Psoriasis

The back of a person who has psoriasis

Psoriasis is a skin condition where cells grow at a faster rate than they can be shed, causing excess skin to build up and form scaly patches on the body.

The condition: It appears to be a buildup of dry skin on your body. You can have it at any age, but normally as you get older. It starts with the skin cracking as a paper cut on your fingertips. This skin would begin to die, flake, peal and itch. As your itch the area, it begins to get red and then it begins to blister, flake and peels to raw skin. It appears most often on hands, toes, the inside arch of your feet and on your heels. It is also shows up in callus, by cracking. When washing hands it has a burning effect.

Living in moist humid climate appears to delay the condition for appearing. Dry arid climates seem to aggravate the condition. Washing your hands has a drying affect, which triggers the condition. When washing, water removes oils from our body, and has a drying effect on our hands. Washing with Psoriasis removes the dry skin, but then the skin underneath is raw. Hard water appears to worsen the condition in dry climates, but not as much in humid areas. Soft water appears better.

Psoriasis Symptoms

Depending upon the severity of the condition and your skin type, the symptoms of psoriasis can vary both significantly and slightly. However, some signs that indicate psoriasis are as follows

• Discomforting patches: Red and raised patches, often called plagues are seen on the skin mainly on the elbows, knees, palms, scalp, and trunk. Such patches are covered with silvery-white scales which further makes them discomforting to even look at.
• Skin dryness: The skin of a psoriasis patient becomes extremely dry. The cracks on such dried start to arise which sometimes even result in bleeding and skin peeling off.
• Intense itching: Psoriasis patients often complain of having intense itching and a sense of burning sensation. Such itching becomes way more intolerable with sweating.
• Pitted Nails: Pale and yellow nails are yet another sign of psoriasis. Besides, discoloration, nail pitting, small dents, and notches can also be seen. Sometimes, the condition may worsen this much that nails start to fall off.
• Joint pain and swelling: Being an auto-immune condition it could also affect your joint health where possibly, your joints may turn painful, stiff, and inflamed, commonly called psoriatic arthritis.

Symptoms may vary if one has a less common type of psoriasis.