A mum has come up with an adorable way to teach people not to fear her daughter who 'looks like she has a contagious disease.'

Ashley Nagy, 29, said 19-month-old Charlie regularly receives stares and cruel comments from strangers.

But now Ashley is hitting back showing her daughter is not 'contagious' by smothering her in kisses and giving her plenty of cuddles in public.

The little girl was diagnosed with psoriasis at four-months-old after the small red dots that appeared all over her skin, developed into large welts that would peel and flake-off.

The disease that affects more than 125 million people worldwide appears in flares and is often brought on by stress, illness and food intolerances.

Parents Ashley and Andrew, 32, from Queen Creek in Arizona, USA, have been accused by strangers of letting their daughter get 'severely sunburnt' and others drag their children away fearing she is 'contagious'.

To combat this, the mum-of-two smothers Charlie in kisses whenever anyone stares or reacts unusually to her in a bid to raise positive awareness of the disease.

Ashley, a real estate agent, said: "Psoriasis flare-ups happen sporadically, she'll be completely free and then in a matter of hours her skin will be covered from head to toe.

"They start off as wide, raised, red spots that then look like little whiteheads, after that they dry up to flake, crack and peel from her body.

"Strangers can be very cruel about it, when we've taken her to the playground the parents of other children have dragged their kids away thinking she's contagious.

"Most people move away, afraid they are going to catch whatever she has or move their kids away so she can't get to close or play with them.

"My response is normally to pick Charlie up and kiss her so that people can see she is not contagious and being near her isn't going to hurt anyone.

"A few people have made comments, some ladies said that I was a bad parent and couldn't believe I let her get so sunburned.

"Others have said they can't believe we have her out in public, but these are just very ignorant people so we ignore them.

"If I'm pushing her around in a stroller and see people staring at her, looking at her in pity or trying to move their children away I'll lightly touch her face and kiss her on the cheek.

"I want people to see that even though she has psoriasis they don't need to be afraid to touch and love her, I hope they see she's not contagious and are more compassionate.

"I don't put her in turtlenecks or hide her, I have her in shorts and am not ashamed of who she is and walk with pride, I know she's beautiful.

"While she has psoriasis, it doesn't define her because she has such a great personality - she's bubbly, funny, very sweet and at times she's freaking hilarious."

Charlie was two-months old when she had her first psoriasis flare-up, it started off as small reddish bumps that develop into larger patches.

Doctors believe she is one of the youngest patients to have such a severe case.

Ashley said: "The rash on her stomach looked like tiny little dots and despite getting antibiotics and more it didn't seem to clear, only getting worse.

"We were told she was one of the youngest patients with psoriasis that the dermatologist had ever seen

"Flare-ups can be caused by food, stress, skin trauma to many different things, even teething and toothache has caused her whole body to flare-up."

Due to the rarity of little Charlie having such an extreme form of psoriasis at such a young age, her parents nickname her their 'unicorn baby'.

They hope their cute phrasing will help to rebrand the disease and show to others that it's not something to fear.

Ashley said: "While we were in hospital, doctors, volunteers and nurses kept running in and out to observe her, because it was so rare to have psoriasis at her age.

"I decided to name her my 'unicorn baby' and referred to the skin problems as 'unicorn spots' because she's so rare and special.

"I chose to compare it to a unicorn as I thought it was something positive and less intimidating, as she gets older I'm sure it will help her see that her skin is beautiful."

Her parents combat the itchy and painful flare-ups that cover her head to toe with a specialist two-hour bathing routine.

In addition to putting her on a gluten and dairy-free diet, with a daily cod liver oil and aloe smoothie, which has stopped her from needing oral medication.

Ashley said: "Our nightly routine is bathing her in essential oils, occasionally we use bleach or oatmeal, then a specialist psoriasis shampoo.

"Then we lotion her right away so her skin doesn't crack with organic butter bees wax, that has essential oils and other ingredients.

"From there, we put her in an oversized cotton t-shirt so that the ingredients can soak into her skin and prevent flare-ups from friction that can be caused when her clothing is too tight."

The parents are now trying to raise awareness of their daughter's condition by educating others and dispelling the myth that psoriasis is a 'contagious disease'.

Ashley said: "I had to become as expert as possible on this disease, my daughter's my world and I won't shut down or give people attitude, I just want to educate them.

"I take it upon myself to fight for her until she can speak for herself, I've learned as much as I can about the disease and even created an awareness raising page."

Ashley is fundraising to help cover her Charlie's medical bills, check-ups and treatment, as well as donating to the Phoenix Children's Hospital who treated her during a bad flare-up.

She said: "Doctors told us they have treated babies with psoriasis but never this bad or for someone so young.

"It was really hard to get our insurance to cover her full medical bills as they have not experienced such a young case before and so have no other cases to compare her to."

You can donate at gofundme.com/help-charlie-fight-infant-psoriasis

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Mum determined to let strangers know daughter with severe psoriasis that leaves her covered in welts isn't contagious - Mirror.co.uk

Newswise PHILADELPHIA The National Psoriasis Foundation has announced the winners of its Medical Professional Research Awards, and its a clean sweep for the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The NPF honored Joel M. Gelfand, MD MSCE, a professor of Dermatology and Epidemiology, with the 2017 Outstanding Scientific Achievement Award. The second award is for Outstanding New Investigator, and this year it went to Junko Takeshita, MD, PhD, MSCE, an assistant professor of Dermatology and Epidemiology. The two were honored together at this months 2017 NPF Research Symposium.

