Difference Between Psoriasis And Eczema - An Overview

I had the opportunity to meet and be friends with both eczema and psoriasis sufferers since my first diagnosis with psoriasis almost 9 years ago. Psoriasis support group meet ups in Torrance, California was a norm, and I was quite a regular too. We use to discuss on issues related to psoriasis, organize group therapies, and conduct group meditations on a regular basis. This is where I got an introduction to how eczema differed from psoriasis.

To start off, the similarities: both are skin inflammations, can be difficult to treat and can be chronic. Despite their similarities, eczema and psoriasis are two separate diseases with fairly different factors, causes, signs and methods of treatment

The first difference between psoriasis and eczema is the root cause behind them. Psoriasis for the most part is linked to genetics. Psoriasis occurs due to overactive immune system. External triggers like infection, illness, weather and climate, diet and stress can worsen psoriasis, but doesn’t cause psoriasis. Eczema is a type of dermatitis, generally erupts due to environmental factors including products with strong chemicals, bacteria or humidity.

The next difference between psoriasis and eczema is the characteristics resembled by them.

Psoriasis appears as reddish lesions with silvery scales flaking off, and can be itchy. Normally it does cause the skin beneath to bleed. This kind of psoriasis is known as plaque psoriasis (most frequently diagnosed).

On the other hand, eczema may resemble psoriasis with dry skin and itching too, but it doesn’t usually include the flaking quality of psoriasis. Eczema’s main characterizations are raised spots and small blisters.  It does have a strong burning sensation and oozing vesicular lesions.

There is also difference between psoriasis and eczema on which part of the body parts they normally affect.

Psoriasis tends to concentrate on the head, scalp, ears, elbows, and knees.

Eczema is mainly concentrated on the neck, face, elbow and knee bends and body folds.

The age bracket for psoriasis and eczema attacks also differs. Eczema often inflicts children, psoriasis have been more prevalent among the adults. One survey showed, about three percent of American and British adults were affected by psoriasis, mean time about twenty percent of children and five percent of American and British adults were affected by eczema.

In terms of treatment difference between psoriasis and eczema, the latter is treated with topical medications, UV (ultraviolet) light therapy, and systemic medication (taken by liquid or injection). Excimer laser treatment is also getting prevalent lately. The treatment requires about four to ten sessions before seeing the results depending on particular cases.

For eczema, antifungal and antiseptic topical medications are the most common method of treatment. Costicosteroids, oral antihistamines, UV light therapy, and immunosuppressants are prevalent treatment methods used to alleviate and cure eczema.

These are some commonly used conventional treatment options for psoriasis and eczema, there are hundreds of alternative or holistic therapies that seems to work just as good as conventional ones.

The difference between psoriasis and eczema may not be skin deep. But the underlying similarity between psoriasis and eczema is that both require attention and care from the sufferer. It’s not possible to cure both diseases without effort. The right regular treatment and lifestyle changes can make a huge difference.

Regards,

Tulia

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Psoriasis Triggers: Managing Stress

Imagine being tumbled in a hectic schedule or squeezed through a difficult life situation, the mental and physical torment can be heavy. Along with these, comes a constant barrage of psoriasis flare ups. Your already scaly, red patches or lesions starts flaking, itching and burning more.

According to Mark Lebwohl, MD, chairman of the medical board of the National Psoriasis Foundation, stress is clearly one of the main psoriasis triggers of outbreaks for some people. Scandinavian researchers conducted a survey in 2004 and found that almost two-thirds of the respondents reported their psoriasis got severe with stress.

The hormone cortisol, known to alter the immune system response and is released during times of physical or emotional stress, tends to be found at higher levels in people suffering from psoriasis. Additionally, a 2008 study in the International Journal of Dermatology published that three quarters with psoriasis reported significant cortisol level drops during remissions of the disease.

Managing stress levels are known to clam psoriasis, try these stress reduction techniques and witness the change yourself:

1. Exercise – get yourself moving whether it’s swimming, biking, yoga or just plain walking, exercise is known to reduce overall stress levels.

2. Prioritize and plan – if you have a long to-do-list than the amount of time you have in a day, get your priorities to the top list. Learn to say no if you can’t commit to anything which isn’t within your reach. These can calm your “psoriasis triggers” – stress.

