Treatments for Psoriasis

Psoriasis Overview

Psoriasis is skin disease that has been diagnosed in 4.5 million adults in the United States alone or about two percent of the population. Psoriasis is believed to affect as much as three percent of the world population.

The most common form of psoriasis, plaque psoriasis, appears in raised, red patches or lesions which are covered with a silvery white buildup. T

The severity of psoriasis can range from a few lesions to moderate or even large areas of skin. Three percent to ten percent of the body affected by psoriasis is considered to be a moderate case. More than 10 percent is considered severe. Approximately thirty percent of people with psoriasis have moderate to severe cases.

Although the severity of psoriasis can varies from person to person, most psoriasis cases tend to be mild.

150,000 to 260,000 cases of psoriasis are diagnosed each year, and psoriasis patients make nearly 2.4 million visits to dermatologists. Overall care is believed to cost more than three billion dollars.

Psoriasis often appears between the ages of 15 and 35, but can develop at any age. Psoriasis has appeared in some infants, but it is considered rare

Severe types of psoriasis can compromise the skin's ability to control body temperature and prevent infections.

Psoriasis most often appears on the scalp, knees, elbows and torso, but psoriasis can develop anywhere, including the nails, palms, soles, genitals and face.

Psoriasis occurs nearly equally in men and women across all socioeconomic groups. Psoriasis is also present in all racial groups, although rates between groups vary.

If one parent has psoriasis, there's a 10 percent to 25 percent chance of their children developing psoriasis. If both parents have psoriasis, children have a 50 percent chance.

Psoriasis is not contagious. The psoriatic lesions are not infections or open wounds, and people with psoriasis pose no threat to the health or safety of others.

Forms of Psoriasis

There are several other forms of psoriasis. Plaque psoriasis is the most common. Other forms include:

Psoriatric arthritis, which afflicts about 10 percent to 30 percent of people who have psoriasis. Psoriatic arthritis causes pain, stiffness and swelling in and around the joints. Psoriatic arthritis resembles rheumatoid arthritis, but it's generally milder. In psoriatic arthritis, the joints and the soft tissue around them become inflamed and stiff. Psoriatic arthritis can affect the fingers and toes and may involve the, neck, lower back, knees and ankles. In severe cases, psoriatic arthritis can be disabling and cause irreversible damage to joints.

Guttate psoriasis is characterized by small dot-like lesions.

Pustular psoriasis is characterized by weeping lesions and intense scaling

Inverse psoriasis is characterized by intense inflammation, and

Erythrodermic psoriasis, characterized by intense shedding and redness of the skin.

There are no special blood tests or diagnostic tools to diagnose psoriasis. Your doctor will examine the affected skin and decide if it is from psoriasis. On occasion, the doctor will examine a piece of skin under a microscope in order to make a more accurate determination.