Psoriasis is a skin ailment that affects more than 3% of the world’s population and there are many different symptoms of Psoriasis. Psoriasis is often characterized by red itchy patches on different parts of the body like; the legs, arms, trunk, face, and lower back among others. The disease is often looked at as a speedup of the normal skin replacement process. The causes of Psoriasis are still not known, but it is suspected that it is caused by different environmental factors. Though the disease can potentially affect any part of the body, it mostly affects certain areas of the body where his skin is thinner and more sensitive; for example, parts of the body that have folds.
It is important to note that, there have been some reported cases of Psoriasis on the face. Psoriasis on the face though not common, often presents itself with symptoms that are common to all types of psoriasis. It is therefore important that we explore some of the common symptoms of the disease.
Symptoms of Psoriasis
The most common symptoms are; red patches on the skin and silvery white scales that usually affect the knees and elbows. However, given the fact that there are several types of Psoriasis, each type presents different symptoms in a variety of body parts; though many of these symptoms may be similar in some instances.
People with Plaque Psoriasis often have areas of red raised patches on their skin and covered silvery white scales. The affected areas include the feet, hands, scalp, lower back, knees and elbows among others.
Psoriasis also often presents small bleeding areas on the skin. The skin starts to bleed when the scales are scratched or scrapped off forcefully. The scales are therefore often itchy, especially if the Psoriasis is in areas that have folds like under the breasts and the armpits. On scratching the itchy area, the scales come off causing the skin to bleed.
In cases of severe Psoriasis, the disease presents some nail disorders. Some of these disorders include; pits in the nails, loosening and separation of the nail from the bed of the nail, yellowish discoloration and skin debris build up under the nails.
Some Psoriasis patients also have joint swelling and pain. This is referred to as Psoriasis Arthritis because it affects the joints, making them tender and often very painful. Psoriasis therefore also presents itself with swollen and stiff joints. Psoriasis Arthritis can also cause conditions that inflame the eyes; for example conjunctivitis. It is however important to note that, unlike other types of Arthritis, Psoriasis Arthritis doesn’t cripple the patient in some cases. However, it can cause stiffness and joint damage that may eventually cause permanent deformity.
People with Pustular Psoriasis usually have patches all over the body or on their hands and feet. In many cases, the patients also have blisters filled with pus and red inflamed skin. The blisters often dry up and disappear but they tend to reappear after a few weeks.
In Psoriasis, it is also common for patients to develop genital lesions. These mostly appear on the head of the penis. It may in this case be confused with other infections like; sexually transmitted diseases and infections.
It is therefore important to note that Psoriasis appears in many different forms. It may appear as; red thick dry skin, small skin bumps, big flakes of dry skin and large thick plaques. It therefore has many appearances, depending on the type of Psoriasis that has affected the patient. The disease also takes on the form of other skin infections like staph infections, yeast infections, fungal infections and bacterial infections.