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A persistent inflammatory skin disorder, psoriasis is characterized by red skin covered with whitish scales. This is a chronic disorder, in which, the skin cells multiply ten times faster than normal, causing a build-up of dead skin cells on the surface of the skin, that do not fall off, making the skin look scaly.
Psoriasis is generally associated with many other health conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease, cardiac diseases, type 2 diabetes, and psoriatic arthritis.
It usually affects the scalp, palms, elbows, knees, torso, and soles of the feet. A few rare types of psoriasis also affects the genital area, nails, and the mouth.
Psoriasis can be of several types such as:
The skin cells that grow deep within our skin, gradually rise to the surface and eventually fall off as a part of our natural bodily cycle. The usual life cycle of a skin cell is one month. When psoriasis occurs, the cycle is hastened. The skin cells multiply ten times faster than normal, causing a build-up of dead skin cells on the surface of the skin that do not have the time to fall off, once they reach the surface causing a scaly look.
People who can be prone to psoriasis include:
The main causes of psoriasis include:
The symptoms of psoriasis include:
To diagnose psoriasis, the doctor will first ask you about your medical history (especially if there is any family history of psoriasis) and examine your skin, nails, and scalp.
In some cases, the doctor may advise you to undergo a skin biopsy. A local anesthetic will be applied onto your affected skin, and a small sample of the skin will be cut. The sample will be examined under a microscope to determine the type of psoriasis you have, and also rule out any other possible disorders.
People with psoriasis are at a greater risk of suffering from:
To treat psoriasis, your doctor may prescribe ointments and moisturizers to apply on the affected part of the skin. If the psoriasis is severe the doctor may prescribe phototherapy or light therapy which uses artificial ultraviolet A or ultraviolet B light in combination with medicines.
Oral medicines with injections may also be prescribed depending on the severity of the condition.
In India approximately 12 % people suffer from psoriasis everyday.
Psoriasis in India is twice more common in males than in females.
Psoriasis accounts for 2.3 per cent of the total dermatology outpatients at the hospitals in India.
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