Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Psoriasis
Psoriasis by any other name might once have been called leprosy! The skin condition known as Psoriasis has existed for centuries. Signs of psoriasis have been found on mummified bodies in tombs dating from the time of the early Egyptians. Psoriasis was referenced in the Bible when is known to have been confused with leprosy, leading to many people with psoriasis being ostracized in the middle ages. Today we have a much better understanding of psoriasis, it’s causes and methods of treating it. We now know that psoriasis is multifactor skin condition that is linked to numerous genetic, immunological and environmental factors. Many scientists believe that a biochemical stimulus triggers the abnormally high skin growth, which in turn causes the skin lesions to develop.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Winter Weather Poses Unique Challenges For Psoriasis Sufferers
Winter weather presents unique challenges in the management and treatment of psoriasis.
Cold winter weather and dry and indoor heat can rob the body of needed moisture and cause psoriasis symptoms to flare or worsen. The condition becomes even more severe when the stress of the holidays and winter illnesses combine and compromise the immune system.
“The physical and emotional discomfort felt by those with psoriasis can be challenging throughout the year,” says dermatologist Mark Lebwohl, M.D., professor and chairman, department of dermatology, the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. “Due to winter’s effect on the skin, patients should diligently monitor their condition carefully.”
Psoriasis is most commonly characterized by areas of thick, red, white or scaly patches on the skin’s surface. Psoriasis is caused by the unusually rapid growth of skin cells that can build up on the skin’s surface -- usually around the knees, elbows, scalp, hands, feet or lower back -- and cause itching and severe discomfort.
Psoriasis treatments are often selected based on the patient’s health, age, lifestyle and symptoms.
* Topical medications applied to the skin are used to treat mild to moderate psoriasis. Topical tretament is usually begun at the first signs of the condition.
* Systemic medications treat the entire body and are often reserved for patients whose psoriasis is not responsive to topical medications or phototherapy.
* New biologic treatments, which target the precise immune responses involved in the development of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, are used to treat moderate to severe conditions forms of psoriasis.
* Phototherapy, or ultraviolet light treatment, is reserved for moderate to severe cases of psoriasis that do not respond to topical therapy.
“Patients with psoriasis should review their treatment options since many innovative treatments and therapies now exist that can greatly improve the quality of life for people with psoriasis,” adds Dr. Lebwohl. One of the more innovative approaches to psoriasis treatment is Psoriasis-ltd. The key to Psoriasis-Ltd is its simplicity. It delivers many well-known and well-documented anti-imflamatory minerals directly to the skin, without the side effects that accompany most psoriasis treatments.
Cold winter weather and dry and indoor heat can rob the body of needed moisture and cause psoriasis symptoms to flare or worsen. The condition becomes even more severe when the stress of the holidays and winter illnesses combine and compromise the immune system.
“The physical and emotional discomfort felt by those with psoriasis can be challenging throughout the year,” says dermatologist Mark Lebwohl, M.D., professor and chairman, department of dermatology, the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. “Due to winter’s effect on the skin, patients should diligently monitor their condition carefully.”
Psoriasis is most commonly characterized by areas of thick, red, white or scaly patches on the skin’s surface. Psoriasis is caused by the unusually rapid growth of skin cells that can build up on the skin’s surface -- usually around the knees, elbows, scalp, hands, feet or lower back -- and cause itching and severe discomfort.
Psoriasis treatments are often selected based on the patient’s health, age, lifestyle and symptoms.
* Topical medications applied to the skin are used to treat mild to moderate psoriasis. Topical tretament is usually begun at the first signs of the condition.
* Systemic medications treat the entire body and are often reserved for patients whose psoriasis is not responsive to topical medications or phototherapy.
* New biologic treatments, which target the precise immune responses involved in the development of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, are used to treat moderate to severe conditions forms of psoriasis.
* Phototherapy, or ultraviolet light treatment, is reserved for moderate to severe cases of psoriasis that do not respond to topical therapy.
“Patients with psoriasis should review their treatment options since many innovative treatments and therapies now exist that can greatly improve the quality of life for people with psoriasis,” adds Dr. Lebwohl. One of the more innovative approaches to psoriasis treatment is Psoriasis-ltd. The key to Psoriasis-Ltd is its simplicity. It delivers many well-known and well-documented anti-imflamatory minerals directly to the skin, without the side effects that accompany most psoriasis treatments.
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