What is psoriasis
WHAT IS PSORIASIS ?
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease and is a chronic condition that is genetic in origin. Certain triggers cause a persons immune system to react and this hyper activity can result in painful, scaly, inflamed patches of skin (plaques). Plaque psoriasis is the most common form of the condition (90%) and is usually found on a persons knees, navel, lower back, elbows and scalp.
This disease can have a major impact on peoples lives, with functions as basic as walking and sleeping being disrupted.
The condition affects approximately 1.7 million (2-3%) of people in the UK. It is a condition that affects both men and women equally but generally affects adults under the age of 35. The condition can develop at any age but symptoms usually develop between the age of 15-25.
Despite extensive research over the last 20-30 years the exact “cause” or “trigger” of this skin condition is still unknown and to date there is no cure. It is common for this disease to be genetic and found in the members of the same family so you are more likely to develop the condition if a member of your family has / had the condition. The condition though is not contagious and cannot be passed on to other people through touch or from sexual activity.
This stubborn disease can be very uncomfortable and life changing for sufferers, as it severely impacts a persons life, but it is not life threatening. A persons condition is classed by doctors as mild, moderate or severe depending how much of the body the condition affects. For approximately 80% of sufferers the condition is only mild resulting in itching and scratching which can usually be controlled with good skin care and a healthy diet.
Psoriasis is different for every person and what works for one person can be totally different for another. Diet though can play a major role in controlling a persons psoriasis and certain food’s should be avoided as they have been proven to increase or cause inflammation including
* Diary products
* Red meat
* Refined sugars
* Processed foods
* nightshade vegetables eg tomatoes / potatoes / peppers
Although psoriasis is a long term chronic condition it can go into remission, although once again why is not known.
For more details on this disease please see our psoriasis Q&A page
For light treatment of the condition see our UVB canopies available for hire
For more detailed information on this skin condition, please follow the links below –
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/
