I would like to share my experience with psoriasis, which I have been suffering from persistently and tirelessly since my 30s.

Starting around the beginning of my second year of high school in the fall, I want to share my experience with psoriasis, which I was tired of and persistently troubled by in my 20s, as well as prevention methods.

In summary, the causes of psoriasis are unclear and diverse, and since it is rarely cured, I believe that prevention is important.

 

The occurrence of psoriasis

I do not know the exact cause of the illness. Around the end of summer and the beginning of fall in the second year of high school, a rash consisting mainly of red, raised patches and plaques with clear boundaries, covered with silvery scales on the knees, repeatedly appeared on the skin as shown in the photo.

At first, it was slightly itchy, so I rubbed and scratched it, but gradually it spread around and the symptoms worsened. I went to the pharmacy, and they gave me an ointment whose name I can't remember, telling me to apply it. After applying, the symptoms worsened, so I went to a dermatologist for an examination, and they said it was psoriasis. I was stunned; it was a disease name I had never heard of before, but I never imagined it would be so persistent and recurrent, causing me such suffering.

 

Symptoms of psoriasis

In my case, psoriasis initially appeared as small pimple-like rashes on my knees, with layers of pure white dandruff-like scales accumulating on top. The pimple-like rashes would merge with or enlarge as new rashes appeared around them, spreading outward. Over time, psoriasis progressed chronically, sometimes improving gradually on its own, and at other times spreading throughout the body. It was sometimes accompanied by itching, but was generally less severe compared to other skin conditions like eczema. Around winter, I thought it had healed, but with summer came inevitable relapses, and I spent about ten years like that.

 

Treatment of psoriasis

Over the course of more than ten years of treatment, I can't tell which method was truly effective. I have tried everything from traditional remedies like applying crushed garlic directly to the affected area to ointments and more. Overall, exposure to sunlight often led to improvement, and many times the condition worsened after stress.

After a biopsy at the hospital, I initially started treatment with a topical medication because my symptoms were mild. When my symptoms worsened, I began phototherapy with light treatment and oral medication. Recently, biological agent therapy has been used for severe psoriasis patients who do not respond to these treatments or cannot undergo them due to side effects. Fortunately, I haven't reached that stage.

 

Prevention methods

The exact cause of psoriasis has not yet been fully identified, but it is known that genetic factors, environmental factors, medications, skin irritation, dryness, upper respiratory inflammation, and psychological stress can be causes or aggravating factors of psoriasis.

While it is not possible to directly prevent the onset of psoriasis, the following methods to prevent its worsening can be found by searching on Naver.

- Avoid skin irritation or skin damage.

Inflammations such as tonsillitis and pharyngitis can trigger psoriasis, so caution is advised.

- Keep the skin from becoming dry.

Avoid mental stress and overwork.

• Avoid alcohol and smoking.
• There are no foods that cure psoriasis, but it is important to consume adequate nutrition.

Psoriasis can develop if the skin is rubbed or irritated, so it is important for psoriasis patients to avoid environments that cause skin irritation or injuries.