Plaque Psoriasis is the Most Common Form of Psoriasis
Of all the different forms of psoriasis, plaque psoriasis is the most frequently diagnosed one. It can be recognized as it manifests itself as a clearly defined area of the skin having a raised, red as well as inflamed section of skin covered in silvery scales, commonly referred to as plaques, flakes or scales.
Found in the Areas of Elbow, Scalp, Knees or Torso
Plaque psoriasis is most often found in the areas of the elbow, scalp, knees or torso though most commonly affected areas are the knees and elbows. Accelerated skin replacement cycles are symptomatic of this condition and what should take a month to replace the old skin, under this condition, takes a mere three to four days.
It is believed that almost eighty percent of persons affected by psoriasis will be likely to get plaque psoriasis, and it is characterized by raised, inflamed red lesions that have a silvery white scale covering these lesions. Also, it is known to affect about one to two percent of people living in America, which roughly translates into approximately five and a half million people.
According to researchers, plaque psoriasis is caused by a disorder in the body’s immune system which makes white blood cells that in turn protect the body from infections. When a person has psoriasis, the T cells abnormally cause inflammation in the skin. Persons affected by plaque psoriasis will, in most instances, have patches of raised, red and scaly areas on the skin that will be itchy and may also result in a burning sensation.
Such patches are found mostly on the knees, trunk, elbows or scalp and about ninety percent of those with psoriasis have plaque psoriasis. Flare-ups may last for up to a few months or for as little as a few weeks, and may go away for a time and then returns as is the case with chronic cases.
To confirm the diagnosis of plaque psoriasis, doctors may make use of skin biopsies, which under normal circumstances, are use to evaluate unusual cases or to eliminate other conditions when the diagnosis is uncertain. Being a chronic disease, it tends to disappear and reappear and requires follow-up care that is dependent on the severity of the disease.
The best way to prevent plaque psoriasis is to avoid environmental factors that trigger such a condition, and these include smoking, sun exposure as well as stress and taking remedial actions can help prevent, or at the very least, minimize flare-ups. There is no doubting the fact that plaque psoriasis is something that adversely affects the quality of life of the patient.
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