Estimated 7.5 million people in the United States suffer from a condition called psoriasis, 10-15% of those are children under 10. Quite a great number of cases (about 20%) range from moderate to severe. The disease is very tricky, because, besides physical discomfort, it has a strong psychological impact on the sufferers, since it occurs on the most visible part of the body skin, and often it is very hard to cover or hide the affected areas.
Furthermore, a number of women experiencing the condition is a little bit higher than that of men. Although the prevalence is not drastic, fair sex is known to pay special attention to the appearance; therefore, even slight changes for worse can make women give way to despair.
According to the statistics, fair-skinned people are at the greater risk of having a disease, which is usually rare among Native and African Americans. Worldwide, psoriasis is the most common in Scandinavia and Northern Europe.
Psoriasis is a disease of young: about 75% of those prone to the illness develop it before age 40, and the most dangerous period is between 15 and 35. However, not everyone can become a target of this skin condition: the genetic factor plays the key role here. That is why one-third of sufferers have a family history of psoriasis.
This condition is chronic and, though treatable, not curable. It looks like red inflamed lesions on the skin surface, covered with gray or silvery flaky and partially shed patches of dead skin cells.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease in origin. It occurs when balance between forming and shedding skin cells in the dermis is upset. More precisely, the new cells mature too fast (less than in a week), and dead cells do not manage to shed during this period. As the result, skin surface acquires raised multi-layered structure. The affected areas usually itch and in the severe cases can even be painful.
Psoriasis can appear on almost any part of the body: arms and elbows, legs and knees, back and chest, nails and palms, folds between the buttocks and groin, ears and scalp. If the disease affects less than 5% of the body surface, it is considered to be mild; moderate psoriasis is diagnosed, if 5-30% of the skin is covered with lesions; severe cases, occupying more than 30% of the body, may even require hospitalization.
According to the character of lesions or scales, scientists define five main types of psoriasis.
Plaque psoriasis is the most common form of the disease. Its characteristic feature is the appearance of the raised inflamed bumps covered with silvery or white scales. They often join together, thus extending to the large areas of the body. The affected places are usually very dry (which causes them to crack), itching, and painful. This form of psoriasis most often affects knees, elbows, knuckles, scalp, and trunk.
Guttate psoriasis looks like small, red, water drops, which may become a bit scaly. The disease is usually triggered by bacterial (mainly streptococcal) infection. It develops suddenly and rapidly - within several days, and may often run its course requiring no medical treatment. Many people experience only one guttate psoriasis outbreak in their life; in others it can remind of itself many years afterwards. Children and young people are the most prone to this non-contagious but sometimes chronic type of psoriasis. Most often it occurs on the trunk and limbs.
Pustular psoriasis is characterized by the development of the inflamed blisters filled with non-contagious pus, which consists of white blood cells. This form can be either localized on one part of the body, or widespread all over the skin surface. Sufferers may feel chills and fever and require hospitalization. The most disabling case is the appearance of blisters on the palms and soles of the feet.
Inverse psoriasis appears on the areas where skin folds: in the armpits, groin, under the breasts, around the genitals and buttocks. It is more frequent and severe in overweight people, whose skin is particularly prone to irritation due to rubbing and sweating. Inverse psoriasis manifests itself as inflamed but smooth, dry, and scales-free lesions.
Erythrodermic psoriasis is the most severe and sometimes fatal case of the disease, which causes itching, reddening, and scaling of the large skin areas. The condition is a form of unstable plaque psoriasis, accompanied with pain and changeable body temperature. Fortunately, this type of illness is very rare.
Psoriasis makes people feel embarrassed and ashamed. Those, who do not suffer from this condition, should not worsen their torment by recoiling, avoiding shaking hands with them or sitting close to them. One thing to remember is that psoriasis is not contagious; therefore, there is nothing to be afraid of. You should better sympathize with them and show your support.
Ivanna
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