Psoriasis
Psoriasis
A tenacious, recurring, unsightly disease affecting approximately 5 to 7 percent of the population in the United States, psoriasis involves mostly adults between the ages of twenty and fifty. Despite intensive research, the cause of this disease remains unknown. The few good things that can be said about it is that it is neither a threat to life and health nor contagious; but it remains, however, a very distressing ailment because of its unsightliness and discomfort.
The Danger: Psychologically only, except for occasionally associated arthritis.
Symptoms: Psoriasis first appears as small dull red patches (rash) covered with dry, silvery, or asbestos-like scales. The definitive symptom is a tiny bleeding point under a scale. The areas most affected are around the elbows, knees, low back, ears, and scalp. The small patches tend to coalesce into larger ones. The lesions heal without scarring. There may be itching. Fingernails are often affected. The nails may be split, cracked, discolored, pitted, and separated from the bed.
Treatment: Psoriasis is controllable but not curable. Remissions, which may last from weeks to months to years, occur about 20 percent of the time. More than half the remissions occur in the summer, generally a good period for this disease. Although no specific treatment is available, a large number of different procedures are employed. The most consistently beneficial treatment, more than any other, is full body exposure to sunlight. Such topical measures as steroid creams and coal tar derivatives are often effective.
Recently medications derived from drugs used in cancer therapy (antimetabolites) have been administered internally but are dangerous except in very expert hands. Steroids taken internally are usually contraindicated because of their frequently dangerous side effects.
Psoriasis is an erratic disease that responds and behaves differently with different individuals-a medication that will help one patient will do very little for another.
Outlook: Modern methods of treatment have somewhat improved the outlook for psoriatic patients. Many patients have spontaneous remission, which may last for a prolonged period of time even after the disease has had many years of duration.
