Psoriasis is a skin disorder characterized by red, dry, crusty patches of skin that are coated with silvery scales.
These patches are most commonly found on the scalp, elbows, lower back, and knees, although they can form anywhere on your body.
Psoriasis is a chronic (long-term) skin condition that unfortunately, has no cure. It typically goes through cycles and flares up every few weeks or months, then subsides or goes into remission.
To live better with psoriasis, you can combine lifestyle behaviors and coping mechanisms. Also, there are treatments available to assist you in managing your symptoms. So, visit oladoc.com to know more about the disease and its management.
What Causes Psoriasis?
Psoriasis develops when skin cells are replaced at a faster rate than usual. It’s unclear why this happens, but research suggests that it’s due to an immune system dysfunction.
In a normal human being, the basal layer of skin produces new cells that move up the layers to reach the most superficial layer, when they eventually die and flake off. The entire procedure usually takes 3 to 4 weeks.
This process, however, averages only 3 to 7 days in patients with psoriasis. As a result, immature cells rapidly accumulate on the skin’s surface, resulting in dry, crusty red patches coated with silvery scales.
What Triggers Psoriasis?
A trigger is an event that causes psoriasis symptoms to appear or worsen in many patients. The triggers for psoriasis are unique to each individual. What may aggravate your psoriasis may not affect someone else. Understanding your triggers is very important as it can help you to avoid your flare-ups. Some common triggers include
Stress
One of the most prevalent psoriasis triggers is stress. A psoriasis flare, on the other hand, can be stressful. This may appear to be an infinite loop. It’s important to make every effort to eliminate stress in your life. Yoga and meditation have proven to be effective in reducing stress related to a variety of pain conditions.
Skin injury
Psoriasis can occur in places of the body where the skin has been damaged or injured. Scratches, sunburns, bug bites, and vaccines can all induce a psoriasis flare, according to the Koebner phenomenon. It is important to note that psoriasis lesions can only be triggered by skin damage in patients who already have psoriasis.
Weather
Psoriasis flares are observed to occur in winters because of less humidity, less sunlight, and artificially heated rooms. Whereas, the natural sunlight and higher humidity, warm temperatures can help with psoriasis.
Illness
Psoriasis can be triggered by anything that affects the immune system. As a result, any infection in the body may cause a flare. Streptococcus infection is linked to guttate psoriasis (a type of psoriasis), and it frequently targets children.
Other less common triggers
Some patients with psoriasis believe that psoriasis is caused by allergies, specific foods, alcohol, or environmental factors.
Tracking your triggers over time is a smart approach to learn more about them. Keeping track of your symptoms and triggers can aid you in predicting and treating flares. To manage your Psoriasis in the best way possible, visit a Dermatologist in Karachi.