Living With Psoriasis
I still may be painting a confusing portrait of my experience. First, I tell you how miserable my psoriasis is and then I tell you that it is not that bad, I finished the last section by indicating that I refuse to let psoriasis run my life. This sounds quite bold and it is generally true. Now, I will confuse you with the part that is not "generally" true, with a couple of examples of how psoriasis has affected my life.
First, consider experiences at the swimming pool or beach. When stripped down into bathing trunks, one has no place to hide. Polite Canadians generally do not comment on the red mess they see, but it is silly to try convincing yourself that they do not see it. I have, over the years, often taken a rebellious approach to this problem. I tell myself that "this is not a contagious disease, it cannot hurt anyone, and others are just going to have to live with me sharing their water."
Dealing With Psoriasis - Walking the Road with Psoriasis
Dealing With Psoriasis
My experience with psoriasis started innocently enough in my mid-20s when my scalp became covered. At that point I remember thinking about the "heartbreak of psoriasis" and chuckling. After all, how rough could it be? Some extra money for special shampoo and a little unsightliness didn't seem to add up to "heartbreak." By my late 20s the psoriasis moved to my shins, and by my early 30s it had moved to my knees and elbows. Still, I was dealing only with spots, and it seemed that this unwelcome intruder would be kept at bay. I was wrong.
By the time I was 40 my psoriasis had left no significant area below my neck untouched. I am grateful that my face and chest are mostly clear. My arms, legs, back, and buttocks are write-offs. Most recently, scaling has appeared on the back of my hands, an area previously untouched except for the looking fingernails that I keep trimmed as close to the skin as possible. Psoriasis's kissing cousin - psoriatic arthritis appeared at age 40, adding very sharp pain m the existing lower-level pain and itching that has affected my skin for 20 years.
My experience with psoriasis started innocently enough in my mid-20s when my scalp became covered. At that point I remember thinking about the "heartbreak of psoriasis" and chuckling. After all, how rough could it be? Some extra money for special shampoo and a little unsightliness didn't seem to add up to "heartbreak." By my late 20s the psoriasis moved to my shins, and by my early 30s it had moved to my knees and elbows. Still, I was dealing only with spots, and it seemed that this unwelcome intruder would be kept at bay. I was wrong.
By the time I was 40 my psoriasis had left no significant area below my neck untouched. I am grateful that my face and chest are mostly clear. My arms, legs, back, and buttocks are write-offs. Most recently, scaling has appeared on the back of my hands, an area previously untouched except for the looking fingernails that I keep trimmed as close to the skin as possible. Psoriasis's kissing cousin - psoriatic arthritis appeared at age 40, adding very sharp pain m the existing lower-level pain and itching that has affected my skin for 20 years.
Effects Of Psoriasis - Psychosocial Effect Of Psoriasis
Effects Of Psoriasis
Psoriasis can have a significant impact on both your physical and mental health, resulting in impaired emotional and social well-being due to low self-esteem and possibly impaired functioning at work and in relationships.
Quality of Life
Psoriasis patients can experience many feelings about their diagnosis, inlcuding:
Psoriasis can have a significant impact on both your physical and mental health, resulting in impaired emotional and social well-being due to low self-esteem and possibly impaired functioning at work and in relationships.
Quality of Life
Psoriasis patients can experience many feelings about their diagnosis, inlcuding:
- a sense of shock
- confusion
- anger
- frustration
- great sadness
- depression
Managing Your Child's Psoriasis - School and at Home
Managing Your Child's Psoriasis
Often the biggest challenge that children with psoriasis face is the reaction of their peers. Unfortunately, other children might tease your child because of the appearance of his or her skin. Therefore, it is important that you support your child, listen to his or her concerns, and teach him or her about the disease. If other children are persistently teasing, it might be helpful to meet with your child's teacher to discuss the condition. It is vital that teachers and students understand psoriasis is not contagious. You can discuss your child's condition with teachers at the beginning of the school year and follow up with them during the year. If necessary, you might discuss with the teacher how best to educate classmates about the condition.
Embarrassment about the appearance of psoriasis can cause low self-esteem, make your child self-conscious about his or her appearance, and could lead the child to avoid taking part in social or physical activities.
Often the biggest challenge that children with psoriasis face is the reaction of their peers. Unfortunately, other children might tease your child because of the appearance of his or her skin. Therefore, it is important that you support your child, listen to his or her concerns, and teach him or her about the disease. If other children are persistently teasing, it might be helpful to meet with your child's teacher to discuss the condition. It is vital that teachers and students understand psoriasis is not contagious. You can discuss your child's condition with teachers at the beginning of the school year and follow up with them during the year. If necessary, you might discuss with the teacher how best to educate classmates about the condition.
