Psoriasis is an auto-immune condition that comes across as a rash afflicting the elbows, knees and the scalp, and is sometimes itchy and burns. It is normally associated as a symptom of diabetes, heart problems or depression. If you have a rash that is not being cured by over-the-top medication, you should consider seeing a doctor immediately.

There is no exact reason for the development of psoriasis. However, a weak immune system and genetics play important roles in its development. Normally, a certain condition triggers psoriasis to flare and cause irritation. It results in heightened growth of skin cells that get accumulated to form psoriasis lesions. You are more susceptible to psoriasis between 15 and 35 years of age, but it can still occur at any time. Even infants can be affected by psoriasis, but this is very rare. 

Do remember that this is not contagious and is not transmitted by touching.

Symptoms of Psoriasis

The symptoms of psoriasis differ from person to person depending on the type of psoriasis one is suffering from. They can vary from being a few scales on your skin to covering your entire body. 

Following are the most common symptoms of psoriasis

• Raised, red and inflamed patches of skin

• Severely dry skin that may crack or bleed

• Silver-whitish scales over the red patches

• Itching, soreness, and irritation around the patches

• Pitted and thick nails

• Swollen and painful joints

However, do remember, as mentioned before, that the symptoms may vary from person to person. Some get a cyclic form of symptoms where the scales and dry skin appear, become severe and then disappear completely only to come back again after a few months. Sometimes, the symptoms may not return for a long time and your psoriasis may be in remission. But this does not guarantee that it will not come back. 

What triggers psoriasis?

Sometimes, external triggers start a bout of psoriasis. Again, these are subjective to every individual and does not apply as a whole. The following are some of the most common triggers:

Alcohol

Too much consumption of alcohol can cause a flare-up of psoriasis symptoms, especially if you are a regular drinker. Cutting down on your drinking is not only beneficial for your skin but also has other obvious health benefits.

Stress

A sudden spike in stress can cause the return of psoriasis; therefore, ensure that you manage stress and take necessary breaks when needed.

Injury

An injury like a scrape, cut or a burn can trigger psoriasis. This also applies to take vaccines and other shots, or even severe sunburn.

Infection

Psoriasis can sometimes be caused by your immune system attacking healthy skin cells. This can especially happen if you are afflicted by an infection and your immune system goes into overdrive defending your body.

More and more people today are realizing the benefits of Dead Sea products to treat psoriasis. The curative properties of the water, mud, and minerals of this region are bottled and sold by companies like Premier. They help thousands of people who can’t travel to the Dead Sea reap the exact same benefits as if there were on the shores of this miracle lake.