There are more than 7 million psoriasis sufferers in America.

This article addresses the most common questions about it: -

‘What is it?’

‘What causes it?’

‘Can you catch it from someone who has it?’ and

‘Is there a cure?’

1. Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition.
While it’s not life-threatening, it can be very severe and disabling. It often appears between the ages of 15 and 35 but it can develop at any age. As many as 15 per cent contract psoriasis before their tenth birthday and it occurs nearly equally in men and women.

There are five types of psoriasis but the most common form, plaque psoriasis, appears as raised, red patches or lesions covered with a silvery white build-up of dead skin cells, called scale. Psoriasis can occur on any part of the body but typically on the scalp, elbows, knees, and the base of the back. However, it can develop anywhere, including the nails, palms, soles, genitals and face (which is rare). Strangely, the patches of white skin often show up on the same place on each side of the body.

2. The causes of psoriasis are still unknown to us but it is believed to have a genetic component. Most professionals agree that the immune system is set off by mistake, which speeds up the growth cycle of skin cells. A normal skin cell matures and falls off within a month but a psoriatic skin cell takes only a few days to rise to the surface and then, instead of falling off, the cells accumulate and form the lesions.

3. It’s not contagious; you can’t ‘catch’ it and people who have it are no threat to other people but it is an embarrassing condition which as well as causing an itchy skin can have a psychological effect too, since it influences people’s readiness to let others see their skin. This not only can dictate what clothes can be worn or which social activities can be enjoyed but it can also make it difficult to mix with the opposite sex.

4. Regrettably, there is no cure but there are more and more treatments available which at least reduce the symptoms. People often need to try out different treatments before they find one that works for them.

Diseases which affect the skin may seem relatively unimportant when compared with other conditions but it’s worth remembering that the skin is the largest organ in the body and it plays an important role in controlling body temperature and as a defence against infection. Large areas of psoriasis can lead to infection, loss of fluid and bad circulation.

So, is there hope for a cure?

Yes there is. Scientists are studying psoriasis more than ever before. They understand much more about its genetic causes and how it involves the immune system. Both the federal government and The National Psoriasis Foundation are funding research to discover the cause of psoriasis and to find a cure.

You can find out more about how to moisturise and soothe the skin and control the scaling and flaking associated with psoriasis by clicking through now to: -

http://www.healthier-family.com/Skincare.html

Even though there are millions of people around the world that have been diagnosed with psoriasis, it is still somewhat a mystery to doctors, scientists and researchers. However, what we do know, is that psoriasis is a genetic disorder that effects the immune system and is not a bacteria, nor is it contagious. In the recent years there have been new treatments for psoriasis developed, such as light treatments, oral medications, and even medication that is composed of living organisms, known as biologics.

Biologics is very special in comparison to the other treatments available for psoriasis, because it actually works against the disorder by stunting its growth in early stages. Biologics is used in people who have mild to sever psoriasis and even people who have arthritis as well. This is one of the best options for a person that is suffering from psoriasis but has not been able to be successful with other treatments.

Then there are the topical and systemic treatments that can only work for a certain period of time. If the psoriasis is extremely severe then ultra violet light therapy,also known as phototherapy, is used. Phototherapy is done by exposing areas of the skin to ultraviolet light under the supervision of doctors. It has been proven to be effective against psoriasis in multiple studies.

There are also natural methods that can help you fight psoriasis, such as the omega-3 fatty acids. A good way to get a lot of omega-3 fatty acids in your system is to eat a lot of salmon. If you do not like salmon the you can take an omega-3 fish oil supplement pill with some water. Aside from helping with psoriasis, omega-3 is also great for the heart and has anti-aging properties as well. Everyone should take fish oil, even if they are already healthy.

Sunless tanning is a tan achieved by special chemical substances. These substances act one of two ways – they either force the skin to produce more melanin pigment or they saturate the dead skin cells of the epidermis (the outermost layer of skin) and color its proteins brown.

