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Psoriasis Symptoms, Root Causes,
and Consequences of Delayed
Treatment
Psoriasis is a non-infectious, chronic skin condition caused by an immune system dysfunction. Although there is a genetic component, environmental factors also play a role. Psoriasis symptoms most commonly include the emergence of raised, scaly patches of skin, often dry, itchy, and inflamed. If the condition is not treated in time, it may spread and become fatal, particularly among young children and the elderly.
Certain genes in relation to the immune system are thought to be responsible for psoriasis, making it an inheritable trait. With this trait, white blood cells do not function properly and begin to attack healthy skin cells. The result is an overproduction of new skin cells which manifest as psoriasis. There are several different kinds of psoriasis: plaque, flexural, guttate, pustular, nail, and erythrodermic. The most common is plaque psoriasis, accounting for approximately 80-90% of outbreaks.
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Plaque psoriasis appears on the surface of the skin as whitish, scaly plaques, or scabs. The plaques form as a result of overproduction of new skin cells in response to the white blood cell attacks. They most often appear on the elbows, knees, and scalp, and can occur as localized, singular lesions or may spread throughout the body. About 10-15% of patients also report joint inflammation, or psoriatic arthritis, in conjunction with these symptoms.
Flexural (or "inverse") psoriasis usually forms in crevices or skin folds, particularly armpits, under breasts, and between the thigh and groin. These lesions are not scaly but rather are smooth, usually with pronounced inflammation as a result of the increased sweat and friction in those areas.In contrast, guttate psoriasis and pustular psoriasis are smaller lesions that tend to form in clusters.
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Guttate psoriasis is similar to plaque psoriasis in texture but tends to cover larger areas of the body, like the trunk or limbs. Pustular psoriasis appears as red, pus-filled bumps, often seen on the hands and feet.Lastly, nail psoriasis forms under the finger or toenails and can manifest in a number of different ways, including discoloration of the nail, ridges in the nail, and excessive thickening of the skin under the nail, eventually causing it to come loose and detach.
Although it is a chronic, genetic condition, it may not emerge until triggered by an environmental factor. Often, it emerges in conjunction with another immunological illness (cold, infection, stress), or even as a response to cold weather, excessive smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, or prolonged injury to the skin.
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Medications can also trigger or aggravate the condition, most notably lithium (prescribed for bipolar disorder), beta blockers (prescribed for high blood pressure), and anti-malarial drugs.Untreated breakouts may lead to erythrodermic psoriasis, a serious condition in which the entire body is covered with lesions.Not only does this result in severe itching, swelling, and pain, but the patient may also experience fever, chills, and muscle weakness.
At that point, the body can no longer regulate its temperature or perform other vital functions of the skin, which could ultimately lead to death. So while most psoriasis breakouts are usually mild, it is important to seek proper treatment to avoid these potentially life-threatening complications.
