Psoriasis – Symptoms, Causes & Treatments

We all today put so much emphasis on looking beautiful that our mental well-being has started to depend highly on it. If we don’t look good, if we don’t have the right makeup on, or if we don’t have the right appearance, we start feeling inferior. And, worst of all, if we have a disorder that makes us have red patchy skin, brown spots, pimples, or any other flaw on the skin, it makes us feel so substandard that we start keeping ourselves away from others; and slowly and gradually, start feeling that we are alone, leading us to depression!

One of the most common skin disorders seen today is psoriasis, which is a condition in which the skin appears dry, thick, and red. If you feel you have such skin, this blog will let you know if you have psoriasis or not.

What Is Psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a skin condition in which skin cells are rapidly produced, which doesn’t give the old cells time to fall off. Thus, the cells stack up one on top of the other, thus causing dry, thick, red patchy skin. The main areas that are affected by this condition include the elbows, scalp, and knees.

How Can Psoriasis Be Identified?

While the signs and symptoms for every psoriasis patient are different, there are certain basic symptoms. Other than the dry, red, patchy skin spoken of above, there could also be silvery scales on the skin, itching and burning sensation on the skin, swollen or stiff joints, or thick pitted nails. If you experience any of these symptoms, you could be having psoriasis. You should immediately get in touch with a doctor or skin specialist to have yourself diagnosed!

How Can Psoriasis Be Treated?

Generally, the doctor will suggest oral medications and topical creams be taken and applied for treating your condition. Treatments may include topical retinoids or topical corticosteroids. Once the patient becomes better and disease comes under control, there can be some areas especially the legs where there are resistant patches which don’t respond to creams and medicines. However, one advanced technique that has been found effective for treating these kinds of resistant psoriasis patches successfully is VTRAC Excimer Laser Phototherapy. In this process, ultraviolet light is targeted to specific dermatoses, while minimizing exposure of healthy skin. To be specific, 308nm wavelength of light within the ultraviolet B range is used as it is proven to be the most effective. Dr. Marwah’s Clinic offers the best treatment of laser for skin pigmentation in Mumbai, where the VTRAC Excimer Laser System is used for maximum irradiance at the 308nm wavelength to treat psoriasis most effectively.

Other Suggestions

While the medications and therapies will take care of your condition completely, there are still many other things that you need to take care of if you are suffering from psoriasis. For example,

  • Avoid harsh soap over the areas affected.
  • Moisturize your skin regularly. It helps in decreasing the scales and hydrating this dry condition.
  • Take antihistamines if one has itching.
  • Avoid alcohol. It is known to aggravate Psoriasis.
  • Exercise daily. Stress is another trigger for activating Psoriasis.