Getting To Know All About Psoriasis

You can try to know all about Psoriasis easily. Psoriasis is a medical condition with abundant information on its causes but no cure. Although Psoriasis is one of the oldest known diseases it is highly misinterpreted. Researchers have found the reference of psoriasis in the Bible as a condition of the skin called "tzaraat". Recent times have also seen psoriasis being referred to as a type of leprosy. "Lepra" is a Greek word suggesting "dry and flaky skin" and "Psora" suggests "scratchy skin".



During the latter part of the 18th century, English dermatologists Thomas Bateman and Robert Willian made a distinction between psoriasis and other dermal diseases. According to them leprosy caused regular circular patches in the body whereas, psoriasis patches were not regular. Robert Willain gave a further classification to psoriasis i.e. psora leprosa and leprosa graecorum.



In spite of various studies carried out to distinguish leprosy from psoriasis, it was only in 1841 that Ferdinand von Hebra, a Viennese dermatologist, gave psoriasis its name. He took the name from the Greek word "Psora" that means "to scratch". Later during the 20th century, psoriasis was further classified into the different types of psoriasis.



Historical references of psoriasis cases mention erroneous treatments used for curing psoriasis that were highly toxic and flawed. Although there was no official legitimizing of these treatments, they gained in popularity. One of the ancient techniques used in Egypt was to apply cat faeces on the swollen red laceration on the skin. Obscure treatments including goose oil and semen, onions, urine, sea salt, wasp dropping mixed with sycamore milk, soup made of vipers were also very popular during ancient times.



The 18th and 19th century saw the use of the Fowler's solution. This solution had a venomous and virulent compound and was used primarily by dermatologists to cure psoriasis. Middle of the 20th century saw the use of Genz Rays also known as Bucky Rays or ultrasoft rays to cure psoriasis.



Later ultraviolet rays replaced these for curing psoriasis. About 40 years ago, Undecylenic acid was also used for treating psoriasis. The Victorian and Edwardian era saw the rising popularity of usage of Sulphur to treat psoriasis which has again become popular today as it is comparatively safer than coal tar and steroids.



Some of these extreme treatments for psoriasis were believed to have serious side effects such as liver diseases and lymphoma. Such treatments though are not recommended today, and there are many safe medical and home treatments for the psoriasis sufferer to choose from.



It is worth recognizing that it is however extremely difficult to predict the extent to which the disease will spread in the individual's body. It may remain localized throughout the person's life or may spread through the entire body. Every patient is likely to experience irregular increases and decreases in the extent of psoriasis during their lifetime. It is worth educating yourself to know all about psoriasis so you can determine what course of treatment you want to take.