Symptoms of Psoriasis Skin Disease
Symptoms of psoriasis varies greatly in intensity, frequency, and duration among individuals. Psoriasis symptoms can be minimal and include infrequent outbreaks of small patches of raised areas of thickened skin and lesions that are covered with whitish, silvery scales. Some people may experience frequent breakouts on more areas of skin.
Itching of psoriasis may also be a symptom of psoriasis. Scratching however, often does not relieve the itch and usually leads to increased inflammation, more intense itching, and as a result, harder scratching. Complications of scratching include a secondary bacterial infection or fungal infection of the surrounding skin and tissues. This is called cellulitis and can be potentially serious for some people.
Symptoms of psoriasis most often affect the knees, elbows, lower back and scalp. It can also affect the armpits, under the breasts, hands and feet and around the genitalia. Psoriasis can also affect the nails, which causes thickening of the nails. Nails affect by psoriasis separate from the skin and are also pitted.
Some people with psoriasis also develop psoriatic arthritis, which is similar to rheumatoid arthritis and causes painful, stiff joints.