Gelfand received the award for Outstanding Scientific Achievement, which recognizes his work and takes into consideration independence of thought, originality, significance of discovery, and impact on the area of research. Gelfand is a national leader in research connecting psoriasis to other comorbidities. He is particularly interested in the connection between psoriasis and cardio metabolic disease. He has published hundreds of peer-reviewed papers in academic journals, many on this very topic, and it continues to be a major focus of his work. Gelfand completed his MSCE at Penn, received his MD from Harvard, and holds a B.S. from Tufts.

It was an honor to receive this award from the National Psoriasis Foundation, and also to share the stage with my colleague Dr. Takeshita, Gelfand said.

Takeshita received the Outstanding New Investigator award, which also recognizes outstanding scientific achievement in psoriatic disease research from a new or early-career investigator. Takeshita spent two years as an NPF fellow, during which time she trained under Gelfand. She has received a grant from the National Institutes of Health to explore racial disparities in the treatment of psoriasis. She has published more than two dozen peer-reviewed papers, including one that identified psoriasis treatment disparities in the Medicare population that is often cited by advocacy groups. Takeshita completed her MSCE at Penn, received her MD and PhD from Washington University in Saint Louis, and completed her B.A. at Wellesley.

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Penn Medicineis one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of theRaymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and theUniversity of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $6.7 billion enterprise.

The Perelman School of Medicine has been ranked among the top five medical schools in the United States for the past 20 years, according toU.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $392 million awarded in the 2016 fiscal year.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center -- which are recognized as one of the nation's top "Honor Roll" hospitals byU.S. News & World Report-- Chester County Hospital; Lancaster General Health; Penn Wissahickon Hospice; and Pennsylvania Hospital -- the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional affiliated inpatient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region include Good Shepherd Penn Partners, a partnership between Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network and Penn Medicine.

Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2016, Penn Medicine provided $393 million to benefit our community.

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National Psoriasis Foundation Honors Two Penn Dermatologists - Newswise (press release)

New Zealand Rose Niamh O'Sullivan (27) said that choosing her outfits for the event has been made slightly trickier due to her insulin pump.

"You'd never even guess I'm wearing it, but it's quite hard trying to pick some of the dresses and things, just because I've a little extra worry," she said.

"Everyone's always like, 'Does my bum look big in this?' and I'm like, 'Does my pump look big in this, like can you see it?' Everyone here has been so supportive."

Orlaith Roche (26), who's representing Boston and New England, revealed how she has had to overcome many obstacles to make it to the Dome.

"At the height of my career I was signed with Ford Models and I got an academic scholarship to college and I was like, 'All my stars are aligned'," she said.

"Then when I got psoriasis I was dropped from my agency and I had to move back to Boston.

"I got it under wraps, but kids were awful to me. When you have a skin issue like psoriasis, people are not forgiving, they're not kind, but it made me stronger and I'm a better model for it.

"Everyone thought my career was over, but I kept fighting and I knew this is what I wanted to do."

Wearing matching red dresses, all 64 of the Roses competing in the annual event were introduced at a photocall at Malahide Castle yesterday. They will be whittled down to 32.

Presenter Daithi O Se arrived in a helicopter borrowed from the Glenroyal Hotel in Maynooth where the Roses had been staying.

He admitted he still gets nervous ahead of the event, which kicks-off next Monday.

He also said the competition has moved with the times, as evidenced by Maria Walsh winning the 2015 contest.

"If you go back to the Rose of Tralee in 2015, she happened to be gay," he said.

"If you went back to 1985 and said the Rose of Tralee was gay, I'm sure the whole place would be coming out with crosses and throwing holy water at each other and praying in front of the altar.

"I got a call saying, 'Maria Walsh is gay', and I was like, 'Big deal, lads, it's 2015 - get over it'. That's normal now in society."

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Dietician living with diabetes and L'Oreal model bullied for her psoriasis are among this year's Roses - Independent.ie

Lexington Herald Leader

Psoriasis can't be cured, but there are ways to treat it. Here's how. Lexington Herald Leader Nearly 7.5 million Americans suffer from psoriasis, a chronic skin condition that causes dry, scaly and painful patches of skin. This uncomfortable condition most commonly affects the joints, face and neck, torso, arms and legs, hands and feet, and ... Psoriasis Market Company Analysis and Forecast to 2024Digital Journal all 3 news articles »

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Psoriasis can't be cured, but there are ways to treat it. Here's how. - Lexington Herald Leader

THE FRESH TOAST

Monday, August 14, 2017, 11:50 AM

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes itchy scaling of the skin. It typically affects the elbows, knees, and scalp, but any skin-covered place will do.

About7.5 million Americanshave psoriasis. For most, it will manifest only in patches. But if it extends over more than five percent of your surface area, then you are among the one-in-five who have a severe case.

RELATED STORY: Little-known health effects of medical marijuana

There are many faces of psoriasis. Lesions may be slivery or fiery red, pussy or merely bloody, small or expansive in scale. Fingernails may or may not discolor, crumble, and detach. As many as a third of people with this condition will receive the bonus gift of psoriatic arthritis.

Genetically inherited, psoriasis is yet another trauma we receive from our parents, but its appearance tends to be triggered by physical or emotional stress.

During an outburst, T cells that normally protect us from bacterial incursions mistakenly begin to attack our own skin cells. As white blood cells rush into the fray, the blood vessels dilate, causing inflammation. The body then goes into overdrive to replace the dead and dying skin. New cells push up, as much as ten times faster than normal, accumulating on the surface in thick mounds of dead skin and white corpuscles, intertwined like the corpses of ice-zombies and men of the Nights Watch strewn across the plains of the frozen North.

Because of cannabiss well known anti-inflammatory andimmunosuppressiveeffects, its a natch that it ought to have some ameliorating effect onthe heartbreak of psoriasis. But the medical evidence is thin.

