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5 Things You Must Know About Psoriasis

1. CHARACTERISTICS OF PSORIASIS:

is a stubborn skin disease which generally requires long-term treatment. This disease is characterized by thick red scaly plaques or patches which develop on the skin and lasts for several months or years. This is due to over activity of the skin cell. The new skin grows too quickly before the old skin sheds and thus it leads to thick scales. These plagues may erupt, subside, or flare-up at any time. The causes of these flare-ups are not yet known but they become very painful and itchy. is noncontiguous but it is very complicated and there is no effective treatment for this baffling disease.

2. DIFFERENT TYPES OF PSORIASIS:

- Plaque psoriasis or psoriasis vulgaris: This is the most common type and affects almost the whole body. Thick flaky patches or lesions develop on the body and may come and go but requires long-term treatment. If these lesions are scratched they inflame.

- Guttate : This type of psoriasis affects children and young adults. Small red bumps develop on the skin after infection like strep throat. Generally, antibiotics can treat this type and it gradually goes away and may not erupt for many years.

- of special sites: There are other different types of psoriasis which are localized like seborrheic psoriasis affects the scalp; onycholysis affects the nails, palmoplantar psoriasis that affects the palms and soles of the patient and so on.

3. CAUSES OF PSORIASIS:

The exact causes of psoriasis are not yet fully understood or known. But, researches and clinical studies lay emphasis on various factors like genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Hereditary defects and defective immune system are understood to be the main cause of this skin condition. Environmental factors like climatic changes, infection, anxiety and stress may also trigger psoriasis flare-ups.

4. TREATMENT FOR PSORIASIS:

As psoriasis varies from individual to individual, the treatment also varies from one to another. The best treatment can only be determined by the physician depending on the severity of the disease. For mild-to-moderate psoriasis, topical lotions, creams and sprays are effective. If psoriasis is moderate-to-severe and involves larger areas of body, then medications, injections, and ultra-violet treatment proves to be effective.

5. TREAT PSORIASIS WITH NATURAL TREATMENTS:

patients must take a wholesome vegetarian diet to soothe their symptoms. The intake of carrot, beetroot, seeds and whole grains must be included in the diet. Flax seeds have proved to be very effective to manage the symptoms of psoriasis. Taking herbal supplements, vitamins, milk thistle helps to improve the immunity system.

patients can adopt certain home therapies to manage the symptoms and flare-ups like:

- Massaging the affected sites with oils like sandalwood, olive oil, lavender etc.

- Sunbathing provides Vitamin D and helps to heal the patches.

- Bathing with lukewarm water with mild soaps help to reduce inflammation and scales.

- Aloe vera gel application softens the skin and provides nourishment on the inflamed sites.

- patients feel better if they take bath with warm water mixed with Epsom salts.