Plaque Psoriasis: Most Common Type Of Psoriasis

Actually, even though doctors call this very common form of psoriasis as plaque psoriasis; in reality, it is just plain old psoriasis that has, for some reason, been given a special name. Perhaps, one of the reasons why it got its own unique name is because for long this condition was equated with suffering from leprosy. Psoriasis that affects the scalp is referred to as scalp psoriasis and so, different forms of psoriasis are given different names – depending on the part of body that is affected.
Affects Knees And Elbows
Psoriasis that affects the scalp will obviously look different to psoriasis that affects the knees and elbows. It is because psoriasis that affects a person’s knees and elbows, which are very common parts of the body that the name plaque psoriasis was given to this form of psoriasis. As mentioned, plaque psoriasis is the most common type of psoriasis and it is also a condition in which the skin becomes red in color and is covered with many scaly patches of a silver color; and, there is also certain amount of inflammation.
Most plaque psoriasis patches on the skin are found in the arms and legs as well as on the trunk and also in any other part of the body. However, knees and elbows are most commonly affected. The good news is that plaque psoriasis is not a contagious disease though it can be passed on through the genes.
Other factors that can cause plaque psoriasis include smoking and being exposed to the sun as well as alcoholism and even HIV infections can lead to this form of psoriasis. In fact, plaque psoriasis only affects, it is believed, one to two percent of Americans and worldwide, it is believed that as many as five and a half million people have this disease.
Plaque psoriasis can affect both children as well as adults and there is also no difference as far as gender goes because women and men are equally affected by this disease. Females however do tend to develop plaque psoriasis earlier than is the case with men. Other than that plaque psoriasis begins to develop in people that are aged between sixteen and twenty-two years of age and is later also found occurring in people aged between fifty-seven and seventy years.
Chronic plaque psoriasis is generally diagnosed clinically, though it can also be diagnosed through biopsy. Plaque psoriasis also affects people of every race though there is evidence to suggest that people living in Scandinavia as well as in the Western European countries are more prone to developing this condition as compared to people in other parts of the world.