New hope for psoriasis sufferers

Psoriasis is more than just a bad case of dandruff, it's a chronic disease. Distinct by its scaly patches of skin and flakes, many sufferers battle to overcome the feelings of discomfort and embarrassment associated with the condition

Dispelling the myths

Psoriasis is not contagious, it's a genetically determined inflammatory condition of the skin. One of the most common of the skin disorders, psoriasis affects one in fifty of the population - two per cent worldwide. Plaque psoriasis is the most common form of the disease and is characterised by inflamed patches of skin lesions topped with silvery white scales.



No-one really knows what causes it, but it tends to come on before the age of 35 and generally runs in families. Psoriasis is known as an 'immune-mediated' disease. It's understood that the immune system, which normally protects the body against foreign invaders, is somehow mistakenly triggered and begins targeting skin cells. New skin cells are produced at a faster rate than dead skin cells are shed and the excess skin creates plaques. Knees, elbows, scalp, stomach and back are the most commonly affected areas of the body.

Living with psoriasis

Most people will agree how maddening itches are, but for a psoriasis sufferer dry, itchy and painful skin is just part of life. Talk to any sufferer and their main complaint will be coping with the scaly, itchy skin. With no known cure, living with psoriasis can be tough. Outbreaks are painful and uncomfortable. Added to that, psoriasis is unpredictable and can flare up at any time, so sufferers cope with the additional stress of looming outbreaks.



As well as the obvious physical symptoms, it can also have a negative impact on a patient's life. While families and partners of psoriasis sufferers remain wholly supportive and helpful, strangers tend to stare, leaving sufferers feeling self-conscious. A recent survey of young patients by the National Psoriasis Foundation Patient Survey, found that 78 per cent suffered from feelings of unattractiveness because of their condition.



One of the main problems for psoriasis patients is that many people don't understand it. In fact, discrimination against psoriasis sufferers can be traced all the way back to Biblical times. Early reports of people confined to leper colonies are described as having the distinctly psoriasis silvery scaling skin.