Psoriasis

What is psoriasis?

Many people think of psoriasis as a skin condition, but it’s more than that. Psoriasis is a genetic immune system disease that causes your skin cells’ life cycle to speed up. As a result, dead skin cells tend to build up on your skin’s surface to form scaly, irritated patches.

If you have psoriasis, you don’t always experience symptoms. They come and go, often disappearing for months or even years at a time. There are many types of the condition, so your course of treatment largely depends on the type you have.

What are the symptoms of psoriasis?

Active psoriasis comes with many irritating and embarrassing symptoms. In general, common signs and symptoms of psoriasis include:

• Red patches
• Silvery scales
• Itching
• Burning
• Soreness
• Swollen or stiff joints
• Thick fingernails

In children, the condition usually appears as small red spots rather than large patches. Even though flare-ups usually subside after just a few weeks or months, these bothersome symptoms prompt most patients to seek treatments to manage them.

What are my psoriasis treatment options?

Unfortunately, psoriasis currently has no available cure. However, there are many available treatments to help manage and reduce your symptoms. 

At CSC Steil Dermatology, the team examines your skin and asks about your lifestyle in order to come up with a personalized treatment plan. Yours may include:

• Topical corticosteroids
• Vitamin D medications
• Salicylic acid
• Specialized moisturizers
• Light or laser therapy
• Oral medications that change your immune system

In addition to therapies, medications, and products, your treatment plan may include several lifestyle changes to reduce instances of psoriatic flare-ups. The team might recommend:

• Spending more time in the sun
• Losing weight
• Stopping smoking
• Reducing your alcohol intake
• Stress relief measures

There are many aspects of psoriasis that you can’t control. If you get a skin infection or injury, you have a higher chance of your psoriasis flaring up. However, avoiding known triggers can give you some peace of mind.

If you suffer from regular flare-ups of psoriasis, you don’t need to worry about going to extensive measures to cover your skin. Instead, call CSC Steil Dermatology for expert psoriasis treatment.