3. Get support – talk with people who are diagnosed with psoriasis too, share your concerns and experiences. Get help and advice from trained professionals and counselors. You can search for a support group or get connected with the Psoriasis Help Organization (PHO) community.

4. Meditate – In a 1998 study conducted by the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, researchers found psoriasis sufferers undergoing phototherapy with stress-reducing meditation tapes had their psoriasis clear faster. Learn to include activities such as massage therapies, deep breathing exercises and group meditation in your weekly schedules.

There are multiple psoriasis triggers to take account into, keeping a tab on them is vital. But stress in particular requires a little more personalized attention. The reason? Stress isn’t just a psoriasis trigger, but also a by-product of psoriasis. Those diagnosed with psoriasis develop stress just by experiencing their skin chronically marked with scaly, red patches or lesions. This circular relationship can complicate matters for psoriasis sufferers. Taking the above steps can help break the cycle.

It is possible for psoriasis triggers to be controlled. I have heard and witnessed many amazing real life personal account from psoriasis sufferers and how they “cured” psoriasis just by keeping a check on their psoriasis triggers. But it requires some consistent effort and dedication from psoriasis patients.

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Is Psoriasis Contagious – An Introduction

Living with psoriasis is a challenge, not only to yourself but also the people around you. Family members, friends and work colleagues are a part of your everyday life. If you are diagnosed with psoriasis, some of your possible major concerns – is psoriasis contagious? Can I give it to someone by touching them? Will psoriasis spread to other parts of my body?

It’s normal to have these kinds of thoughts to run through your mind. After all, psoriasis just erupted on your skin from nowhere.

It’s estimated that about four to seven million American are diagnosed with psoriasis every year. Do all of these new psoriasis patients contract from another psoriasis sufferer? To decode the question – “is psoriasis contagious”, we need to take a look at how psoriasis develops. Psoriasis is an auto-immune disease, caused by genetics. In other words, the body’s immune system is being mistakenly triggered causing skin cells to be produced too rapidly. The normal skin cell replacement cycle takes about 21 – 28 days. However for patients with psoriasis they take 2 – 6 days to replace. Since the root cause is the body’s own immune system, there is no way psoriasis can be contracted by contact or passed on to someone. Thus psoriasis is not contagious.

It is possible for psoriasis to worsen due to infection, weather, diet imbalance or stress. These are known as triggers to the immune system. Triggers can worsen the affected skin area, but it won’t cause a spread from the affected area to other body parts. To simply put, touching your psoriasis affected skin and then placing your hand on other parts of the body won’t cause psoriasis to develop there. But internal triggers can make psoriasis appear on unaffected parts of your body. This is the reason why self-attention is important for psoriasis sufferers. Controlling your diet, regular exercise and stress management is essential to keep psoriasis under control.

But, is psoriasis contagious if you are sharing something with someone? (Example: sharing your bed with your wife)

The answer again, is a no. Psoriasis cannot be passed on by contact or sharing the same items. In case you develop psoriasis due to a common trigger such as an infection or a severe illness, it is possible to pass on that infection or illness on to others. Psoriasis itself is not contagious, but the underlying factors which resulted in psoriasis could be contagious. But remember, not everyone develops psoriasis when contagious infection or illness is caught. Infection and illness is mere trigger factors of psoriasis, the chances of developing psoriasis due to these triggers depends on multiple other factors too.

I hope this has given you a clear picture to the question – is psoriasis contagious.

Another thing to note, psoriasis can evolve into psoriatic arthritis for some psoriasis sufferers. Psoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory, destructive form of arthritis. About 10%-35% of psoriasis patients are associated with this disorder too. Joint pains can be the initial signs of psoriatic arthritis with a completely clear skin. This disorder is treated with medications to stop the progression. As for psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis is not contagious. Yet, psoriasis patients need to be aware of possibilities in developing psoriatic arthritis, as it’s known to cause nail and finger loss.

These concludes – is psoriasis contagious. Even though psoriasis is not contagious, always remind yourself to keep a tab on efforts to heal psoriasis and possible emerging signs of psoriatic arthritis. The latter can be critical.

