What Do Psoriasis Plaques Look Like – Medical Review by Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI — By Zawn Villines on October 1, 2018
Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition that can affect the skin. Plaque psoriasis is a type of psoriasis that causes thick, raised, scaly skin to develop.
What Do Psoriasis Plaques Look Like
These spots usually occur on the elbows, knees, and scalp, and they may last for weeks, months, or years.
Overview On Psoriasis
It is important that people with psoriasis can identify this condition. Knowing what psoriasis looks like can help people get the right diagnosis and prevent them from confusing it with an infection or another serious skin condition.
Plaque psoriasis, which can be recognized because of the scaly plaques it produces on the skin, is the most common type of psoriasis. About 80 to 90 percent of patients with psoriasis develop plaques.
Some people will have more than one type of psoriasis. People with plaque psoriasis may later develop other forms of the condition, such as psoriatic arthritis.
Usually, the change of human skin cells takes 21 to 28 days. In people with psoriasis, the body attacks healthy skin cells, so new cells develop every 4 to 7 days.
Plaque Psoriasis: Causes, Types, And Treatment
Psoriasis destroys the lines of the skin, causing areas of redness and irritation. This damage causes the skin to become scaly and gray and peel off.
Plaque psoriasis is not an infection, and it is not contagious. However, the irritated patches of psoriasis can become infected.
In some people, an infection or injury to the skin can trigger an outbreak of psoriasis. People experiencing their first psoriasis may mistake their symptoms for allergies or skin infections.
Some doctors use the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) to measure the affected area of the body and the severity of symptoms.
What Different Types Of Psoriasis Look Like
Others estimate the percentage of the body that psoriasis plaques affect, assuming that the palm is equal to one percent of the body surface area (BSA).
It found that people with more severe psoriasis were more likely to have other medical conditions, including lung disease, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis.
A 2016 study identified genetic changes in the skin associated with the severity of psoriasis. The researchers reported that participants who experienced more severe flare-ups had activation of specific genes associated with inflammation.
Plaque psoriasis may develop in any area of the skin that has been damaged or injured. For example, it can appear after sunlight, scratching, infection, or tattoo.
Psoriasis On Feet: Symptoms, Causes, And Treatment
Although research is good, doctors still cannot cure psoriasis. Once a person has psoriasis, they are more likely to have another.
Patches of psoriasis may clear up after a few months, or they may stay the same, get bigger, or spread throughout the body. In some people, psoriasis will disappear and not return for years.
People who find that environmental factors trigger their flares can often reduce the frequency of flares by controlling these triggers, which may include stress or allergies.
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If your doctor suspects psoriasis but isn’t sure, they may do a skin exam to rule out other causes. A biopsy will involve taking a sample of the affected skin and examining it under a microscope.
Everything You Need To Know About Plaque Psoriasis
Treatment depends on the severity of the psoriasis. Some people can control their symptoms by avoiding triggers and using over-the-counter (OTC) corticosteroid creams.
People with moderate or severe psoriasis may need medication to control their symptoms. There are a variety of medications, including:
Psoriasis can be frustrating, but it can also be treated. People who think they have psoriasis should see a doctor to discuss treatment options.
Plaque psoriasis is the most common type of psoriasis. It causes thick skin to develop, often on the arms and elbows.
What Is Plaque Psoriasis?
The right treatment can improve a person’s quality of life, reduce the severity of their symptoms, and prevent serious complications, such as psoriatic arthritis.
Medical News Today contains rigorous source recommendations and draws from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We avoid using third-party references. We link to primary sources of information – including studies, scientific references, and statistics – within each article and also list them in the Resources section at the bottom of our articles. You can learn more about how we ensure that our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. Medical Review by Clare Wightman MS, PAC, Dermatology, Medical Research — By Katherine Brind’Amour — Updated June 30, 2022
Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease. It is considered an autoimmune disease, which means the immune system is malfunctioning. There are different types of psoriasis, and it is possible to have more than one type.
Psoriasis generally affects the skin, causing skin cells to regenerate faster than normal. It can also affect other organ systems, especially the joints.
