What Does Psoriasis Look Like-Symptoms & Solutions

Psoriasis is a non-contagious condition of the skin.  In the average person, old skin cells die and flake off, while new cells are being produced and slowly rise to the surface.  The new cells are produced at the same rate as old cells are disposed.  However, with people who have psoriasis, layers of skin are created faster than the body has time to get rid of old skin.  The turnover rate is typically a month, but with suffers of this condition, it’s a matter of days.  This results in red, inflamed areas (from the body’s efforts to nourish the excess skin) and white, flaky layers.

There is no set pattern on how the disease progresses.  Some may have regular outbreaks with severe and nearly debilitating symptoms, while others may only have occasional, mostly annoying symptoms.  There are certain things that can trigger an outbreak, such as stress or certain weather.

Here’s a list of some of the major things that indicate what psoriasis looks like:

  • Red patches which range from local local spots to full-body red spots
  • Swelling and stiffness of the joints
  • Thick or ridged fingernails and toenails
  • Small scaly spots can often be seen in young people with the disease
  • Bleeding can occur due to cracking and dryness of the skin

The symptoms will vary depending on the exact type of psoriasis the person has.

  • The most common type of psoriasis is called plaque psoriasis.  Red lesions covered with scales will crop up in various places on the body, including the soft tissue inside your mouth and on your privates.
  • If there are noticable flakes of dead hair in your scalp area, and dandruff shampoo doesn’t seem to help, it could be that you have scalp psoriasis. 
  • Inverse psoriasis is generally the result of sweating and friction and results in red patches in the genital region, armpits, and under the breasts. This is a condition more common for obese people.
  • Pustular psoriasis is a rare, but serious form of psoriasis.  It is acccompanied by chills, weight loss, fever, fatigue, and severe itching.  It appears rapidly adn lasts several days.
  • Nail psoriasis, as the name suggests, mainly affects your nails.  The nail may become discolored and even break off in severe condidtions.
  • There are other forms of psoriasis, including erythrodermic (full-body peeling; intense burning), guttate psoriasis (sores on arms and legs), and psoriatic arthritis (discolored nails; painful joints).

It is important not to lose your self-esteem if you have psoriasis.  With proper treatment, you can keep a majority of would-be outbreaks under control.  Although there is no cure for psoriasis, you can still go on to live happy and rash-free.  See your doctor or other healthcare professional to find out how to fight back and regain control.