Whether you know they are symptoms of psoriasis or not, it pays to get any strange skin issue checked out by a dermatologist. Psoriasis is a chronic condition that causes excess skin cells to build up on your skin. Symptoms of psoriasis can come and go and may not appear until you are in your teens or beyond. If you notice any of the following symptoms, as described by the Mayo Clinic, make an appointment to see your skin doctor as soon as possible. There are ways to treat the problem so you can manage a life with it.
One of the most common symptoms of psoriasis are red patches on your skin. They can appear in just a few places or turn into huge spots that cover large areas of your body. Psoriasis may show up on your scalp, your torso, neck, arms, legs or really, anywhere you have skin. Red patches don’t always indicate psoriasis, but should be checked out anyway.
Scaly skin can occur for a number of reasons and psoriasis is one of them. Though this symptom is more common in children, it doesn’t mean that adults won’t get it too. Often, those red patches mentioned above will become covered in silvery colored scales. They will flare and die down in cycles, but you can treat them.
Psoriasis can often cause your skin to become very dry, which may result in cracking. This can be painful and is a dangerous symptom because germs and bacteria can get into the cracks, leaving you at risk of an infection. If your psoriasis causes cracked skin, be sure to keep it covered and clean.
As with many other skin conditions, psoriasis can cause itching and burning at the site of the breakouts. Not only is this very uncomfortable, but scratching that itch can break open your skin. Being continually uncomfortable can alter your quality of life so don’t just try to live with it.
No one wants to go through each day feeling sore. That’s no fun at all. But that’s something that many people with psoriasis deal with on a daily basis. That extra skin build up can alter the way your skin feels so if you are sore, talk to your dermatologist about ways to find relief.
Your finger and toenails are made up of essentially the same thing as your skin, which means they are susceptible to psoriasis too. When your nails are affected, the condition can leave them thickened, ridged or pitted. Properly treating psoriasis can help keep this issue at bay.
As if the skin part wasn’t bad enough, right? Again, many health conditions can cause stiff joints, but if they are accompanied by other symptoms on this list, you should be checked out by a skin doctor. Often, psoriasis causes stiff joints as well. Not comfortable, to say the least!
Do you have psoriasis? When were you diagnosed? There are several types of psoriasis, including plaque, nail and scalp. Getting a diagnosis from your doctor is the best way to ensure that you are getting treatment that’s appropriate for your specific case of psoriasis. Do you have any other symptoms to share?