Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease characterized by the appearance of scaly, red blisters. These patches appear on many parts of the body, especially the knees, elbows, and scalp.
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Types of psoriasis
The main types of psoriasis include:
- Plaque psoriasis (or psoriasis vulgaris): These are red, circular plaques covered with thick, white, scaly scales. They are usually concentrated on the elbows, knees, scalp, and buttocks. These plaques cause aggressive itching.
- Inverted Psoriasis: Appears as reddish, shiny patches with well-defined edges that are sometimes itchy. This form of psoriasis affects areas that are not considered classic, such as the axillary folds, inguinal folds, genital area, and gluteal cleft.
- Guttate Psoriasis: This type of psoriasis affects children and teenagers more than adults. It takes the form of small, drop-shaped plaques that are concentrated on the trunk, arms, and legs. Guttate psoriasis is caused by a virus or streptococcal infection.
- Erythrodermic psoriasis: This severe form of psoriasis causes scaling and redness over a large area of the body. Similar to a burn, erythrodermic psoriasis alters the skin's protective barrier function.
- Pustular psoriasis: This form may be localized or generalized. The localized form appears preferentially in the palmar and plantar areas. In this case, small pustules appear under the cornea, becoming superficial and scaly. In the most severe forms, signs of erythema, hyperkeratosis, and fissures appear.
Psoriasis is not contagious, so being close to or in contact with a sick person can in no way contribute to the transmission of the disease.
Causes of psoriasis onset
Psoriasis is a skin disease that falls into the macro-category of dermatitis. It is a multifactorial pathology resulting from the interaction of several predisposing factors.
Triggering factors that can lead to the onset of psoriasis are:
- Genetic predisposition (presence of multiple defective genes).
- Physical or mental stress.
- Trauma, accidental or surgical wounds.
- Cold or dry climates.
- Alcohol abuse and smoking.
- Infection, specifically with streptococcus and herpes viruses.
- A reaction or allergy to medication.
- Exposure to the sun's rays (sunburn).
- Reaction to or exposure to chemical substances.
Diagnosis of the disease in Turkey
Psoriasis must be distinguished from other skin diseases with similar symptoms. Your dermatologist will make a diagnosis based on the clinical appearance of the psoriasis lesions.
A skin biopsy (removal of a fragment of skin under local anesthesia) is usually recommended to confirm the clinical diagnosis of psoriasis or to identify unusual forms of the disease.
Sometimes a histologic or cytologic examination of a sample of skin tissue may be performed to determine the main causes of the rash and to rule out a fungal or viral infection.
Psoriasis treatment in Turkey
Most cases of psoriasis can be treated with medications and therapies that control the active phase of inflammation and prevent the disease from worsening.
In general, psoriasis treatment is based on four main areas:
- Topical medications: These treatments are for the mildest forms of psoriasis. Active ingredients include keratolytics, moisturizers and emollients, anti-inflammatories (cortisone),vitamin D, analogs, and mineral and plant tars.
- Oral systemic therapies: These pharmacologic treatments are reserved for moderate to severe forms of psoriasis that have not responded to topical treatments. They may be taken orally or administered by injection. These treatments include the use of immunosuppressants (methotrexate or cyclosporine) or retinoids (acitretin).
- Biologic therapies: These are biologic medications used when psoriasis is refractory to traditional treatments. These medications require a thorough medical diagnosis. Their prescription is reserved for specialists in dermatology, rheumatology, or internal medicine.
- Phototherapy (ultraviolet light therapy): This is the most widely used technique of exposing the patient to UVA rays after the administration of photosensitizers that enhance their therapeutic efficacy. Phototherapy is performed under dermatological supervision.
Turquie Santé is committed to providing you with the most cost-effective psoriasis treatment in Turkey. Our team is committed to providing the best medical services at the best prices.
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Among our doctors
Stress, anxiety, smoking, depression, bacterial or viral infections, taking certain medications, trauma (fractures, major surgery, accidents) are all factors that can trigger psoriasis flare-ups.
Patients with psoriasis have a slightly increased risk of cancer, especially squamous cell carcinoma and lymphoma, but not if they are receiving biologic therapy or have psoriatic arthritis.
Erythrodermic psoriasis: This is one of the most severe and serious forms of psoriasis and can be life-threatening because it affects the protective barrier of large areas of the skin.
Foods that aggravate psoriasis are:
- Foods high in fat, especially saturated and hydrogenated fats
- Dairy products
- Sugars
- Gluten
- Fried foods
- Belladonna due to its high solanine content
- Condiments: such as ketchup, mayonnaise, tabasco sauce, vinegar, and spices
- Alcohol: Because of its vasodilating effect, alcohol allows T cells to reach the outermost layers of the skin.
Vitamin D is effective in mild psoriasis. It is a regulator of the immune system, and its immunomodulatory properties may be beneficial in inflammatory diseases such as psoriasis. In fact, vitamin D derivatives are often used in topical form to treat psoriasis.
