| Psoriasis Causes and Treatments |
| Skin Care - Psoriasis |
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Seven million Americans today are suffering from psoriasis. Studies conducted recently suggest that there can be an ethnic predisposition towards the disease. It appears most commonly in Caucasians and slightly less commonly in African-Americans. Incidences of psoriasis are least common among Native Americans and Asians. Psoriasis cannot be transmitted through touch. You cannot get this disease from someone who already has it. If you already have psoriasis, touching the affected area to an unaffected area will not spread it as well. The factors that cause psoriasis have not been identified as of yet. Recent studies show that it may be an immune system disorder where skin cells are excessively produced. However, this symptom may only be secondary to other symptoms displayed by the immune system. Experts now believe that psoriasis is caused by T cells that operate in an abnormal immune system. In normal conditions, T cells are responsible for fighting off diseases and infections. In psoriasis, however, they seem to attack the cells of the skin instead. To cope, the immune system produces other responses, thus causing the swelling and the excessive skin cell production. In psoriasis-affected areas, the skin seems to be replacing skin cells at a rapid pace. Normally, the skin matures and sheds in 28 days. However, skin cells in the areas affected by the disease mature in only three to four days. Thus, the dead cells accumulate on the skin, leading to the formation of flaky patches that doctors call plaques. No one knows yet what causes the T cells to act this way. Psoriasis can be aggravated by many different factors. Among them are diseases that affect the immune system, some medications, smoking, certain chemicals, stress, and severe sunburn. There is already a wide variety of treatments that can aid in controlling psoriasis. Results may vary in different people. What is important is to find the specific treatment that will give the best results and the fewest unwanted side effects. The three basic kinds of treatment of psoriasis are topical treatment, phototherapy, and systemic treatment. Topical treatment involves ointments and creams that contain helpful medicines. These are applied directly to the psoriasis-affected areas. Phototherapy makes use of UVB, PUVA, and lasers. Finally, some doctors may recommend the systemic route, which involves taking medications orally or through injections. There are also alternative ways of treatment such as water therapy, hypnosis, acupuncture, dietary supplements, and climatotherapy, to name a few. |