Wei Laboratories, Inc.
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What is Psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a common skin disease that affects the life cycle of skin cells. Psoriasis causes cells to build up rapidly on
the surface of the skin, forming thick silvery scales and itchy, dry, red patches that are sometimes painful.
Psoriasis is a persistent, long-lasting, chronic, disease. You may have periods when your psoriasis symptoms
improve or go into remission alternating with times your psoriasis worsens.
For some people, psoriasis is just a nuisance. For others, it's disabling, especially when associated with arthritis. No
cure exists, but psoriasis treatments may offer significant relief. Lifestyle measures, such as using a nonprescription
cortisone cream and exposing your skin to small amounts of natural sunlight, can improve your psoriasis symptoms.
Several types of psoriasis exist. These include:
• Plaque psoriasis. The most common form, plaque psoriasis causes dry, raised, red skin lesions (plaques)
covered with silvery scales.
• Nail psoriasis. Psoriasis can affect fingernails and toenails, causing pitting, abnormal nail growth and
discoloration.
• Scalp psoriasis. Psoriasis on the scalp appears as red, itchy areas with silvery-white scales.
• Guttate psoriasis. This primarily affects people younger than 30 and is usually triggered by a bacterial infection
such as strep throat.
• Inverse psoriasis. Mainly affecting the skin in the armpits, groin, under the breasts and around the genitals.
• Pustular psoriasis. This uncommon form of psoriasis can occur in widespread patches (generalized pustular
psoriasis) or in smaller areas on your hands, feet or fingertips.
• Erythrodermic psoriasis. The least common type of psoriasis, erythrodermic psoriasis can cover your entire body
with a red, peeling rash that can itch or burn intensely.
• Psoriatic arthritis. In addition to inflamed, scaly skin, psoriatic arthritis causes pitted, discolored nails and the
swollen, painful joints that are typical of arthritis. It can also lead to inflammatory eye conditions such as
conjunctivitis.
Symptoms
Psoriasis signs and symptoms can vary from person to person but may include one or more of the following:
• Red patches of skin covered with silvery scales
• Small scaling spots (commonly seen in children)
• Dry, cracked skin that may bleed
• Itching, burning or soreness
• Thickened, pitted or ridged nails
• Swollen and stiff joints
Psoriasis patches can range from a few spots of dandruff-like scaling to major eruptions that cover large areas. Mild
cases of psoriasis may be a nuisance. But more severe cases can be painful, disfiguring and disabling.
• Most types of psoriasis go through cycles, flaring for a few weeks or months, then subsiding for a time or even
going into complete remission. In most cases, however, the disease eventually returns.
Causes
The cause of psoriasis is related to the immune system, and more specifically, a type of white blood cell called a T
lymphocyte or T cell. Normally, T cells travel throughout the body to detect and fight off foreign substances, such as
viruses or bacteria. If you have psoriasis, however, the T cells attack healthy skin cells by mistake as if to heal a wound
or to fight an infection.
Overactive T cells trigger other immune responses including dilation of blood vessels in the skin around the plaques
and an increase in other white blood cells that can enter the epidermis. These changes result in an increased
production of both healthy skin cells and more T cells and other white blood cells. What results is an ongoing cycle in
which new skin cells move to the outermost layer of skin too quickly — in days rather than weeks. Dead skin and white
blood cells can't slough off quickly enough and build up in thick, scaly patches on the skin's surface. This usually
doesn't stop unless treatment interrupts the cycle.
Just what causes T cells to malfunction in people with psoriasis isn't entirely clear, although researchers think genetic
and environmental factors both play a role.
Factors that may trigger psoriasis include:
• Infections, such as strep throat or thrush
• Injury to the skin, such as a cut or scrape, bug bite, or a severe sunburn
• Stress
• Cold weather
• Smoking
• Heavy alcohol consumption
• Certain medications — including lithium, which is prescribed for bipolar disorder; high blood pressure
medications such as beta blockers; antimalarial drugs; and iodides
Western Medicine treatments
Psoriasis treatments aim to:
• Interrupt the cycle that causes an increased production of skin cells, thereby reducing inflammation and plaque
formation.
• Remove scale and smooth the skin, which is particularly true of topical treatments that you apply to the skin.
• Psoriasis treatments can be divided into three main types:
Alternative Medicine
There is a significant progress using alternative medicine in this area.
If you want a referral of an expert alternative medicine practitioner in your
local area, please use our free referral service by calling our toll-free at
1-888-919-1188, or e-mail us to wei@weilab.com, or click the button
at the right to have us contact you.
