Psoriasis
The following article lists some simple, informative tips that will help you have a better experience with Psoriasis.
Psoriasis is a noncontagious, skin disease that has been diagnosed in 4.5 million adults in the United States. About 10 percent to 30 percent of people with psoriasis also develop psoriatic arthritis, which causes pain, stiffness and swelling in and around the joints.
No one knows exactly what causes psoriasis, but it is believed to be an auto immune disorder that also has a genetic component. The majority of researchers agree that the immune system is somehow triggered, which speeds up the growth and life cycle of skin cells. Normally, a skin cell matures and falls off the body’s surface in 28 to 30 days. However, a psoriatic skin cell takes only three to four days to mature and move to the surface. Instead of falling off (shedding), the cells pile up and form the lesions.
Psoriasis occurs when faulty signals in the immune system cause skin cells to grow too quickly. Usually every three to four days instead of the usual 30-day cycle. Extra skin cells build up on the skin’s surface. They then form “plaques,” which are red, flaky and scaly patches that are often itchy and uncomfortable. Psoriasis generally appears on the joints, limbs and scalp, but it can appear anywhere on the body.
Recently, a team from the University of Michigan looked for the gene — called PSORS1 — in more than 2,700 people from 678 families in which at least one family member had psoriasis. According to the researchers, PSORS1 is the first genetic determinant of psoriasis to be definitively identified in a large clinical trial. The finding may help in the development of new, more effective treatments for the disfiguring inflammatory skin disease.
For those people who have a suppressed immune system, the symptoms of psoriasis can be extremely severe.
Dietary change can help with psoriasis, avoid alcohol, gluten which is found in wheat, barley and rye, avoid foods that are high in saturated fats, avoid red meats, dairy products, eggs, cheese and sugar and if you are a smoker, then it is best to quit.
Topical applications to the affected areas with aloe vera gel, Dead Sea mineral salts or mud, Zambesia Botanica, mahonia ointment and gotu kola can all improve psoriasis. Good supplements to take are fish oil, flax seed oil and borage oil. These oils are very good in hydrating the skin cells.
A topical treatment that has received tremendous attention is Psoriaway which is available at http://www.fastpsoriasisrelief.com.
This is a topical cream combining natural moisturizers, coal tar, aloe Vera, blended in a unique formula to make this product extremely effective. It has been tested in the medical field, nursing homes and in the retail market with exciting and immediate results.
One important bit of knowledge is to stay away from alcohol and products that contain alcohol as it will dry the skin out even more.
At this time there is no cure for psoriasis but many effective treatments do exist. Doctors are learning more about psoriasis by studying:
• Genes
• New treatments that help skin not react to the immune system
• Laser light treatment on thick patches.
People often need to try out different treatments before they find one that works for them.
The unpredictable nature of psoriasis makes treatment challenging for many people. A wide range of treatments are available. No single psoriasis treatment works for everyone, but something will work for most people. It is hard to predict what will work for a particular individual; however, it is important to be open-minded and willing to work with your doctor to find a treatment that will work for you.
Researchers are studying psoriasis more than ever before. They understand much more about its genetic causes and how it involves the immune system. The National Psoriasis Foundation and the federal government are promoting and funding research to find the cause and cure for psoriasis.
Hardly noticeable at the beginning, the rash first appears on your knees, elbows or on the hairy side of the skull, as small reddish scales. Then it transforms into large spots, covered by silver scales. Later in the process the rash extends on other skin surfaces, turning your body into a cubic picture and you life in a nightmare. Most people have no idea that psoriasis isn’t contagious and they can’t help their fear and disgust as they meet a sick person. Throughout recorded history there was no case of the disease being transmitted from one person to another, even when coming in contact with infected blood. Regardless, even in the richest countries of the world, there is about 4% of the population recorded as suffering from this disease.
What do we know about it?
A lot of physicians point out endocrinal disturbances as well as metabolically and changes in the immune system of the patient. There are papers stating that the disease is caused by certain types of neuroses as well as stress, but many admit that this illness is still a mystery for physicians. Unfortunately, there is no known treatment against this disease that keeps it away for good. However, by studying the numerous forms and types of psoriasis, doctors have managed to develop a treatment which guarantees a lasting remission of the disease. They can also guarantee a drastic demise up to complete disappearance of symptoms for many years.
