What is Psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a genetic autoimmune skin disease which causes your body to produce an excess of skin cells too rapidly.
Signs and Symptoms of Psoriasis
When you have psoriasis, you will notice skin patches which can develop on your scalp, elbows, behind your knees, and other areas of your body. These patches appear scaly, red, or white, and can cause severe itching.
Types of Psoriasis
Psoriasis can be classified into three types, depending on how much of your body is involved:
- Mild psoriasis, which is psoriasis that has affected less than 3% of your body
- Moderate psoriasis, which is psoriasis that has affected 3% to 10% of your body
- Severe psoriasis, which is psoriasis that has affected over 10% of your body
Psoriasis Treatment Options
Psoriasis treatment will vary, depending on the severity of psoriasis and how much of your body is involved. For mild psoriasis, your dermatologist may recommend:
- Topical steroid treatments
- Non-steroidal topical treatments
For moderate to severe psoriasis, your dermatologist may recommend biologic or small molecule inhibitor drugs which work by suppressing the immune system. Common biologic drugs include:
- Adalimumab (Humira)
- Brodalumab (Siliq)
- Ixekizumab (Taltz)
- Bimekizumab (Bimzelx)
- Certolizumab Pegol (Cimzia)
- Tildrakizumab (Ilumya)
- Secukinumab (Cosentyx)
- Risankizumab-rzaa (Skyrizi)
- Ustekinumab (Stelara)
- Deucravacitinib (Sotyku)
Management of Psoriasis
There are several factors which can make psoriasis symptoms worse. Common psoriasis triggers include:
- Stress
- Illness
- Skin injuries
- Excessive sun exposure
- Excessive cold or dry weather exposure
- Smoking and drinking alcohol
- Hormonal changes
Want to Know More about Psoriasis?
To discover more about the causes, signs, symptoms, and treatment of psoriasis including biologics, call our providers Dr. Grace Chung, Dr. Kenneth Herman, Dr. Christina Patrone, Anna Ng or Shelly Schneider at Premier Dermatology in Haddon Heights, NJ. Call (856) 853-0900 to schedule an appointment today!