Here Is What To Look For
Psoriasis is the #1 auto-immune disease in the world yet it frequently goes undiagnosed until it becomes embarrassing for the individual. The signs of psoriasis are very similar to other skin conditions and are often dismissed as simple dry skin patches. Understanding the early signs of psoriasis can help diagnose the disease early so treatment can begin before the condition worsens.
The Signs of Psoriasis on the Body
Psoriasis can occur anywhere on the body but the two most common places are on the elbows and knees. Having dry skin on your elbows and knees is something that happens to most everyone. To determine if you have something more than just simple dry skin problems you should begin moisturizing these areas daily. If you have a general dry skin problem then you should see significant improvement within a few days. If after moisturizing for several days your skin still looks red and the dry patches are persistent then you may have something more serious like Psoriasis. Some people ignore their dry elbows and knees and the first sign of psoriasis may be a buildup of dead skin cells. This is known as plaque psoriasis. If left untreated the skin cells will multiply more rapidly than your body can naturally remove them. When this happens the dead skin cells pile up and become grey/silver in color and look like plaque. This is a sure sign you have psoriasis. Other individuals may successfully use a moisturizer to remove early dry skin but still have a persistent redness on their elbows or knees that simply won’t go away. In some cases the redness and dryness can be itchy and even bleed if scratched. If a simple moisturizer doesn’t clear up the redness in 2-3 weeks then this is one of the signs of psoriasis. The five signature signs of psoriasis are dryness, redness, itching, scaling and flaky skin.
The Signs of Psoriasis on the Scalp
Some people suffer with body psoriasis other people get scalp psoriasis. In many cases individuals with get both body and scalp psoriasis. The signs of psoriasis on the scalp are a little different from body psoriasis. The first sign of psoriasis on the scalp may be a persistent dry itch. To determine if you just have a mild dry scalp you should begin by using a quality moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. In addition, limiting the number of times you wash your hair to see if the dryness goes away. A key sign of psoriasis on the scalp is flaking. This occurs when you itch your scalp and scrape off dead skin cells causing dandruff. Many people have dandruff problems throughout their life but it can easily be controlled with a simple dandruff shampoo. If your dandruff and flaking is consistent even after using a dandruff shampoo then this is definitely a sign of psoriasis. The other signs of psoriasis may occur around your hairline or behind your ears instead of throughout your hair. If you start to see dry patches around your scalp or behind your ears try to resolve the problem first with a daily moisturizer. If you are not successful in getting it under control then this is a sign of psoriasis on the scalp. The six signature signs of psoriasis on the scalp are dryness, redness, itching, scaling, flaking and dandruff.
The Signs of Psoriasis on other Parts of the Body
As mentioned earlier psoriasis can occur anywhere on the body. Other common areas include the hands, feet, nails and even lower back. The early signs of psoriasis on the nails include dents or pits that become discolored. Your nails may grow abnormally or become loose and separate from your nail bed. Any abnormality in your nails may be a sign of psoriasis or some other condition. Nails often provide clues to illness in/on the body.
