Take the Psoriasis Quiz
Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that affects millions of Americans. It can affect people of any age, but it occurs mostly in young adults. It can also show up in people in their 50s. Find out more about this disease by taking this quiz, based on information from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, the American Academy of Dermatology, and the National Psoriasis Foundation.
1. What happens to skin cells in a person with psoriasis?
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The normal turnover of skin cells—old cells dying and falling off, new cells rising to the surface—takes about a month. With psoriasis, the process speeds up, occurring in only a few days. This results in patches of thick, red skin covered with silvery scales. These patches (plaques) itch or feel sore. Plaque psoriasis is the most common form, but there are 4 other forms. These are:
- Guttate psoriasis, which leads to small, dot-like sores (lesions)
- Pustular psoriasis, which is marked by small, pus-filled bumps, weeping lesions, and intense scaling
- Inverse psoriasis, which causes very red areas in skin folds with little or no plaque
- Erythrodermic psoriasis, which is marked by intense shedding and redness.
8. How is psoriasis treated?
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Healthcare providers often use a 1-2-3 approach in treating psoriasis. They start with topical treatment. Then they use light therapy, followed by medicine that treats the entire immune system. Topical treatments include:
- Corticosteroids or anthralin to reduce inflammation and turnover of skin cells
- Calcipotriene, a synthetic form of vitamin D
- Retinoids, a form of vitamin A
- Coal tar
- Salicylic acid
- Clobetasol propionate
- Bath oil and moisturizers
Phototherapy, in the form of sunlight or an ultraviolet B light box, causes the activated T cells to die. This eases the inflammation and slows the turnover of skin cells. Light therapy also may include the topical medicine psoralen combined with ultraviolet A rays. This combo is called PUVA. For more severe forms of psoriasis, healthcare providers may prescribe medicines that suppress the immune system. These include methotrexate, retinoids, cyclosporine, 6-thioguanine, hydroxyurea, and biologic response modifiers such as etanercept and adilumimab.
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