Added: 12/03/2005 |
Plaque psoriasis is a chronic and relatively persistent pattern of psoriasis disease characterized by thick flacky patches of skinPsoriasis disease is a problem possible to affect any part of your body. It may appear at any gender and age. There are five different types of psoriasis disease, every of which has its unique signs, symptoms and ways of treatment.
Thus, according to medical practice several types of this common and chronic skin disease and known nowadays. First, plaque psoriasis is expressed by red skin lesions covered with silvery scales which are commonly referred to as flacks or plaques. This is the most common form of psoriasis disease affecting approximately 90% of those who have psoriasis.
So, people have plaques on some parts of their skin which are often reoccurring. Among other typical plaque psoriasis features there's oval to circular-shaped red plaques which sometimes itch and cause pain. The majority of the mentioned plaques are persistent; they can stay for years on the person's body and tend to come or go. They can also join together involving large and extensive areas of skin (particularly on the limbs or trunk).
The cause of plaque psoriasis has not been yet completely understood. But generally it is considered to be the auto-immune disease often accompanied by nail and scalp types of psoriasis.
The most common places affected by plaque psoriasis are elbows and knees; but thick flacky patches of skin can also be found on trunk, legs, scalp and arms. It's a common knowledge that skin's normal replacement cycle amounts approximately 30 days. But if you have plaque psoriasis this cycle speeds to almost three or four days which is extremely bad for skin. Skin layers are forced to build up quicker comparing with the surrounding skin areas. This is always resulted in the so-called "koebner's phenomenon" on the psoriatic site.
It's worth admitting plaque psoriasis cannot be inherited. There is a list of definite factors influencing the occurrence of plaque psoriasis and lasting of its flare-ups: such environmental factors as sun exposure, excessive smoking, HIV infection and alcoholism.
Sometimes plaque psoriasis affects not only adults, but also children. Women and men are equally affected. But it's interesting to admit that women usually develop this type of psoriasis a bit earlier than men. Very often the first peak of the disease occurs at the age of 16-22 years; the second one - at the age of 57-60 years of age.
According to scientific researches plaque psoriasis can affect people of all the races, but Scandinavian and Western European populations are more likely to have plaque psoriasis than other ones.
Plaque psoriasis is usually easily recognized thanks to the very clearly defined damaged skin area - raised and inflamed section of skin surface covered in silvery scales. However, in spite of the fact plaque psoriasis is the most common psoriasis type it still requires specific treatment. Be aware it may be difficult to treat it with topical treatments alone. Very often such psoriasis treatments are used as phototherapy or biologics methods, but the chosen way of treatment depends on the disease degree and doctor's recommendations.
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