All about psoriasis and its effects

Psoriasis is a disease of the skin that usually causes red, scaly patches to develop on the skin. It is chronic and non-contagious in nature and tends to recur in varying severity from small patches to complete coverage of the body surface.

It may affect both sexes and may appear at any age, though it commonly appears in people between the age of 15 to 25years. It may even appear in children. The patches, called psoriatic plaques, are often characterized by inflammation and excess skin growth.

Despite being one of the oldest illnesses known to man, psoriasis continues to be a misunderstood health condition, as the factor causing it is not clearly known. It is deemed to be autoimmune in origin, though certain lifestyle components may aggravate psoriasis such as stress, alcohol consumption and smoking.

Being chronic and recurrent in nature, treating and curing psoriasis is a challenge. It is most commonly diagnosed on the basis of skin appearance; sometimes a skin biopsy or scraping is conducted to confirm the condition and to rule out other possibilities.

Psoriasis is often manifested in a number of forms such as plaque psoriasis, inverse or flexural psoriasis, pustular psoriasis, guttate psoriasis, nail psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Of these, plaque psoriasis is the most common form. It manifests as raised inflamed areas on the skin covered by a scaly and silvery layer of skin.

One of the most vital effects of the disease is that which it creates on the mind of the patient. Most people are extremely conscious about their outward appearance and in a way it has a large effect on their self esteem and confidence.

Patients suffering from psoriasis tend to feel conscious about the unusual appearance of their skin and it may affect them psychologically. More than often they are ridiculed or bullied which lead them to experience varied emotions such as anger, denial and fear.

It is therefore important for those who have been diagnosed with the disease to have a healthy and practical approach to their condition. They should find out about the various treatments and options available and opt for them suitably.