Prednisolone and Psoriasis
Psoriasis is considered to be a chronic recurring skin disease. The scope of psoriasis may considerably vary. There can be mild outbreaks of psoriasis where a person may not even guess that they have psoriasis. At the same time there are severe cases of psoriasis which do not respond to simple treatment and grow to such a condition when more than 20% of the body surface area is affected.
Causes of psoriasis are not quite discernable. It is widely believed in medical science that psoriasis is a condition which runs in families. But there is no exact way established to trace how the disease moves from generation to generation. The cause for this skin disorder in people genetically predisposed to psoriasis may manifest itself in damage to the skin or in exposure to certain stimuli such as alcohol, infections, or skin irritation.
Forms of psoriasis are different. They are usually divided into subgroups according to severity, duration, location on the body and appearance of the lesions. Two main types of psoriasis are plaque psoriasis and pustular psoriasis. Their signs are red spots or patches growing bigger and becoming scaly. The particularity is that the upper scales fall off in large quantities while the layers of scales are firmly fixed.
Corticosteroids are the most efficient medications prescribed for treating psoriasis. Prednisolone, being a corticosteroid drug with predominantly glucocorticoid, decreases the rate at which skin cells grow and reduces inflammation relieving the itch which often accompanies psoriasis. Prednisolone is an oral drug. In cases of severe psoriasis it can be combined with topical corticosteroids like creams and ointments. Topical corticosteroids with low potency are used for areas with delicate skin such as that on the face, genitals, skin folds. These delicate areas are of high risk of thinning of the skin which is one of the side effects of topical corticosteroids. As for Prednisolone, it is of high potency and usually reserved for use on stubborn plaques or lesions on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. Prednisolone treats widespread patches of damaged skin, persistent plaque on hands or feet, patches on the scalp. The effect of Prednisolone while treating psoriasis is adrenal suppression when adrenal glands become unable to regulate hormones for the body to be susceptible to disease.