Embarrassment about the appearance of psoriasis can cause low self-esteem, make your child self-conscious about his or her appearance, and could lead the child to avoid taking part in social or physical activities.
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| Managing Your Child's Psoriasis |
Psoriasis In Infants - Practical Tips for Treating Psoriasis in Babies and Infants
Psoriasis In Infants
Remember, your child's psoriasis will not, generally, affect his or her general health, growth, and development. Itching is often more common in children with psoriasis; however, scratching can aggravate the skin and make the condition worse. Here are some practical tips:
Remember, your child's psoriasis will not, generally, affect his or her general health, growth, and development. Itching is often more common in children with psoriasis; however, scratching can aggravate the skin and make the condition worse. Here are some practical tips:
- Keep your child's nails short and cover hands with cotton gloves as needed.
- Baths with oil or oatmeal added can be soothing.
- Bathe in lukewarm - not hot or cold - water.
- Regularly apply moisturizers, especially after bathing.
- Apply topical corticosteroids as prescribed by your doctor.
- Oral antihistamines may be recommended by your doctor and can help reduce the tendency to scratch. If your child scratches at night, the nighttime use of antihistamines can both reduce scratching and aid in sleeping. A doctor should be consulted before using antihistamines as overuse can result in excessive sedation.
- To treat the redness and scaling of psoriasis in children, your doctor might prescribe topical corticosteroids.
Psoriasis Treatment For Children
Psoriasis Treatment For Children
The treatment of psoriasis in children depends on the location, extent, and severity of the lesions. Children should be advised not to scratch or pick the areas involved as this can worsen the skin and lead to new areas of development.
Basic treatments include moisturizers ted baths. Baths can be soothing, especially for itchy areas. Adding a bath oil or tat to the water can be helpful.
Topical Steroids
Topical steroids are very helpful and are frequently prescribed. Low- to mid-potency steroids may be used for short periods on the trunk, scalp, and extremities as instructed by your doctor. Medium- or high-potency steroids can also be used for short periods on the arms and body as instructed by your doctor.
Nonsteroidal Creams and Ointments
Calcipotriol
Calcipotriol (Dovonex, Daivonex) decreases redness and scaliness, but can cause burning in some children, particularly on sensitive areas, such as the face.
Anthralin
Anthralin (Psoriatec) can be applied and left, or applied for a short period, then washed off. This is known as short contact anthralin therapy (SCAT). Application time is generally increased with subsequent applications until the psoriasis lesions have improved.
Coal Tar
There are different types of coal tar used to treat psoriasis affected skin (shale, wood, coal, and crude coal tar). Crude coal tar is one of the oldest psoriasis treatment options available, although many children and parents dislike using tar because it may be messy, smelly, and irritating. However; coal tar can provide significant benefit for patients and is available in a topical form and a shampoo form for the treatment of scalp psoriasis.
Topical coal tar is a available as a gel, cream, ointment, liquid, bath solution, or shampoo. Coal tar can stain white or blond hair clothing, towels, and bedding. If you apply treatment before going to bed, use old pajamas and bedding. Coal tar can make the skin more sensitive to sunlight (photosensitizer), so be careful when exposing your skin to sunlight when you have it on and carefully follow your doctor's instructions.
Calcineurin Inhibitors
These are currently under investigation for psoriasis and may be helpful for face, groin, and genital areas. They are available in ointment (tacrolimus [Protopic] 0.1 percent and 0.03 percent) or cream (pimecrolimus [Elide] 1 percent) forms.
Calcineurin inhibitors can cause slight burning with initial application. This burning is mild and tends to last only a few minutes. The burning generally resolves completely after one to two weeks of repeated use.
Tazarotene
Tazarotene (Tazorac) has been used to treat psoriasis, but can cause irritation. It is often necessary to use topical steroids in conjunction with tazarotene to reduce irritation.
Phototherapy
Phototherapy can be considered for older children who fail to respond to topical treatments.
Systemic Medications
Systemic agents such as methotrexate and cyclosporine are used only in children with severe psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis.
Biologics
Etanercept has been approved for children with certain types of arthritis (juvenile rheumatoid arthritis), and has been studied in children aged 4-17.
To find out more, you can check out Psoriasis Treatment For Children.
The treatment of psoriasis in children depends on the location, extent, and severity of the lesions. Children should be advised not to scratch or pick the areas involved as this can worsen the skin and lead to new areas of development.
Basic treatments include moisturizers ted baths. Baths can be soothing, especially for itchy areas. Adding a bath oil or tat to the water can be helpful.
