Dr. Esteban Kosak 
Psoriasis is a long-lasting swelling of the skin due to multiple factors; this disease has distinct traits from other inflammatory disorders. It has several ways to manifest itself, in which the environment, genetics, and the immune system may play a role.
There is in this disease dysregulation of the most outer layer of the skin’s formation. Doctors call this “hyperproliferation of the keratinocytes.” In other words, the skin cells without the correct and lengthy maturity process reach higher levels in the skin when they should not. From twenty-three days this process takes, it reduces greatly to approximately three to five days.
Several types of psoriasis exist. For example, these six are out of the most common forms: Vulgaris, plaque, Guttate, inverse, pustular, and erythrodermic psoriasis. Sadly, until this day and despite all the scientific advancements. There is no clear evidence of exact triggers and what occurs on this disease.
However, many theories exist to explain psoriasis. There have also been many factors concerning a higher risk of developing and causing the disease’s flares in a genetically susceptible individual. Two main types of risk factors exist, intrinsic and extrinsic.
The former stands for basically all the body elements that could affect the disease’s outcome, such as obesity, diabetes, high blood cholesterol levels, hypertension, and mental stress. On the other hand, the extrinsic factors come from outside the body. Therefore, those elements would include, in this case, triggers like smoking, alcohol, drugs, air pollution, infections, and vaccinations.
The main way this disease presents itself is through a skin rash. Yet, where and how this rash will appear and look, respectively, will depend on the psoriasis type. Also, there are other possible symptoms, like in a third of the patients, it could also exist joint pain.
Unfortunately, psoriasis cases tend to vary per country, and it can occur at any age. Still, there are some typical presentation traits like in the twenties-thirties and then fifties-sixties, with an overall mean age of diagnosis at twenty-eight years old.
The tool is a Psoriasis Symptoms Checker. It gathers the most important signs, symptoms, and risk factors for this disease.
In the United States, approximately 2% of the population carry this disease. It tends to affect slightly more people with white skin and females. Accordingly, psoriasis is a disease with numbers that require attention.
Sadly, this disease has a link to several possible complications. Although nowadays, it is unknown if any of those risk factors like diabetes or high blood pressure result from or cause the disease. The truth is that they tend to be together. Besides, patients with psoriasis need special care and constant assessment to avoid the symptoms’ flare or possible complications.
The treatment for this disease is readily available. More often than not, they show great success in managing patients’ symptoms. Yet, this disease is for life; there is no cure. So, patients may experience flares and calm periods throughout their life.
Moreover, the diagnosis of this disease is mostly clinical. That is to say that a doctor will take a thorough medical history, asking questions, and examining the patient’s body. The doctor will rule out any other possible disease that could mimic this one, such as rheumatoid arthritis or gout—for then, giving a psoriasis diagnosis.
And that is what this tool is all about, asking the right questions. The tool has questions that aim to identify the most characteristic symptoms and risk factors for psoriasis. Hence, this tool will tell anybody who uses it the likelihood of their symptoms because of this disease. Using the tool is free and would only take a few minutes.
Keep in mind that this tool does not replace an adequate assessment from a doctor. Similarly, it does not replace all the necessary blood and imaging exams for diagnosing this condition. The tool will only tell about a likelihood. Sadly, several other skins and/or joint pain conditions can simulate psoriasis.
- Question of
Do you have between twenty and thirty-five years old? Or between fifty and sixty years old?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Does anyone in your close family has been diagnosed with psoriasis or with a similar skin rash as the one you are having right now?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Do you have obesity? (please search in google the “BMI formula,” and with your weight and height it will calculate you that diagnosis)
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Do you have a long term area of a skin rash reddish/pinkish/purplish on the edges (well-demarcated) and the top with a silver/whitish scale? (For a reference of the silver/whitish surface, look at the photo below)
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Are you having a sudden onset of many small areas of scaly redness?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Is this skin rash mostly in either your knees, elbows, or lower back?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Does this skin rash cause you pain or a burning sensation?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Does this skin rash itches more than it hurts?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Is this skin rash within your face?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Do you have a flat reddish/pinkish skin rash in any of the skin folds in your body? (Skin folds would include in the back of your ear, armpits, all your genital area)
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Did you have a sore throat 2-3 weeks ago, and then you also have a reddish/pinkish skin rash with several pimples that look like those in the photos below? (If your skin rash looks like the one in the photos even without the sore throat, you can click yes)
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Did you have a sore throat 2-3 weeks ago, and then you also have a reddish/pinkish skin rash with several pimples that look like those in the photos below? (If your skin rash looks like the one in the photos even without the sore throat, you can click yes)
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Do you have a heavily itching skin rash in your palms and/or soles after an infection or any trauma/injury to that area?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Do you have patches of a reddish/pinkish skin rash in any part of the top of your head? (It could even involve your forehead, and they would mostly have a thick scaling)
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Do you have thickening and/or yellowish spots in your nails, or beside the thickening, there has been a change in the color of the most outer part of one or several of your nails to yellow or brown?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Do this skin rash you are having appeared after having a sore throat, flu-like or common cold infection, immunization, or injuries?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Do you have a considerable time with this reddish/pinkish scaly skin rash, and now you have joint pain? (Joints include: Hands, wrists, elbows, knees, ankles, etc.)
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Is this joint pain heavily located in your hands and feet?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Besides the joint pain, do you feel stiffness and/or swelling (they look red and swelled) of the joints?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Do you have red eye?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Do you have a fever? (preferably use a thermometer which needs to shows more than 101,3 °F or touch your forehead and determine if the temperature is increased)
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Do the skin rash or overall symptoms improve during summer and get worse during winter?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Do you drink alcoholic beverages every day?
- Yes
- No
- Question of
Do you smoke at least one cigarette every day? (click yes if you have been doing this at least ten years)
- Yes
- No
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