What is chronic plaque psoriasis?

Are you one of those people who suffer from dry skin, and suddenly out of nowhere – BOOM! An intense flare-up on your elbows or knees? Listen up. Chronic plaque psoriasis can be a real pain in the… well, everywhere actually. From the constant itching to that feeling like your skin’s been swapped with silk paper, it’s not exactly what you’d describe as fun.

What is Chronic Plaque Psoriasis?

Even if you don’t know what chronic plaque psoriasis is (apart from being a tongue twister), chances are that someone close to you does. Our superhero synonym for this condition merely refers to persistent inflammation and scaling of patches of skin which usually form circular ovals- otherwise known as plaques.

These lesions typically start small and keep growing until they can cover large areas such as arms and legs (cue awkward social situations). While nobody really knows why this happens (seriously guys, we could use some help here!), there are quite a few suspects-such as genetics or an already overactive immune system.

# Symptoms
1 Reddish patches covered with silvery scales
2 Dry skin that may peel
3 Severely Itchy
4 Painful cracking

Diagnosis:

While many doctors might just be able to identify chronic plaque psoriasis simply by looking at it (boooooring), sometimes a biopsy may be needed (ouchieeeeee).This would mean taking tiny sections of affected lesioned skin for microscopic examination (grimaces) By checking, dermatologists will usually have no trouble putting their finger on what type of psoriasis do patients have.

## The Causes

Getting down right scientific about things ,the most recent theories suggest that the immune system could be key to why psoriasis occurs.How? Well, during a flare-up the body seems to go into overdrive and ,as wind would do with fire,simple life events trigger an inflammatory reaction by white blood cells.(You know you’re getting old when your own immune system tries to kill you)

Genetics

If one of your parents suffer from psoriasis (or both!), then congratulations coughsorry, on top of inheriting their height or eye colour maybe also got this skin condition as a bonus prize (Thanks for nothing genetics!). Even if it doesn’t show up until later in life (because genuinely,you needed more things showing up randomly right?), having family history significantly ups the risk factor.

Pop Culture’s Take

Ah yes,our favourite way to cope with uncomfortable issues -distract ourselves.Did you know famous cartoon characters like The Incredible Hulk or even Batman seem to have chronic plaque psoriasis too?(Okay,maybe not but just picture them going about keeping watch through Gotham City while exhibiting these pesky patches some times!)

The point here being- no one’s perfect. Be proud whichever superhero cape that matches your symptom-like scales (gags).Yes,it might feel awkward where gazes linger longer than usual,but just remember having flawless skin isn’t everything.

Myths Busted!

There are quite a few common misconceptions surrounding chronic plaque psoriasis and we’ve decided enough is enough-it’s finally time they were tackled head-on:

#1 It’s Contagious

Sorry Mrs Hopkins,don’t cancel Billy’s playdates yet! Psoriasis can sometimes look smoother;however, science says there is NO evidence whatsoever that suggests it is infectious(trust me,really).It won’t spread on contact–it may persist in certain individuals depending upon genetic factors,but rest assured,you won’t become Patient Zero if bitten.

#2 It’s Not Serious

Uh-huh, totally! Unless you think living with the constant itchiness,painful cracks and flakes is a walk in the park (and even Batman would be like, “Really?” (give me some credit here))-chronic plaque psoriasis can significantly limit your social or outdoor activities because of its physical appearance OR severity of associated symptoms.To call it ‘not serious’ would be inadequate at best.

Treatment

By now,you may be thinking,”Hey-author surely there must be something to make this hell of skin chaos stop?” Yes,don’t panic-we have treatments for that.

Topical Medications

For those who experience mild to moderate chronic plaque psoriasis,topical medications(provide temporary relief from symptoms).These include:

  • Corticosteroids(Calm overactive immune responses)
  • Retinoids(Speed up turnover rate for healing)
  • Salicylic Acid(Remove scales and promote shedding)

Phototherapy(Light Therapy)

Light therapy has been used by dermatologists since ancient times(shoutout to our learned ancestors!)Especially useful for scalp-based plaques affected individuals.A common procedure involves targeting ultraviolet ray exposure on lesions two or three times per week until noticeable improvement(collapses on armchair).

### A word from Batman….
Remember,Bruce Wayne possibly had his own patches too… winks conspiratorially. But seriously,your superheroes ought not let these disturbances impact their quality of life.Be brave,schedule an appointment with a doctor today -relief may just round the corner.

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