WHAT IS PLAQUE PSORIASIS ?

Plaque psoriasis may result from an imbalance in the immune system in which the white blood cells that protect the body from infection abnormally trigger a reactive inflammation in the skin. This abnormal reaction will also cause skin cells to grow faster than normal and to pile up in raised patches on the outer surface of the skin creating the raised plaque.

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.

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.

Psoriasis-Ltd for the Treatment of Psoriasis

Psoriasis-Ltd is a blend of soothing, beneficial all-natural minerals specially formulated to improve the appearance of psoriasis and the texture of psoriasis affected skin. Patients have seen an excellent improvement in the appearance of their skin condition after stopping their previous psoriasis treatments and starting the application of Psoriasis-Ltd III. We are now in our seventh successful year of serving patients throughout the world. Over 98% of those using Psoriasis-Ltd III receive the satisfaction that they had been dreaming of for many years. Psoriasis-Ltd III does not stain clothes or bedding, does not smell, and dries invisibly on the skin in less than 20 seconds.

Treating Psoriasis

The treatment of psoriasis requires a highly motivated patient. The course of psoriasis ebbs and flows worsens and then improves, requiring constant attention to the changing cycle of treatment and management. Most types of psoriasis go through cycles, flaring for a few weeks or months, then subsiding for a time or even going into complete remission.
The primary goal in treating psoriasis is to control the itching and reduce inflammation. Treatment of psoriasis must involve some lifestyle changes. Treatment of psoriasis is generally based on the sufferer’s age, the severity of their psoriasis condition, and the type of psoriasis they have. Keeping the skin well hydrated is important in the treatment of psoriasis. If itching is severe antihistamines may be considered.
Psoriasis tends to flare-up when the person is exposed to certain trigger factors. Conditions that may cause flare-ups include changes in climate, infections, stress, and dry skin. Also, certain medicines, most notably beta-blockers, which are used in the treatment of high blood pressure, and lithium or drugs used in the treatment of depression, may cause an outbreak or worsening of the disease. Mild cases of psoriasis may be a nuisance. But more severe cases can be painful, disfiguring and disabling. Lack of sunlight and low indoor humidity in the winter months can cause the psoriasis symptoms to worsen.
Moisturizers such as jojoba oil, bath oils, and soap substitutes can be applied to the affected areas as frequently as required to relieve itching, scaling and dryness. Moisture therapy helps to restore one of the skin's most important functions, which is to form a barrier to prevent bacteria and viruses getting into the body and therefore help to prevent a rash becoming infected. Moisturizers are safe and rarely cause an allergic reaction. Occasionally, products with lanolin may cause a reaction. Ideally, moisturizers should be applied three to four times a day. Apply in a gentle downward motion in the direction of hair growth to prevent accumulation of cream around the hair follicle (this can cause infection of the follicle).

Defining Psoriasis

A general picture of psoriasis can encompass different stages. Some people may experience limited psoriasis while others may experience more widespread psoriasis.
Psoriasis can trace its cause to a hyper proliferation of the epidermis, concomitant inflammation, and vascular changes, which occur based on combined genetic and environmental factors. Psoriasis does not discriminate - it occurs equally in men and women and is rarely life threatening.

Psoriasis is defined by silvery-white scaly patches of various size seen most commonly on the knees, elbows, and scalp. Psoriasis occurs when skin cells mature at an accelerated rate. On a normal basis, skin cells grow, mature, and shed about once a month. Skin cells of a person with psoriasis grow nearly seven times faster and build up at the skin's surface resulting in red, raised, scaly patches and lesions.

While there is currently no cure for psoriasis, in isolating the cause, you can effect a treatment control of your psoriasis. Lifestyle changes are part of the the whole treatment picture. Controlling the cause can be its own cure!

What is Psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition in which new skin cells grow too fast. This causes thick, dry, scaly patches of skin to form in areas where the old skin hasn't shed quickly enough.
If you've been diagnosed with psoriasis, there are several things you can do to help manage flare-ups.

Psoriasis Skin Care Tips Include:

Keep your skin moist.
Apply creams and ointments slowly and gradually in the direction of your hair's growth.
Avoid using very hot water when bathing or showering.
Use mild soaps and deodorants.
Use brushes with soft bristles. Wash your hair gently and let it dry naturally whenever possible.
Avoid picking or scratching skin and skin injuries. An injury to the skin can cause psoriasis patches to form at the site.

