What is psoriasis?

Let’s talk about psoriasis today. Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin condition affecting approximately 1.3-2.2% of individuals in the UK. It occurs -in simple terms- due to overproduction of skin cells. The result is itchy, sometimes painful, flaky, crusty patches of skin, commonly on the elbows, knees and scalp, but they can also occur elsewhere on the body. Psoriasis, just like other types of skin disease, can affect individuals self-confidence and daily life activities, commonly resulting in social isolation. The stigma around this type of skin disease feels like a real burden for the individual.

Is there treatment for psoriasis?

Over the last 25 years, medicine has greatly evolved in the treatment of psoriasis, resulting in transitioning from topical treatments to phototherapy, to systemic medicines for the moderate to severe cases. However, the systemic drugs such as methotrexate, ciclosporin or even the later developed biologic drugs such as Humira, don’t come without their complications- they can cause infections, liver disease, TB, rare forms of cancer, hair loss, or heart disease. It is rather astonishing to have recently found out from well-accredited researchers that greater drugs are coming out with a great patient safety profile, without the need for lab monitoring or causing any adverse effects prementioned above, and more interestingly, resulting in near complete or complete clearance with sustainable results!

So for those individuals who suffer from psoriasis, please don’t keep it to yourselves, suffering in silence. With so many different treatments available, something has to work for you! If psoriasis is not treated, there is a greater risk for developing other health conditions such as arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, heart disease, diabetes and obesity, to name a few. Just find a switched on the doctor as we can get you better! If you would like more information on psoriasis or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

#psoriasisnews #drkallinikolaidou#kalliaesthetics