Did you know that about 3 percent of the world’s population has some form of psoriasis?
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the disease affects 7.5 million Americans. Despite 150,000 new diagnoses annually and no known cure, there are still many misconceptions surrounding psoriasis. August is the National Health Observances’ Psoriasis Awareness Month, so it’s only appropriate to raise awareness to the condition and those affected by it.
However, without a cure, how do people manage the uncomfortable symptoms?
Depending on the type, there are many ways to manage symptoms. Consulting a dermatologist should always be your first step in order to get on a treatment plan that works for you.
Though anyone can develop psoriasis, it’s most likely to appear in people between the ages of 15 and 35. There are several variations of psoriasis, but some are more recognizable than others.
Common Types of Psoriasis
- Plaque psoriasis is the most common form, making up about 80 percent of all psoriasis cases.
- Scalp psoriasis causes a dry, itchy scalp. Most people who have psoriasis of any kind will experience a flare up on the scalp at some point.
- Nail psoriasis can cause nails to become pitted, discolored, splintered and even separated from the nail bed.
- Psoriatic arthritis causes joint stiffness and swelling, affecting about 15 percent of people with psoriasis.
- Guttate psoriasis is triggered by infection and generally affects children and young adults.
- Inverse psoriasis affects areas of the body where the skin folds over itself, like the armpit and breast area.
- Pustular psoriasis is rarer and can come on quickly, covering the affected area in pus-filled blisters.
- Erythrodermic psoriasis is the most rare and severe type, affecting the entire body.
The itchy red skin that notably characterizes plaque psoriasis isn’t always present, though. Nail psoriasis often goes unnoticed for a long period of time, and as the nails grow weaker they eventually crumble or separate from the nail bed. This is why it is crucial to pay attention to your body and any changes it may be going through.
Chronic inflammation can damage arteries, so if you discover you have psoriasis it’s important to monitor your heart health and take steps to protect yourself from heart disease in the future.
A recent study conducted by Youssef Elnabawi from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in Bethesda, Maryland even found evidence suggesting that common treatments for psoriasis can also reduce coronary plaque.
Though the study needs to go through several replications still, its results could mean that there is opportunity in the future to treat coronary plaque with anti-inflammatory therapies.
If you think you may have some form of psoriasis, don’t ignore the symptoms and hope they go away. Seek medical expertise and learn the best way to manage symptoms so psoriasis doesn’t dictate your life.
Jenny Wise is an assistant editor. Feedback welcome at jwise@cityscenemediagroup.com.
