Are You New to Psoriasis? Let’s Break It Down

For over 55 years, I have had psoriasis. I might have a little knowledge about this disease. Psoriasis is a term often misused as a skin condition, but as we are finding out, it’s so much more. The disease that is displayed on our skin influences our social life, self-confidence, and everyday mood. To me, this makes it more than just dry skin.

I have struggled for years with how the media promotes psoriasis. Maybe it's just me, but their efforts don’t show what living with this disease is like or how different stages affect our quality of life.

What can I expect with psoriasis?

To fully understand psoriasis, you first need to see what's happening under the skin. When symptoms appear on the surface of the skin, what you see is only a part of the disease. In people with normal skin, the body needs 28 to 30 days to produce new cells and replace old ones. In people who have psoriasis, the immune system is overactive, causing inflammation of the skin and causing skin cells to grow faster than normal. The new cells change for 3-4 days compared to the normal period of 28-30 days.

It's important to remember that psoriasis is a chronic, autoimmune disorder that can range from mild to severe. Like most chronic disorders, psoriasis can be linked to other health conditions such as psoriatic arthritis, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, among others.

What causes psoriasis?
We honestly don’t know. Since it’s related to the immune system, some believe it’s genetic. Inheritance may not always be the case as I am the only person in my family that has this condition. My father is 85 and he doesn’t remember anyone having psoriasis in the family. Though they could have hidden their condition very well - I had people in my life that didn’t know I had a spot on me for 40 years.

Let's also remember that stress and anxiety can make our condition worse. Skin trauma, such as cuts and scratches do not help either. I have lost count the number of times a scratch turned into a psoriasis sore. Other risk factors that can interfere with psoriasis could be infections, puberty, pregnancy, menopause, medications, and psychological factors. Men and women are affected equally, but the disease can come out at any time, ranging from childhood to adulthood.

Where do I start with treating psoriasis?

Finding a good dermatologist who understands the disease is key, or it was for me. For 40 years, I was covered from head to toe with psoriasis and I was seeing a doctor every month faithfully. I don’t they think they ever got rid of one spot.

A good doctor will factor in your age, your overall health condition and the percentage of psoriasis on your skin. Remember there are some things we can’t control such as emotional stress levels, flares, infections, hormone imbalances, or medications.

The most commonly used treatments are topicals, creams and lotions containing corticosteroids, salicylic acid and tar preparations. We are now introduced to many new drugs known as biologics. These drugs are designed to affect the immune system, thereby helping to improve psoriatic changes in the body. These are all done under the care of a dermatologist and certain tests will need to be done periodically to prevent other issues.

My advice for those newly diagnosed

The best advice I can give is: education is the key. Respect one another and show compassion, you never know what a person is going through. If you ever feel there is no hope, the community is always here for you. Your journey is our journey. Let’s make it count.