Added: 12/04/2005 |
Guttate psoriasis is a disease characterized by salmon-pink small red drops on skinPsoriasis is considered to be a reoccurring skin problem possible to affect any part of the human's body. It may appear at any gender and age, but likely between the ages of 11 to 45. Fortunately, this disease is non-contagious but still many people take pay much attention to the factors causing psoriasis, its types and treatment methods.
According to medical practice several types of psoriasis disease known nowadays. First, plaque psoriasis - the most common form of psoriasis disease affecting approximately 82% of the world population. It is expressed by red skin lesions covered by silvery scales. The cause of plaque psoriasis has not been yet completely understood. But generally it is considered to be the auto-immune disease.
The second form of psoriasis disease is called guttate psoriasis. Doctors believe it is mostly trigged by certain bacterial infections or different upper viral respiratory infections such as sore throat. The common symptoms of guttate psoriasis are small pink or red spots on some parts of the skin (known as small red drops of water. Usually these parts are pretty large and found on the back, scalp, chest, legs or arms. The disease very often appears in younger patients having strep throat. Many cases of guttate psoriasis are very persistent and require appropriate antibiotic treatment.
It's worth admitting guttate psoriasis is a non-contagious disease. Very often it can flare throughout the whole childhood (due to repeated strep infection bouts or other illnesses of the human's respiratory system). Guttate psoriasis was named for the Latin word "gutta" meaning "drop". The name was given to such distinguishing guttate psoriasis features as red, drop-like spots on the skin which are able to enlarge rapidly and may sometimes scaly and itch.
Guttate psoriasis can clear up with no treatment, but still this won't mean the disease has disappeared. Very often guttate psoriasis resurfaces into another form of psoriasis disease - plaque one.
What are the factors causing guttate psoriasis? Unfortunately, the exact cause has not been found yet. But according to scientific studies guttate psoriasis has a tendency of running in families. If both of the parents are infected by this disease their child has a 60% chance to be infected as well. That's why guttate psoriases is more common in children and adult people under 30.
As it has already been mentioned guttate psoriasis is related to immune system or inflammatory response. Thus, the disease may be pretty severe in people with suppressed immune system. If you have streptococcal infection it can be a trigger to guttate psoriasis. The lesions eruption on the skin usually occurs in two or three days after the strep throat. It's interesting that this outbreak may go away. However, this doesn't mean it won't come back with repeated strep throat episodes (especially if the person has so-called "strep carrier").
Be aware that guttate psoriasis can also be caused by such infections as colds and chicken pox. The disease treatment will depend a little bit on its trigger.
Article comments:
No comments for this article yet. Post your comment now!