Home Remedy for Psoriasis

Turmeric is a popular home remedy for psoriasis. Turmeric paste is easy to make and many people claim it has significantly improved their psoriasis symptoms.

To make the paste:
Pour 1/4 tsp. or more of turmeric powder in a non-porous bowl (glass, ceramic or metal). That amount is enough to treat a small, quarter-size area. Use more turmeric if treating larger areas of the skin. Mix enough water into the turmeric powder to make a thick, smooth paste--about the consistency of mud. Pour one drop of water into the turmeric powder at a time, while stirring the mixture with a spoon to remove any lumps. If you accidentally use too much water, add more turmeric powder to obtain the desired consistency. Spread a thin layer of turmeric paste onto the psoriasis-affected areas of skin, before bedtime. Use enough paste so that you cannot see the underlying skin, but not so much that the paste is falling off. Wrap a piece of gauze around the skin treated with turmeric paste to keep the paste in place. Leave the turmeric paste on your skin, covered with the gauze, overnight. Remove the gauze and wash the turmeric paste off of your skin using warm water.

Curcumin "is the active ingredient in turmeric responsible for inhibiting skin growth factors that lead to psoriasis scales, according to Volume 595 of the journal Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology."

Be aware the paste will turn your skin orange for a while but will eventually fade, hopefully along with your psoriasis! Does it work? Old home rememdies sometimes have a solid basis and sometimes will cause more harm. Always use caution when exploring home remedies for any condition.

Want to treat your psoriasis without turning orange? One solution is Psoriasis-Ltd, a soothing blend of minerals safely designed to improve the sympotms of psoriasis.

The Picture of Psoriasis

In the clinical picture, psoriasis can trace its cause to a hyper proliferation of the epidermis, concomitant inflammation, and vascular changes, which occur based on combined genetic and environmental factors.

A general picture of psoriasis can encompass different stages. Some people may experience limited psoriasis while others may experience more widespread psoriasis. Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition affecting over 6 million people in the United States alone. Psoriasis occurs equally in men and women and is rarely life threatening. Psoriasis generally begins between the ages of 15 and 35, but it is possible for it to occur very early or very late in life.

Psoriasis is characterized by silvery-white scaly patches of various size seen most commonly on the knees, elbows, and scalp. Psoriasis occurs when skin cells mature at an accelerated rate. On a normal basis, skin cells grow, mature, and shed about once a month. Skin cells of a person with psoriasis grow nearly seven times faster and build up at the skin's surface resulting in red, raised, scaly patches and lesions.
Although some sufferers complain of itching, it is not very common in the psoriasis picture. Only 30% of people with psoriasis complain of itching. Development of psoriasis is caused by genetic factors.

While there is currently no cure for psoriasis, in isolating the cause, you can achieve an effective treatment control of your psoriasis. Lifestyle changes are part of the the whole treatment picture. Controlling the cause can be its own cure! Psoriasis-Ltd can help.

What is Guttate Psoriasis?

Guttate psoriasis is a type of psoriasis characterized by small red dots (or drops) of psoriasis. Guttate comes from the Latin word gutta meaning "drop."

This type of psoriasis often appears on the trunk, arms and legs. The lesions may have some scale.

Guttate psoriasis frequently appears suddenly following a streptococcal infection or viral upper respiratory infections. There are also other events that can precipitate an attack of guttate psoriasis: tonsillitis, a cold, chicken pox, immunizations, physical trauma, psychological stress, illness, and the administration of anti-malarial drugs.

Guttate psoriasis is many small patches of psoriasis, all over the body, and often happens after a throat infection. Guttate Psoriasis most often affects children and young adults. It appears as small, red bumps-the size of drops of water-on the skin. It usually appears suddenly, often several weeks after an infection such as strep throat.

SYMPTOMS OF PSORIASIS

Individuals with psoriasis experience symptoms such as itching, cracking, stinging, burning, or bleeding. Lack of sunlight and low indoor humidity in the winter months can cause the psoriasis symptoms to worsen. The affected skin may crack at the joints where the body bends, or in areas where the individual scratches. Scratching should be strictly avoided, because it can cause bleeding and infection. Psoriasis has also been known to cause pits or dents to form in fingernails and toenails. There is also the possibility that the soft tissue inside the mouth and genitalia can be affected.

