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 Psoriasis
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I have said previously that I have Psoriasis, but I never said anything
about what it actually is, so that is what this post will be about.

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune skin disease that appears as scaly
patches on the skin. Chronic means that it is incurable and life-long.
Autoimmune means that it involves the immune system - the immune system
is *overactive* for people who have Psoriasis. Our immune systems attack
our skin cells, causing our skin to grow faster than people without the
disease.

There are many different types, the most common being Plaque Psoriasis,
where the scales on the skin are plaques. I have Guttate Psoriasis, which
is the most common form for people diagnosed very young (more on this
later). Guttate Psoriasis' scales are generally smaller and individual
and spread out. However, a person with severe Guttate Psoriasis may
still have big scales all over their body (I had severe Guttate Psoriasis
when I was very young). There are some other forms, I don't know much
about the differences except for one where the scales are under the skin
rather than over. It is believed that you can also still get a different
type of Psoriasis later on in life than the one you were originally
diagnosed with. The accuracy of this is unknown to me may perhaps be
disputed.

Typically people "get" Psoriasis when they are an adult, and females
have a higher chance than males. However, children can still "get"
Psoriasis, although they are more likely to get Guttate Psoriasis. I was
diagnosed at a very young age, sometime before 3rd Grade (but likely
much earlier).

I use the term "get" with quotes because Psoriasis is also *genetic*. It is
passed down from parents (especially the mother) to children. However,
this does not mean the disease is "activated". You can have the genes for
the disease but not actually suffer the disease. The disease is often
"activated" after severe sickness or injury. I had severe strep throat
when I was younger, which could have been the cause for the activation.

Typically, for a parent who has Psoriasis, 1 in 3 of their offspring would
be passed the genes for Psoriasis. I have 3 fully biological siblings - I
was the only one to be diagnosed with this condition.

Psoriasis is also linked with Crohns Disease, which is why I think it's
interesting that my older brother has Ulcerative Colitis (they are similar).
Psoriasis is of course linked to depression (due to bullying and low self-
esteem because of their appearance). It has also been linked with an
increased risk of getting other diseases like diabetes, high blood
pressure, heart disease, Cancer, Kidney Disease, of course Psoriatic
Arthritis, and others [1].

My Psoriasis early on was severe. My whole body was covered in scales.
Later on, it became moderate, then mild (which is where I'm at now).
The typical locations where most people get Psoriasis are arms, inner
thighs, genital region, chest, back, face, and the top of the head. The
scales shed a bit, especially on the head where they cause dandruff. They
can itch a lot, which is why many Psoriasis medications focus on reducing
this particular symptom. Scratching the scales can sometimes cause you to
bleed or irritate them. Winter is particularly bad because it can cause
the scales to dry out, making them very painful, and sometimes crack and
bleed. Psoriasis mediation also focuses on keeping the skin moisturized as
well as keeping the scales shed and reducing redness (the scales are often
red).

One of the problems I had when I was younger was that I would get
Psoriasis severely on my inner thighs. These would often dry out and crack
and bleed a little and make it very painful to walk or wear underwear.

While Psoriasis cannot be cured, the symptoms can be reduced. Medications
focus on shedding and reducing scales, moisurizing the skin, reducing
redness, and reducing dandruff (for shampoos). Psoriasis' symptoms can
seem unpredictable - sometimes you have good times, and sometimes you
don't. However, Psoriasis' increase in symptoms has been linked with
stress and injury. It has also been observed (although not entirely
proven) that diet can also affect a person with Psoriasis.

Early on in life, it was recommended that people with Psoriasis get as
much sun as possible (unless you are taking medications that require you
to not be in direct sunlight). However, now it is recommended less so due
to the higher risk of getting Cancer. There is UV Therapy as a treatment
for severe Psoriasis. Other treatments also include pills and topical
ointments or creams.

You can find more information about Psoriasis at the National Psoriasis
Foundation website [2].

[1] https://www.psoriasis.org/about-psoriasis/related-conditions
[2] https://www.psoriasis.org/