Topical Steroids
Topical steroids are very helpful and are frequently prescribed. Low- to mid-potency steroids may be used for short periods on the trunk, scalp, and extremities as instructed by your doctor. Medium- or high-potency steroids can also be used for short periods on the arms and body as instructed by your doctor.
 |
| Psoriasis Treatment For Children |
Nonsteroidal Creams and Ointments
Calcipotriol
Calcipotriol (Dovonex, Daivonex) decreases redness and scaliness, but can cause burning in some children, particularly on sensitive areas, such as the face.
Anthralin
Anthralin (Psoriatec) can be applied and left, or applied for a short period, then washed off. This is known as short contact anthralin therapy (SCAT). Application time is generally increased with subsequent applications until the psoriasis lesions have improved.
Coal Tar
There are different types of coal tar used to treat psoriasis affected skin (shale, wood, coal, and crude coal tar). Crude coal tar is one of the oldest psoriasis treatment options available, although many children and parents dislike using tar because it may be messy, smelly, and irritating. However; coal tar can provide significant benefit for patients and is available in a topical form and a shampoo form for the treatment of scalp psoriasis.
Topical coal tar is a available as a gel, cream, ointment, liquid, bath solution, or shampoo. Coal tar can stain white or blond hair clothing, towels, and bedding. If you apply treatment before going to bed, use old pajamas and bedding. Coal tar can make the skin more sensitive to sunlight (photosensitizer), so be careful when exposing your skin to sunlight when you have it on and carefully follow your doctor's instructions.
Calcineurin Inhibitors
These are currently under investigation for psoriasis and may be helpful for face, groin, and genital areas. They are available in ointment (tacrolimus [Protopic] 0.1 percent and 0.03 percent) or cream (pimecrolimus [Elide] 1 percent) forms.
Calcineurin inhibitors can cause slight burning with initial application. This burning is mild and tends to last only a few minutes. The burning generally resolves completely after one to two weeks of repeated use.
Tazarotene
Tazarotene (Tazorac) has been used to treat psoriasis, but can cause irritation. It is often necessary to use topical steroids in conjunction with tazarotene to reduce irritation.
Phototherapy
Phototherapy can be considered for older children who fail to respond to topical treatments.
Systemic Medications
Systemic agents such as methotrexate and cyclosporine are used only in children with severe psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis.
 |
| Psoriasis Treatment For Children |
Biologics
Etanercept has been approved for children with certain types of arthritis (juvenile rheumatoid arthritis), and has been studied in children aged 4-17.
To find out more, you can check out Psoriasis Treatment For Children.
Psoriasis Lookalike Symptoms In Children
Psoriasis Lookalike Symptoms In Children
Several other conditions can resemble psoriasis in children, and might be mistaken for psoriasis.
Pityriasis Rosea
Seborrheic Dermatitis
Candida (Yeast) Infection
Several other conditions can resemble psoriasis in children, and might be mistaken for psoriasis.
Pityriasis Rosea
- Pityriasis rosea is a skin rash that occurs most commonly in people aged 10-35.
- Pityriasis rosea can follow a cold (upper respiratory infection), much like guttate psoriasis, and may be confused with this type of psoriasis.
- The condition may begin as a single, large, scaling, pink patch (larger than 3/8 inch/1 centimeter, flat) on the chest or back.
- About a week or two later, multiple, flat, scaling, pink-red patches occur on the chest, back, upper arms, and legs.
- The face and scalp are seldom involved, whereas in psoriasis the scalp is frequently involved.
- The rash usually fades over about eight weeks.
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| Psoriasis Lookalike Symptoms In Children |
Seborrheic Dermatitis
- Seborrheic dermatitis is a common skin disorder that is red, scaly, and occasionally itchy.
- Scaling of the scalp appears yellow and is greasy in texture.
- It most commonly involves the scalp, sides of the nose, eyebrows, eyelids, and middle of the chest.
- It occurs most frequently in infancy when it is known as cradle cap. Cradle cap usually clears between 1 and 2 years of age.
- In some infants, seborrheic dermatitis may occur in the diaper area, where it may be confused with other types of diaper rashes, including psoriasis (napkin psoriasis).
- Eczema is a common chronic and recurring inflammation of the skin.
- About 90 percent of eczema cases begin in childhood, usually before the age of 5. In contrast, psoriasis tends to occur in older children and adults, and usually develops between the ages of 15 and 35.
- Scaling in atopic dermatitis is usually mild. Scaling in psoriasis can be severe.
- Asthma and hay fever can occur with eczema.
- Eczema affects approximately 10-20 percent of children.
- Eczema is very itchy and is often known as the "itch that rashes."
- The skin in eczema appears red and cracked (fissures}, and it is often difficult to see a clear line between involved and uninvolved skin. In psoriasis, the skin is red, thick, with silvery-white scales and, less commonly, forms cracks (fissures). It is easy to see a clear line between involved and uninvolved skin.