RELATED STORY: Why wont my doctor prescribe medical marijuana for me?

One of the most intriguing findings comes from a2007 studythat tested the effects of five different cannabinoids (including everybodys favorites THC and CBD) on skin cells that were induced to hyper-productivity in vitro. All five cannabinoids inhibited proliferation. (Thats good news!) But heres something that flouted all expectation: Blocking both the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors had no effect on the outcome. In other words, the cannabinoids were operating by some means other than the two scientifically recognized pathways.

What that means is, however, still unknown.

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Here's how medical marijuana can help with psoriasis - NY Daily ... - New York Daily News

The Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has launched a campaign as part of Psoriasis Awareness Month this month. It is estimated that 3% of Qatars population is affected by the disease. Men and women develop psoriasis at equal rates. The condition is often diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 35, but it can develop at any age. The main goal of Psoriasis Awareness Month is to raise awareness, encourage research and advocate for better care for individuals who have the disease. The month is also an opportunity to educate the public about the disease and to dispel common myths. Psoriasis is a chronic, genetic autoimmune disease that causes red, scaly patches on the skin. It causes cells to rapidly build up on the surface of the skin. It typically occurs on the knees, elbows, and scalp but can affect the torso, palms and soles of the feet or any other part of the skin. According to Dr Ahmad Hazem Takiddin, dermatology and venereology consultant at HMC, there are a number of common misconceptions about psoriasis, ranging from the condition being contagious to occurring due to poor hygiene. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease which affects the skin. The patches can crack and bleed and this causes some people to think the condition is contagious. This is not true. Genetics and the immune system of a person play a vital role in the development of the disease. In those with psoriasis, the immune system sends abnormal signals that significantly accelerate the growth process of skin cells, Takiddin said. He emphasised that psoriasis is not caused or worsened by poor personal hygiene. People with the disease have a genetic tendency to develop it. There are certain things that can trigger flare-ups, including skin injury, stress, hormonal changes, infections and some medications. Most people with the disease experience cycles of clear skin and outbreaks, he said.

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Expert dispels myths about psoriasis - Gulf Times

August is Psoriasis Awareness Month, and although the autoimmune conditionaffects 7.5 million people in the United States, those who live with itoften feel isolated and alone. Celebrities with the chronic skin condition are in thepublic eyemore than most, but that spotlight also helps them show that many people, even the rich and famous, strugglewith the emotional and physical pain that comes with psoriasis.

According to Psoriasis Speaks, the condition is a chronic immune system disease that causes a number of skin problems such as red, thick, and itchy patches. The condition can also affect the nails, genitals, inside of the mouth, and the joints, the American Academy of Dermatology reported. Here are four celebrities who have been open abouttheir struggle.

Kim Kardashian is one of the most well-known celebrities to be vocal about herpsoriasis. Not only has the starlet documented her struggle on her reality TV show "Keeping Up With The Kardashians,"but she also shares photos of her outbreaks on social media.

Read: Natural Psoriasis Treatments: Which Alternative Therapies Do And Don't Work

I don't even really try to cover it that much anymore,"she wrote on her app KimKardashianWest.com. Sometimes I just feel like it's my big flaw and everyone knows about it, so why cover it?

Model-turned-actress Cara Delevingne has also spoken about her struggles with psoriasis, and how the condition has affectedher professional life.

I have been able to meet a lot of people who have it, which is good, explained Delevingne, PerezHilton.com reported. People dont talk about it, because its a weird and embarrassing thing, but it can really screw you up for life if you dont deal with it properly. The side effects of dealing with it are not pretty."

In recent years,Girls Just Wanna Have Fun singer Cyndi Lauper has teamed up with The National Psoriasis Foundation to speak out aboutherphysical, emotional, and social struggles with the skin condition.

"I'm not talking about it because I feel sorry for myself. I'm talking about it because no one talks about it. I didn't understand until I met people from The National Psoriasis Foundation and they brought two other people who had suffered their whole life with it, said Lauper, The National Psoriasis Foundation reported. And what they told me was really kind of moving, that nobody really talks about it and a lot of times you feel alone. I know I felt alone"

Country singer LeAnn Rimes was diagnosed with psoriasis at age 2, and at one point the condition covered 80 percent of her body, Healthline reported. She strives to manage the condition with diet, exercise, and advice from her dermatologist.

People always used to compliment me on my skin, how beautiful it was, and I'd think, if you only knew what was underneath my shirt or my long dress! she told Everyday Health in an interview. As a little girl, it was like, Im not pretty, Im not normal. But you learn very quickly where beauty comes from.

There is no cure forpsoriasis, but there are diets and treatments that can help keep flare-ups to a minimum. For example, making sure you keep skin moisturized and wrapped up during a flare-up can help to minimize its severity. For more psoriasis tips click here.

See Also:

Psoriasis Treatment: 5 Natural Ways To Alleviate The Skin Disorder At Home

Psoriasis Facts And Myths: 5 Things To Know About Misunderstood Immune Disease

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Kim Kardashian's Psoriasis, And 3 Other Celebrities With Chronic Skin Condition - Medical Daily

PHILADELPHIA, PA--(Marketwired - August 09, 2017) - A new Health Union national survey of more than 1,000 individuals diagnosed with psoriasis reveals that each person's symptoms and treatment journey is different and some patients' paths are more circuitous than others.

