2023-08-14 16:03:05
Psoriasis is a particularly stressful, chronic, inflammatory skin disease that requires medical treatment.
• Read also: Here are 4 tips to get rid of dandruff
• Read also: Find out how often you should wash your hair
Dr. Anjali Mahto, Consultant Dermatologist, shares important information about this multifactorial skin condition and helpful tips to help manage it and better control flare-ups. Especially since the psychological repercussions of this condition are recognized by the WHO as major.
What is psoriasis?
“The outermost layer of our skin, called the epidermis, continually sheds its skin cells and replaces them with new ones,” says Dr. Mahto. People with psoriasis find that this process is accelerated. What would normally take 28 days happens in 3-4 days. This increase in the renewal of skin cells is the cause of the symptoms that appear in the context of this condition (scaling, itching, etc.) “The disease affects women and men equally and between 20 and 30% of patients suffer from moderate to severe forms. This disease is not contagious, but affects daily life.
What are the causes of this dermatosis?
A number of factors can cause or trigger psoriasis, including genetic disease, stress, and smoking.
“Psoriasis can be caused by multiple factors, but the most common is probably the fact that it is a genetic disease,” explains the expert. If one of your parents or siblings has it, you are much more likely to develop it than if you have no family history. And she adds: “Psoriasis can also be aggravated by environmental factors. Stress, smoking and certain medications can also act as a trigger and aggravate the disease. »
What does psoriasis look like?
Psoriasis causes pink patches to appear on the skin, sometimes covered with a silvery layer. “They are sensitive in some people, because they can cause itching in some cases,” says the dermatologist. Any part of the body can be affected, but the most common sites are the elbows, knees, and scalp. »
Can psoriasis be cured?
Psoriasis is a condition that cannot be cured, but can be managed with treatments and medications.
“Psoriasis is what we call a chronic disease, which means there is currently no cure. There are, however, many treatment options for controlling it, says Dr. Mahto. Your specific treatment will depend on the severity of the condition and how it affects you. Treatment options include steroid anti-inflammatory creams, medications, as well as phototherapy, which is treatment with light. »
Moisturize the skin, the priority to do at home
There are several ways to treat psoriasis at home, such as making sure to moisturize the skin daily.
“The best thing to do to treat psoriasis at home is to generously apply a moisturizer every day, recommends the expert. For those suffering from the scalp symptoms, there are medicated shampoos that we can prescribe that can really help manage the condition. »
1692031199
#dermatologists #advice #living #psoriasis