Psoriasis is not Leprosy nor is it caused by any divine wrath or curse. It’s a skin ailment and should be treated like that.
Today is World Psoriasis Day. Psoriasis affects more than 3% of the Indian population and is often confused with leprosy and this is also one of the reasons why people suffering from Psoriasis are often shunned by society.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease and its exact cause is still not clear. However, a number of factors can precipitate an incidence of Psoriasis. These include genetic factors, continuous exposure to toxic substances, allergy etc. One must understand that the exact cause of psoriasis is still not clear.
The skin of our body has a rate of life. The outermost layer of human skin is made up of mostly keratinized and dead cells. The function of this layer is to keep the moisture and other harmful substances out of the body. The dead cells are continuously shed off and underlying skin cells take their place. There is a particular rate at which this process continues. However, due to some autoimmune reactions, this rate is hastened. Now the outermost layer of the skin is composed of living cells which causes the psoriasis patch.
Psoriasis can get aggravated and also causes intense itching. The Psoriasis looks cosmetically very ugly. Psoriasis can get infected by bacteria or fungus. If it is infected by bacteria it causes what is known as oozing Psoriasis. The fungal infection can lead to intense itching which can be further aggravated if the patch is also infected by bacteria.
Most Psoriasis cases are treated with Corticosteroids both oral as well as topical. This corticosteroid regulates the rate at which the new and underlying skin cells are dead skin cells. The Corticosteroids must be used strictly as per the Dermatologists recommendation. If there is a bacterial or fungal infection, antibiotics and anti-fungal are also prescribed by the doctor.
The chances of recurrence are high and therefore the use of steroids must be done sparingly. Corticosteroids are indicated with serious side effects and their use must be minimized and cost versus ration benefits adequately evaluated.
Finally, it must be understood that Psoriasis is not a contagious disease and is not spread by using towels or bathrooms. Psoriasis is not Leprosy nor is it caused by any divine wrath or curse. It is a simple skin ailment and must be viewed as thus.