Psoriasis is a chronic skin illness in which the life cycle of skin cells is accelerated, causing them to collect fast on the skin’s surface layer. It usually appears as red, scaly patches or small spots on the skin and can cause it to crack, itch, and burn. There are numerous varieties of psoriasis, but not all of them can cause foot problems.
Palmoplantar psoriasis is a type of psoriasis that affects the hands and feet only. It frequently appears in association with plaque psoriasis, the most common kind, but it can appear on its own as well. Palmoplantar psoriasis symptoms include red patches, scales, sensitivity, skin cracks, pustules, and clearly distinct areas of elevated, thick skin.
Pustular psoriasis does not always affect the feet, although it does tend to affect one area of the body at a time, which could be the feet. The development of pus-filled blisters, as the name implies, is the predominant symptom of pustular psoriasis, which can cause flu-like symptoms such as fever, appetite loss, or an elevated heart rate.
Although it is not a different kind of psoriasis in and of itself, some patients suffer with nail psoriasis, which can affect either the fingernails or the toes. Nail psoriasis nearly always occurs in conjunction with another kind of psoriasis, however it is readily confused with a fungal nail infection. Discoloration, grooves in the nail, swelling of the surrounding skin, and the disintegration or entire loss of the affected nail are all symptoms. As a result, if you have been diagnosed with any form of psoriasis, it is critical that you do not mistake these symptoms for indicators of a fungal infection, even if you are not experiencing flare-ups elsewhere on your body.
Having psoriasis on your foot, regardless of the form, definitely impacts your level of comfort and seriously inhibits your capacity to carry out everyday tasks. There is no cure for any kind of psoriasis, but there are several treatments that can alleviate your suffering and allow you to continue your normal daily activity.
Prescription topical creams, such as corticosteroids, retinoids, or synthetic Vitamin D, are one of the most prevalent therapies. However, many of these might cause skin irritation as a side effect and often become less effective as they are used more regularly. For these reasons, they should be used sparingly in conjunction with other forms of treatment. If the creams create too much irritation or do not produce the intended results, the same chemicals can be administered as pills or as an injection.
Phototherapy is the treatment of damaged areas using both natural and artificial UV radiation. Broadband UVB phototherapy can be used to treat broad areas that are resistant to other treatments. Narrowband UVB phototherapy is a newer, more powerful form of the same therapy, but it requires more sessions and may cause greater burning to healthy skin. Another treatment called PUVA (psoralen plus ultraviolet A) includes taking psoralen before to treatment, which makes your skin more receptive to UV rays. This can be quite effective in aggressively treating more stubborn areas, but it can produce headaches and nausea, as well as raise the chance of getting skin cancer.
While there is no cure or one-size-fits-all treatment for psoriasis symptoms, there are numerous therapeutic choices available. Everyone reacts differently to different therapies, so the best thing to do is to discuss all of your options with your doctor and figure out which treatment or combination of treatments works best for you.