How to deal with Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a chronic, non-infectious skin disease found in 1-2 % of population. It is characterised by reddish patches on the body covered with silvery scales of dry skin. Usually it's onset is 2-4 decades of life. It has a history of running in families. It has periodic remission and excerbation.
Things You'll Need
Cause: It is main cause is related to immnue system. T Lymphocyte is type of white blood cell, normally engaged in protecting the body against any invading foreign body like bacteria, virues etc. However in case of Psoriasis, this lymphocytes due to certain reason start targeting the healthy skin cell of one's own body, causing more blod flow in the area. This type of reaction causes more new skin cells production. In a normal healthy skin, the cell cycle time is 200hrs, where as in Psoriatic skin it reduced to 100hrs.
Steps
Precipitating factors:
- Winter season.
- Sore throat.
- Emotional sterss.
- Depression.
- Foci of infection.
- Pregnancy.
- Upper respiratory tract infection.
- Smoking.
- Alcohol consumption.
- Certain drugs like, NSAIDs, Betablockers,Lithium, Calcium channel blocker, Tetracycline, Chloroquine, Sodium valproate, Carbamazepine, Penicillin etc.
- Sudden withdrawl of corticosteroids.
Clinical features:
- Asymptomatic well defined skin lesions.
- Covered with dry silvery white skin scales.
- Mild itching may be present.
- On srapping off the scales, one can see the reddish underlying moist surface, further scrapping can lead to tiny bleeding spots.
Types of Psoriasis:
- Plaque Psoriasis
- Exfoliative psoriasis
- Pustular psoriasis
- Guttate psoriasis
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Psoriasis unguis
Things to be followed:
- Find the triggering and excarbating factors and avoid them.
- Soap and detergent should be avoided.
- Any other type of infection like carious tooth, tonsilitis, etc in the body should be get treated.
- Avoid stress.
- Sun bathing for small intervals of time.
- Don't scrathc the psoriaitc lesion as it can irritate and excarbate it.
- Pat dry skin after bathing, with strict no to vigourous rubbing of towel.
- Wear cotton clothings.
- Aleo gel can be applied to the lesion.
- Moisturizing lotion can be applied followed by covering the part in a plastic wrap. remove the plastic wrap in the morningand take shower.
- Fish oil supplements containing omega-3 fatty acid can be taken.
- Increase the amount of proteins, iron and folic acid in the diet, as they are lost in falling skin scales.
- Hiding or covering the lesions with cometics like concealer can cause excerbation of the lesion.
Apart from this topical lotions containg corticosteroids are given for external applications. UV radiation is also given.
Tips
- Talk to your doctor, get educated about the disease, its form and course.
- Take a protein rich diet.
- Stop smoking.
- Stop alcohol consumption.
Caution
Before taking any medication or supplements consult your doctor.
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