Psoriasis In America 2017 was conducted online between April 4, 2017 - May 26, 2017 and released through Health Union's online community, PlaquePsoriasis.com. Survey respondents reported being frustrated with their psoriasis symptoms on a daily basis, with 70 percent reporting flaking skin, 62 percent itchy skin, and 44 percent cracked skin for all seven days during the past week.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease causing chronic inflammation of skin and other parts of the body. In the United States, there are an estimated 7.5 million adults with psoriasis. Plaque psoriasis is the most common type of psoriasis, representing about 80 percent of cases. Psoriasis symptoms have different levels of severity -- from mild to severe -- which are medically characterized by the percent of the body surface affected by skin lesions.

For many people, their psoriasis journey reveals signs of autoimmune disease that go beyond their skin. Among current symptoms reported by survey respondents, 58 percent are affected by pain and 66 percent are affected by fatigue. In addition, 45 percent report that their nails are currently affected, which is considered an early warning sign of psoriatic arthritis.

Because psoriasis is a chronic condition with no cure, many people can become discouraged with the available treatment options. Six out of 10 survey participants reported having never gone into remission from their psoriasis symptoms. Still, for some people, remission is possible. With treatment, many patients can have longer periods of remission and relief from skin symptoms.

Chris Petit, PlaquePsoriasis.com patient advocate agreed.

"Even when your skin is clear, the fear of it coming back is always there. You're never 100-percent done with it until they find a cure," he explained.

Almost half of survey respondents started on a prescription medication to treat their psoriasis within a month of diagnosis. Even with treatment, patients continue to deal with skin symptoms which may worsen before they get better. This stress and anxiety can cause further skin flares, adding to the frustration.

"Writing about my psoriasis journey on PlaquePsoriasis.com has been a great way to help others," Petit added. "In the beginning it was rough. Over the years I've learned to embrace it. You can't let the disease run your life -- you have to take control. It doesn't define who you are."

In fact, 73 percent of survey respondents report turning to a psoriasis-specific website to learn more about managing their condition.

"The results of this survey highlight the complex journey facing people who live with psoriasis," said Tim Armand, president and co-founder of Health Union. "People come to PlaquePsoriasis.com when they experience judgment and isolation and don't know where else to turn. We are proud to be able to provide this much needed resource for support and information."

A summary infographic of the survey results is also available. More details about the survey are available upon request.

About Health Union, LLC and PlaquePsoriasis.comHealth Union inspires people to live better with challenging health conditions -- combining new, original content every day with digital, social and mobile technologies to cultivate active online health communities. Health Union platforms are unique ecosystems dedicated to illuminating the voices and experiences of people with type migraine, rheumatoid arthritis, type 2 diabetes, and more. Its services and offerings foster open and honest interactions about these health conditions between and among patients, caregivers, professionals, providers and industry partners to help all stakeholders make more informed decisions about healthcare. PlaquePsoriasis.com is Health Union's online community dedicated to people living with psoriasis, where patients and supporters of people living with this condition can connect, share experiences, and learn about managing the condition.

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Survey Reveals Psoriasis Patients' Journeys Take Different Paths - Markets Insider

Managing life with psoriasis isn't easy, and it definitely poses its own unique challenges. But that doesn't mean that it is impossible. Follow these steps to make living with psoriasis easier.

Living with psoriasis isn't impossible!

The first step is to talk about it. Seeking professional help is a must, but speaking to someone who is willing to listen to you helps momentously as well, whether they suffer from it or not. Having psoriasis can cause many confusing feelings, ranging from anger to depression. These are emotional aspects, and they need to be dealt with. This is especially true if it reappears and you feel stressed and angry, as the disease is unpredictable.

The second step is to identify stress triggers. Stress can flare up your psoriasis, and it is often the reverse as well- your psoriasis can cause you stress. Speak to your doctor about learning how to manage your stress, and try practicing techniques like yoga, meditation, and deep-breathing exercises. Don't be afraid to share your feelings with trusted family and friends, because opening up to someone helps a lot. Exercise also helps diffuse mental and emotional pressure.

The third step is to alter your diet. Certain foods can make your skin flinch, while other can help it calm down. It's all about trial and error, and learning what works best for you, because everyone's body is different. As a general rule, try to trim acidic triggers from your diet, like caffeine, sugar, white flour, alcohol, red meat, MSG, etc., as they can promote inflammation. Gluten also has the potential to trigger inflammation in some people. Stick to anti-inflammatory foods to help skin irritation. Spinach, pineapple, broccoli, walnuts, and sweet potatoes are some top picks. Probiotics help immensely as well. Also, remember to keep yourself hydrated, as dehydration can worsen symptoms.

Fourth, try and accept it. While it will probably take you quite a bit of time to come to terms with it, it is something that you need to take into account, as it is a part of you. This means making changes to your lifestyle, keeping in mind that there are some aspects that you will have to work around. For example, while you may feel uncomfortable wearing short sleeves and shorts in the summer, covering up may make things worse, as perspiration worsens symptoms. So, try to wear breathable fabrics and loose fitting clothing instead.

And fifth, take care of yourself! Read up on home remedies like cold packs and heavy moisturizing to help relieve itchiness. Take some time out every day to relax and prepare yourself for the next day. Have little indulgences, and remember that psoriasisdoes not define you.

Also read: Psoriasis Linked To Heart Risks

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Living With Psoriasis: The Top 5 Steps To Follow - Doctor NDTV

Possible barriers to rapid uptake will come in the form of differentiation from the existing biologics, namely Janssen's own Stelara, as well as from the IL-17 inhibitors, Novartis' Cosentyx and Lilly's Taltz. In response to Tremfya's launch, one respondent questioned, "What contribution does Tremfya provide in a sea of psoriasis options?" While close to half of the respondents feel that Tremfya is a significant advance over the TNF inhibitors and Celgene's Otezla, only one in five believe it is a significant advance over the IL-17 inhibitors or Stelara.