- Children with eczema are prone to skin infections such as viral infections (warts, cold sore infection) and bacterial infection of the skin with yellow crusting.
- Eczema tends to present with different patterns (areas of involvement on the body) than psoriasis. In babies and infants, eczema involves the face and neck. In children and adolescents, the inner crease of the arm, behind the knees, and the face are sites that are frequently involved.
- Psoriasis tends to involve areas of the body that are the opposite of eczema: the elbows, the front of the knees, and the scalp, and often spares the face.
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| Psoriasis Lookalike Symptoms In Children |
Candida (Yeast) Infection
- Genital psoriasis can be confused with candida infections.
- Candida infections of the skin are caused by a type of yeast.
- Candida can occur anywhere on the body, but favors skin creases such as those under the breasts, armpits, and groin.
- A scraping of the skin can be examined under a microscope or sent to the laboratory for culture. This will help distinguish between candida (positive culture) and psoriasis (negative culture).
Psoriasis Children Pictures
Psoriasis Children Pictures
Scalp involvement is very common in children. Thick, scaling, raised lesions can involve either localized areas of the scalp, such as behind the ears and/or along the hairline, or the entire scalp. This can result in the shedding of white scales from the scalp, commonly mistaken for dandruff.
The genitals are also frequently affected in children, particularly babies. The penis, groin, buttock crease, and labia are common sites of involvement. The fingernails and toenails might also be involved. The nails may become pitted or rough, and the distal part of the nail can become quite thick and crumbly. Lifting of the nail from the surrounding skin can also occur (onycholysis). Occasionally in children, all twenty nails may be involved.
Scalp involvement is very common in children. Thick, scaling, raised lesions can involve either localized areas of the scalp, such as behind the ears and/or along the hairline, or the entire scalp. This can result in the shedding of white scales from the scalp, commonly mistaken for dandruff.
The genitals are also frequently affected in children, particularly babies. The penis, groin, buttock crease, and labia are common sites of involvement. The fingernails and toenails might also be involved. The nails may become pitted or rough, and the distal part of the nail can become quite thick and crumbly. Lifting of the nail from the surrounding skin can also occur (onycholysis). Occasionally in children, all twenty nails may be involved.
Psoriasis In Children
Psoriasis In Children
Psoriasis, unlike eczema, is less common in childhood. The exact prevalence in childhood is not well established, and there is some variation in reports and studies. In general, up to one-third of patients with psoriasis report the onset of disease before the age of 20. One large study found that in 12 percent of adult patients, the onset occurred before the age of 10, and in 25 percent, between the ages of 10 and 19. A recent Australian study reported the largest number of children with psoriasis ever, and approximately one-quarter of them developed the disease before the age of 2.
When psoriasis occurs in childhood, the lesions are usually plaques with raised, red scaly areas, but can be thinner and less scaly than their adult counterparts. In addition, childhood psoriasis is reported to be itchier (pruritic) than in adults.
Psoriasis, unlike eczema, is less common in childhood. The exact prevalence in childhood is not well established, and there is some variation in reports and studies. In general, up to one-third of patients with psoriasis report the onset of disease before the age of 20. One large study found that in 12 percent of adult patients, the onset occurred before the age of 10, and in 25 percent, between the ages of 10 and 19. A recent Australian study reported the largest number of children with psoriasis ever, and approximately one-quarter of them developed the disease before the age of 2.
When psoriasis occurs in childhood, the lesions are usually plaques with raised, red scaly areas, but can be thinner and less scaly than their adult counterparts. In addition, childhood psoriasis is reported to be itchier (pruritic) than in adults.
Psoriasis Natural Healing - Nonmedical Treatments
Psoriasis Natural Healing
In addition to oral or injectable medications, there are a number of nonmedical, physical, and surgical treatments for psoriatic arthritis. The management of psoriatic arthritis is a team approach. In addition to your family doctor, dermatologist, and rheumatologist, you may work with a physiotherapist or occupational therapist.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapists are university-trained health care workers who try to help people achieve their highest level of physical function. Physiotherapists can develop and implement personalized programs that can:
In addition to oral or injectable medications, there are a number of nonmedical, physical, and surgical treatments for psoriatic arthritis. The management of psoriatic arthritis is a team approach. In addition to your family doctor, dermatologist, and rheumatologist, you may work with a physiotherapist or occupational therapist.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapists are university-trained health care workers who try to help people achieve their highest level of physical function. Physiotherapists can develop and implement personalized programs that can:
- increase mobility and improve endurance
- restore and increase range of motion in joints
- control pain
- educate patients about their condition and pain-control techniques
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