But your handpsoriasisholds you back, and youre worried your boss may not understand.
(No,psoriasis is not contagious, by the way.)
What is psoriasis and how can it affect the hands?
Hand psoriasis can lead to unique symptoms.
And when it does affect the hands, its traditionally more difficult to treat.
This jot down is actually called palmoplantar psoriasis, because it only affects the hands and feet.
But you dont have to go to Elsa-level lengths to conceal your hands with gloves.
There are many psoriasis treatments available to help you find relief.
What are the types of psoriasis?
The different types of psoriasis include:
Can you have psoriasis on fingers or nails?
Psoriasis most commonly affects the palms of the hands.
They may appear inflamed (pink, red, purple, or brown) with dry, thickened skin.
The thick areas may have cracks or fissures.
What are hand psoriasis symptoms?
Palmar psoriasis causes thick, scaly patches and often plaques on the palms and the soles of the feet.
These scales may make the hands appear discolored due to inflammation and swollen.
In addition to the changes in the appearance of your hands, palmoplantar psoriasis can be itchy.
Some people also experience pain and develop deep cracks called fissures in the scaly patches of their hands.
it’s possible for you to even have botheczema and psoriasison the hands, according to theNational Psoriasis Foundation.
With eczema, the arch of the foot (a nonweight bearing area) may have more lesions.
This isnt usually the case with psoriasis.
The pressure-bearing areas of the foot are usually worse in psoriasis, Dr. Rosmarin says.
This includes areas like the heel and the pad just below your toes.
What are the causes and triggers of hand psoriasis?
Doctors dont know exactly what causes psoriasis on the hands.
(Seriously, does stress makeanythingbetter?)
Another thing to consider is whether your nightly glass of wine has anything to do with psoriasis flare-ups.
Its tough when your livelihood is causing your hand psoriasis symptoms.
Talk to your doctor or workplace if there may be adjustments that could reduce your flare-ups.
Examples include protective gloves, padding tools, or reassignment to a different job duty.
Avoiding these allergens may help tominimize psoriasis flare-ups.
How is hand psoriasis diagnosed?
Of course, its unfortunately not that simple if you potentially have psoriasis on your hands.
Its really important to look at the symptoms, he says.
Another topical software is acitretin.
When this is the case, you may need toturn to the second-line treatments.
These usually involve systemic treatments (pills you take orally) or light therapy.
Light therapy involves exposing your affected skin to UVA or UVB rays.
This is not by any means an excuse to hit the beach, footloose and sunscreen-free.
Instead, doctors prescribe UVA or UVB therapy at very specific time frames and with special devices.
These are usually methotrexate or cyclosporine, which are both immunosuppressants.
Your doctor may recommendbiologicsif the others medications dont work or you cant take them for some reason.
Your doctor can discuss these with you, including considerations for side effects.
The road to recovery and condition management for those with palmoplantar psoriasis isnt a short one.
Unfortunately, trial-and-error and time are often required to see a resolution.
Its not always possible to prevent psoriasis on your hands.
If you happen to know what triggers your psoriasis or makes it worse, avoiding those can help.
There is a genetic component to the condition and other underlying immune system responses that you cant necessarily control.
Fortunately, there are lots of treatments you could try for hand psoriasis.
