Psoriasis Questions - Psoriasis Message Board

PiercedPunkette · 03-28-2007, 05:56 PM

My boyfriend has had psoriasis for about 2 or 3 years now. He never had it before then, it just kinda popped up one day.

Here are my questions:

1. Can he ever get rid of it?
2. How many different kinds of psoriasis are there? His is what i'd call plague psoriasis, it's like taking over his whole body.
3. What kind of treatment is available for it?

Any suggestions will help, thanks~

wiredqs · 03-28-2007, 08:13 PM

It's a chronic condition, but it may go into remission for years. The usual short term treatment is steroids, either topical or injections.
Other treatments are UV rays, coal tar, retinoids. The latest one for the most severe cases are the new arthritis drugs, like Enbrel and Humira. Some cases have flares, and if you can find out what triggers the flares, the condition is more manageble. Just remember, it's not contagious! Best of luck

corsilab · 03-30-2007, 10:50 PM

Well, I've had Psoriasis for more than 15 years. It started when I visited my ancestral country, the Philippines, back in 1991. When I returned a month later, my skin severly flaked. I had no idea what it was. It had completely covered my torso, and I mean COMPLETELY! My arms legs were all covered buy not as complete but still ugly. It grow on my scalp, underarms, you name it. It had almost gotten to my face when I finally saw a dermatologist who gave me coal tar and ultra violet light therepy. That worked for a year. Then the psoriasis came back with a vengence.

Next, I heard about Dovonex and a pill called Psoriatane. I took the Psoriatane for awhile but it was elevating my cholesterol level. My dermatologist then gave me methotrexate. That drug worked well with my psoriatic arthiritis but only helped the scaling a little. Unfortunately, I had to get blood drawn every week in order to monitor my liver functions as that had serious side effects. After about a year on it, my doctor immediately took me off of it so all I could use was Dovonex.

Then, as of last month, I started to take Humira. I've heard of Enbrel but my Rhumatologist suggested Humira to me as it would help with both my skin and my PA. As I said on another thread here, what took several drugs, ointments, treatments, etc., took Humira approximately 4 weeks to heal. My skin is now clear but there are still dry areas but NOTHING like it was back in 1991. I can now where shortsleeves and shorts..again!!

Try Humira and I hope it works.

Good luck!

nailchick2000 · 04-14-2007, 11:24 PM

My dermatologist gave me shots in all of my plaques and dovonex and it cleared up within a couple of months. I think that there a 3 types of psoriasis, I had the guttate.

Mine popped up oneday and lasted for 15 years! I think that mine was triggered by hormones ( popped up while pregnant), but stress contributes also.

Kid Acne · 06-07-2007, 08:15 AM

i use silkis, prescribed by my doctor. not doing too well yet, after4 weeks. hope the info below helps someone.

Guttate psoriasis. This primarily affects people younger than 30 and is usually triggered by a bacterial infection such as strep throat. It's marked by small, waterdrop-shaped sores on your trunk, arms, legs and scalp. The sores are covered by a fine scale and aren't as thick as plaque sores are. You may have a single outbreak that goes away on its own, or you may have repeated episodes, especially if you have ongoing respiratory infections.

Pustular psoriasis. This rare form of psoriasis can occur in widespread patches (generalized pustular psoriasis) or in smaller areas on your hands, feet or fingertips. It generally develops quickly, with pus-filled blisters appearing just hours after your skin becomes red and tender. The blisters dry within a day or two but may reappear every few days or weeks. Generalized pustular psoriasis can also cause fever, chills, severe itching, weight loss and fatigue.

Inverse psoriasis. Mainly affecting the skin in the armpits, groin, under the breasts and around the genitals, inverse psoriasis causes smooth patches of red, inflamed skin. It's more common in overweight people and is exacerbated by friction and sweating.
Erythrodermic psoriasis. The least common type of psoriasis, this can cover your entire body with a red, peeling rash that may itch or burn intensely. Eythrodermic psoriasis may be triggered by severe sunburn, by corticosteroids and other medications, or by another type of psoriasis that's poorly controlled.

Psoriatic arthritis. In addition to inflamed, scaly skin, psoriatic arthritis causes pitted, discolored nails and the swollen, painful joints that are typical of arthritis. It can also lead to inflammatory eye conditions such as conjunctivitis. Symptoms range from mild to severe. Although the disease usually isn't as crippling as other forms of arthritis, it can cause stiffness and progressive joint damage that in the most serious cases may lead to permanent deformity. Adults in their 30s, 40s and 50s are most often affected, but children also can develop a form of the disease.