Are Psoriasis And Eczema Related
Psoriasis and eczema are both responsible for causing itchy skin in many people. Over 30 million Americans have eczema, and it is estimated that 7 million Americans have psoriasis.
Dermatologists at Park Avenue Dermatology treat patients with eczema and those with psoriasis. It is important to have a diagnosis from a healthcare specialist, so if you have a skin disorder, contact your dermatologist for an appointment.
How Can I Get Started On Treatment
Eczema and psoriasis arent entirely curable. But, Dr. Wang says they can be treated and managed to reduce pain, control itching and minimize flare-ups of patches and plaques. Whether you’re dealing with one condition or the other , managing eczema and psoriasis starts with a skincare specialist best identifying your triggers. You’ll work to avoid these irritating events, and you’ll also treat any sustained skin injuries that may add to pain or irritation. Mostly, you’ll work to stay out of the sun and use solutions to help avoid scratching your skin.
Mild cases of both conditions can be treated at home. Dr. Wang suggests using a mild soap, over-the-counter hydrocortisone and emollients, which are therapeutic moisturizers. There are also lotions and creams for both eczema and psoriasis available to consumers.
If your skin doesnt respond to at-home treatments, or the eczema or psoriasis exhibit more aggressive symptoms than ever before, its time to visit the dermatologist. Always discuss long-term treatment with your care provider when resorting to over-the-counter products.
Treatments will vary based on how severe the condition is and patient preference, Dr. Wang explains, but usually include topical steroids, light therapy and prescription drugs for the inflammation. For severe psoriasis, when patients have 10% to 30% of their body covered in plaques, injectable medications, called biologics, are used.
Where They Show Up
Eczema often appears on parts of your body that bend, like your inner elbow or behind your knees. You can have it on your neck, wrists, and ankles. Babies sometimes get it on their chin, cheeks, scalp, chest, back, arms, and legs.
Psoriasis often shows up on places like your:
- Elbows
- Dandruff
- Some foods
Infections can start up eczema, and so can stress, sweating, heat, humidity, and changes in your hormones.
Psoriasis shares some of these triggers, like stress and infection. But you can also get flare-ups when your skin is injured, for example by:
- Vaccination
- Sunburn
- Scratches
Some medications can also bring on a psoriasis flare, like lithium, which treats bipolar disorder, or drugs for malaria.
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Severe And Pervasive Psoriasis
Like most skin conditions, psoriasis can become widespread and very irritating. For instance, plaque psoriasis may cover almost the entire surface of the body.
In extreme cases, inflammation can become so severe that it appears and feels like burns.
Extensive, highly painful, burn-like psoriasis can be life-threatening. This requires immediate attention from a health professional.
Other widespread psoriasis may simply require standard treatment to partially heal or resolve.
Psoriasis On The Hands
Although many people have patches of psoriasis on the backs of their hands and knuckles, others have outbreaks on the palms.
Intense peeling and dry skin on the hands can make even simple actions, such as washing hands or picking up a bag, very painful and uncomfortable.
Psoriasis on the hands may also include nail psoriasis. This condition causes overactive skin cells to produce too many new cells under the nails. This can look like a fungal infection that discolors the nails and even causes them to fall off.
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Psoriasis Vs Eczema: Skin Of Color
Psoriasis and eczema can look different in people depending on their racial and ethnic backgrounds.
On light skin, both conditions can cause red patches, but skin of color may not show redness as much. It can look like hyperpigmentation or darker brown patches instead of red scaly patches, Khetarpal says. Doctors trained to look for redness may misdiagnose both psoriasis and eczema in people of color, leading to a delay in treatment.
Treatments are the same for anyone with any skin color, says Khetarpal.
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Can You Have Both Eczema And Psoriasis
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When To See A Doctor For Psoriasis Or Eczema
The National Psoriasis Foundation recommends that anyone living with psoriasis see a dermatologist. Its especially important to see a dermatologist if your psoriasis symptoms are getting worse, if you develop new symptoms, if your joints start to hurt, or if the treatment recommended by your primary care physician isnt working.
If you have eczema and your symptoms get worse or if you show signs of an infectionred, painful, oozing, or blistery skinthen its best to see a doctor as soon as possible. If youve seen a doctor already and the treatment plan they gave you isnt working, a dermatologist will be able to give you more specialized care.
What Is The Difference Between Eczema And Ps
When it comes to appearance, psoriasis appears scaly, red, itchy and dry whereas eczema appears as cracked, red, itchy dry skin. Both conditions are caused by a malfunction of the immune system. Psoriasis is mainly caused by white blood cells that attack the skin, whereas eczema is linked to allergies.
