You have probably heard the name psoriasis, do you know what this disease is and how it occurs? Psoriasis is a skin disorder in which the rate of skin cell reproduction is 10 times higher than normal. Due to this excessive reproduction, the facial skin becomes red. This disease appears with age, and the skin spots may disappear after some time or reappear on the skin.

This problem is one of the auto – immune diseases that causes rapid accumulation of skin cells. This problem causes a scaly appearance on the surface of the skin and usually surrounds an inflamed and red area. The scales created are usually silver – white in color. We can see it as thick and raised plaques. Less common cases of this disease affect the nails, mouth, and around genital area.

This disease is always related to other diseases. And the patient may also have one of the following diseases:

Type 2 diabetes
Inflammatory bowel disease
Heart disease
Psoriatic arthritis
Anxiety

What is the cause of skin plaques in psoriasis?

The reason for the appearance of plaques in this disease is the rapid proliferation of skin cells. In the normal state, skin cells multiply in the deep area and gradually come to the skin’s surface. After some time, these cells are separated from the skin and replaced by newer cells. This cycle is repeated once a month for skin cells. But in people with psoriasis, this cycle is faster and the process of cell proliferation is much more active due to the defect. And because of this, the skin cells do not have the necessary time to complete the cycle and fall off and separate from the skin. This process causes the abnormal accumulation of epidermal cells on the surface of the skin, especially in the knee and elbow joints. Of course, these shell shapes can appear anywhere on the body, including hands, feet, neck, and face.

Causes of psoriasis

Until recently, the cause of psoriasis was not known. But the research of a recent decade showed that two genetic factors and the immune system play a role in the occurrence of the disease.

Immune system
The immune system in patients with psoriasis has a type of auto – immune deficiency and by attacking the own cells in the skin, it causes inflammation and skin wounds. Also, this attack has led to errors in the cell cycle, the result of which is the excessive production of skin cells.

Genetic factor
In 2-3% of the population, there are genes in people that make them prone to psoriasis. If there is a person with this problem or other skin disorders in the family or close relatives, the probability of getting it increases.

Diagnostic methods

Doctors are usually able to find out the existence of this disease without the need for tests and only through clinical examinations. Because the symptoms are more obvious than other skin disorders and it is not difficult to diagnose them. If the doctor suspects the existence of this disease, he will ask the patient questions about family history or other skin diseases. In some cases, if it is of a rare type, the definitive diagnosis of the disease requires additional tests requested by doctors.

The biopsy is one of these tests. In this test, your doctor takes a small sample of the skin and sends it to the medical diagnosis laboratory for an accurate diagnosis of the disease. And the exact type of psoriasis and its severity is determined. In most cases, a skin sample is obtained in the doctor’s office and during a clinical examination.

Treatment

Psoriasis does not have a definitive cure, but some drugs and treatment recommendations can reduce the severity of symptoms. Drug treatment is in two forms; The use of topical ointments and the use of oral drugs.

Systemic and oral drugs
For patients with a severe type of disease who do not respond effectively to local treatments, oral or injectable drugs are prescribed. Due to the side effects of these drugs, doctors only prescribe them for a short period of time.

Stress and anxiety are important causes of the recurrence of psoriasis symptoms. Patients can help relieve symptoms by learning stress control and relaxation skills. Due to the destructive effect of stress in increasing inflammatory messengers in the body, the immune system has increased sensitivity and dysfunction, and the result is more skin plaques.

Food restrictions:

A person with psoriasis should avoid the following foods:

lentils, eggplant, yogurt;
All kinds of pickles and sour fruits
Beef and veal and fish, frozen and leftover meats, salted and canned meats,
Coffee, Nescafe, cocoa, various industrial fruit juices, and carbonated drinks;

Is psoriasis contagious?

It is not contagious because the cause of this disease is not microbial, but a genetic defect in the cycle of skin cell reproduction. Therefore, contact with the skin plaques of a person with psoriasis does not expose you to this disease.