Scalp psoriasis, Plaque psoriasis, Signs of psoriasis, Treatment for psoriasis, Psoriasis symptoms, Inverse psoriasis, Itchy skin, Flaky skin.
Root Cause of Disease
Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes the rapid buildup of your skin cells. This buildup of cells causes scaling on your skin’s surface.
Inflammation and redness around the scales are fairly common. Typical psoriatic scales are whitish-silver and develop in thick, red patches. However, on darker skin tones, they can also appear more as purplish, dark brown with gray scales. Sometimes, these patches will crack and bleed.
Psoriasis is the result of a sped-up skin production process. Typically, skin cells grow deep in your skin and slowly rise to the surface. Eventually, they fall off. The typical life cycle of a skin cell is 1 month .In people with psoriasis, this production process may occur in just a few days. Because of this, skin cells don’t have time to fall off. This rapid overproduction leads to the buildup of skin cells.
Symptoms
Psoriasis symptoms differ from person to person and depend on the type of psoriasis you have. Areas of psoriasis can be as small as a few flakes on your scalp or elbow, or cover the majority of your body.
The most common symptoms of plaque psoriasis include:
- Raised, inflamed patches of skin that appear red on light skin and brown or purple on dark skin
- Whitish-silver scales or plaques on the red patches or gray scales on purple and brown patches
- Dry skin that may crack and bleed
- Soreness around patches
- Itching and burning sensations around patches
- Thick, pitted nails
- Painful, swollen joints
Causes
The cause of psoriasis is still unknown. However, after decades of research, they have a general idea of two key factors:
- Genetics
- The immune system
Immune system
Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition. Autoimmune conditions are the result of your body attacking itself. In the case of psoriasis, white blood cells known as T cells mistakenly attack your skin cells.
Generally, in the body, white blood cells are deployed to attack and destroy invading bacteria and mount a defense against infections. This mistaken autoimmune attack causes the skin cell production process to go into overdrive. The sped-up skin cell production causes new skin cells to develop too quickly. They are pushed to the skin’s surface, where they pile up. This results in the plaques that are most commonly associated with psoriasis. The attacks on the skin cells also cause red, inflamed areas of skin to develop.
Genetics
Some people inherit genes that make them more likely to develop psoriasis. If you have an immediate family member with the skin condition, you are at an increased risk.
There are no at-home treatments for psoriasis, But these remedies will lessen the inflammation, itching and burning sensation and can remove the dead skin.
Remedies to treat Psoriasis
Remedy – 1: Diet
Losing any excess weight to reach a moderate weight and eating a nutrient-dense diet can go a long way toward helping ease and reduce symptoms of psoriasis. This includes eating a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, whole grains, and plants.
Also, limiting foods that may increase inflammation in your body is important. These foods include refined sugars, dairy products, and highly processed foods.
Remedy – 2: Stress
Stress can be a trigger for psoriasis. Learning to manage and cope with stress may help you reduce flare-ups and ease symptoms. Consider trying the following to help reduce your stress level:
- Meditation
- Journaling
- Breathing
- Yoga
Remedy – 3: Emotional Health
People with psoriasis are more likely to experience depression and self-esteem issues, according to research. You may feel less confident when new spots appear. Talking with your support network about how psoriasis affects you may be difficult. The constant cycle of the condition may also be frustrating. All emotional issues associated with psoriasis are valid. Connecting with supportive resources is important for handling them. This may include speaking with a mental health professional or joining a support group for people with psoriasis.
Other Remedies
Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil comes from the leaves of a plant which is native to Australia. It is believed that it has antiseptic properties and it can be applied to the skin. Some people have found that using shampoos with tea tree oil can help them to get relief from scalp psoriasis. But there are no scientific studies to prove the effectiveness of the tea tree oil on psoriasis. You should use tea tree oil with care because some people can be allergic to it.
Oats
Oats are some of the best skin soothers which you can find in nature. There are no scientific studies to support the use of oats for relieving psoriasis symptoms. There are many people who have said that applying an oat paste or taking a bath in oats helped them to get relief from the itchy skin and reduce the redness.
Epsom salt
You can add Epsom salt to your lukewarm bath water and you should soak in the tub for about fifteen minutes. This can help you to remove scales and ease itching. You should apply moisturizer to your skin as soon as you get out of the tub. You can see improvements in your condition. You should know that the warm water can irritate your skin. Also, olive oil, milk and mineral oil can soothe the itching and infiltrate plaques and scales.
Preventions
There is no way to prevent psoriasis. But you can take steps to improve symptoms or help reduce the number of psoriasis flare-ups.
The best treatment option may vary from person to person. Experimenting and finding the best combination of approaches can help.
1. Wrap up during cold, dry weather
This type of weather can trigger psoriasis flares. Scientists do not fully understand why flares are more common in wintry weather, but some research suggests that cold and dark conditions with low humidity cause the skin to thicken and become inflamed. Wrapping up warm reduces the skin’s exposure to cold, dry air, and this may help prevent winter flare-ups. Using a home humidifier helps keep the air moist. This may help moisturize the skin and reduce psoriasis symptoms. A humidifier may be particularly useful in the winter.
2. Keep the skin moisturized
Moisturizing is a key technique for people with psoriasis. This is because dryness can trigger flares and make skin scaling so severe that the skin cracks and bleeds. People might also try moisturizing with coconut oil or aloe vera gel, both of which have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
3. Keep the scalp moisturized
When psoriasis affects the scalp, it is important to keep this area moisturized. According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, tar shampoos and salicylic acid can help.
4. Get regular exposure to sunlight
UV radiation has immunosuppressive effects. As a result, it may help reduce symptoms of autoimmune conditions, such as psoriasis.
UV light therapy is a treatment option for people with psoriasis. But short, regular exposure to natural sunlight may also help improve psoriasis symptoms and prevent flares due to the anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating effects of sunlight.
5. Avoid sunburn
Skin damage, including sunburn, is a common cause of psoriasis flares. Wearing sunscreen and limiting time spent in the sun during the hottest part of the day are helpful strategies.
6. Supplement with Vitamin D
Research has suggested that vitamin D deficiency is common in people with psoriasis, particularly in the winter.
People can get more vitamin D from:
- Natural sunlight
- Certain foods, such as salmon, milk, and fortified cereals
- Vitamin D supplements
7. Prevent skin injuries
Skin injuries can trigger the development of psoriasis lesions in areas where they are otherwise uncommon. This effect is called the Koebner phenomenon.
Avoiding skin injuries, when possible, may help prevent psoriasis flare-ups. Tips include:
- Taking extra care when cutting the nails or shaving
- Avoiding tattoos or piercings
- Protecting against insect bites
8. Reduce stress
Stress is a potential trigger for psoriasis, and it may lead to flare-ups in 68% of adults with the condition.
Taking steps to reduce stress may help prevent flare-ups. Tips include:
- Avoiding stressful situations
- Practicing yoga, meditation, and other mindfulness and breathing techniques
- Having therapy or counseling
