Psoriasis is the most common autoimmune disease in the country, affecting as many as 7.5 million Americans, Kim Kardashian now among them. Psoriasis occurs when the immune system sends out faulty signals that speed up the growth cycle of skin cells. as the cells rapidly build up on the surface of the skin, they form thick silvery scales and flaky, itchy, red patches. Psoriasis is not contagious, but it can be hereditary. Kardashian’s mother Kris was diagnosed with psoriasis at the age of 30 – the same age as Kim. “I got it for the first time when I was exactly your age,” Kris told her daughter on the show. “I cried myself to sleep for months.”

Psoriasis most commonly occurs on the scalp, knees, elbows and torso, but it can develop anywhere, though not often on the face. Kardashian was distraught to see that the patches on her legs spread to other parts of her body. “People don’t understand the pressure on me to look perfect,” Kardashian said on the show. “When I gain a pound, it’s in the headlines. Imagine what the tabloids would do to me if they saw all these spots.”

other symptoms of psoriasis include:

• Raised red patches
• Dry, cracked skin
• Flaky skin that resembles silvery scales
• Itching and soreness
• Thickened or ridged nails
• Soreness or stiffness in joints

There are five types of psoriasis: plaque, guttate, inverse, pustular and erythrodermic. nearly 80 percent of people with the disease have plaque psoriasis — the most common form — which appears as red, raised patches.

Kardashian, like the millions of other Americans who live with psoriasis, is at increased risk for other serious health conditions, including heart disease, heart attack, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, low self-esteem and depression, not to mention just feeling generally ostracized if symptoms are particularly severe. Up to 30 percent of people with psoriasis also develop psoriatic arthritis, which causes painful swelling of the joints.

There is no cure for psoriasis, but there are a variety of treatments that can help clear psoriasis for extended periods. the three main types of treatment include topical creams of varying strengths, light therapy and medications that are taken orally or injected. the type of treatment depends on the individual and the severity of the psoriasis. Someone who has red patches and dry, cracked skin over their entire body will need much stronger treatment than someone who just has a few scaly patches on their legs or torso. Your doctor can help find the best course of treatment for you.

Along with using a topical cream or taking medication, there are some things you can do to help manage the disease. On the show Dr. Lancer recommended that Kardashian try slowing down her lifestyle because stress is a known trigger of psoriasis. other triggers include overexposure to sunlight (small amounts daily can be beneficial but too much will worsen symptoms), alcohol, smoking, poor diet and injuries to your skin.  It’s important to do what you can avoid psoriasis triggers and commit to a healthy lifestyle (avoid alcohol and eat a healthy diet) and minimize stress as much as possible. Daily moisturizing with an ointment-type cream also helps, as does soaking in a bath with Dead Sea salts or Epsom salts.

At the end of Sunday’s episode, it seemed as if Kardashian was coming to terms with her diagnosis. It’s frustrating that there is no cure, but with the right treatment and lifestyle changes, the disease can be managed. for more information about psoriasis, visit the National Psoriasis Foundation.

In this clip from “Keeping up with the Kardashians,” Kim Kardashian visits with dermatologist Dr. Harold Lancer and is diagnosed with psoriasis.

In this clip from “Keeping up with the Kardashians,” Kim Kardashian visits with dermatologist Dr. Harold Lancer and is diagnosed with psoriasis.

Kim Kardashian diagnosed with psoriasis

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CitrusIn addition to preventing scurvy among sailors and speeding relief from common cold symptoms, citrus is also incredibly beneficial for skin. Vitamin C is also particularly good at fighting the signs of aging. we know you like the sounds of that.MangoesMangoes contain healthy amounts of the powerful antioxidant vitamins a,C and E. Load up on these delicious yellow-orange fruits for the full skin health and anti aging package.Green TeaTomaotoesTomatoes contain lycopene – a powerful antioxidant. It has been shown that lycopene can help protect the skin from UV damage. so if you’re out in the sun a lot or simply want to take extra steps to make sure you’re guarded against sun damage you should be loading up on tomatoes!Sweet PotatoSweet Potatoes contain high amounts of beta carotene, which the body converts to Vitamin a when ingested. Vitamin a can help repair damage done to skin cells and thus limit the signs of aging.

Our men’s skincare products can do miracles for your skin, but if you want to take your skin health one step farther it’s a great idea to start with nutrition. Check out these healthy foods that contain powerful skin nourishing ingredients:

Citrus

In addition to preventing scurvy among sailors and speeding relief from common cold symptoms, citrus is also incredibly beneficial for skin. Vitamin C is also particularly good at fighting the signs of aging. we know you like the sounds of that.

Photo by Muffet (via Flickr)

Tomatoes

Tomatoes contain lycopene – a powerful antioxidant. It has been shown that lycopene can help protect the skin from UV damage. so if you’re out in the sun a lot or simply want to take extra steps to make sure you’re guarded against sun damage you should be loading up on tomatoes!

Photo by Manjith Kainickara (via Flickr)

Mangoes

Mangoes contain healthy amounts of the powerful antioxidant vitamins a,C and E. Load up on these delicious yellow-orange fruits for the full skin health and anti aging package.

Photo by Joyosity (via Flickr)

Salmon

Salmon contains high amounts of Omega 3 Oil, which is a natural anti-inflammatory agent. This essential fatty acid can help nourish skin and give it a nice healthy glow. It doesn’t hurt that

Photo by BocaDorada (via Flickr)

Sweet Potato

Sweet Potatoes contain high amounts of beta carotene, which the body converts to Vitamin a when ingested. Vitamin a can help repair damage done to skin cells and thus limit the signs of aging. and the best thing about sweet potatoes is that they can be prepared in oh-so-many mouth watering ways.