Additionally, a number of respondents note a general lack of knowledge and voiced some confusion regarding Tremfya's mechanism of action. Others appear to be under the impression that the biologic was an IL-17 inhibitor and several noted that Tremfya is associated with a suicide risk; implying a potential confusion between Tremfya and Siliq, Valeant's recently approved IL-17 inhibitor that carries a black box warning for suicidal ideation. The lack of knowledge can partially be explained by low sales representative contact rates, with only one-third of the sampled dermatologists reporting contact to date. As Tremfya penetrates the market and representative contact rates increase it can be assumed that this confusion will dissipate.

The third quarter update of RealTime Dynamix: Psoriasis, which will field at the end of August, will include an in depth analysis and tracking of Tremfya's launch and will also highlight benchmark launch comparisons to Taltz, Lily's IL-17 inhibitor which was approved in 2016. At one month post-launch, 86% of dermatologists were aware of Taltz's approval, one-third reported use of the IL-17 inhibitor, and two-thirds had been briefed by a sales representative all metrics Tremfya needs to match or exceed for successful entry into this increasingly competitive market.

RealTime Dynamix: Psoriasis is an independent report series published on a quarterly basis. The series tracks the evolution of the PsO market, provides a deep dive on launch effectiveness, and highlights opportunities for pipeline agents.

About Spherix Global Insights Spherix Global Insights is a business intelligence and market research company specializing in renal, autoimmune, neurologic and rare disease markets. We provide clients with strategic insights leveraged from our independent studies conducted with healthcare providers and other stakeholders.

All company, brand or product names in this document are trademarks of their respective holders.

For more information contact: Lynn Price, Immunology Franchise Head Email: info@spherixglobalinsights.com

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Janssen's Tremfya (guselkumab) Makes its Debut in the Psoriasis Market and Early Dermatologist Feedback Reveals ... - PR Newswire (press release)

In a large study in Taiwan, investigators looked at the pattern of incidence of uveitis (eye inflammation) in people with psoriasis. They found that as the severity of psoriasis increased patients had an increasing risk of uveitis compared to people without psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory condition of the skin. While its cause is still unclear, it is thought to be an autoimmune diseasewhere they bodys own defense system reacts abnormally to healthy cells. Although psoriasis mainly affects the skin and nails, in some cases sufferers may develop several other associated inflammatory conditions including arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis can lead to joint destruction and disability. (For more information on psoriasis click here)

Uveitis is an inflammation of part of the eye called the uveal tract this includes the iris, ciliary body and choroid tissue.Symptoms include a painful red eye, light sensitivity and blurred vision. One or both eyes may be affected. Uveitis can have several different causes, but it has alsobeen linked topsoriasis although the relationship is not well defined. In order examinethis further, researchers in Taiwan reviewed a large group of patients with psoriasis and looked at the pattern of incidence of uveitis in these patients compared to people without psoriasis. The findings were recently reported in JAMA Ophthalmology.

The National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan contains comprehensive health data on the Taiwanese population and is a useful resource for studying the pattern of diseases. The researchers reviewed all those in the database who had psoriasis between 2000-2011. They divided these patients into four subgroups according to the severity of their psoriasis and whether or not they had associated psoriatic arthritis. The four groups were: mild psoriasis without arthritis, severe psoriasis without arthritis, mild psoriasis with arthritis, severe psoriasis with arthritis. Over 147,000 psoriasis patients were included and compared with the same number of people without psoriasis (control group).The researchers looked at the occurrence of uveitis in all of these subjects and compared the relative risk between the psoriasis groups and controls.

Patients with severe psoriasis and arthritis had the greatest risk of developing uveitis, followed by those with severe psoriasis but no arthritis, and mild psoriasis with arthritis. There was no significant increase in the risk of uveitis in the mild psoriasis with no arthritis group compared to the control group.

The researchers concluded that the incidence of uveitis differs according to the severity of psoriasis. There greatest risk is in patients with severe psoriasis andarthritis. They suggest that doctors should be aware of these varying risk levels and should educate psoriasis patients about the signs and symptoms of uveitis so that they can seek medical attention if necessary.

Written By:Julie McShane, Medical Writer

Reference

Chi CC, Tung TH, Wang J, et al. Risk of uveitis among people with psoriasis. A Nationwide cohort study. JAMA Ophthalmology. Published online April 13, 2017.

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Psoriasis severity linked to increased risk of uveitis - Medical News Bulletin

Anchoring is defined as having the tendency to make subsequent judgements based on the first piece of information received. A group of researchers determined that anchoring improves patient adherence to injections for psoriasis.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease which is managed with several different medications. Among these medications, biological therapy has been proven to be effective; however, adherence can be difficult because of the fear associated with injections.

A research letter published in JAMAdescribes the results of a study conducted to determine if anchoring patients diagnosed with psoriasis before initiation of treatment would improve treatment compliance. Anchoring is defined as having the tendency to make subsequent judgements based on the first piece of information received. In this study, the researchers assessed if patients offered with monthly injections for psoriasis would adhere to the injection if they were initially presented with a once-daily injection. A total of 100 patients diagnosed with psoriasis, aged 18 years and older and not previously prescribed injectable medications were included in the study. Participants were randomized to two groups. One group was initially anchored by assessing their willingness to have once-daily injections for their treatment before determining their willingness to have monthly injections. The other group was only asked about their willingness to start a monthly injection.

The results of the study show that the group who received anchoring with a once-daily injection were more willing to start a monthly injection compared to the other. Anchoring has been studied in other areas such as psychology and behavioral economics, but its applications in the practice of medicine have yet to be proven. One of the issues encountered is the manipulation of the patient perception with regards to their decision making. The clinician is faced with the ethical dilemma of what to use as an acceptable anchor when offering procedures or treatments to patients.