Nowadays sunless tanning means are divided into 2 main categories – external and internal means. External means (lotions etc.) use Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) as their active ingredient. In the 1970s Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) was added by the FDA to its list of safe cosmetic ingredients, and it is still on that list. The internal means (tanning pills etc.) contain beta carotene or canthaxanthin – the ingredients which were banned by the FDA many years ago due to being unsafe.

The main advantages of sunless tanning include:
- You can achieve the tan in several hours after applying sunless tanner onto your skin. This eliminates the need of taking weeks or even months to achieve a nice tan.
- Modern sunless tanners give you a completely naturally looking tan. You just want to make sure (by reading what other users say) that the tan will be of a brown, and not orange-shade brown color.
- Sunless tanning will not give you tan lines – you can apply them in private all over your body.
- You will achieve a nice tan even if you are a person with fair skin due to which your skin does not produce much melanin (pigment that gives skin the pink, brown or black color)
- Sunless tan is a temporary tan – it will disappear in about a 5-7 day course of time.

There are people that are actually obsessed with their tan. They can not picture themselves without having a tan. If those people want to keep their skin looking younger for years to come they should opt to use sunless tanning instead of tanning in the sun.

What about people with psoriasis? Will they benefit or not from the use of sunless tanners?

There is no information about the sunless tanning helping to treat psoriasis. But there is information that some people with psoriasis say sunless tanning helps them to feel better about their skin and they started wearing shorts and short sleeved shirts in the summer. This happens due to that sunless tanning makes your skin brown which makes the red psoriatic lesions much less noticeable than if they were on a pale skin.

It is probably more comfortable to apply sunless tanning means with the use of special tanning towels saturated with the tanning lotion. After you wipe your body with such towels and rub the tanning lotion into your skin, the tan will start appearing in about 1 hour. First it may look red or orange. But within a few more hours the orange nuance should disappear and the tan will turn brown.

Scaly psoriatic lesions may also first appear orange but after you shower (in about 24 hours of the achieving of the tan) these scales will be gone.

You may want to shower right before you apply the tanning lotion because after applying of the lotion it is not recommended to take a shower or even to sweat (like with exercises) for about a 24 hour period.

Sunless tan will usually last for about 5-7 days and then disappear. Tiny remainders may stay for up to 2 weeks.

Most people with psoriasis that have tried sunless tanning did not experience any inflammation nor blocked or clogged pores. However, some people with psoriasis noticed that a sunless tanning lotion can block skin pores and dry up psoriatic scales, making them look flakier.

More on Psoriasis and Sunless Tanning: http://www.psoriasis-aid.com/psoriasis_and_the_sun/sunless_tanning.html

More on Psoriasis and the Sun: http://www.psoriasis-aid.com/psoriasis_and_the_sun/index.php

I have been fighting psoriasis for 14 years – since my teenage years. On my website you will find loads of unique information on psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a genetic skin disorder that affects the skin by causing large, red itchy rashes. If the case is severe then the itching may become so extreme that it begins to burn and sting! If you scratch the rash then it may become infected and require immediate medical care. It is causing these rashes because the body is producing too many skin cells too rapidly, and they begin to pile up on top of each other. When this happens, it creates a perfect environment for rash causing bacteria to grow. If you do not treat your psoriasis then you can expect it to get worse as time goes on.

A good natural method for you to use against psoriasis is omega-3 fish oil. You can find this in salmon, or if you don;t like salmon, you can simply use a supplemental omega-3 pill, sold in many health stores and even grocery stores. Aside from helping your psoriasis it is also good for your heart and it has anti-aging properties as well.

You should also go and see a doctor and get prescribed an ointment or lotion that is made especially for psoriasis. If the case is severe you should also ask your doctor about systematic treatments. Systematic treatments are provided through pills and injections. You can also go in for ultraviolet light therapy, This has also been proven to be effective for people with psoriasis.

Try to watch your diet as well, and drink lots of water. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables will help with your psoriasis too, and you should always make sure you get enough nutrition, regardless of whether or not you have psoriasis.