May 18, 2020

Psoriasis: Causes and Treatments

Psoriasis is a skin condition that affects millions of people around the world. Psoriasis speeds up the production of new skin cells, which are produced more quickly than they’re needed. It causes a buildup of cells on the skin’s surface, resulting in patches of red, scaly skin, characterized by itching, pain, and slight swelling.

The causes of psoriasis

Psoriasis is thought to be an autoimmune condition, which occurs when the immune system erroneously perceives a threat. It reacts to this ‘false alarm’ by sending out cells to neutralize the threat. The reaction causes the immune system to attack healthy cells, causing them damage.

The immune system is designed to protect the body from threats such as bacteria, germs, irritants, and other harmful substances. For this purpose, the blood contains T cells and other white blood cells that go on the offensive when the system detects a problem.

When the skin sustains an injury, the immune system responds by creating new skin cells to replace those that were damaged. This is a typical immune response, whereas an autoimmune response will trigger the production of new skin cells when they are not needed.

When a person has psoriasis, their immune system keeps on initiating the manufacture of new skin cells. The new skin cells have nowhere to go, and so they gather on the skin surface.

Psoriasis treatments

Corticosteroids

For skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis, doctors prescribe corticosteroids for topical application. Applying corticosteroid creams to the affected area allows the medication to get to work immediately. One of the first things a corticosteroid does is relieve the itching, which is crucial to allow the healing process to begin.

The inflammation and itching make someone battling with psoriasis scratch, thereby increasing the redness and swelling. The immune system will start making sure more skin cells are manufactured, which will only make the problem worse.

As corticosteroids are anti-inflammatories, they relieve a lot of the swelling, redness, and pain that psoriasis causes.

CBD oil

Many people are turning to CBD oil as a natural alternative to corticosteroids, although they should consult their dermatologist before doing so. CBD is the abbreviation for cannabidiol, a compound found in the cannabis plant family. It occurs in high quantities in the hemp plant, which contains only tiny amounts of THC.

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the substance in cannabis that causes an intoxicating effect and can be habit-forming. CBD should be harvested from the leaves of the hemp plant, not the marijuana plant so that it prescribes with the maximum amount of TCH allowed in legal CBD products, which is 0.3%

CBD benefits are the subject of current studies, but the compound has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. This is because CBD interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system, which plays an important role in maintaining a state of balance in the body. As part of its function, CBD works with the pain receptors in the body, thereby reducing the immune system response, which includes pain and inflammation. For skin conditions, CBD creams and ointments are a popular choice.

Moisturizers

The scaly red patches psoriasis causes are uncomfortable, a lot of which is caused by extreme dryness. Applying an emollient moisturizer can counteract the dryness, thereby eliminating the pain associated with it.

To effectively treat psoriasis patches, a deep moisturizer is necessary. Many are made with natural products, such as coconut oil, which is a rich, rehydrating set of compounds that relieve dryness.

Eliminating psoriasis triggers

An outbreak of psoriasis can be triggered by stress, smoking, and drinking. Learning how to manage stress levels and deciding to quit drinking and smoking can reduce the severity and frequency of the appearance of psoriasis.

Another common trigger can be the medications you take for another condition. People being treated for psoriasis should speak to their dermatologist about any medicines they use, as the doctor can then determine if they are causing it.

There are many psoriasis triggers, and each person’s experience with them will be different. Being able to identify and recognize what makes their psoriasis appear can be a useful way to treat the condition more proactively and anticipate outbreaks ahead of time. The person with psoriasis can then have the necessary treatments ready for an outbreak.

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