Kim Kardashianhas been open about many things in her life, and that includes her ongoing battle with psoriasis. While the reality star only showed symptoms when she was an adult, the skin disease wasn’t new to her since her mother Kris Jenner is also suffering from it.
But when a rash appeared on her skin, psoriasis was far from her mind—that is, until she visited a dermatologist who informed her of the truth.
Psoriasis is a common non-contagiousautoimmune condition that manifests on the skin and affects about 125 million people in the world including at least 2 million Filipinos.While there are no clear causes of this skin disease, experts do know that genetics and the immune system are factors in its development.Psoriasis usually occurs between the ages of 15 and 35, but flare-ups can appear at any time when triggered. As psoriasis may look like other skin irritations, top hospital in the Philippines Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed) tells you what to look out for.
“The most common psoriasis symptoms include dry patches of red or sometimes pink, white, or even silver scaly plaques that usually appear on the elbows and knees. These patches or plaques can also show up on the lower back, scalp, face, hands, feet, and nails,” says Patricia Anne Tinio, MD, FPDSof MakatiMed’s Department of Dermatology. “Psoriasis patches are not only itchy, they may sting or burn, crack, and bleed, too. They can also vary in size, from small spots like dandruff flakes to large ones that cover an area of the body. Some people with psoriasis also have psoriatic arthritis, which makes the joints painful.”
Dr. Tiniostresses that symptoms may vary depending on the typeof psoriasis. The most common one is plaque psoriasis that causes usual symptoms like red, inflamed patches with whitish-silver scales or plaquesfound on the elbows, knees, and scalp.Kids can also get psoriasis, specifically guttate psoriasis, that manifests as small pink spots in the torso, arms, and legs.
Pustular psoriasis, which is common among adults,produces white, pus-filled blisters found in smaller areas of the body, such as the hands or feet.Inverse psoriasis causes bright areas of red, shiny, inflamed skin develop under armpits or breasts, in the groin, or around skinfolds in the genitals.
The most severe, rare, and life-threatening type is erythrodermic psoriasisthat often covers large sections of the body and comes with fever. See a doctor immediately if this type of psoriasis appears.
Triggers for psoriasis vary between patients, but usually, flare-ups are caused by cuts or scrapes, infections, stress, cold and dry weather, heavy drinking, or smoking.
If you noticeany of the symptoms, it’s important to find the right dermatologist to diagnose and treat your symptoms. Dr. Tinio says most doctors can make a diagnosiswith a simple physical exam. If symptoms are unclear, they’ll take a sample of the skin for biopsy to further help doctors determine the type of psoriasis you have.
Though there isn’t a proven cure for psoriasis, your doctor can help manageflare-ups and symptoms. In fact, psoriasis can be put into remissionwhich can make symptoms disappear temporarily.Not all dermatologists are experienced with this disease, so you need to look for someone with a history of treating the condition. To understand your specific triggers, a good dermatologist should be interested in your daily routine, so they can identify lifestyle adjustments you need to make. Apart from avoiding triggers, the condition can be allayed with a variety of other treatments.
“Usually, topical treatments are prescribed to reduce the inflammation and use of fragrance-freeskin products like moisturizers. To further soothe the skin, patients can take cold showers for10 minutes at most and apply lotion right after,” says Dr. Tinio. “For moderate to severe cases, medications are prescribedon top of the topical treatments.”
At MakatiMed, patients can try phototherapy, which uses UV light to slow the growth of infected skin cells and reduce inflammation. As no definite cure for psoriasis has been discovered, it’s best to stay open to new treatments. “People with psoriasis should regularly meet with their derma to manage the skin disease and hopefully put into remission,” says Dr. Tinio. “Your dermas are your partners in overcoming this life-long condition, so it’s important to find one that you can trust for the long haul.”
For more information, please contact MakatiMed On-Call at +6328888 8999, email mmc@makatimed.net.ph, or visit www.makatimed.net.ph.
