Psoriasis Symptoms

Psoriasis Symptoms can be easily revealed with the scraping of the psoriatic lesions. 3 main signs compose the so-called Psoriatic Triad:

• Lesions of bright pink or a red color, covered with abundant silvery white scales. Lesions have pronounced edges. With scraping the scales easily separate from the lesions;
• Under the separated scales there appears a reddish moist tender semi-transparent skin;
• With further scraping at the moist tender skin there will appear small droplets of blood (point hemorrhage).

Psoriatic lesions can appear on any section of the skin, but their "favorite locations" are the knee and elbow bends, scalp, extensor surfaces of extremities, genital areas, nails, and other body parts.

Psoriatic lesions are usually localized symmetrically. Lesions usually have similar shapes.

In certain cases there may appear a moderate red rim around the plaques. The skin around the psoriatic plaques usually does not change visually.

Even after the disappearance of psoriasis everywhere else on the body, psoriatic plaques often remain on the elbows, knees, and on the scalp.

Psoriasis Symptoms vary depending on:

• Psoriasis Types (Plaque, Guttate, Inverse, Pustular, Erythrodermic, and Psoriatic Arthritis)
• Psoriasis Locations (Scalp, Nail, Face, Palmoplantar, Genital, Skin Folds, and Mucous Membranes)
• Psoriasis Stage (Early, Progressive, Stationary, and Regressive)

Psoriasis Symptoms by Stage

Early Symptoms of Psoriasis

Psoriasis usually begins with small pink-red papules, covered with fine silvery white scales. The papules start merging into plaques, usually accompanied by itch.

Progressive Stage Psoriasis:

In the progressive stage of psoriasis there appear new small psoriatic knots, which merge into larger plaques of different size and shape and may cover a substantial part of the body. Lesions in the progressive stage are usually accompanied by itch.

For psoriasis in the Progressive stage also common is the Koebner phenomenon: with damage of the skin in the progressive stage of psoriasis on the spot of a skin injury there appear fresh psoriatic lesions. The reason for this phenomenon is still unknown. This reaction was first discovered and described by a German doctor Heinrich Koebner in 1872.

Stationary Stage Psoriasis:

The stationary stage usually begins in 1-4 weeks after the progressive stage. Fresh psoriatic lesions do not appear in this stage, the surface of the lesions is covered with an abundance of silvery white scales.

Regressive Stage Psoriasis:

In the regressive stage the papules and plaques stop increasing, they then flatten, their color turns pale, and the peeling decreases. The lesions gradually decrease in size and disappear, leaving bright discoloration on the skin.

Notes: Dr. M. Elena Kendall

[Watch page ]

EditText of this page (last edited June 25, 2009)