Resource:

Oussedik, E., et al. (2017). An anchoring based intervention to increase patient willingness to use injectable medication in psoriasis. JAMA Dermatology. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2017.1271

Written byKarla Sevilla

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Anchoring Improves Compliance of Injections for Psoriasis - Medical News Bulletin

PHILADELPHIA, PA--(Marketwired - August 09, 2017) - A new Health Union national survey of more than 1,000 individuals diagnosed with psoriasis reveals that each person's symptoms and treatment journey is different and some patients' paths are more circuitous than others.

Psoriasis In America 2017 was conducted online between April 4, 2017 - May 26, 2017 and released through Health Union's online community, PlaquePsoriasis.com. Survey respondents reported being frustrated with their psoriasis symptoms on a daily basis, with 70 percent reporting flaking skin, 62 percent itchy skin, and 44 percent cracked skin for all seven days during the past week.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease causing chronic inflammation of skin and other parts of the body. In the United States, there are an estimated 7.5 million adults with psoriasis. Plaque psoriasis is the most common type of psoriasis, representing about 80 percent of cases. Psoriasis symptoms have different levels of severity -- from mild to severe -- which are medically characterized by the percent of the body surface affected by skin lesions.

For many people, their psoriasis journey reveals signs of autoimmune disease that go beyond their skin. Among current symptoms reported by survey respondents, 58 percent are affected by pain and 66 percent are affected by fatigue. In addition, 45 percent report that their nails are currently affected, which is considered an early warning sign of psoriatic arthritis.

Because psoriasis is a chronic condition with no cure, many people can become discouraged with the available treatment options. Six out of 10 survey participants reported having never gone into remission from their psoriasis symptoms. Still, for some people, remission is possible. With treatment, many patients can have longer periods of remission and relief from skin symptoms.

Chris Petit, PlaquePsoriasis.com patient advocate agreed.

"Even when your skin is clear, the fear of it coming back is always there. You're never 100-percent done with it until they find a cure," he explained.

Almost half of survey respondents started on a prescription medication to treat their psoriasis within a month of diagnosis. Even with treatment, patients continue to deal with skin symptoms which may worsen before they get better. This stress and anxiety can cause further skin flares, adding to the frustration.

"Writing about my psoriasis journey on PlaquePsoriasis.com has been a great way to help others," Petit added. "In the beginning it was rough. Over the years I've learned to embrace it. You can't let the disease run your life -- you have to take control. It doesn't define who you are."

In fact, 73 percent of survey respondents report turning to a psoriasis-specific website to learn more about managing their condition.

"The results of this survey highlight the complex journey facing people who live with psoriasis," said Tim Armand, president and co-founder of Health Union. "People come to PlaquePsoriasis.com when they experience judgment and isolation and don't know where else to turn. We are proud to be able to provide this much needed resource for support and information."

A summary infographic of the survey results is also available. More details about the survey are available upon request.

About Health Union, LLC and PlaquePsoriasis.comHealth Union inspires people to live better with challenging health conditions -- combining new, original content every day with digital, social and mobile technologies to cultivate active online health communities. Health Union platforms are unique ecosystems dedicated to illuminating the voices and experiences of people with type migraine, rheumatoid arthritis, type 2 diabetes, and more. Its services and offerings foster open and honest interactions about these health conditions between and among patients, caregivers, professionals, providers and industry partners to help all stakeholders make more informed decisions about healthcare. PlaquePsoriasis.com is Health Union's online community dedicated to people living with psoriasis, where patients and supporters of people living with this condition can connect, share experiences, and learn about managing the condition.

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Survey Reveals Psoriasis Patients' Journeys Take Different Paths - Benzinga

Emerging research from an international dataset of pediatric psoriasis patients is revealing much needed information about how children fare with commonly used systemic treatments, says dermatologist Amy S. Paller, M.D., M.S.

And she says the collaborative effort is powered by pediatric dermatologists not industry.

Dr. Paller, professor and chair of dermatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and pediatric dermatologist at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Childrens Hospital of Chicago, presented findings from the PeDRA-EPPWG Study of Systemic Therapy in Pediatric Psoriasis at the July World Congress of Pediatric Dermatology in Chicago. She not only talked about the soon-to-be-published studys findings, but also how a retrospective analysis could inform a prospective registry.

Dr. Paller and colleagues launched the Pediatric Dermatology Research Alliance, or PeDRA, in 2012, recognizing that pediatric dermatologists needed to work as a group to research dermatologic conditions in children because many of the conditions are rare and lack pediatric-specific data.

Thats exactly what has happened in this work with pediatric psoriasis, Dr. Paller says.

Colleagues in the European Pediatric Psoriasis Working Group, or EPPWG were willing to buy in. The groups shared goals to better understand dermatologists experiences with systemic drugs for pediatric psoriasis, and to get experience with a joint registry, which hopefully would pave the way for a prospective pediatric psoriasis registry, according to Dr. Paller.

Ten centers from PeDRA in North America and 10 centers in Europe came together to perform the study.

It was a tremendous learning experience about some of the challenges of retrospective data collection and the benefit to prospective research using common data collection, Dr. Paller says.

The researchers extracted 54 different items from charts of patients treated with systemic therapy or phototherapy, but only allowed patients to be included who had at least a minimum dataset that could provide important information on demographics, clinical characteristics and severity, systemic agents used, treatment duration and efficacy, side effects and reasons for discontinuation of medications.