More information on psoriasis
Most people inherited psoriasis. 60% of the patients have relatives who suffered, or still suffer of this terrible illness. There is just one chromosome responsible for it. But, even if someone were to trace back to a few hundreds of years his genealogic tree, and if it could be proven that no one in his family ever suffered from psoriasis, this wouldn’t matter a lot. Because of the pathology, the chromosome can be dormant for years, and kids with infected parents could live a long life without a spot on their body. Nevertheless, some circumstances can be looked in. Like the age for instance – most of the sick are between 15 and 25 years old. This happens because of the hormonal transformations the body goes trough at puberty, as well as increased psychical instability.
The three stages
The first noticeable thing when studying psoriasis is the red skin. Any doctor would tell you about the three stages of the disease: progressive, stationary and regressive. During the first stage of the disease, the spots are swollen, hard to the touch and they have a bright color. The spots appear in friction and pressing areas, such as where the bra closes, or on an injury. In the second phase, no more spots appear, but the existing ones tend to link together to form larger and pail ones. The final stage, the regressive stage, is characterized by the partial and sometimes complete disappearance of the spots. It should be noticed that the pail spots are then replaced by darker ones.
Psoriasis is a condition of the skin that is little understood. The underlying cause appears to be an autoimmune disorder that causes the body to produce new skin cells at an accelerated rate that leads to the inflammation and itching that is characteristic with psoriasis. Normally skin cells take 28 to 30 days to grow to maturity, but in people who have an outbreak of psoriasis this process is shortened to 3 to 6 days. The scaling, itching and inflammation of the skin is caused by the over build-up of skin cells.
It is believed that the main cause of psoriasis is driven by a certain type of white blood cell known as a T-cell. T-cells are one of the body’s defenses against disease and infection, but in the case of psoriasis they leap into action unintentionally and begin to trigger other immune systems which accelerate the creation of new skin cells. Because the skin cells grow and mature quicker then normal they also die off much faster, creating a build up of dead skin cells on the surface. This build up of dead skin cells forms the characteristic plaques, or flaky patches, that sufferers of psoriasis are familiar with. The redness and inflammation of the underlying skin is a product of the increased blood supply needed to feed the new skin cells that are growing at an accelerated rate below the plaques.
While anyone at any age can suffer from psoriasis researchers have found that people in their thirties and sixties are more likely to develop this skin condition than people in other age groups. Why this is the case no one knows. It is also apparent that heredity can be a marker for an increased chance of contracting psoriasis. Children who have one parent who suffers from psoriasis have a ten percent chance of contracting the disease. That percentage goes up dramatically to fifty percent if both parents have this condition. Scientists, who have done studies on families afflicted with psoriasis, have been able to identify genes that are known links to the condition.
The exact causes of psoriasis remains something of a mystery but there are known triggers that are linked to outbreaks. Many people who suffer from this disease notice that there are times the condition is worse and times it seems to get better. Reactions to certain drugs, such as lithium and beta blockers, have been shown to trigger a psoriasis outbreak and in extreme instances make the condition worse.
Because psoriasis is caused by a faulty immune system anything that stimulates the body’s defenses can bring about an outbreak. An injury such as a cut or bruise or an infection, particularly strep, can all cause an outbreak.
Another factor that can cause an outbreak of psoriasis is stress. People who suffer from psoriasis have noticed that as their stress levels go up so does the potential for a severe outbreak of their skin inflammation. Psoriasis in and of itself also causes stress leading to a self perpetuating problem of continual outbreaks that increase in severity as a person’s stress level increases.
One way that psoriasis cannot be caught is through contact with someone who suffers from the disease. It is not a contagious skin condition, and although it is unsightly and can cause repulsive reactions from those who do not suffer its affects it is important to remember that those who suffer from it need the reassurance and support of friends and family along with proper treatment to help them live a normal life.
Do you or someone you know suffer from psoriasis? If you want to learn more about the causes of psoriasis, symptoms, and treatments then visit http://psoriasis.health-choices-net.com.