What Do Psoriasis Patches Look Like – Medically reviewed by Clare Wightman MS, PAC, Dermatology, Medical Research – Katherine Brind’Amour – Updated June 30, 2022
Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease. It is considered an immune-mediated disease. This means that the immune system is functioning abnormally.
What Do Psoriasis Patches Look Like
Psoriasis usually affects the skin, causing skin cells to build up faster than usual. It can also affect other organ systems, especially the joints.
The Lifelong And Persistent Skin Condition — Psoriasis. — Andréas Astier
, about 7.5 million U.S. adults age 20 or older have psoriasis—a prevalence rate of 3 percent (occurrence of the condition). Prevalence rates by race and ethnicity are as follows:
In people with light or light skin tones, psoriasis tends to be pink or red with silvery-white scales. With a medium skin tone, it can appear salmon-colored with silver-white scales. On darker skin tones, psoriasis can be violet, brown, or reddish-brown, often with light or gray patches.
There is little research and information available in People of Color about the treatment and diagnosis of psoriasis. A 2014 study found that the prevalence of psoriasis among adults age 20 and older is
These numbers may not tell the whole story, as people of color may be disproportionately undertreated and misdiagnosed. This is because psoriasis is not always detected in darker skin tones as it is in people with lighter skin tones.
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Psoriasis can cause mental stress, anxiety and low self-esteem. Depression is also common in people with psoriasis.
There are also subcategories of psoriasis types. They appear differently depending on the location of the body. Psoriasis is not contagious regardless of the type.
Psoriasis patches on darker skin tones may also be more widespread, which can make diagnosis difficult.
Plaque psoriasis or psoriasis vulgaris is the most common form of psoriasis. It is estimated that 80-90% of people with psoriasis have plaque psoriasis. It is characterized by thick patches of red or purplish skin, often with silvery white or gray scales.
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The spots are usually 1 to 10 centimeters wide, but can be larger and cover most of the body. If you scratch the scale, the symptoms often get worse.
To relieve the discomfort, the doctor may recommend using moisturizers so that the skin does not become too dry or irritated. These moisturizers include an over-the-counter (OTC) cortisone cream or an ointment-based moisturizer.
In some cases, you may need light therapy. This includes skin exposure to both ultraviolet (UV) A and UVB rays. Treatment sometimes combines prescription oral medications, light therapies, and prescription ointments to reduce inflammation.
In moderate to severe cases, you may be prescribed systemic medications in the form of oral, injectable, or intravenous (IV) medications.
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Guttate psoriasis appears as small red spots on the skin. In darker skin tones, these spots may be violet or brown. This is the most common type, affecting about 8% of people with psoriasis. It usually begins in childhood or young adulthood.
The spots are small, separate and drop-shaped. They often appear on the torso and limbs, but can also appear on your face and scalp. The patches are usually not as thick as plaque psoriasis, but over time they can develop into plaque psoriasis.
Your doctor may prescribe steroid creams, light therapy, and oral medications to treat guttate psoriasis. Identifying the root cause of the infection can also help clear up psoriasis. If the condition is caused by a bacterial infection, antibiotics may help.
Flexural or inverse psoriasis often occurs in skin folds, such as under the breasts or in the armpits or groin. This type of psoriasis is red or purple and often shiny and smooth.
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Sweat and moisture in the skin folds prevent this form of psoriasis from being removed from the skin. It is sometimes misdiagnosed as a fungal or bacterial infection. Skin-to-skin contact can make inverse psoriasis very uncomfortable.
Most people with inverse psoriasis also have a different form of psoriasis on other parts of their body.
Your doctor may prescribe a less potent steroid cream to prevent excessive thinning of the skin. You may also benefit from taking or applying medications that reduce the growth of yeast or bacteria.
Pustular psoriasis can sometimes be severe. This form of psoriasis can quickly develop as many white pustules surrounded by red or dark skin.
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Pustular psoriasis can affect individual areas of the body, such as the hands and feet, or cover most of the skin’s surface. These pustules can also coalesce and form a crust. But if it affects
— like the Von Zumbusch subtype — can be life-threatening because of its severe systemic effects.
