In honour of August being Psoriasis Awareness Month, it’s important to understand what exactly it is.
A frequent and non-contagious, chronic skin condition that accelerates the life cycle and duration of skin cells that have an average life cycle of thirty days, psoriasis causes the skin cells to develop fast on the surface of the skin.
It’s as a result of an increase in the speed of skin production procedures.
The extra skin cells form up scales and red parts that are sensitive, itchy and at times painful.
Though there is no known cure, it can be managed and through treatment, the primary aim is to halt the skin cells from growing too fast.
There are several types of psoriasis part of which are Erythrodermic, Plaque, Gutate, Postular and a host of psoriasis.
Effect of psoriasis on people
The results of psoriasis are more prominent than just breakouts and spots on the skin. It affects the body, beauty, looks, and also aids depression and sadness especially in seniors.
A lot of people view psoriasis as solely a skin disorder. While the effects on the skin can be glaring it may not paint the complete picture of the damage it causes to people both mentally, physically and psychologically.
Psoriasis is mainly an auto-immune upset, where the skin is produced too fast and evolves into lesions because the immune system is in too many activities.
It means that psoriasis and its effects are encompassing, affecting more than the picture it initially portrayed.
Some of the ways psoriasis can affect your health as a person, and individually as a senior.
1. Skin
The traditional presentation of psoriasis is joined by patches of red, enhanced skin which may have silvery "scales" on it, however not all cases of psoriasis will be this way.
This common type is known as plaque psoriasis, which represents about 80% of psoriasis patients.
Most patients will go through a process of itching, burning and their condition will be mainly on the knees, elbows, torso or scalp. Other forms of psoriasis can include:
Injuries on other parts of the body like the face, palms, soles of the feet, around the fingernails, on genitals or in the mouth do not look like the usual psoriasis patches and may hurt rather than itch or burn.
2. Beauty and Personal Appearance
Some effects of psoriasis are not medical.
For some, the most severe impact of psoriasis is how it affects their appearance. Many people who are battling with psoriasis will try to hide their wounds with clothing or makeup or even stay at home altogether when they have breakouts.
It can be challenging to live with a skin condition and a reason why a lot of psoriasis treatments concentrate on healing the skin fast and cleaning up breakouts as they show.
3. Depression, Anxiety, and Psoriasis
Lastly, psoriasis is connected with a significant level of anxiety and depression. This shows the social influence of psoriasis. It is disheartening to be looked at differently.
Psoriasis patients seek relief from depression in some ways, part of which are:
- Attending gathering with other psoriasis patients, who you can both relate to one another's plight.
- Conventional therapy meetings and sessions with a psychologist, clergy or counselor.
- Topical treatments that clean up psoriasis breakouts to reduce the social impact.
It is advisable for patients with psoriasis to seek adequate medical attention and no you’re not alone in dealing with it or the resources available to you.
