Psoriasis is a skin condition that affects around one in fifty adults while also causing significant psychological distress to those individuals that are afflicted with the problem. Clinical research has come to the conclusion that although psoriaisis manifests itself as a skin condition, the actual cause is rooted in the immune system of the body.

There are a number of different symptoms connected with a flare up of psoriasis including salmon colored skin that becomes cracked, flaky and irritated. With plaque psoriasis, which is also the most commonplace type, the affected areas develop round, oval or irregular formed patches of red that are covered with skin that is cracked and silvery colored. There is no consistency in the size or shape of the patchy areas and occasionally, several smaller patches can combine together and appear as one large irregular shape of irritated skin. As well as being unsightly, the skin in these areas [on occasions cracks and bleeds|These areas are unsightly and on occasions crack and start bleeding].

Affected skin can be extremely sore and often has a burning sensation. There are no hard and fast rules as to how long any certain flare-up will last. It could last a week to twleve days or you may have to put up with it for several weeks. One of the worst aspects for those affected is that it is a chronic condition and recurrent flare-ups can happen at any time.

Even though any part of the torso can be affected by psoriasis, the most frequent areas are the hands, scalp, torso, elbows and knees. Flare-ups are inclined to be symmetrical, meaning that both sides of the body will experience flare-ups in identical areas at the same time.

It appears that hereditary factors also have a bearing on who is likely to develop psoriasis. Folks whose parents or grandparents suffered with the ailment have a greater prospect of developing it as well. For reasons that are not yet fully understood, T-cells, which are needed by our bodies to produce infection fighting white blood cells, cause inflammation of the skin. These same cells also trigger some bodily process which results in the over production of skin cells. With nowhere else to go, these excess skin cells pile up on top of one another and produce the telling appearance of raised patches on the skin’s exterior. The red look is a result of increased blood supply that is needed to nourish these skin cells.

Injuries to the skin, sun and streptococcal infections are frequent triggers of Psoriasis. Anxiety and stress can also spark an outbreak as can alterations in hormone levels. Higher incidences of psoriasis have also been noticed in those individuals with the early stages of HIV infection. Folks who smoke cigarettes who also drink alcohol increase their chances of developing psoriasis.

In the absence of any recognized remedy for psoriasis, there are various effectual treatments that can at least ease the symptoms. Start by keeping the affected areas damp and by resisting the temptation to scratch the area.

The first line of treatments are localized and are applied directly to the affected area with the ultimate aim of trying to stem the production of excess skin cells. Coal tar, salicylic acid, corticosteroids, synthetic vitamin D, tazorac and anthrallin are common localized treatment options as are specially developed bathing products and moisturizers. For more severe cases where topical treatments maybe ineffectual, systemic medications may be prescribed by the doctor. Another effective means of psoriasis treatment is with the use phototherapy, where, under strict medical supervision, the patient is exposed to ultra violet radiation.