A, B, Infiltrated Plaque Lesions Of Psoriasis Located On The Extansor…
, about 7.5 million American adults age 20 or older have psoriasis — the rate 3% prevalence (incidence of the condition). By race and ethnicity, prevalence rates are:
Psoriasis is often pink or red in people with light or fair skin, with silver-white scales. In medium skin tones, it can appear as a salmon color with a silvery white scale. In darker skin tones, psoriasis may appear purple, brown, or reddish brown often with light or gray plaque.
There is limited research and information on the management and diagnosis of psoriasis in people of color. A 2014 study found that the prevalence of psoriasis among adults aged 20 years and older was higher
These numbers may not tell the whole story, as people of color may be disproportionately treated and misdiagnosed. This is because psoriasis is not always recognized on darker skin tones as it is on people with lighter skin tones.
Psoriasis Of Human Hand. Symptoms Of Disease. Cross Section Layers Of Normal Skin And Skin With Psoriasis Plaque Formation. Vector Illustration Stock Vector Image & Art
Psoriasis can lead to psychological stress, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Depression is also common in people with psoriasis.
There are also subtypes of psoriasis. These appear differently depending on the location of the body. Psoriasis is not contagious regardless of the type.
Psoriasis patches on dark skin may be more widespread, which can make it difficult to diagnose.
Plaque psoriasis, or psoriasis vulgaris, is the most common form of psoriasis. About 80% to 90% of people with psoriasis have plaque psoriasis. It is characterized by red or purple spots on the skin, often with silvery or gray scales.
Psoriasis And Psoriatic Arthritis: What’s The Connection?
Patches are usually 1 to 10 centimeters wide, but can be larger and cover more of your body. If you scratch at the scales, the symptoms will be worse.
As a way to relieve the discomfort, the doctor may recommend using a moisturizer to keep the skin from becoming too dry or irritated. These moisturizers include over-the-counter (OTC) cortisone creams or ointment-based creams.
In some cases, you may need light therapy. This involves exposing the skin to both ultraviolet (UV)A and UVB rays. Sometimes, treatment combines prescription oral medications, light therapy, and prescription ointments to reduce inflammation.
In moderate to severe cases, you may be prescribed systemic medications in the form of oral, injection, or intravenous (IV) medications.
Psoriasis: Symptoms And Complications
Guttate psoriasis appears in small red spots on the skin. In darker skin tones, these spots can appear purple or brown. It is the second most common type, affecting about 8% of people with psoriasis. Most often, it begins in childhood or adolescence.
The spots are small, separated, and have a reduced shape. They usually appear on the trunk and limbs, but they can also appear on your face and scalp. The spots are usually not as thick as plaque psoriasis, but they can develop into plaque psoriasis over time.
To treat guttate psoriasis, your doctor may prescribe steroid creams, light therapy, and oral medications. Determining the underlying cause of the infection can also help clear guttate psoriasis. If a bacterial infection is causing the condition, antibiotics may help.
Flexible or inverse psoriasis often appears on areas of the skin, such as under the breasts or in the armpits or on the legs. This type of psoriasis is red or purple and often shiny and smooth.
Scalp Psoriasis: Pictures, Treatment, And More
Sweat and moisture from the skin keep the form of psoriasis from shedding the skin scales. Sometimes, it is misdiagnosed as a fungal or bacterial infection. Skin contact can make inverse psoriasis very uncomfortable.
Most people with inverse psoriasis also have different forms of psoriasis elsewhere on the body.
Your doctor may prescribe a low-potency steroid cream to keep your skin from thinning too much. You may benefit from taking or using medications that reduce the growth of yeast or bacteria.
Pustular psoriasis can be severe at times. This form of psoriasis may develop rapidly in the form of many white pustules surrounded by red or dark skin.
Plaque Psoriasis: Symptoms, Causes, And Treatments
Pustular psoriasis may affect isolated areas of your body, such as your hands and feet, or cover most of the skin. These pustules can also join together and form a scale. However, if it has an effect
— such as the Von Zumbusch subtype — it can be life-threatening because it has serious systemic effects strong
Some people experience cycles of pustules and remission. While 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. Biology may be recommended.
Figure 031_9170. Plaque Type Psoriasis With Well Defined Erythematous Plaques With Whitish Silvery Scales. Photograph Courtesy Of Dr Mohannad Abu Hilal.
Erythrodermic psoriasis, or exfoliative psoriasis, is a rare type of psoriasis that appears bright red or dark purple in people with dark skin.