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Psoriasis Vs Eczema: Self
Liberal use of a thick, nonirritating moisturizer can ease dryness and help restore the skin barrier in both conditions, says Khetarpal.
Avoiding products with dyes and fragrances is important in eczema.
Since sunburn can worsen both psoriasis and eczema, its important to wear a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher when spending time outdoors.
While there isnt evidence that a specific diet that eliminates items like dairy or sugar can help either condition, you can benefit from drinking alcohol only in moderation, eating a healthy diet, drinking plenty of water, and exercising .
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Eczema Up And Down The Legs
Eczema on the legs may often occur in body creases, such as the back of the knee or the front of the ankle. These areas may trap sweat or irritants from clothing and the air.
Close contact of irritants with skin and areas of skin rubbing together create a perfect environment for atopic dermatitis to thrive.
If eczema on the backs of the knees isnt quickly or effectively treated, it can become very irritating and painful. Constant contact from clothing can cause significant bleeding, oozing, and infection.
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The Appearances May Be Slightly Different
Both eczema and psoriasis can cause patches of red, raised, itchy skin. But the skin is thicker and more inflamed in psoriasis than with eczema. Both the conditions can show up anywhere on your body, but they have their own favorite areas.
Psoriasis often shows up on the: scalp, elbows, knees, buttocks, face, lower back, palms of your hands, soles of your feet. It may also appear in other areas, such as: fingernails and toenails, mouth and lips, eyelids, ears and skin folds.
Eczema most often affects parts of your body that bend, like your inner elbow or behind your knees. It can also appear on your neck, wrists, and ankles.
How Is Each Treated
Eczema treatment depends on how severe it is. For mild to moderate cases, youâll use a topical corticosteroid to control inflammation, and youâll use an emollient on your skin. This type of moisturizer has an oil or cream base, not a water base, like lotion, which could dry your skin out more.
If you have moderate to severe eczema, you may need to try a medicine that affects your immune system like , methotrexate, azathioprine, or cyclosporine. If nothing else works, your doctor may prescribe a biologic drug called dupilumab . You might also try light therapy using ultraviolet light.
Psoriasis treatment is either systemic, which means it affects your entire body, or topical, which goes on your skin. If your disease is limited, or mild, you may be able to control it with topical corticosteroids and emollients.
Light therapy paired with methotrexate, cyclosporine, acretin, or a biologic is also an option for more severe cases. Or you could use just a biologic drug, which includes:
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Articles On Psoriasis Symptoms
Maybe you’re settling into your easy chair for a little Sunday siesta. Or you’re heading out the door for a day of fun in the sun. Either way, you stop and pause, because you’ve got an itch that just won’t leave you alone — along with blotches of red on your skin. What gives?
Your doctor needs to make the final call, but psoriasis or eczema could be the problem. Both are skin conditions with similar symptoms, but there are ways to tell them apart.
How To Tell Whether That Itchy Rash Is Eczema Or Psoriasis
Do you have a dry, itchy, red rash that doesnt seem to go away? You may have eczema or psoriasis. Both conditions have similar symptoms and both can run in families, which can make it difficult to distinguish one from the other. These similar skin conditions are often managed with similar treatments, but there are differences you should know.
Here at Riviera Allergy Medical Center, allergy specialist Dr. Ulrike Ziegner helps patients manage a wide variety of allergies and immune-related conditions, including psoriasis and eczema.
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Causes Of Eczema Vs Psoriasis
Eczema and psoriasis are caused by different problems with the immune system. The cause of psoriasis is an autoimmune reaction wherein the immune system misidentifies cells in the skin as dangerous and attacks them. Eczema is an extreme sensitivity, sometimes caused by an allergy, to certain triggering substances. Common triggers for eczema include animals, fabrics, soaps, metals, and certain medications. In other words, psoriasis is caused when your immune system attacks itself, and eczema is caused when your immune system overreacts to an outside substance.
Exploring The Treatment Options
Eczema and psoriasis are both long-term conditions that require long-term treatments. Treatment may depend on the severity of symptoms as well as the size and location of the affected area of skin. Common treatments include topical anti-inflammatories, hydrating skin creams, phototherapy, and biologic or systemic drugs to control the bodys inflammatory and immune responses.
In addition to discussing treatment options with your doctor, its important to avoid factors that may trigger or worsen your symptoms. Eczema may be worsened by wetness or allergies as well as certain cleansers, soaps, and detergents. Psoriasis flare-ups are more likely to follow injuries to the skin and can also be brought about by stress or infection.
The first step in resolving your skin issues is to talk to your doctor to receive a diagnosis. Though both eczema and psoriasis can be chronic, finding the right treatment may help relieve symptoms and reduce flare-ups.
