The National Psoriasis Foundation estimates that around 2-3% of the human population has psoriasis, revealing its wide-spread nature with around 8 million affected people just in the United States and 125 million people around the world. Though there are many different types, psoriasis is generally a skin disease that appears as rough scaly patches on the skin, often covered with a thin scaly-white coating. The two most-common types of psoriasis are plaque (aka plack) psoriasis and guttate psoriasis. Plaque psoriasis occurs in 80-90% of psoriasis patients and appears as patches of thick, raised skin that are often large. On the other hand, guttate psoriasis appears as small and scaly salmon bumps that often clear without any treatment.
Though the current scientific field has no concrete understanding of what causes psoriasis, it is known that a combination of environmental and genetic factors play a hand. However, they have been able to identify that certain external factors may increase the chances of acquiring the skin disease, such as infections, certain medications, smoking and drinking, and obesity.
Psoriasis can develop during any age period but is most commonly discovered in ages 20-30 and ages 50-60 and can range in severity from person to person. Mild psoriasis is defined as having taken over less than three percent of the skin. Moderate psoriasis is when the disease affects 3-10% of the skin and severe psoriasis occurs when the psoriasis spreads to more than 10% of the skin. Around ¼ of the psoriasis patients are known to exhibit moderate to severe psoriasis.
Whatever the severity of psoriasis, the skin disease can gravely affect people’s quality of life. The disease is often mischaracterized as simply a cosmetic issue, but most psoriasis patients report having daily difficulties in going about their lives after contracting the disease. People who have the disease often have higher chances of having strokes, heart attacks, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndromes, and depression, among other ailments.
Though psoriasis is currently not curable, it is treatable. Psoriasis treatment aims to inhibit the quick growth of the diseased cells and to reduce the amount of scales that appear on the skin. Therefore, there are two main types of treatment: topical and phototherapy. Topical creams and ointments suppress the immune system and reduce the visible rash that appears on the skin. Phototherapy targets the skin cells and aims to reduce the scales. However, each of these treatments are not without their side effects, so it is imperative to consult a dermatologist before taking any concrete decisions. In these ways, psoriasis can be combated while scientists work towards a more permanent solution.
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