There is a common misconception is that eczema and
psoriasis are the same conditions. Although they are
both non-contagious skin disorders, this is not the
case as they have significantly different symptoms
and causes.
The Difference Between These Two Conditions
Eczema, also known as dermatitis, is indicated by red
flaky skin patches along with breaks in the skin and
in severe cases symptoms may result in 'crusted over'
lesions. Eczema is usually caused and exacerbated
by environmental irritants such as detergents, perfumes
or allergies, whereas psoriasis tends to be passed
on genetically. One of the worse aspects for suffers
of eczema is the itching of the skin and consequently,
the uncontrollable urge to scratch thus making the
patches of affected skin even worse.
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Psoriasis (derived from the Greek word 'psoera' "to itch") affects both sexes equally and appears as reddened, rough and itchy skin covered with scaly flakes. In simple terms, psoriasis is actually an acceleration of the replacement processes of the skin. Normal skin cells mature in around twenty days and drop off the body invisibly where as the cells from a patch of psoriasis complete this process almost ten times as quickly. Common locations for affected areas are the elbows, knees, hands and some outbreaks also affect the scalp. In the worst cases, psoriasis can affect the joints and cause arthritis-like symptoms.
Effective Treatments
Unfortunately, there are no specific cures for either psoriasis or eczema although sufferers of both conditions can be greatly helped by implementing a variety of methods. As with the treatment of any type of condition, the success rate varies from person to person. The following can greatly help sufferers of both disorders:
1. Eating a healthy diet. Adjusting ones diet by
both eating and avoiding certain types of foods can
be beneficial. Many sufferers have found that cutting
out wheat and dairy products from their diet have
helped relieve their symptoms.
2. Taking fish oil supplements. A daily dose of a
high quality omega 3 fish oil can be extremely good
for the skin. Recent studies have shown that 'krill
oil' is especially beneficial.
3. Using anti-fungal creams on the scalp and other
affected areas can provide short term relief. These
can be obtained with a prescription from your doctor.
4. Avoiding Stress. Flare ups in both conditions,
especially psoriasis, can be caused by stressful events
such as moving house, going to a new college or having
problems at work. It is often impossible to avoid
these situations but try if at all possible.
5. UVB light treatment. There are two types of light
rays, UVB and UVA. UVA rays are the ones than tan
the skin and UVB rays are the ones that can be beneficial
to the skin. Sufferers of both psoriasis and eczema
can benefit greatly from a series of light treatment
sessions - or from taking a holiday in a hot and sunny
location!
Go
to our Eczema Treatment page
