How do you get Psoriasis.
Firstly the cause of psoriasis is not known, though certain reasons for psoriasis are being hypothecated. Though scientific belief indicates that there is a strong genetic component as far as psoriasis is concerned, the exact cause as to why psoriasis occurs is not yet known. How you get psoriasis, therefore, is still a mystery today.
And it is not yet confirmed that genetic factors alone are responsible for psoriasis. And though you may have a strong family history of psoriasis, it does not definitely mean that you will get psoriasis. Reading psoriasis statistics will tell you which type of people are prone to psoriasis.
Cause of Psoriasis.
Since the exact cause of psoriasis is not known, there are two hypotheses which prevail about its development.
1) Psoriasis and Skin.
The first hypothesis sees psoriasis primarily as a disorder of the skin cells, which grow very rapidly, migrate to the skin surface to form a slough of dead cells, which form the scales of psoriasis. To understand this physiology of skin cells, you could read epidermis.
2) Psoriasis and the Immune System.
The second and the more recent hypothesis sees psoriasis as a disorder of the immune system and the excessive production of skin cells as secondary to this. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that psoriasis responds to medication that suppresses immunity. In 1979, researchers accidentally discovered that immunosuppresant therapy that was being given for bone transplant also freed the patient of his psoriasis symptoms.
The white blood cells form an important part of the immune system. The T lymphocyte or the T cell is a type of white blood cell which plays a key role. It is the T cells which travel throughout the body to detect and neutralize any foreign invasion of the body by bacteria or viruses.
Due to a defect in the immune system, as in psoriasis, the T cells attack the healthy skin cells, mistaking them as foreign substances. There is greater activity of the T cells which migrate in greater numbers to the dermis of the skin. This triggers off the release of cytokines which cause the skin cells to multiply and proliferate rapidly.
Inflammation is also seen as a result of this auto immune activity. Inflammation results in increased dilation of the blood vessels and increased number of WBCs in the outer layer of the skin. There is therefore larger production of skin cells and a more rapid migration to the outer layer of the epidermis. What causes this malfunction of the immune system is not yet known. This cycle continues till treatment stops it.
(Cytokines, referred to above, are proteins, manufactured by the white blood cells, and which act as messengers to the nervous system to help activate the immune system in case of attack by alien agent such as bacteria or viruses).
Causes of Psoriasis|Psoriasis Triggers.
As mentioned above, exact cause of psoriasis is not known, but there are certain factors that trigger the onset of psoriasis.
- Infections such as a streptococcal throat infection or thrush.
- Psoriasis and Stress. Stress and anxiety can trigger an onset or make the existing psoriasis worse.
- Cold weather.
- Psoriasis and Alcohol. Heavy consumption of alcohol.
- Smoking.
- Dry Skin.
- Severe sunburn.
- Cut in the skin or a bug bite. This can cause psoriasis patches anywhere on the skin and not necessarily at the injury site.
- Injury to the nails.
- Certain medicines such as:
- Beta blockers given for high blood pressure.
- NSAIDs.(non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs)
- Lithium prescribed for bipolar disorder.
- Antimalarials.
- Iodides.
Summary.
How you get psoriasis is not known. There are trigger factors which cause psoriasis and should be avoided by persons who are genetically prone or have a family history of psoriasis.
Your action step.
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