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Learning The Differences Between Eczema And Psoriasis
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Psoriasis causes well-defined, thick, red, scaly patches, commonly in areas like the elbows and knees. It is common to see psoriasis on the face, buttocks, and scalp of a child. Youll also commonly see thick patches of skin with overlying redness.
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Eczema tends to appear in the crooks of the knees and the elbows.
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Children who have psoriasis tend to have mild itching. In eczema, the itching can be intense.
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There are many ways for a dermatologist to tell the difference between eczema and psoriasis, including what one sees on the skin, the amount of itch, and where the disease appears on the skin.
Psoriasis On The Face
Although psoriasis most commonly occurs on the knees and elbows, it may occur anywhere. This includes the face, scalp, and neck.
With treatment, psoriasis on the face and scalp often resolves, but it may recur.
In many cases, scalp psoriasis extends onto the forehead, ears, or neck. It can be difficult to treat, especially when hair gets in the way.
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Whats The Difference Between Eczema And Psoriasis
Eczema and psoriasis are different chronic conditions, though they both cause red, itchy skin rashes. But for doctors, these rashes have slight differences that the trained eye can usually detect.
Atopic dermatitis tends to have less well-defined borders, doesn’t have as much thick scale as psoriasis and tends to be just a little bit more crusty, Dr. Wang explains. Overall, atopic dermatitis tends to be itchier. Both are itchy conditions, but atopic dermatitis is probably more itchy.
Neither condition is contagious, and eczema and psoriasis cant be prevented.
The Dry Skin Of Eczema
Eczema frequently includes very dry patches of skin. These can make skin so fragile that it cracks very easily.
The peeling of eczema may resemble that of a sunburn or a peeling blister or callus.
In some cases, the skin may peel without causing raw skin or open wounds. In others, peeling skin reveals broken skin or open blisters. These should be carefully treated to avoid introducing a bacterial or viral infection.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Psoriasis
Psoriasis affects about 8 million Americans, and like eczema, there are several types. The most common is called plaque psoriasis, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association , and symptoms include:
- Areas of thick, raised skin, which is referred to as “plaques”
- A dry layer covering the plaques that is silvery-white, called “scale”
- Itchiness
The plaques, which can be large or small, may appear anywhere on the body but are typically on the scalp, knees, elbows and lower back.
Psoriasis can affect other parts of the body, too, including the joints, causing the condition known as psoriatic arthritis. About 30% of people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis, Dr. Wang says. According to AAD, symptoms include:
- Swollen, tender joints, usually in the fingers or toes
- Heel pain
- Swelling in the back of your legs
- Stiffness
What Does Psoriasis Look Like
Although psoriasis occurs at any age, it most frequently appears between the ages of 16 and 22. If you have skin plaques that may be psoriasis, call specialists like the dermatologists at Park Avenue Dermatology for an evaluation.
There are different types of psoriasis. Plaque psoriasis is most common.
Thick, red patches of painful, itchy skin can appear on any part of the body, but often on the scalp, lower back, knees, and elbows. Other types of psoriasis appear on other areas of the body, like the feet, underarms, or groin area.
If you have psoriasis, your chance of developing other health problems like psoriatic arthritis, diabetes, Celiac disease, and metabolic syndrome increases.
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The Differences Between Eczema And Psoriasis
Both eczema and psoriasis are chronic skin diseases that cause red, dry, scaly skin rashes. Although they share similar signs and symptoms, their underlying causes are different. As a result, the ways in which the diseases are treated can also differ sometimes significantly.
Given this, it is important that you get a formal diagnosis if you suspect eczema or psoriasis. Fortunately, there are ways your healthcare provider can differentiate the two diseases so that they can be treated appropriately and effectively.
Jessica Olah / Verywell
When Eczema Or Psoriasis Is Confusing
From the descriptions above, its pretty easy to see how the two conditions can be confusing. Both are genetic conditions with dry, itchy red patches on the body that are usually worse in drier environments. However, its even more difficult to tell the two apart when both are mild.
Really mild psoriasis and eczema can look and behave a lot alike. Really classic forms of psoriasis are really easy to distinguish from eczema for a dermatologist. But very mild psoriasis can look a whole heck of a lot alike, even clinically, on the skin.
In fact, mild forms of eczema and psoriasis can look so much alike that its not uncommon to not be able to completely distinguish the two.
The hardest is when eczema or psoriasis is on the hands, says Dr. Reimer. In this instance, it can be particularly stubborn and hard to tell the difference.
Sometimes Ill see when dermatologists disagree and someone has a diagnosis of eczema, but they come in to see me, and I think its psoriasis, and vice versa.
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