There are 5 different forms of psoriasis and each has a unique rash. Guttate psoriasis’ rash is small red spots that appear on the back, chest, and arms. These bumps aren’t fluid-filled and are medically termed papules. They are raised, solid, and often red.
Though guttate psoriasis is painless it can be extremely itchy. This type of psoriasis can flare up randomly, with time periods in between the flare ups where there are no symptoms at all. There is no cure for any form of psoriasis but there are treatments to help relieve symptoms. Some treatments are prescribed by a doctor, others don’t need a prescription.
What Causes Guttate Psoriasis?
For most patients with psoriasis, the cause is their genes. There is a direct link between psoriasis and family history. What actually happens when psoriasis flares up is that skin cells develop faster than their neighbouring cells. Because of this there is uneven growth which causes raised, inflamed, and flaky areas of your skin.
People who specifically have guttate psoriasis tend to report having recently suffering from tonsilitis, strep throat, or other respiratory infections. These conditions can trigger the gene responsible for psoriasis and bring on the symptoms.
What are the Symptoms?
Guttate psoriasis has 3 different stages: developmental, stable, and remission. Lesions appear on the chest, back, and arms in most cases. In severe cases, they can appear on the legs, scalp, face, and even on the groin. They are more numerous and itchy in the first stage, remain the same throughout the second stage, and start to slowly disappear in the third stage.
This type of psoriasis derives its name from the latin word for drop, gutta. The raised bumps are drop-shaped and can have a terribly negative effect on the appearance of how a patient’s skin looks. If you are displaying symptoms, you should visit your doctor so that they can diagnose your properly and suggest the right treatment for you.
How is it Treated?
In most patients cases, their guttate psoriasis clears up without any intervention. If you are suffering from a flare up and want to try to treat it however, a doctor can prescribe you a corticosteroid cream. This will reduce the inflammation and also stop any further skin cell growth.
Exposing your skin to UV light has also proved very beneficial to people with any type of psoriasis and can help push the flare up into remission quicker than usual. There is also a topical cream, PUVA, that combined with UV light is extremely beneficial.
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