Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that causes a rash that can develop scale-like patches. These patches can be itchy and irritating and leave you scratching away, looking for treatment. A dermatologist can help you address this condition. At Narra Dermatology and Aesthetics, Dr. Suseela Narra, serving Issaquah, WA, is here to help bring you relief with long-lasting treatment.
What Causes Psoriasis?
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that accelerates growth of skin cells, causing them to build up into scaly patches. An autoimmune disease occurs when your body has an overactive immune response. Your system cannot tell the difference between foreign cells that cause disease and your normal cells, so it attacks them both. With psoriasis, this manifests in thick, scaly patches on the skin from your skin cells that grow faster than they should. These patches commonly present on your elbows, knees, scalp, palms, or trunk. These scales may also be described as flakes, especially on the scalp. Psoriasis usually comes and goes in cycles.
Though common and able to be addressed by a primary care physician, psoriasis can be easy to misdiagnose, so a specialized skin doctor is usually the best to help determine precisely what skin condition you are suffering from. A dermatologist specializes in skin conditions and can recognize these differences.
The most common type of psoriasis is plaque psoriasis, which consists of the raised skin patches described above. These patches are plaques. However, a dermatologist can diagnose several other types of psoriasis based on your symptoms and presentation.
What Is the Difference Between Psoriasis and Eczema?
Psoriasis can often be confused with eczema. Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is another skin disease that causes dry, flaky, and cracked skin. Eczema is prevalent in children and is thought to be caused by a gene variation that makes it more difficult for your skin to protect itself against bacteria or retain moisture. Treatment for eczema is usually addressed by modifications to your skincare routine, including increasing the amount of moisturizer you use.
How Is Psoriasis Treated?
Psoriasis treatment will vary depending on how much surface area of the body is affected and where the rash is located. The location, especially on the face, will require different treatment. Treatments vary from creams or ointments that you apply topically to medications or even to ultraviolet light therapy.
See Dr. Narra at Narra Dermatology and Aesthetics if your skin disease is causing you discomfort or pain. Call (425) 677-8867 to schedule an appointment in Issaquah, WA, and diagnose your issue. We’ll get you feeling better in no time.