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Can Psoriasis Be Cured - An Overview

I understand the sentiment, mental and physical challenges psoriasis sufferers go through when they are first diagnosed with psoriasis. The itch, flaking and burning sensation makes you wonder if you got cursed! I was in the same situation almost ten years ago when I was first diagnosed. It is horrible in the sense you felt you were decaying. The constant torment of possibly being downgraded if glanced by the public or close friends is always present.

One of the major worries that normally strike a patient is - can psoriasis be cured?

Psoriasis in an auto-immune skin disease, it comes in various forms and levels of severity. Some of the common areas affected include the scalp, head, elbows, knees, feet and lower back. Over-activity of the immune system causes inflammation. In certain kinds of psoriasis, burned erythrodermic and pimple-ish pustular appearance forms. Intense itching and burning is common.

To answers the question, can psoriasis be cured – we need to look at what causes it.

Some people have genes that make them prone to develop psoriasis. It is heredity to a certain degree. All it takes is a trigger that makes psoriasis flare up for those living with the genes. Possible psoriasis triggers include stress, infection, medication or injury. If this the case then, can psoriasis be cured at all?

To date we are yet to have a completely prefect cure for psoriasis. Most treatment functions by subduing the external symptoms, internal triggers and decrease the inflammation at the sores. Phototherapy, systemic medications and topical treatments work by these laws. Current medical interventions are focused on suppressing symptoms. Yet, the core underlying cause of psoriasis is not alleviated.

Then how can psoriasis be cured completely? This is certainly a challenge not only patients face but also the scientific community at large.

Through correlation studies, researchers have correlated that environmental or metabolic/stress toxins (free radicals, micro-organisms), mineral deficiencies and heavy metal toxicity are some of the underlying clues to psoriasis. These factors create molecules that the immune system attacks thinking they are invaders. This self-attack eventually produces the auto-immune attack and disruption to skin known as psoriasis. The only way can psoriasis be cured is by focusing both on the symptoms and the root causes.

Nutrition, detoxification and immune system calming are the basis where psoriasis reversals have relied. These can be categorized as alternative therapies.

Psoriasis reversal requires the retrieval of the auto-immune system from attacking skin cells. By cleansing the body toxins, providing restorative nutrition, and calming the immune system attack against the skin, psoriasis can be successfully reversed.  By eliminating the root cause, we can focus on repairing damaged cells. Patients are essential, as a total recovery takes time, but is certainly worth it.

Modern medicine has its advantages; I was a frequent topical medication user. It assisted in calming my psoriasis flare ups, and itching most of the time. It was perfect to subdue my psoriasis spreading. To uproot the root causes of psoriasis takes some effort and consistency. If you were to ask me – can psoriasis be cured? My answer will be yes, just do it and keep believing, which is what I did and eventually reaped the results.

Adeus! 

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Psoriasis Triggers: How to Prevent Psoriasis Breakouts

There are only so much medications and treatment can do. When the question comes up, what are the psoriasis triggers and how to prevent psoriasis breakouts? Self-attention counts in as much as medical attention does. Those diagnosed with psoriasis must always keep this in mind.

This first step to prevent psoriasis breakouts is to self-care first.  Try using moisturizing lotions whenever you suspect your skin is getting dry. Moisturizing lotions help trap moisture beneath the skin, assisting in removing scales from psoriasis scars. Always be careful with your skin. Scrapping lesions or scales is one of the main psoriasis triggers, these makes psoriasis easy to flare up. Practice frequent usage of tar shampoo and body washes that help soothes your skin.   

The next step on how to prevent psoriasis breakouts? Is by controlling the environment that you are in. Try avoiding dry, cold weather. Cold and dry weather causes the symptoms of psoriasis to worsen. The same case applies when it gets too hot and humid. Use a humidifier during dry humid seasons.

Exposure to sun is good, but too much of it can be just as bad. Moderate doses of sun are useful, but always remind yourself to put on some sunscreen when you are out more than 20 minutes in the sun. If you're on medication that makes your skin more sensitive to ultraviolet rays as part of your phototherapy, ask your doctor about whether you should always use sunscreen when outside.

