Psoriasis is a chronic non-contagious skin condition that produces plaques of thickened, scaling skin. It is a condition that can commonly affect you elbows, knees, scalp and the soles of your feet. There is a spectrum to the condition ranging from mild (limited involvement of small patches of skin) to large thick plaques to red inflamed skin covering the entire body surface.
Psoriasis is considered an incurable skin condition that is considered an inherited genetic deficiency, it can periodically improve and worsen by itself, it can also clear up and stay in remission for years, however many individuals have reported an increase or deterioration of their psoriatic symptoms during the winter period.
At this stage, there are 7 known factors that have been linked to increasing psoriatic flare up including:
- Cold weather
- Stress
- Medication: some medication such as lithium a treatment for bipolar disorder and beta blockers for conditions such as heart disease and high blood pressure can increase the chances of having a psoriatic flare up
- Infection: certain infections such as strep throat and tonsillitis can increase the chances of developing psoriasis after the infection has run it’s course
- Trauma to the Skin: cuts, bruises, burns and tattoos may increase the likelihood of a psoriatic flare up
- Alcohol: Using alcohol may increase the chances of psoriasis flare-ups
- Smoking: Some experts think smoking can causes psoriasis flare up
It is also worth highlighting that psoriasis can also affect all your toenails , some of the signs that you might notice include:
- Clear yellow-red nail discolouring that looks like a drop of blood under the nail
- Little pits in the nail
- Lines going across the nail (Beau’s lines)
- Areas of white on the nail
- Lifting of the nail (onycholysis)
- Tiny black lines in the nail
- Crumbling of the nail
If you are experiencing any of the signs and symptoms mentioned then you may have psoriasis.
Book an online appointment with our podiatrists now to assess your feet.