Information gathered from the Mayo Clinic
Psoriasis is a common skin disease that affects the life cycle of skin cells. Psoriasis causes cells to build up rapidly on
the surface of the skin, forming thick silvery scales and itchy, dry, red patches that are sometimes painful.
Psoriasis is a persistent, long-lasting, chronic, disease. You may have periods when your psoriasis symptoms
improve or go into remission alternating with times your psoriasis worsens.
For some people, psoriasis is just a nuisance. For others, it's disabling, especially when associated with arthritis. No
cure exists, but psoriasis treatments may offer significant relief. Lifestyle measures, such as using a nonprescription
cortisone cream and exposing your skin to small amounts of natural sunlight, can improve your psoriasis symptoms.
Several types of psoriasis exist. These include:
• Plaque psoriasis. The most common form, plaque psoriasis causes dry, raised, red skin lesions (plaques)
covered with silvery scales.
• Nail psoriasis. Psoriasis can affect fingernails and toenails, causing pitting, abnormal nail growth and
discoloration.
• Scalp psoriasis. Psoriasis on the scalp appears as red, itchy areas with silvery-white scales.
• Guttate psoriasis. This primarily affects people younger than 30 and is usually triggered by a bacterial infection
such as strep throat.
• Inverse psoriasis. Mainly affecting the skin in the armpits, groin, under the breasts and around the genitals.
• Pustular psoriasis. This uncommon form of psoriasis can occur in widespread patches (generalized pustular
psoriasis) or in smaller areas on your hands, feet or fingertips.
• Erythrodermic psoriasis. The least common type of psoriasis, erythrodermic psoriasis can cover your entire body
with a red, peeling rash that can itch or burn intensely.
• Psoriatic arthritis. In addition to inflamed, scaly skin, psoriatic arthritis causes pitted, discolored nails and the
swollen, painful joints that are typical of arthritis. It can also lead to inflammatory eye conditions such as
conjunctivitis.
Symptoms
Psoriasis signs and symptoms can vary from person to person but may include one or more of the following:
• Red patches of skin covered with silvery scales
• Small scaling spots (commonly seen in children)
• Dry, cracked skin that may bleed
• Itching, burning or soreness
• Thickened, pitted or ridged nails
• Swollen and stiff joints
Psoriasis patches can range from a few spots of dandruff-like scaling to major eruptions that cover large areas. Mild
cases of psoriasis may be a nuisance. But more severe cases can be painful, disfiguring and disabling.
• Most types of psoriasis go through cycles, flaring for a few weeks or months, then subsiding for a time or even
going into complete remission. In most cases, however, the disease eventually returns.
Causes
The cause of psoriasis is related to the immune system, and more specifically, a type of white blood cell called a T
lymphocyte or T cell. Normally, T cells travel throughout the body to detect and fight off foreign substances, such as
viruses or bacteria. If you have psoriasis, however, the T cells attack healthy skin cells by mistake as if to heal a wound
or to fight an infection.
Overactive T cells trigger other immune responses including dilation of blood vessels in the skin around the plaques
and an increase in other white blood cells that can enter the epidermis. These changes result in an increased
production of both healthy skin cells and more T cells and other white blood cells. What results is an ongoing cycle in
which new skin cells move to the outermost layer of skin too quickly — in days rather than weeks. Dead skin and white
blood cells can't slough off quickly enough and build up in thick, scaly patches on the skin's surface. This usually
doesn't stop unless treatment interrupts the cycle.
Just what causes T cells to malfunction in people with psoriasis isn't entirely clear, although researchers think genetic
and environmental factors both play a role.
Factors that may trigger psoriasis include:
• Infections, such as strep throat or thrush
• Injury to the skin, such as a cut or scrape, bug bite, or a severe sunburn
• Stress
• Cold weather
• Smoking
• Heavy alcohol consumption
• Certain medications — including lithium, which is prescribed for bipolar disorder; high blood pressure
medications such as beta blockers; antimalarial drugs; and iodides
Western Medicine treatments
Psoriasis treatments aim to:
• Interrupt the cycle that causes an increased production of skin cells, thereby reducing inflammation and plaque
formation.
• Remove scale and smooth the skin, which is particularly true of topical treatments that you apply to the skin.
• Psoriasis treatments can be divided into three main types:
- Topical treatments (Anti-inflammatory drugs and Moisturizers)
- Light therapy
- Oral medications.
Alternative Medicine
There is a significant progress using alternative medicine in this area.
If you want a referral of an expert alternative medicine practitioner in your
local area, please use our free referral service by calling our toll-free at
1-888-919-1188, or e-mail us to wei@weilab.com, or click the button
at the right to have us contact you.
Information gathered from the Mayo Clinic
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