Psoriasis

Psoriasis is an itching condition, commonly a chronic or relapsing and immune mediated disease, finally characterized by skin lesions which include reddish scaly patches over skin, itch that can be seen in the form of papules and some plaques. The skin lesions can be viewed easily on the skin surface, which might be localized to specific parts or sometime as a complete body coverage.

Psoriasis can be categorized in to five main types the plaque, inverse, guttate, pustular and erythrodermic.

Plaque Psoriasis

Plaque psoriasis, commonly known as psoriasis vulgaris is known to affect up to 90% of people with the deadly psoriasis. It can be easily seen on the skin as raised areas with inflamed skin mostly covered with silvery-white scales around the affected areas. These areas have been given special name as plaque and mostly found on the knees, elbows and on the back.

Plaque of psoriasis

Erythrodermic Psoriasis

Widespread inflammation and exfoliation of the body covering is known as erythrodermic psoriasis. A person having erythrodermic psoriasis feels itching with swelling and severe pain. It is often an extension of plaque psoriasis, because of the release of some systematic glucocorticoids from the body. This is the most deadly form of psoriasis because in extreme cases it results in destabilization of the body’s temperature and body is unable to stabilize normal body temperature. This will retard normal functioning and individual is unable to carry out normal functioning and as a result death occurs.

Postular psoriasis

This form of psoriasis is mainly characterized by raised bumps that are filled with noninfectious pustules. Under these pustules the reddish skin appears with tender which help in the production of more and more pus with the passage of time. It is generally localized to hands and feet, but may appear on other body parts as well in the form of patches which are randomly spread. The psoriasis is partially characterized in to “acrodermatitis continua” that is an extension of the pustular psoriasis, localized to fingers and toes which may be spread to feet and hands in severe cases. Just like acrodermatitis continua, another extension is the pustulosispalmaris .et. plantaris localized on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet characterized by reddish, scaly skin.

Impetigo herpetiformis is another form of pustular psoriasis mostly occur during pregnancy and need hospitalization, is a rare and severe psoriasis. It is commonly called as generalized postularpsoriasis, which may be caused by the infection, released of topical corticosteroid treatment, hypocalcemia, pregnancy, medications or during severe treatment for normal plaque psoriasis.

It can be easily seen as an acute onset of pustules on the top of tender red itchy skin. In severe cases it results in muscle aches, nausea, high fever and increase in no of white blood cells. Another extension of generalized pustular psoriasis is annular pustular psoriasis mostly seen during childhood period, which is time of growth.It is less severe than other forms of psoriasis and most common in women than in men. It is mostly characterized by ring shaped plaques with yellow crusting and pustules around the wounds, mostly attack the exposed parts of the body.

Guttate psoriasis

Guttate psoriasis can be seen as small, red to pink, scaly papules. These can be easily recognized because they appear as large bright spots over the skin mostly on the trunk, but may appear on limbs. It is highly enhanced by astreptococcal infection.

Inverse Psoriasis

Also known as flexural psoriasis occurs as inflamed patches of skin which usually affects skin folds, mainly around the genitals, the armpits and in the skin folds of persons with overweight abdomen. Along with these it also occurs in between the buttocks and under the breasts usually in the infra-mammary fold. As these are the most heated parts of the body, a general fact can be established over here that heat plays a crucial role in the development of these kinds of psoriasis. Another extension of the inverse psoriasis is the napkin psoriasis mostly occurs in infants around the areas near thighs due to nappies and diaper, appearing as red scalps.

Seborrheic like psoriasis

This type of psoriasis is mainly characterized by red plaques in areas where a high secretion of sebum occurs with greasy scales in that particular area.