New skin cells take about a month or so to move from the deepest skin layer where they're produced, to the surface where they die and flake off. With psoriasis, the entire skin cell life cycle takes only days leading to an accumulation on the skin surface causing irritation, itching and redness.

People with psoriasis may notice that there are times when their skin worsens, then improves. Conditions that may cause flareups include changes in climate, infections, stress, and dry skin. Also, certain medicines, most notably beta-blockers, which are used in the treatment of high blood pressure, and lithium or drugs used in the treatment of depression, may cause an outbreak or worsening of the disease.

Causes of Psoriasis

There are many ideas about the cause of psoriasis. Heredity plays a role in the development of psoriasis. It has been noted that individuals who have a family member with a severe case of psoriasis tend to experience early onset of the disease. Many psoriasis researchers have found that a biochemical stimulus may trigger the abnormally high skin growth, which in turn causes the skin lesions of psoriasis. Other research studies indicate that psoriasis may be a disorder of the immune system. The T cell, a white blood cell, normally works to fight off infection and disease. Scientists believe that having an abnormal immune system causes abnormal activity by T cells in the skin. These abnormally active T cells cause skin inflammation and increased cell production. Diet and vitamin influences have also been thought to play a role in psoriasis development and progression.

The Many Types Of Psoriasis

Psoriasis can occur in several different forms. All types of psoriasis are caused when the infection-fighting white blood cells, called T-cells, malfunction. Under normal circumstances, T-cells fight against foreign invaders. However, in individuals with psoriasis, the T-cells actually attack the skin. The rash of psoriasis results from a combination of damage to the skin by T-cells, inflammation in the skin, and overproduction of new skin cells. To effectively treat your psoriasis, you must first identify the type of psoriasis you have.

Out of Control Immune Cell May Affect Psoriasis

Scientists Discover Cells That Control Inflammation in Chronic Disease
ScienceDaily (Nov. 17, 2009) — A new type of immune cell that can be out of control in certain chronic inflammatory diseases, worsening the symptoms of conditions like psoriasis and asthma, is described for the first time this week in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

The authors of the study, from Imperial College London, the Istituto Dermopatico dell'Immacolata in Rome and the Center of Allergy and Environment (ZAUM) in Munich, hope their discovery could lead to new treatments for these diseases that would bring the cells under control.

The new cell described in the study, called a Th22 cell, is a kind of T-helper cell. These cells are white blood cells that help to activate other immune cells when the body is infected by a pathogen, such as a virus or bacterium. They also control inflammation in the body to help fight off infection.

According to the new study, Th22 cells play a special role in overseeing and coordinating immune cells that cause inflammation. In chronic and allergic inflammatory diseases like psoriasis and allergic eczema, Th22 cells appear to be malfunctioning, leading to excessive inflammation, which can worsen symptoms.

The researchers hope that it may ultimately be possible to treat chronic skin and possibly also airway diseases by targeting Th22 cells with new drugs.

Dr Carsten Schmidt-Weber, one of the lead authors of the study from the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London, said: "We are seeing an increase in chronic diseases like skin and airway disease because of changes in people's lifestyles. These diseases can have a big impact on people's lives and patients can face a constant battle to keep their symptoms at bay. We are very excited about discovering this new subset of T-helper cells, as we believe it could provide a new target for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases in the future."

The researchers discovered Th22 cells by looking at skin samples from people with psoriasis, atopic eczema and allergic contact dermatitis. They analysed the samples and found a completely new type of cell. The researchers examined the molecules the cells made and found that one of them was a signalling molecule called interleukin-22 (IL-22). This signalling molecule warns tissues that inflammation or infection is going to occur, so the tissues can get ready to recognise and attack pathogens or protect themselves against inflammation. The effect of this can be either protective or detrimental -- for example, IL-22 molecules and Th22 cells can cause skin cells to grow too quickly, resulting in painful, flaking skin.

The authors of the new study hope that their new discovery will provide scientists developing treatments for inflammatory disorders with a new cellular drug target. The researchers are now investigating the role of these cells in greater detail and exploring their role in disease progression. In addition, Dr Schmidt-Weber and his colleagues want to know how the cells are generated in the body and whether there is any way to control these cells before they cause unwanted damage.

