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Psoriasis is a common and chronic skin
disorder. Plaque psoriasis is the most common type of psoriasis and is
characterized by red skin covered with silvery scales and inflammation.
Patches of circular to oval shaped red plaques that itch or burn are typical
of plaque psoriasis. The patches are usually found on the arms, legs, trunk,
or scalp but may be found on any part of the skin. The most typical areas
are the knees and elbows.
|Follow-up| Plaque psoriasis is a chronic disease that
goes away and returns. Follow-up care depends on the severity of the disease
at any given time.
If a patient has evidence of psoriatic arthritis, a consultation with a rheumatologist (one who specializes in arthritis) is helpful. |Prevention| Avoiding environmental factors that trigger
psoriasis, such as smoking, sun exposure, and stress, may help prevent
or minimize flare-ups of psoriasis. Sun exposure may help in many cases
of psoriasis and aggravate it in others.
Alcohol is considered a risk factor for
psoriasis in young to middle-aged men. Avoid or minimize alcohol use if
you have psoriasis.
Specific dietary restrictions or supplements other than a well-balanced and adequate diet are unimportant in the management of plaque psoriasis. |Outlook| Psoriasis is more of an inconvenience in most cases than it is threatening. However, it is a chronic disease and reoccurs. The itching, peeling, and splitting of skin at joints can lead to significant pain and self-esteem issues. By far, the patient's quality of life is affected most with plaque psoriasis. Self-consciousness and embarrassment about appearance, inconvenience, and high costs of treatment options all affect one’s outlook when living with psoriasis. Complications of the disease are relatively uncommon. Many of the complications of plaque psoriasis are related to the treatments used for the disease. Overly aggressive use of topical steroids could lead to more severe forms of psoriasis (from plaque to pustular for example). Bandages should not be used with topical steroids because inflammation and swelling may occur. Oversensitivity to the sun is possible with many of the treatment options (especially phototherapy). About 10% percent of all cases of plaque psoriasis are associated with psoriatic arthritis. Anxiety, depression, or stress may worsen symptoms and increase the tendency to itch. Methotrexate, PUVA, cyclosporine, and oral
retinoids all have helped to induce and maintain remission in severe cases
of plaque psoriasis.
OLUX Foam is a super-potent topical corticosteroid indicated for short-term topical treatment of the inflammatory and pruritic manifestations of moderate to severe corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses of the scalp. In a controlled pharmacokinetic study 3 of 13 patients experienced reversible suppression of the adrenal following 14 days of OLUX Foam therapy. Treatment beyond 2 consecutive weeks is not recommended, and the total dosage should not exceed 50 g per week because of the potential for the drug to suppress the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Use in children under 12 years of age is not recommended. More info: http://www.flakehq.com/ |
