Daily Archives: September 2, 2015

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Psoriasis Journey

People with psoriasis may be twice as likely to experience depression as those without the common skin condition, regardless of its severity, a new study suggests.

By Steven ReinbergHealthDay Reporter WEDNESDAY, July 8, 2015 (HealthDay News) Preliminary trial results suggest that an experimental psoriasis drug may control the chronic skin disease better than the current standard treatment. The drug, guselkumab, was compared to the commonly used medication adalimumab (Humira, Enbrel) in a study involving nearly 300 patients with plaque psoriasis. Up to 86 [...]

TUESDAY, June 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) Many patients with the skin disease psoriasis showed significant improvement when taking an experimental drug called ixekizumab, according to a late-stage, phase 3 clinical trial. The visible effects of psoriasis can have a major and life-ruining impact on peoples confidence and self-esteem, study leader Chris Griffiths, a professor of [...]

FRIDAY, June 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) Injuries increase the risk of psoriatic arthritis in people who have psoriasis, a new study suggests. Psoriatic arthritis chronic arthritis associated with the skin condition psoriasis can lead to severe, disabling joint damage. About 30 percent of people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis, according to the researchers. The [...]

By Dennis ThompsonHealthDay Reporter WEDNESDAY, April 8, 2015 (HealthDay News) An active ingredient in some psoriasis and multiple sclerosis medications has been linked to two cases of a rare and sometimes lethal brain infection. The ingredient, dimethyl fumarate, appears to have contributed to the deaths of two European women. The women contracted progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, or [...]

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Psoriasis Condition Center - Health.com

Psoriasis

What is psoriasis?Psoriasis is a common, chronic condition in which the skin develops red, itchy patches and thick, silvery scales. Autoimmunity is suspected as the core problem, and the course of the disease typically involves periods of symptom flares alternating with periods of remission. Psoriasis can range in severity from annoying to disabling.

What are the symptoms?The hallmark of psoriasis is the appearance of one or more small patches of thick skin on the elbow, knees or back. These areas are usually not painful, but they are readily visible and often embarrassing. The psychological toll can be quite severe, with disrupted social interactions and self-image issues frequently accompanying the disease.

There are five main types of psoriasis, each of which has specific symptoms:

Psoriasis can also cause psoriatic arthritis, which results in pitted, discolored nails and swollen, painful joints.

What are the causes?Psoriasis is considered by many to be an autoimmune disorder in which the body's immune cells attack normal skin cells. The cells that are targeted are formed and grow below the skin, and normally rise to the skin's surface over the course of a month. In psoriasis, the growth rate of new cells is sped up, resulting in dead skin cells building up on the surface of the skin. The exact cause of psoriasis is unknown, but may include a combination of genetics and environment. Certain factors appear to trigger episodes of psoriasis:

Who is likely to develop psoriasis?Psoriasis is usually diagnosed in those aged 10 to 40, and is most common in people with a family history of the disease. People with HIV/AIDS and children with recurring infections such as strep throat are also at higher risk. Being overweight increases the odds of developing inverse psoriasis.

How is psoriasis diagnosed?Physicians can often diagnose psoriasis by performing a physical exam and medical history. In some cases, the doctor may take a small skin sample (biopsy) to rule out similar conditions such as eczema.

What is the conventional treatment?The goals of conventional treatment for psoriasis are to control symptoms and prevent complications. Treatments depend on the severity of the condition and include:

What therapies does Dr. Weil recommend for psoriasis?In addition to the measures described above, which may be necessary in severe cases, Dr. Weil recommends the following approaches to psoriasis:

The rest is here:
Psoriasis - Dr. Weil's Condition Care Guide

Psoriasis (say "suh-RY-uh-sus") is a long-term (chronic) skin problem that causes skin cells to grow too quickly, resulting in thick, white, silvery, or red patches of skin.

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 (say "plax"). The patches range in size from small to large. They most often appear on the knees, elbows, scalp, hands, feet, or lower back. Psoriasis is most common in adults. But children and teens can get it too.

Having psoriasis can be embarrassing, and many people, especially teens, avoid swimming and other situations where patches can show. But there are many types of treatment that can help keep psoriasis under control.

Experts believe that psoriasis occurs when the immune system overreacts, causing inflammation and flaking of skin. In some cases, psoriasis runs in families.

People with psoriasis often notice times when their skin gets worse. Things that can cause these flare-ups include a cold and dry climate, infections, stress, dry skin, and taking certain medicines.

Psoriasis isn't contagious. It can't be spread by touch from person to person.

Symptoms of psoriasis appear in different ways. Psoriasis can be mild, with small areas of rash. When psoriasis is moderate or severe, the skin gets inflamed with raised red areas topped with loose, silvery, scaling skin. If psoriasis is severe, the skin becomes itchy and tender. And sometimes large patches form and may be uncomfortable. The patches can join together and cover large areas of skin, such as the entire back.

