Psoriasis Treatment

Psoriasis is a disease that appears on the skin and it occurs when faulty signals are sent out by the immune system which speeds up the growth cycle of skin cells. Psoriasis causes red scaly patches that appear on the skin that are also known as psoriatic plaques wherein there is extra skin production resulting in inflammation and flaking of the skin. Psoriasis skin disease could affect almost any area of the surface of a body but they frequently occur on the skin of elbows, knees, scalp, palms or even soles of feet. This disease is not contagious and can be classified as mild, moderate and severe. If it is not taken care of, psoriasis could cause serious impact on a person’s day to day life. The symptoms for this condition include thick red patches, silvery scales, dry or cracked skin and thick or rigid nails. There is no need for undergoing a specific blood test or any other procedure to diagnose psoriasis since appearance of the skin is a diagnosis in itself. However, in some cases a skin biopsy may be needed to rule out any other disorders and to get a confirmation of the disease.

As of today there is no cure for this condition, although treating psoriasis is possible. Psoriasis treatment falls into 3 categories; topical, systematic and phototherapy. Topical treatment uses application of medication to the skin and this is generally used in cases of mild psoriasis. Lotions which are readily available are applied to the skin to get quick results. A systematic treatment includes dermatologists prescribing drugs that help in reducing effects of psoriasis. These drugs maybe induced, taken orally or injected into the person suffering from this disease. Phototherapy is another procedure used in the treatment for psoriasis wherein the ultraviolet rays are introduced to the skin using ultraviolet lamps since ultraviolet rays can drastically slow down the growth of skin cells. Although sun bathing can be a remedy, lasers and ultraviolet lamps are usually preferred to obtain quick and specific results. Apart from sunlight other psoriasis remedies include regular seawater baths, use of mud packs, application of cabbage leaf extracts on affected area, application of olive oil and a bath with Epsom salt. It is very important to make a note that there is no cure for psoriasis, so it becomes important for one to choose a lifestyle that helps in taking care of the skin.