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Before we can issue a treatment, you’ll need to answer a short assessment. This assessment will help us recommend the right treatment for you.
Psoriasis can cause your skin to feel itchy and irritated, appearing red, inflamed, and patchy. This discomfort can not only affect your physical well-being but also lead to feelings of embarrassment or self-consciousness, impacting your psychological health. That's why at Ashcroft Pharmacy, we're committed to offering a service that prioritizes holistic health and meets your individual needs. We stock a wide range of prescription and non-prescription creams, gels, ointments, and foams specifically formulated to prevent, treat, and manage dry skin conditions, including psoriasis (characterized by scaly, pink patches of thickened skin) and seborrhoeic dermatitis, also known as dandruff, seborrheic eczema, and seborrheic psoriasis. When it occurs in infants, it's called cradle cap.
Psoriasis is a skin condition caused by unusual production of skin cells that results in skin build-ups. It is a long-term skin condition that leaves your skin dry and inflamed. Psoriasis can be managed by taking psoriasis treatments based on the type of psoriasis you are suffering from.
Plague psoriasis
Plague psoriasis is the most common type of psoriasis. This type of plaque affects skin areas like the knees, elbows, and lower back. It presents as large patches(plagues), that are inflamed and itchy. The plagues are covered with silver scales and may appear reddish.
Guttate psoriasis
Guttate psoriasis is also known as raindrops or teardrops psoriasis. It presents as a large rash on the skin with small, reddish, scaly, sore, itchy spots.
Guttate psoriasis is commonly found on the limbs, neck, scalp, or trunk. This type of psoriasis is a result of throat infection, medications, injury on the skin, or illnesses. It's most common in teenagers, young adults, and children
Pustular psoriasis
Pustular psoriasis symptoms are small pus-filled pustules that occur on the soles of the feet and palm. The skin around the pus-filled pustules appears reddish and may crack while walking or working with your hands.
When the pus-filled pustules dry up they turn brown and crusty. Pustular psoriasis is not common like the other types of psoriasis and it is uncontagious.
Scalp psoriasis
Scalp psoriasis occurs on the whole scalp or in patches. It mostly affects the skin around the hairline, the back of the neck, and behind the ears.
Symptoms of scalp psoriasis include inflamed, red, and flaky skin that resembles dandruff. You may experience tight, sore, and itchy skin on your scalp which may lead to hair loss or thinning of the hair.
Nail psoriasis
Nail psoriasis affects the fingernails and toenails. Nail psoriasis symptoms include thickening, crumbling, and discoloration of the nails, nails coming out easily, and pitting and dents on the nail surface.
It's easy to confuse fungal nail infection with nail psoriasis, therefore seek medical advice and get diagnosed by a professional.
Inverse psoriasis
Inverse psoriasis is most common on the armpits and under the breasts. Its symptoms include pain sores under the affected skin areas.
Erythrodermic psoriasis
Erythrodermic psoriasis is a type of psoriasis caused by sunburns, infections, or some medications. Its symptoms include skin shedding and severe redness on the affected skin areas.
The main cause of psoriasis is the immune system cell known as the T cell.T cells attack and fight bacteria causing the infection but in people with psoriasis, T cells attack healthy skin cells mistakenly.
This triggers the hypodermis to produce new skin cells quickly therefore causing inflammation and skin thickening. Other environmental and biological factors cause psoriasis.
Triggers are factors that result in psoriasis flare-ups. They include:
Psoriasis has no exact cure but can be managed with psoriasis treatments. Your pharmacist will determine the best type of treatment depending on the severity of your symptoms and the skin area of treatment.
There are several types of psoriasis treatments, they include topical treatments, systematic medications, and phototherapy.
Topical treatments are creams and ointments applied on the skin. Psoriasis topical treatments are divided into 4 categories:
Topical steroids
Topical steroids are short-term use corticosteroids applied in the area of treatments to reduce inflammation. Examples of topical steroids include:
Vitamin D preparations
Topical vitamin D is used to decrease inflammation, redness, dry skin, and scaling. They are applied 30 minutes after moisturizing the affected area of treatment. Topical vitamin D is not applied on the face as it can cause skin thinning and calcium buildup in the blood.
Your pharmacist may prescribe a topical vitamin D treatment only or combine it with a topical steriod depending on the severity of your symptoms.
Examples of Vitamin D gels include:
Moisturizers and emollients
Moisturizers and emollients are designed to hydrate and protect your skin from drying. Moisturizers can be used as a daily skincare routine to increase their effectiveness while emollients are only used during the day for a natural hydration feeling.
Examples of moisturizers and emollients include:
Coal-tar products:
Coal tar is used to treat various skin conditions, such as scalp psoriasis, eczema, dandruff. however, it is also available in the form of gel, lotion, and ointments. Coal tar contains anti-inflammatory and anti-scaling properties that relieve psoriasis symptoms.
Coal tar is used together with salicylic acid to shed off the thick scaly skin. Examples of products containing coal tar include:
Treatment products containing coal tar and salicylic acid include:
Systematic medications
Systematic treatments work best on severe psoriasis symptoms. Compared to topical treatment, systematic treatments work in the entire body.
They are available as biological and non-biological treatments. Nonbiological treatments include: injections while biological treatments include tablets and capsules.
Phototherapy
Phototherapy type of treatment uses ultraviolet light to reduce inflammation in the skin area of treatment. Phototherapy is only performed by a dermatologist. There are 3 categories of phototherapy:
There are lifestyle changes and skin care routines that can reduce the severity of psoriasis symptoms. These prevention measures include:
Taking alcohol in moderation and observing a healthy diet. Keep track of foods that trigger psoriasis symptoms.
With successful treatments, psoriasis can disappear on its own.
The most common place to find psoriasis is on the scalp.
Examples of natural remedies that you can use to treat scalp psoriasis include turmeric, aloe vera, garlic, and coconut oil.
You can manage scalp psoriasis by using moisturizers to massage your scalp, practicing stress management skills, and avoiding cold and dry weather.
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