Psoriasis

What is psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a common type of chronic disease. It’s an autoimmune condition, which occurs when your immune system mistakenly accelerates skin development. 

Your skin is continuously going through a cycle of growth and shedding, renewing itself around every 30 days. In people with psoriasis, the growth cycle hastens to only around three or four days. Your old skin cells can’t shed fast enough to accommodate the new cells, and those new cells begin to stack up. 

This process creates thickened areas of skin called plaques or scales. They can develop anywhere on your body, but the most common sites are on the knees, elbows, and scalp.   

What are some signs I might have psoriasis?

Knowing what to look for can help you know when to seek treatment for psoriasis. Some of the signs you might have this condition include:

• Areas of skin that itches, burns, or is overly sensitive
• A patchy rash
• On light skin, red or pink patches with silvery scales on top
• On dark skin, purple patches with gray scales on top

Psoriasis can be very different from one person to the next. That’s why it is so important to see a dermatologist if you notice any of these changes in your skin.  

Why is it important to get treatment for psoriasis?

People with psoriasis have an elevated risk of numerous other health issues. Not only does prompt treatment help you achieve clearer skin, but getting a proper diagnosis also empowers you to take action to reduce your risk of other health problems linked to psoriasis. 

If you have psoriasis, you also have a higher risk of:

• Psoriatic arthritis
• Type 2 diabetes
• Cardiovascular disease
• Certain eye conditions
• High blood pressure
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Celiac disease

Your practitioner at Integrated Dermatology of Reno can help you explore treatment options for psoriasis and also discuss ways to boost and maintain your health, which can lower your chances of developing other conditions.

Begin today by calling the office to check appointment availability. You can also use the easy online scheduling tool to find a time that fits your schedule.