A review of thousands of patient records revealed 446 which met criteria for the minimal dataset; of those, 390 involved systemic therapy for pediatric psoriasis. In this joint PeDRA-EPPWG study, which was funded by the International Psoriasis Council, data was collected using the Research Electronic Data Capture, or REDCap, web-based data capture tool.

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Dermatologists collaborate on data-driven pediatric psoriasis research - ModernMedicine

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has issued draft guidelines backing NHS use of Almiralls Skilarence to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

The Institute is recommending the drugs use only in adults who have severe disease and have not responded to, or cannot take, other systemic non-biological treatments.

According to NICE, clinical trial results showed that Skilarence (dimethyl fumarate) improves severe psoriasis more than placebo but, when compared indirectly, is less effective than systemic biological therapies and apremilast (Celgenes Otezla).

The incremental cost effectiveness ratio for the drug followed by best supportive care compared with best supportive care alone was 23,115 per QALY gained, thus falling within the threshold for what is considered a cost-effective use of NHS resources in this setting.

Another condition of the recommendation is that treatment with Skilarence (dimethyl fumarate) is stopped at 16 weeks if the psoriasis if the response has not been adequate, defined a 75 percent reduction in the PASI score from when treatment started or a 50 precent reduction in the PASI score and a 5-point reduction in the Dermatology Life Quality Index.

It is estimated that 951,000 people in England have psoriasis, of whom about 90 percent have plaque psoriasis.

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NICE backs new treatment option for psoriasis - PharmaTimes

Loose Women star Saira Khan was ready to show the world her perfect body while holidaying in Italy.

The 47-year-old TV star is enjoying a family break with her advertising agency executive husband Steve Hyde and their children Zacgariah and Amara.

The happy group have been soaking up the sun at Lake Garda - while Saira proudly decided to show off her jaw dropping bikini body.

Taking to Instagram on Monday, the dark haired beauty posed against a white wall and said the recent Loose Women Body Positive initiative had given her the confidence to show off her figure.

"The @loosewomen#bodypositive #campaign has given me the confidence to appreciate my body and all it's flaws, she wrote.

"I have #stretchmarks#psoriasis #wobblybits, she continued.

"I don't compare myself to other women with long legs, flat tummies and perfect skin anymore and it does make for a happier holiday #loveyourself, the star added.

Fans flooded her comments section with words of encouragement - with one writing: "The thing about body flaws is only YOU see them. You look stunning!"

Meanwhile, fellow Loose Women star Stacey Solomon also took to social media to give a rousing confidence rally call of her own.

"You're all perfectly imperfect and unique and beautiful, the X Factor star said while posing in a white bikini.

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Saira Khan strips down to summer bikini to celebrate 'stretchmarks, psoriasis and wobbly bits' in empowering ... - Mirror.co.uk

A currently approved antibody for the treatment of plaque psoriasis, ixekizumab, targets a cytokine that may also play a role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. This has led to concerns that ixekizumab increases the occurrence of inflammatory bowel disease in patients with psoriasis. A recent study published in the American Journal of Dermatology have now put those concerns to rest.

Plaque psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disorder, characterized by the appearance of raised red scales, which are often itchy and painful. Whats worse is that psoriasis has a significant genetic overlap with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and patients often develop IBD as a co-morbidity. Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis are the two most common manifestations of IBD, characterized by chronic and recurrent inflammation of the intestines.

Animal and human studies have suggested a potential role of the cytokine interleulin-17 (IL-17) in the pathogenesis of IBD, although the results have often been confounding. So far, clinical trials using antagonists of IL-17A have failed to show efficacy in treating Crohns disease, or worsened prognosis.

Ixekizumab, an antibody against IL-17A, is an effective monoclonal antibody approved for the treatment of plaque psoriasis. Considering the genetic overlap between psoriasis and IBD, and prior reports of adverse events in Crohns patients receiving IL-17A antagonists, Eli Lilly and Company, the pharmaceutical giant that helped developed ixekizumab, conducted a study to gain a better understanding of IBD incidence in psoriasis patients treated with ixekizumab.

The company set up an independent external committee to look at data from 4029 patients with moderate to severe psoriasis who have received ixekizumab. Participants were previously enrolled in one of 7 different randomized clinical trials for ixekizumab. Adjudication of IBD was performed according to an internationally recognized classification system, combining reviews of radiographic, endoscopic, pathological, clinical and laboratory features.

Published in the American Journal of Dermatology, the study found that rates of new IBD cases (comprising both Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis) were uncommon (<1%) in psoriasis patients receiving ixekizumab. They reported that flares of preexisting disease were also rare.

The authors, however, acknowledged one major limitation of the report: the post-hoc nature of the adjudication process, which may have limited the amount of data collection necessary for IBD confirmation. Also, no information on patient or family history of IBD was collected at the time of the trials. Furthermore, the study lacked information on the duration of earlier therapies that may have led to IBD symptoms i.e. before exposure to ixekizumab.

Albeit, the authors suggest that dermatologists monitor patients with concomitant psoriasis and IBD who are receiving IL-17 antibody therapy and advocate for providing full warnings and precautions when prescribing IL-17A antagonists.

Written By: Debapriya Dutta, PhD

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Therapy for Psoriasis May Not be Triggering Inflammatory Bowel Disease - Medical News Bulletin

Now, experts have said routine prescribing of UV light treatment for severe skin conditions could significantly reduce the use of steroid creams and tablets, according to new research from the University of Dundee.

Patients who experience the most severe forms of diseases such as psoriasis or eczema can find their lives affectged by their conditions.

Steroid creams are frequently prescribed but these can cause quite serious side effects and can prove inadequate to bring the disease under control.

In such instances patients may be referred to a dermatologist for more intensive treatment, which may take the forms of pills, injections or filtered UV light, known as phototherapy.

