Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that lasts for most of an individual’s life. It has the appearance of dry, flaky patches of skin that are itchy and usually cause red discoloration around the skin. The severity of cases range from small patches of skin to complete coverage of the body.
What causes Psoriasis?
While the causes of psoriasis are not completely proven, there are a number of causes that are widely accepted. One of the causes is genetics, due to certain genes that are found to be linked to psoriasis. Certain lifestyle choices may also worsen psoriasis. For instance, stress, changes in climate, excessive alcohol consumption, obesity and many others may worsen psoriasis in individuals.
What are Treatment Options?
There are many different types of psoriasis that are classified by their levels of severity. They are plaque, guttate, inverse, pustular, and the most severe, erythrodermic psoriasis. If you have mild to moderate psoriasis (covering 3% to 10% of the body) then prescription topical treatments are the best form of treatment. But if you have moderate to severe psoriasis (covering more than 10% of the body), then more aggressive treatments are recommended. These include: prescription topical creams, light therapy, biologics (injectable drugs) or oral medications. If you think that you may be a candidate for any of these treatments, contact our offices today to make an appointment.