World Psoriasis Day 2020: Timely Diagnosis and Correct Treatment are Crucial for This Disease

It has been observed that people with psoriasis tend to ignore their initial symptoms and often neglect and overlook psoriasis flare-ups to be ordinary skin rashes. They often self-medicate through home remedies for achieving immediate relief but this may worsen the condition even more. The absence of treatment due to delay in diagnosis can also lead to severe co-morbidities such as psoriatic arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and depression. Psoriatic arthritis is one of the key co-morbidities of psoriasis. Approximately one in every four people with psoriasis is living with psoriatic arthritis. Therefore, early recognition and diagnosis is the key to achieving long-term remissions and subsequently decreases the risk of developing co-morbidities. Along with timely diagnosis and treatment, continuous monitoring of symptoms by your dermatologist is essential to detect early signs of these associated diseases.

Although there is no absolute cure available for treating psoriasis permanently, it can be effectively managed by adhering to prescribed medication by the dermatologist. Appropriate treatment is prescribed upon examining the severity of the affected area. A patient living with mild psoriasis can be prescribed topical treatments. However, for people with moderate to severe psoriasis, treatment with advanced therapies like immunosuppressants and biologics may help in achieving long-term remission and reduce disease progression.