Photo by Minimalist Photography (via Flickr)

Tags: food, men’s skincare, nutrition, skin health

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 18th, 2011 at 1:33 pm and is filed under Food and Drink. you can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. you can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Psoriasis is a common skin disorder affecting 1-2 % of the general population. It is a chronic skin condition in which there is scaling of skin. Psoriasis can be controlled not cured. so you should know the causes of psoriasis which leads to a lot of suffering to those affected. Following are causes of psoriasis.

The exact cause of psoriasis is not yet known. there is genetic predisposition. if one of your parents is suffering from psoriasis, then you have 25% chance of inheriting the disease. if both of your parents are suffering from psoriasis, then the chance is doubled. It is important for everyone to note that psoriasis is not infectious or contagious. It does not spread from one person to another through contact.

The normal skin cell maturation cycle is about 28 – 30 days. But due to some triggers, this process gets accelerated. It can also happen due to some faulty genes. when the process is accelerated, the whole process occurs in about 3-6 days. Due to this, rapid scaling of skin occurs. The skin cells mature early, slough, and scales form. The scales remain attached at one point and the whole body gets covered with white silvery scales.

Recent studies show that psoriasis is an autoimmune disease. Antibodies are formed against the cells of stratum corneum and nuclei of cells of basal cell layer which are layers of epidermis of skin. these antibodies attack cells of epidermis and set off a cascade of events which make the skin cells to mature very fast. This results in proliferation of epidermis resulting in formation of epidermis and leading to formation of scales in psoriasis. also the T lymphocytes which are protective cells of our immune system, suddenly start producing chemicals which cause inflammation of the skin and joints.

The precipitating factors of psoriasis are trauma involving the epidermis and dermis, winter season, emotional stress, depression, pregnancy, upper respiratory tract infection, alcohol and tobacco smoking. Cell proliferation also occurs if there is fall in the level of cyclic AMP. Drugs like beta- blockers and lithium decrease cyclic AMP and are known to exacerbate or precipitate psoriasis. Sudden withdrawal of topical or systemic corticosteroid is also shown to precipitate psoriasis in some people.

Psoriasis is a chronic, autoimmune disease that appears on the skin. it occurs when the immune system sends out faulty signals that pace up the growth cycle of skin cells. Psoriasis is not contagious.there are five types of psoriasis: plaque, guttate, inverse, pustular and erythrodermic.The most ordinary form, plaque psoriasis, is commonly seen as red and white hues of scaly patches appearing on the top first layer of the epidermis (skin). Some patients, though, have no dermatological symptoms.

Read more on Psoriasis Herbal Treatment for Skin Disease and Herbal Cure for Psoriasis and Home Remedies for Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a noncontagious ordinary skin condition that causes rapid skin cell reproduction resulting in red, dry patches of thickens skin.The dry flakes and skin scales are consideration to result from the rapid buildup of skin cells.Psoriasis is a common and chronic skin disorder. Plaque psoriasis is the most frequent type of psoriasis and is characterized by red skin enclosed with silvery scales and inflammation.Patches of circular to oval shaped red plaque that itch or burn are typical of plaque psoriasis. The patches are regularly found on the arms, legs, trunk, or scalp but may be found on any part of the skin.Causes of Psoriasis1. Due to abnormality in the mechanism in which the skin grow and replaces itself2. Abnormality with the metabolism of amino acids3. Use of certain medicines4. Due to infections5. Heredity factors are also responsible6. Physical and emotional stressPsoriasis TreatmentCurrently, there is no cure for psoriasis. However, there are many treatment options that can clear psoriasis for a period of time.Each treatment has compensation and disadvantages, and what works for one patient may not be effective for another.Board-certified dermatologists have the medical training and experience needed to determine the most appropriate treatments for each patient.1.  Topical (applied to the skin) – Mild to reasonable psoriasis2.  Phototherapy (light, usually ultraviolet, applied to the skin) – Moderate to severe psoriasis3.  Systemic (taken orally or by injection or infusion) – Moderate, severe or disabling psoriasisHome Remedies for PsoriasisThe hot Epsom salts bath has been proven valuable in the treatment of psoriasis. Application of olive oil after the Epsom salt bath is also effectual and also one of the effective home remedies for psoriasis.Regular seawater baths and application of seawater over the exaggerated parts once a day is highly beneficial. This is one of the best psoriasis remedy.Bitter gourd is a valuable home remedy for psoriasis. Take a cup of fresh juice of this vegetable, mixed with a teaspoon of limejuice on a vacant stomach daily for four to six months. This is a good diet for psoriasis.The use of mudpacks is also beneficial for the psoriasis. they absorb and remove the toxins from the affected areas.Cabbage leaves can be used in the form of compresses. they can be applied on the affected area after removing the thick veins and wash them thoroughly. This is also one of the effective home remedies for psoriasis.Sunlight is the best and natural medicine for psoriasis.Vitamin E therapy has been found effective in the psoriasis treatment. A daily dose of 200-800 I.U is recommended as they diminish itching of the area.

When I was younger my family doctor noticed I had a mole on the side of my head and recommended I go see a specialist to diagnose it. but I never did. just recently I cut my hair really short and noticed that the mole had quadrupled in size. So is this skin cancer or is it just paranoia?

Any irregular mole can be a sign of skin cancer cells.
Get checked regularly if you spend a lot of time in the direct sun. Even if there is no sign of an irregular mole, your skin cells could be in trauma and in danger of developing cancer cells.