Some people experience cyclic pustules and periods of remission. Although pus is not contagious, the condition can cause flu-like symptoms, such as:
Treatment may include OTC or prescription corticosteroid creams, oral medications, or light therapy. Biologics may also be recommended.
What Is Plaque Psoriasis? Symptoms, Treatments, And More
Erythrodermic psoriasis, or exfoliative psoriasis, is a rare type of psoriasis that appears bright red or dark purple with peeling skin in people with darker skin tones. The condition is serious and is a medical emergency. You may need hospital treatment because your body may not be able to manage your body temperature.
This form of psoriasis is widespread, with red or purple skin and silver scales. It can cover large parts of the body. Peeling often occurs in larger patches than the small scales typical of most psoriasis.
This may include using medicated wet dressings, topical steroids, biologics, or prescription oral medications until symptoms improve.
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a painful and physically limiting condition that affects 30-33% of people with psoriasis. There are five types of PsA with different symptoms. There is also no treatment for this condition.
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Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease, so it can trigger an attack on your body’s joints and skin. It can affect many joints and often becomes quite severe in the hands and affects the nails. Skin symptoms usually appear before joint symptoms.
Treatment for psoriatic arthritis may include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen sodium (Aleve). NSAIDs can help reduce the swelling and pain associated with psoriatic arthritis.
Prescription medications, such as an oral corticosteroid, can also help reduce the inflammation that causes psoriatic arthritis. Topical prescription medications used to treat psoriatic arthritis include salicylic acid, calcipotriene, and tazarotene.
A unique class of drugs called disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) can help reduce inflammation and joint damage. Biologics, a subcategory of DMARDs, may be prescribed to reduce inflammation at the cellular level.
Types Of Psoriasis: Pictures, Symptoms And Treatments
Although nail psoriasis is not an official type of psoriasis, it is a manifestation of psoriasis. This condition can often be confused with fungal infections and other nail infections.
Sometimes the nail can even crumble and fall off. There is no cure for psoriatic nails, but some treatments can improve the health and appearance of the nails.
Treatments for nail psoriasis are similar to those for plaque psoriasis. It may take time to see the effects of these treatments because nails grow very slowly. Treatment options include:
Scalp psoriasis is common in people with plaque psoriasis. It can cause severe dandruff in some people. For others, it can be painful, itchy and very noticeable at the hairline. Scalp psoriasis can spread to your neck, face, and ears in one large patch or several smaller patches.
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In some cases, scalp psoriasis can make regular hair hygiene difficult. Excessive scratching can cause hair loss and scalp infections. The condition can also cause feelings of social distress.
Topical treatments are most commonly used for scalp psoriasis. They may require intensive use for the first 2 months, plus constant and regular maintenance. Treatment options include:
There is no cure for any form of psoriasis, but remission and significant improvement are possible. Your doctor will work with you on a treatment plan to help manage your condition. You can also take measures to treat psoriasis at home.
Doctors can slowly develop the most effective treatment plan for your psoriasis symptoms. Most start with topical or light therapy and only go to systemic medications when the first line of treatment has failed.
Psoriasis Scaly Rash Treatment
People with psoriasis can often experience stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders. You may benefit from therapy or support groups where you can meet other people with similar problems or concerns.
You can also talk to a healthcare professional about seeing a therapist experienced in psoriasis. They can help determine how to cope.
There are different types of psoriasis with different symptoms. Although there is no cure for psoriasis, treatment can help relieve and manage your symptoms. Talk to your doctor if you are concerned about your skin.
The type and severity of psoriasis will determine your treatment. In general, milder cases with smaller patches of psoriasis can often be treated topically. More severe cases with larger patches may require systemic treatment.
What Is Psoriasis?
Many people believe that psoriasis is contagious, but it is not spread from person to person. Researchers believe that a combination of genetics, environmental and immune system factors causes psoriasis.
Psoriasis is also gaining more support and awareness thanks to the advocacy work of dozens of psoriasis activists and organizations. Talk to your doctor if you think you have psoriasis. They can provide treatment options and coping skills
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