by Playfuls Staff |
2nd April 2007
If therapy does not work on a psoriasis condition, patients should ensure their doctors consider other skin ailments.
These diseases include syphilis, pityriasis rosea or [more] eczema and are often mistaken for psoriasis, leading to an incorrect diagnosis, according to the German Psoriasis Association.
The group argues the only accurate diagnosis comes after a microscopic skin examination and other tests.
Certain characteristics are typical of psoriasis. People with psoriasis often have pitted nails, which are deeply grooved or covered with pits, as if someone had poked the nail repeatedly with a needle.
Other symptoms include scales all over the body. The scales are usually silvery white, shiny, dry and flaky. Reddening is usually visible around the edges.
Scratching usually makes the scales and their colouring more prominent. After carefully removing all scales, a red, shiny, dry base will remain. Further scratching removes the last layer of skin and leads to minor bleeding from the capillaries.
© 2007 DPA
