Psoriasis Treatment
Psoriasis Treatment
Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin condition characterised by red, dry, and thick plaques on the skin. Psoriatic lesions develop on the skin because of faster proliferation of skin cells which is caused by abnormal functioning of the lymphocytes present in the blood. Psoriasis is a non-communicable disease and is considered as mild or severe depending upon the spread of disease and the time for its recovery.
Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition. However patients may have a relapse period where the symptoms recur & worsen after a period of improvement. Often the symptoms are worse in winter.
Psoriasis is global condition affecting people of all age groups with higher incidence in younger adults. There is often a family history. Certain factors can trigger its appearance including stress, injury to the skin, infections and the use of certain medications.
Symptoms Of Psoriasis
The symptoms of psoriasis depend on the type of psoriasis. The most common symptom is the development of scaly, red patches which are usually asymptomatic but can occasionally be itchy, on the elbows and knees but other parts of the body can also be affected. Other symptoms such as genital lesions in males, pain in joints, deformities & discolouration of nails and severe dandruff on the scalp are seen.
Based on the characteristics of plaques and the body part affected, psoriasis is categorised into five types, namely:
- Erythrodermic psoriasis – Spreads all over the body with characteristic red skin and sheds the scales in sheets
- Guttate psoriasis – Small pink spots develops on the trunk and limbs
- Inverse psoriasis – Smooth, shiny bright-red lesions develop in the regions of skin folds such as armpits, groin, under breasts and around groins
- Plaque psoriasis – Most common form of psoriasis and is characterised by red raised plaques with silvery white scales that develop on elbows, knees, scalp and lower back
- Pustular psoriasis – Psoriasis subtype with blisters of non-infectious pus surrounded by inflamed skin
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of psoriasis involves the physical examination of the patient’s skin and sometimes a skin biopsy can also be done for confirmation.
If the patient is experiencing any joint pain, then X-rays may also be ordered.
Psoriasis Treatment
Several options are available for treatment of psoriasis and the choice depends on the type of psoriasis, area affected, disease severity and other factors. The treatment approaches include topical treatment, systemic treatment and phototherapy.
With topical treatment different medicated creams or lotions are applied directly to the skin or scalp.
Phototherapy is exposure of affected skin to ultraviolet radiations. The type of treatment now used is NBUVB (narrow band UVB)
With systemic treatment, medications that suppress the auto-immune activity are recommended. The medicines include immunosuppressant and newer classes of agents called biologic drugs.
In addition to the treatments mentioned above, your dermatologist may prescribe antibiotics to treat the associated infections, recommend other techniques such as stress relieving techniques, oatmeal bath and exposure to sun to improve the condition.
LED Light Therapy
The body is made up of cells that are generally capable of healing and reproducing on their own using naturally occurring cellular energy known as adenosine triphospate or ATP. When the skin is damaged, ATP stimulates cell regeneration to heal and restore the injured area.
Factors such as poor nutrition, a person’s age, and the general condition of the skin determine how slow or how fast cells may heal. Scientific studies also found that light can stimulate the production of ATP for better cell renewal otherwise known as photo rejuvenation. Skin care specialists take advantage of the therapeutic effects of light by using LED (for Light Emitting Diode Technology) to heal skin conditions during a light therapy session. Not just any light ray may be used to stimulate skin cells. There are harmful rays that can burn the skin or cause skin cancer. LED is ideal for light therapy because it emits a low level power that does not irritate or burn the skin.
Benefits of LED light therapy
- Non invasive procedure.
- No downtime.
- No scarring associated with LED light therapy.
- Painless procedure is comfortable and relaxing.
- No known side effects.
LIGHTS: What does each colour does for the skin and cells
Treats all skin types with a single device Each colour has its own frequency and vibration, colour and light bring physical, mental and spiritual and emotional systems to balance.
1. Red light for skin rejuvenation increases collagen production.
2. Blue light for acne by targeting bacteria that causes acne.
3. Purple light is the combination of red light and blue light, gives benefits of both lights combined together.
4. Yellow light energising skin, improves skin immunity and gives radiance and glow.
5. Green light calming and soothing effect on the skin.
6. Orange light improves skin’s metabolism and detoxifying for the skin.
7. Radium light penetrates deeply into the skin which is great for pigmentation improves skin tone.
Click here for more about LED Light Therapy.
Enquire about Psoriasis Treatment at Pulse Dermatology & Laser
To achieve best results it is essential that patients follow the correct medical homecare treatment program – this will be advised at your initial consultation.