Extreme psoriasis breakouts can also be prevented by watching your intakes. Avoid consuming certain medications that causes psoriasis breakouts. Inform your doctor the list of medications you normally take for general precautions. Drugs that are known as psoriasis triggers include Lithium, Propranalol, Cardioquin or Quinidex. Make sure to ask for substitutes from your doctor for these drugs.

It is also believed that alcohol can worsen psoriasis. There is no hard evidence on this at the current moment. Yet alcohol can still be dangerous if you are taking certain systemic drugs to treat psoriasis. Watching your intakes is one of the best answers to the question on how to prevent psoriasis breakouts.

The next step in preventing psoriasis flare ups is to upkeep a healthy lifestyle. Do exercises, eat a balanced diet and try maintaining a healthy weight.  Although research pin points there are no links between diet and psoriasis, experts recommend people with psoriasis to consume more vegetables and fruits. Some individuals with psoriasis claim psoriasis symptoms improved when they decreased dairy or gluten intakes from their diets. There are certain compounds in food items known for psoriasis triggers, causing psoriasis to flare-up.

Again, how to prevent psoriasis breakouts? Exercise might help, at the same time ease up your mood. Mental and emotional stresses are psoriasis triggers too, so learn to distress by engaging in active routines like exercise. Maintaining a healthy weight also helps decrease psoriasis breakouts, as excess weight is known to worsen psoriasis symptoms as well.

All the listed points are practical everyday habits that can be infused in your daily routines. I hope these sums up and conclude the question - how to prevent psoriasis breakouts.

Cheers!

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Cures For Psoriasis: The Holistic Approach

Psoriasis is limited to some parts of the body, in most cases on the head’s back or sides. There are possibilities it can become complicated by turning into psoriatic arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis is actually a symptom of arthritis, which includes common symptoms of joints swelling and pain. If it becomes severe, loss of finger and toe nails are possible due to development of dead skin which pushes the nail out of the nail bed. Thus, it is a good idea to search for effective cures for psoriasis.

Psoriasis is the abnormality in the function of immune system causing uncontrolled skin cell growth which results in flaking and inflammation of skin. Psoriasis is not a contagious disease, but it can get quite difficult when it comes to treatment. Almost 60% psoriasis sufferers have the disease due to family heredity, but there is no proper evidence from researchers detailing how psoriasis runs in the family.

Psoriasis patients can grab a hold of various holistic approaches for a lasting relief from it. If a psoriasis sufferer has an idea of understanding his or her body responses and what triggers psoriasis, then the holistic approach to treatment can be really helpful. The basic idea is to control the triggers, for example controlling emotional stress,  known to cause psoriasis to spread.

Finding the suitable cures for psoriasis takes some trials and error. But, it is possible to control triggers that causes psoriasis. In the long run this might eradicate psoriasis all together.

Let’s take a look at some of the common triggers that are known to enrage psoriasis:

1.  Infections

2.  Stress (mental & emotional stress)

3.  Weather and climate changes

4.  Certain medications (depression and beta-blocker medication)

Lifestyle and personal habit changes are also known to be one of the subtle cures for psoriasis, especially in controlling flare-ups:

1.  Reducing alcohol consumption

2.  Avoiding sunburn and excessive sunlight exposure

3.  Maintaining a healthy weight and diet

4.  Usage of medicated lotions and shampoos

Another holistic key for psoriasis is Aloe Vera – the silent healer, this might probably be THE cure of "cures for psoriasis".

Aloe Vera: The Silent Healer 

Aloe Vera is known to encourage water retention in dry tissues, getting rid of dead cells and stimulate the growth of new skin cells. Users have reported a reduce in the cracking, itching, drying and flaking of their psoriasis infected skin areas.

The secret weapon that Aloe Vera contains? Aloe Vera is known to have anti-inflammatory fatty acids; it is antifungal, antibacterial and anesthetic in nature. These agents penetrate the dry skin and moisturizes meantime supplementing all the necessary goodness to the skin. This silent healer is probably the anchor plant of cures for psoriasis the holistic way.

You can prepare your own Aloe Vera gel by buying some fresh Aloe Vera stumps and squeezing out the gel then applying to the affected areas. Or you can even buy Aloe Vera infused lotions, creams and shampoos sold in green marts or pharmacies.

So there you have, a holistic approach carved out for you. Keep working on them; hopefully you can see the results expected.

Cheers!

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