Experts from Dundee Universitys School of Medicine, examined the outcomes of 1800 patients with severe psoriasis who received UV treatment over a six-year period.

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They found that three-quarters of patients experienced significant improvements in their condition and that the need for steroid creams was reduced by 25 per cent.

Phototherapy involves safe, controlled delivery of narrow wavebands of ultraviolet radiation in specially constructed cabins.

It has been known to help skin disease sufferers for decades but this study is the first to demonstrate that its use can reduce the need for steroids in the treatment of psoriasis in routine practice and not just in a short-term clinical study.

Importantly, the findings also suggest that many patients can delay or avoid altogether the need for oral or injection treatments which can cause side effects such as gastric upset, liver dysfunction and infections.

Physicians have been using phototherapy or even direct sunlight to treat skin conditions for 50 years, said Dr Foerster.

We know that it helps patients with psoriasis and eczema but until now we did not know that it actually causes a reduction in the use of steroid creams and can reduce the need for patients to have their conditions controlled by tablets or injections.

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Resist the itch - Eczema is almost always itchy no matter where it occurs on the body and although it may be tempting to scratch affected areas of the skin, this should be avoided as much as possible

Phototherapy could reduce the need for eczema and psoriasis creams

These can work very well but can also have a downside.

The form of treatment we are talking about is targeted, non-dangerous exposure to filtered light to treat skin conditions that are so severe that they cant be contained with creams.

We were able to exploit a uniquely complete set of anonymised prescribing records that exists in Tayside and found that there was a very significant reduction in the amount of steroid cream prescribed to people who underwent phototherapy for up to 12 months after their treatment.

Access to phototherapy across the UK largely depends on a patients location.

Sadly phototherapy is not equally available around the UK, said Dr Foerster.

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Tablet treatments can be effective and safe with proper monitoring but it would be fantastic if everyone had the opportunity to try something that circumvents the need for any laboratory monitoring in the first place.

There are other risks resulting from a lack of access to phototherapy.

Sufferers of psoriasis or eczema may take matters into their own hands and seek out a sun-filled holiday or use sun beds.

I have seen this on several occasions and it brings with it the many well-known dangers arising from skin exposure.

The research is published in the journal PLOS ONE.

FIVE TIPS TO BEAT PSORIASIS

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Eczema and psoriasis treatment: THIS therapy could reduce the need for creams and tablets - Express.co.uk

What are the best weed strains for psoriasis? Recent studies suggest that cannabis can be effective in treating various skin disorders such as eczema and psoriasis. This is partially due to the anti-inflammatory nature of marijuana. Another study shows that cannabis is an effective treatment because the cannabinoids interact with the endocannabinoid system in a way that regulates the immune system. This helps prevent flare-ups.

Now that this information is available, we have to ask: how can we use cannabis to treat psoriasis?

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder that is characterized by a high cell turnover rate, which leads to a build-up of dry, flaky, and scaly skin. The dry skin is usually in patches along the persons body, and are often itchy and painful. About thirty percent of people with psoriasis also develop psoriatic arthritis, which is characterized by the painful swelling and stiffening of joints.

Due to the highly visible nature of the disease, psoriasis causesanxiety and depression in the people who suffer from it.

Psoriasis is incurable. However, it is treatable. Usually, doctors recommend managing mild to moderate psoriasis with topical treatments, like prescription corticosteroids and vitamin D analogs. For more severe cases, topical treatments are combined with light therapy and/or medication.

When it comes to treating psoriasis with cannabis, topical treatment is quite effective. CBD topicals, such as salves or creams, can directly and gently target the affected areas without irritating the skin further.

While ingesting cannabis to treat psoriasis, its critical to remember one thing: do not smoke it. While cannabis smoke isnt nearly as harmful as other kinds of smoke, like cigarettes, it can still be detrimental when treating psoriasis. So, when considering the following strains, make sure to use a vaporizer or cook some edibles.

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This is an indica-dominant strain with a fruity and floral scent. While its not the best for treating inflammation it is a great stress reliever. It can also be effective at easing depression and physical pain.

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10 Best Weed Strains For Psoriasis - Green Rush Daily

Dr. KruegerDermatologists' appreciation of the central role that the interleukin (IL)-23/Th17 pathway plays in psoriasis has developed gradually, through research and serendipity, according to James Krueger, M.D., Ph.D., who spoke on the topic at the MauiDerm 2017 meeting.

"When I started researching psoriasis in the early 1990s, there was considerable debate about pathogenesis. But the dominant hypothesis was that keratinocytes were growing autonomously by overproduction of growth factors (transforming growth factor alpha) that would interact with overactive EGF receptors, producing a proliferative reaction." In this hypothesis, "A few immune cells came along for the ride," Dr. Krueger explained. He is D. Martin Carter Professor in Clinical Investigation at Rockefeller University.

Based on biopsies, "It's clear that psoriasis represents a big change in biology from background skin. There's a tremendous epidermal thickening reaction, on a bed of mononuclear inflammatory cells in the infiltrate." Immunohistochemical (Ki67) staining of hyperkeratotic skin invariably shows that virtually every basal cell is in cycle, versus very few basal cells in background skin. This growth activation is also associated with incomplete differentiation this is a wound-healing program called regenerative maturation."

The second invariable feature in psoriasis is a large infiltrate of T cells mostly CD4+ in the dermis, and CD8+ in the epidermis, Dr. Krueger says. Consistent overexpression of T cells led immunologists to theorize that psoriasis must involve an inductive reaction provoked by T cells with abundant high-affinity IL-2 receptors, he says.

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How psoriasis arises - ModernMedicine