In some people, psoriasis causes joints to become swollen, tender, and painful. This is called psoriatic arthritis (say "sor-ee-AT-ik ar-THRY-tus"). This arthritis can also affect the fingernails and toenails, causing the nails to pit, change color, and separate from the nail bed. Dead skin may build up under the nails.

Symptoms often disappear (go into remission), even without treatment, and then return (flare up).

A doctor can usually diagnose psoriasis by looking at the patches on your skin, scalp, or nails. Special tests aren't usually needed.

Most cases of psoriasis are mild, and treatment begins with skin care. This includes keeping your skin moist with creams and lotions. These are often used with other treatments including shampoos, ultraviolet light, and medicines your doctor prescribes.

In some cases, psoriasis can be hard to treat. You may need to try different combinations of treatments to find what works for you. Treatment for psoriasis may continue for a lifetime.

Skin care at home can help control psoriasis. Follow these tips to care for psoriasis:

It's also important to avoid those things that can cause psoriasis symptoms to flare up or make the condition worse. Things to avoid include:

Studies have not found that specific diets can cure or improve the condition, even though some advertisements claim to. For some people, not eating certain foods helps their psoriasis. Most doctors recommend that you eat a balanced diet to be healthy and stay at a healthy weight.

Continued here:
Psoriasis: Healthwise Medical Information on eMedicineHealth

Definition of Psoriasis:

Psoriasis is a common skin inflammation (irritation and swelling) characterized by frequent episodes of redness; itching; and thick, dry, silvery scales on the skin.

The following drugs and medications are in some way related to, or used in the treatment of Psoriasis. This service should be used as a supplement to, and NOT a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

See sub-topics

See 43 generic medications used to treat this condition

Alternative treatments for Psoriasis

The following products are considered to be alternative treatments or natural remedies for Psoriasis. Their efficacy may not have been scientifically tested to the same degree as the drugs listed in the table above. However there may be historical, cultural or anecdotal evidence linking their use to the treatment of Psoriasis.

Micromedex Care Notes:

Symptom checker:

Symptoms and treatment for:

Mayo Clinic Reference:

Synonym(s): Erythrodermic Psoriasis; Guttate Psoriasis; Inverse Psoriasis; Palmo-plantar Psoriasis; Pustular Psoriasis

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Psoriasis Medication | Drugs.com

Imagine having an unwanted guest show up on your doorstep. No one knows who invited him, and no one really wants him there. He's one of the most annoying people you've ever met. And his personality is so abrasive, you're embarrassed to take him anywhere.

If you have psoriasis or know anyone with this frustrating skin condition, you know that it's much like that uninvited guest. It shows up in the form of dry, inflamed, red, scaly patches of skin. Not only are psoriasis flare-ups aggravating, they make people with the condition so self-conscious about their appearance that they're reluctant to go to the grocery store without ample covering. Probably most frustrating of all is that there's no magic formula to kick this guest out of town indefinitely. You have to learn how to deal with flare-ups as they come, and take good care of yourself and your skin.

With psoriasis, that means taking precautions to prevent outbreaks, such as using heavy moisturizers and leading an overall healthy lifestyle, and, if psoriasis does cause your skin to breakout into dry, red patches, treating it quickly. In this article, we'll discuss 28 home remedies -- some consisting of simple ingredients found in your kitchen -- to help treat psoriasis discomfort, and simple everyday changes you can make to help prevent outbreaks. Let's start by discussing what psoriasis does to skin.

Normally, your skin cells go through a month-long life cycle. New cells are formed deep within the skin, and over a period of about 28 to 30 days they make their way to the top of the skin. By that time your old skin cells die and are sloughed off by everyday routines such as showering and toweling off.

The skin of a person with psoriasis, however, goes into fast-forward. The entire skin cell process happens in three or four days, causing a buildup of dead skin cells on the surface of the skin. Thankfully, this quickening of skin cells usually happens in patches, mostly on the scalp, lower back, elbows, knees, and knuckles. The technical term for these dry, irritating, scaly patches is plaques.

No one really knows what psoriasis is -- an allergy? An infection? And even with all the advanced medical knowledge in the world today, the causes of the condition remain a mystery. In about 32 percent of psoriasis cases, there's a family history of the condition, which means there is a significant genetic link. Doctors do know that there are specific lifestyle factors that can trigger psoriasis or make symptoms worse. Drinking alcohol, being overweight, stress, a lingering case of strep throat, anxiety, some medicines, and sunburn all tend to make psoriasis even more unbearable.

Psoriasis isn't contagious, though it looks like it might be. Some people end up with mild cases of the condition that produce small patches of red scales. Others are plagued by psoriasis -- it covers large areas of their body with thick scales. Some people even get psoriasis in their nails, which causes the nails to become pitted and malformed and even to break away from the skin. And in some rare cases, a type of arthritis called psoriatic arthritis develops.

Though there is no way to get rid of psoriasis, you can help avoid it, help your body recover more quickly and ease your symptoms with some simple home remedies, which we'll discuss in the next section.

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.

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28 Home Remedies for Psoriasis - HowStuffWorks