Types of Psoriasis
Psoriasis comes in different types, and they come with various kinds of treatment.
Due to this, you can recognize a type of psoriasis based on the symptoms. Generally, the five types of psoriasis are:
- Erythrodermic
- Guttate
- Inverse
- Plague or psoriasis Vulgaris
- Pustular Psoriasis
Plaque psoriasis
Also known as psoriasis vulgaris, plaque psoriasis is the most common type of psoriasis.
About eighty to ninety percent of people with psoriasis suffer from plaque psoriasis.
This type of psoriasis occurs as red patches of skin and a white or silver scaly layer.
The patches can range between 1-10 centimetersa wide, and the symptoms may worsen when you scratch the scales.
It occurs on the knees, elbow, scalp, and lower back.
Treatments
Your dermatologist or doctor may recommend the application of moisturizers for the treatment of plaque psoriasis.
This will help keep your skin moisturized and prevent irritation and dryness.
Also, your doctor may recommend ointment-based moisturizer or OTC cortisone cream to ease discomfort.
Other treatments that are usually recommended include:
- Vitamin D creams like calcitriol and calcipotriene for minimizing the growth of skin cells
- Applications of oil, shampoo, or cream that contains coal tar
- Using medications like tazarotene
- Biologics to reduce inflammation
- Topical retinoids
- The use of light therapy to help expose the skin to UVB and UVA rays
- A combination of prescription ointments, light therapies, and oral medications.
- Use of systemic medication in severe cases.
Guttate Psoriasis
This type of psoriasis is the second type of psoriasis commonly known to affect about eight percent of people who have psoriasis.
It occurs as red spots, and it affects mostly children and young adults.
The spots are drop-shaped, separate, and small but not thick like the plaque psoriasis.
Most times, they appear on the limbs and torso and sometimes appear on the scalp and face.
In some cases, guttate Psoriasis may also develop into plaque psorias.
Some of the things that trigger guttate psoriasis include infection, strep throat, medication, skin injury, and stress.
Treatments
Different treatment options are available in treating psoriasis. For instance, your doctor may recommend oral medications, steroid creams, or light therapy.
However, your doctor can also help you determine the underlying cause of the infection to make treatment easier.
Flexural Psoriasis
Also known as inverse psoriasis, this type of psoriasis has a red, shiny, and smooth appearance.
It mostly occurs in the groin area, under the breast, or in the armpit.
Therefore, the wetness of these hidden places doesn’t give room for skin scales shedding.
People often confuse flexural psoriasis with a bacterial or fungal infection.
Treatment
The same kind of treatment for plaque psoriasis is often used for inverse psoriasis. These treatments may include:
- Use of oral medications
- Use of topical steroid creams
- Biologics
- Light therapy
- A low potency steroid cream may also be recommended to prevent too much thinning of the skin.
Pustular Psoriasis
This is a severe type of psoriasis that occurs as many white pustules with red skin surrounding it.
Generally, this type of psoriasis affects the hands and feet or most of the skin surface.
The symptoms that come with this type of psoriasis include loss of appetite, chills, muscle weakness, rapid pulse, and fever.
The three different kinds of pustules psoriasis include, acropustulosis, von Zumbusch, and palmoplantar pustulosis.
Treatments
Treatment includes the use of over-the-counter drugs, oral medications, light therapy or biologics.
Erythrodermic Psoriasis
Erythrodermic psoriasis, also known as exfoliative psoriasis, is the type of psoriasis that looks like severe burns.
It is a rare kind of psoriasis that sometimes requires a medical emergency. It is often red, scaly and widespread, and it can also develop from infection, sunburn, pustular psoriasis, and stress.
Treatment
Treating this type of psoriasis usually requires a combination of therapies at the hospital. These therapies may include biologics, oral medication, topical steroid applications, and medicated wet dressings.
Other forms of psoriasis include psoriatic arthritis, nail psoriasis, and scalp psoriasis.