Dr. Ron Vender
Dermatologist
With safe, effective options, patients with psoriasis can make clear, or almost clear, skin a realistic treatment goal.
Skin cells usually grow, mature, and are shed over 28 to 30 days. With psoriasis, faulty signals in the body’s immune system trigger new skin cells to form in three to four days. Because the skin cells grow so fast, they don’t shed normally and pile up on the skin, causing red, scaly, thick skin plaques. The plaques can cause pain, difficulty sleeping, and severe itch. Psoriasis can also cause inflammation in other areas of the body, such as the joints or blood vessels. In about one third of cases, people develop psoriatic arthritis, which can lead to joint pain and stiffness and, if untreated, can cause deformity in the joints.
Dr. Ron Vender, a dermatologist in Hamilton, ON, says that psoriasis affects one to three percent of the population. It’s considered a chronic disease and can affect people at any age. There’s no cure for psoriasis, but treatment is available. Risk factors for psoriasis include family history, as well as certain medications and infections. It has also recently been found that obesity, diabetes, and hypertension can be risk factors for the disease, says Dr. Vender.
The psychological disturbance of psoriasis is extremely predominant. It can cause or exacerbate anxiety or depression. It can interfere with school, work, social activities, and intimate relationships.
Psoriasis is much more than skin deep
“The psychological disturbance of psoriasis is extremely predominant,” says Dr. Vender. “It can cause or exacerbate anxiety or depression. It can interfere with school, work, social activities, and intimate relationships. However, if the skin is under control, all these factors usually improve. That’s why it’s important to seek early and appropriate treatment.”
Dr. Vender says that if a patient thinks they may have psoriasis, it’s important to speak with their primary health care provider or dermatologist to discuss early treatment. He adds that education is key and recommends that patients seek out information from reliable medical websites and from their health care provider.
“There’s evidence that treating this skin disorder earlier, rather than later, leads to more success and may prevent other associated diseases, such as psoriatic arthritis. A patient shouldn’t be shy to discuss this skin issue, as safe and effective treatment is available,” says Dr. Vender.
Treatment goal is for psoriasis to have little impact on daily life
Mild psoriasis may be treated with a cream, gel, foam, or ointment. For moderate to severe psoriasis, a doctor may prescribe a biologic agent. Biologics are made from proteins that are similar or the same as proteins in the body. They target certain parts of the immune system that are specific to psoriasis.
“The good news is that psoriasis doesn’t need to be embarrassing or to significantly affect one’s life,” says Dr. Vender. “With the treatments available today and early access to these well-researched medications, psoriasis patients now have hope for a future that provides clear skin along with the return to a normal life.”
This article was sponsored by an IMC Member Research-Based Pharmaceutical Company.
