Psoriasis Symptoms

Psoriasis symptoms produced for most sufferers may not result in general health problems. In only a few cases of psoriasis do the psoriasis symptoms include reddening of the skin that becomes very painful, chills, the shedding from large areas of skin infected by this condition, the skin around the joints cracking, and other severe symptoms of psoriasis and require intense therapy or hospitalization.

Although a doctor is the best person to tell you whether you suffer from this painful long term chronic skin condition, here are some common psoriasis symptoms to watch out for.

Psoriasis Symptoms

Psoriasis is usually characterized by raised patches of skin from the abnormal skin regeneration. These raised patches will usually be covered by silvery scales that may be oval in shape. These scales are commonly referred to as plaques.

These plaques are common to areas of the body such as the elbows, knees, scalp, trunk of the body, etc. While these are the most common areas, various psoriasis symptoms may show up in any area of the body such as the genitals, underarms, buttocks, etc. Psoriasis affects sufferers differently.

If the affected area is moist and warm, the patches of skin produced are not as red or as scaly, e.g. the underarms. The patches in these moist areas are usually mistaken for other skin infections because they are usually flat patches of skin that are only slightly red.

As mentioned previously, psoriasis symptoms vary from one individual. One sufferer can experience only small bumps or the patches of raised skin can cover a large area of the body. The affected areas can allow easily wiping off the flaky skin or can be covered in red patches that need to be treated with more care. These patches can also bleed, etc.

Scalp Psoriasis

Scalp psoriasis is usually one of the most unsightly affected areas. Scalp psoriasis can look like a very severe case of dandruff. The psoriasis symptoms related to scalp psoriasis include the shedding of large scales that look silvery white that appear to be stuck in the hair or that fall onto the shoulders.

Fingernail Psoriasis

Psoriasis symptoms related to fingernails may result in white spots that are small on or around the nail or can produce large yellowish/brown areas on the nail bed. This can happen in or around the fingernails. The fingernails can become frayed, pitted, discolored, frayed and in some cases the fingernails may fall off.

Most of the patches of skin produced by psoriasis may burn, itch or sting.