16/08/2024
Between 2.3% and 6.6% of the Australian population have psoriasis, and while the skin is the most visibly affected organ, there is increasing evidence to support the recognition of many associated disorders, including psoriatic arthritis, cardiovascular disease, obesity, insulin resistance, mental health disorders, inflammatory bowel disease and other immune-related disorders, liver and kidney disease.
Psoriasis is a systemic inflammatory disease. This skin condition speeds up the life cycle of skin cells. As a result, the body has extra skin cells. These extra cells form itchy red patches on the skin. Besides being itchy, the red patches are often painful. Other symptoms include cracked skin that sometimes bleeds and small scaling spots. In some cases, psoriasis causes the joints to become inflamed and stiff and is called psoriatic arthritis.
The exact cause of psoriasis isn’t fully understood. Some research suggests that an overactive immune system plays a role. Psoriasis usually starts or gets worse when certain triggers occur. These triggers include infections, injury to the skin, stress, nutrient deficiencies, hormonal changes and poor diet. Psoriasis can also be triggered by certain medications.
Psoriasis usually affects a person’s quality of life, which often leads to depression and other emotional disturbances.Unfortunately, there is no cure for psoriasis but it can go into remission with diet & lifestyle changes, supplementation and topicals for management.
