Plaque psoriasis causes raised red sores on the skin due to an overactive immune system, affecting 5.5 million people in the US. There is no cure, but treatments such as immune system suppression, steroids, and topical creams can reduce symptoms.
Plaque psoriasis is the most commonly diagnosed form of psoriasis. It causes raised red sores to appear on a person’s skin. These inflamed areas, which are sometimes called scales or plaques, tend to itch and burn. The most common location for outbreaks are the knees and elbows, but they are also quite common on the scalp and torso. The condition tends to come and go, so it can occasionally go away for months or even years before returning. Researchers estimate that about 5.5 million people in the United States have the disease, and it affects men and women equally.
The sores in plaque psoriasis are caused by an abnormally rapid replacement of skin cells. Under normal circumstances, skin cells are replaced every 30 days, but with plaque psoriasis, areas of skin are replaced much faster. This causes excess skin cells to build up, which creates the appearance of raised scales. The reason behind this overgrowth is an overactive immune system, which triggers the production of too many white blood cells. As part of a normal defensive reaction, these blood cells can cause inflammation of the skin and also cause the skin to grow faster than it would naturally.
Most plaque psoriasis sufferers experience their first outbreak in their late teens or early 20s. There are several environmental and behavioral factors thought to increase the frequency of outbreaks, including smoking, alcoholism and sun exposure. The duration of outbreaks can vary significantly and can sometimes take months to resolve. This condition is normally an inherited disease, so people with a family history are at a much higher risk. If someone has only one parent with the disease, the risk is about 15%, while those with two infected parents have a 50% chance of inheriting it.
There is no real cure for plaque psoriasis, but in some cases, a sufferer may be able to achieve long-term remission. There are several treatments that can sometimes reduce the degree of symptoms, including drugs that suppress the immune system, steroids, and topical creams and ointments. The results of different treatment methods can vary greatly from one patient to another, so doctors may try different treatment approaches before finding the best solution. Some people have experimented with alternative therapies, including herbal remedies, for cases of plaque psoriasis, but most of these approaches have not necessarily been verified by medical science.
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