The Latin word “Guttae” means a raindrop, and that sums up the appearance of scaly skin in guttate psoriasis, a skin inflammation that appears as a side effect of an immune system malfunction. Age is no barrier to acquiring the disease but children and young adults are more prone to outbreaks, regardless of gender. Rashes appear as papules over the scalp, neck, chest, back, and limbs, but spontaneously vanish after weeks or months. Guttate is not a contagious condition so the patients don’t pose any danger to those in contact with them. The problem with leaving guttate psoriasis untreated is that you risk developing more dangerous forms of psoriasis-like pustular and erythrodermic psoriasis. What Are Guttate Psoriasis Causes?Guttate psoriasis occurs as a rash of pinkish papules up to 1 centimeter in diameter. It is an inflammatory condition of the skin that develops as a result of a dysfunctional immune system. Though it’s scary to view, it is not a contagious disease. Dermatologists hold the view that guttate psoriasis causes are mainly genetic in origin. It is theorized that a genetically mutated gene gets triggered or activated by external factors. Two such influences are the streptococcal throat infection and chickenpox which may trigger a guttate eruption. If it is purely guttate psoriasis, the eruptions usually subside without treatment. If left untreated, the patient may risk the danger of guttate psoriasis evolving into the more chronic plaque psoriasis. What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Guttate Psoriasis?The symptoms of guttate psoriasis may appear in one area of the skin surface and then disappear, only to reappear in another spot. Some people experience complete remission of symptoms. The visible signs and symptoms of guttate psoriasis should not be confused with other skin eruptions spurred by bacterial infection, so it’s best to consult a dermatologist to confirm the diagnosis:
What Are the Guttate Psoriasis Stages?Depending on the severity, three guttate psoriasis stages can be discerned:
It must be remembered that forms of psoriasis commonly affect people whose immune systems are compromised by various infections, disorders or therapies. Such people are prone to developing any or all three stages of guttate psoriasis:
What Are the Guttate Psoriasis Treatment Options?Because guttate psoriasis disappears through spontaneous remission in weeks or months, many patients do not think it serious enough to warrant advanced medical care. This could be a mistake because left untreated, there’s the possibility that subsequent flare-ups may lead to more chronic conditions. To avoid future complications, it’s best to consult a dermatologist to explore guttate psoriasis treatment options: CorticosteroidsCorticosteroids have introduced much flexibility in treating guttate psoriasis. Chiefly, they yield four important benefits:
The huge advantage of corticosteroids is that they come in seven ranges of potencies and can be deployed differently depending on the severity of guttate psoriasis. Antimicrobial DrugsMany cases have been documented where the guttate psoriasis outbreak follows a Streptococcal bacterial infection of the throat. Some people are known to be carriers of the bacterium in their upper respiratory passages. By using antibiotics, strep infections can be controlled and the trigger for psoriasis can be eliminated. PhotochemotherapyPsoralen assisted UVA therapy or PUVA therapy is an effective way of controlling guttate psoriasis outbreaks. Psoralen, a drug, is administered orally and gets activated in the presence of UV rays. Psoralen acts to bind with cell DNA to slow down cell growth and reduce inflammation. Photochemotherapy is especially helpful when dealing with more extensive outbreaks of guttate psoriasis. Laser Treatment for Guttate PsoriasisWhen the papules are mild to moderate in coverage and localized in a few areas, an excimer laser gives the dermatologist a potent psoriasis eradication tool. Unlike in phototherapy that uses UV (A) light, the excimer laser focuses high-intensity UV (B) light only on the affected skin. It doesn’t touch healthy skin. The UVB light burns the superficial plaques and penetrates deeper into the scaly skin to suppress skin cell growth. The handheld device is flexible enough to reach areas such as the scalp, elbows, knees, and the palms and soles of the feet. The technique is known to be effective in removing scalp psoriasis. The goal of laser treatment is to attack skin cell growth and reduce chances of a flare-up leading to chronic conditions. Weight Reduction GoalsGuttate psoriasis is usually confined to the skin but it may penetrate deeper to affect organs and organ systems. As psoriasis grows in severity, the possibility of getting cardiac disease, diabetes, and cancers increase. Obesity is a trigger for guttate psoriasis that has linkages with nearly all lifestyle diseases. Therefore, reducing 10 to 15 percent of excess weight can dramatically improve guttate psoriasis symptoms and slow down flare-ups. What Is the Guttate Psoriasis Diet? Does It Relieve Symptoms?Researchers at the University of California-San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine’s Department of Dermatology surveyed psoriasis patients to probe linkages between diet and psoriasis symptoms. The most successful guttate psoriasis diet followed by patients, though differing vastly, had some common features:
ConclusionGuttate psoriasis is neither preventable nor curable, but it is possible to avoid severe outbreaks by taking reasonable precautions. Smoking, alcohol, and obesity are believed to act as triggers for the disease, so it’s in one’s best interests to avoid, reduce, or eliminate these triggers. People with recurring respiratory infections (maybe as carriers of streptococcal bacteria) are known to be prone to psoriasis outbreaks. Prompt antibiotics treatment is necessary to nip this trigger in the bud. Never underestimate the virulence and damage inflicting capacity of guttate psoriasis simply because it comes and goes. One day, it might decide to make your skin its permanent home by gestating into a chronic condition such as plaque psoriasis. A regular schedule of supervised medical care and treatment improves the quality of the guttate psoriasis patient’s life.
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