Introducing Psoriasis-Ltd

Psoriasis-Ltd is a blend of soothing, beneficial minerals specially formulated to work synergistically with your skin to improve the appearance of skin-related conditions. Psoriasis sufferers have seen an excellent improvement in the appearance of their skin condition after stopping their current treatments and applying Psoriasis-Ltd III. Most psoriasis sufferers become frustrated by spending many years and dollars in their search for the best treatment.

Psoriasis-Ltd is now in their seventh successful year of serving psoriasis sufferers throughout the world. Over 98% of Psoriasis-Ltd III users report great satisfaction with the condition of their skin even where adverse symptoms of skin problems were present for years. Psoriasis-Ltd III does not stain clothes or bedding, does not smell, and dries invisibly on the skin in less than one minute.

Scaly, Flaky Ears Could Be a Sign of Ear Psoriasis

Psoriasis is commonly found in the ears too. Ear Psoriasis can appear as dry flaky patches in the ear canal. Psoriasis can cause scale buildup that blocks the ear canal. This scaling can result in the  blockage of the ear canal affecting hearing. Psoriasis rarely affects the eardrum. Ear psoriasis is usually found in the external ear canal, not inside the ear or behind the eardrum. Psoriasis of the ears occurs in approximately 18 percent of all patients at some time.

The Ocular Symptoms of Psoriasis

Up to 10% of people with psoriasis will report some symptoms of eye involvement.  Psoriasis of the eyes can cause dryness, redness and swelling of the eye. There may be redness and crusting around the corners of the eyelid. If left untreated, vision impairment may occur.Treatment can include moisture drops, eye washes or a limited time dose of steroid drops.

Psoriasis and Arthritis

Psoriasis is a chronic disease of the skin which causes marks of red patches that are covered with scales. These can appear everywhere on the body, including the scalp, elbows, knees, and even the genital region. Nail changes are also common, and psoriasis can also even cause hair loss.
In regards to the correlation between arthritis and psoriasis, there are many factors that need to be taken into consideration. For instance, in regards to the matter of arthritis and psoriasis, one can easily trigger the other, and so it is incredibly important that if you suffer from either one that you make sure to see your physician as soon as possible so that they can properly diagnose you and help you to find the best remedy possible.
The matter of arthritis and psoriasis is an incredibly important one that must be taken into the most serious consideration, and since arthritis and psoriasis are so closely correlated, you may not even recognize the symptoms of one or the other before it is too late. Thus, it is important to get regular checkups so that hopefully your physician will notice the signs and symptoms of either and then appropriately tell you the proper treatment in regards to the diagnosis.
By: John Ugoshowa

Treating Psoriasis With Dermatitis-Ltd

Sufferers of psoriasis have seen an excellent improvement in one to two weeks in their psoriasis skin condition appearance after stopping their previous psoriasis treatments. It has been found that most of our psoriasis customers have been frustrated for years in spending much money in their search for the best psoriasis treatment. Dermatitis-Ltd is now in its seventh successful year of serving psoriasis sufferers throughout the world with a 100% refund guarantee for any reason within 120 days. Overall, over 98% of Dermatitis-Ltd III users confirm that they have found an improvement in the appearance of their skin where persistant psoriasis problems had been for so long. Dermatitis-Ltd III does not stain clothes, bedding, and does not smell, and usually dries on on the skin in less than one minute while being invisible on the skin.

The Effects Of Nail Psoriasis

About 50 percent of people with active psoriasis have psoriatic changes in fingernails and/or toenails. In some instances psoriasis may occur only in the nails and nowhere else on the body. Psoriatic changes in nails range from mild to severe, generally reflecting the extent of psoriatic involvement of the nail plate, nail matrix (tissue from which the nail grows), nail bed (tissue under the nail), and skin at the base of the nail. Damage to the nail bed by the pustular psoriasis can result in loss of the nail. Nail changes in psoriasis fall into general categories that may occur singly or all together:The nail plate is deeply pitted, probably due to defects in nail growth caused by psoriasis. The nail has a yellow to yellow-pink discoloration, probably due to psoriatic involvement of the nail bed. White areas appear under the nail plate. These are air bubbles marking spots where the nail plate is becoming detached from the nail bed (onycholysis). There may be reddened skin around the nail.The nail plate crumbles in yellowish patches (onychodystrophy), probably due to psoriatic involvement in the nail matrix.The nail is entirely lost due to psoriatic involvement of the nail matrix and nail bed.