analogs: Used to slow skin cell generation, synthetic forms of vitamin D are often used with other topical corticosteroids. Synthetic vitamin D tends to be more expensive than other forms of psoriasis treatment, but it may cause less skin irritation for patients.

Just as there is no cure for psoriasis, there is no single way to go about treating the disease, as every individual is unique. Most dermatologists combine different methods to minimize risk, maximize patient relief, and manage recurring flareups.

Dermatologist for Psoriasis: National Healthcare Center

Psoriasis is a skin disease that affects many people in a variety of different ways. While there is no cure for psoriasis, it is possible to manage the symptoms, provide relief from itching, burning, and pain, and reduce the likelihood of flare-ups in the future by limiting exposure to triggers. If you suspect you may have this skin condition, it’s time to reach out to a dermatologist for psoriasis right away. The sooner you are able to seek treatment, the better able your clinician will be able to come up with a plan that works for your body.

Interested in investing in your skin health? Contact National Healthcare Center and schedule an appointment today!