Psoriasis: a skin disease that can be controlled

Psoriasis is an inflammatory disease of the skin. There are different forms of psoriasis. The most common appears in the form of red plaques with scaling on the elbows and knees, as well as on the scalp. There are other less common forms of psoriasis, such as psoriasis of the nails or psoriasis of the skin folds.

Psoriasis can occur in men and women, as well as at any age. It is important to clarify that it is not a contagious disease.

Why psoriasis occurs

Psoriasis is not hereditary but has an important genetic load , so that people who have relatives with this disease are prone to have it. The primary cause of psoriasis is not well understood. However, it is known to influence inflammatory factors that trigger an alteration in the growth of the skin.

How to Treat Psoriasis: Topical and General Treatments

There are different treatments for psoriasis. Although psoriasis does not have a definitive cure , it can be controlled with multiple treatments and it is also possible to cure itself. It is important to keep psoriasis under control so that there are minimal symptoms and changes in the skin.

In this sense, the treatments of psoriasis are divided, fundamentally, between topical treatments and general treatments. For topical treatments, creams or lotions with different components are used. Sometimes topical corticosteroids can be used. These should be reserved only for cases where there is significant inflammation and its use is restricted to a duration as short as possible. Another of the most used and safe topical treatments is tacalcitol. It is a substance analogous to vitamin D that acts on the growth of skin cells.

As for general treatments there are different alternatives. They are characterized mainly by being at greater risk of producing adverse effects and requiring frequent clinical and analytical controls. They are reserved for more severe cases of psoriasis, either because it is more widespread or because it causes symptoms such as itching, peeling or significant redness of the skin. Among the general or also called systemic treatments are several drugs that act directly on the substances responsible for the inflammation of the skin.

For more information, consult a specialist in Dermatology .