Can You Die From Psoriasis?

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There are many types of skin problems, and psoriasis is one of common skin conditions that can cause skin irritation and redness. In general, it is a mild health condition. However in severe case, it can be serious or even may have contribution in making you to die earlier than should be. Let’s explore more about the outlook and prognosis of this skin problem!

The prognosis of the problem

The exact cause of why psoriasis develops in some people may be still unclear and not fully understood yet. However in general, it may occur due to immune system disorder that affects the mechanism of life-cycles of skin cells.

image_illustration140In people with this skin condition, the regeneration of replacing old skin cells by new cells runs improperly. The new cells are produced quickly and then they move to the outermost layer of the skin much faster than usual. Then the extra cells cause silvery-thick scales, dry-itchy and red patches on the skin surface.

Currently, there is no cure for the problem. The word ‘no cure’ doesn’t mean that the problem cannot be treated. The symptoms can be treated and relieved with appropriate treatment. However, there is a chance for the problem to recur. In other words, there is still no treatment to get rid of it permanently.

It is a chronic (persistent) long-lasting skin condition. There may be times when the symptoms of the problem get better alternating with times of the flare-up. It may disappear for a long time and then recur.

The good news, it is a controllable condition in many cases. The problem may be incurable, but the flare-up should be able to be prevented with appropriate approaches and treatments.

And fortunately, most cases of the problem are mild, and good skin care can be a starting point of the treatment. This includes using appropriate lotions and creams to help keep the skin moist. Other treatments may include the use of some medicines prescribed by a dermatologist, ultraviolet light therapy, and the use of a special shampoo for psoriasis.

The bad news, the problem can be hard to treat in some cases. It may not improve and respond with the common topical treatments. In severe cases, doctor may need to prescribe combination of different treatments that works effectively.

And depending on the severity of the problem, the treatment plan may continue for a lifetime. Generally, the primary goal is to help stop the new skin cells from growing and moving so quickly to the skin surface.

Can you die from psoriasis?

Again, generally it is thought as a not-life-threatening health condition. However it also can be serious for those with the severest forms of psoriasis.

According to a study (see the citations for more detailed information), individuals with severest form of the disease had about 50 percent increased risk of death.

Women with severe forms of the disease died an average of about 4.4 years earlier, and 3.5 years earlier for men – if compared with women and men without psoriasis or other inflammatory skin diseases.

Fortunately, researchers also found that mild form of the disease was not linked to an increased risk of death.

If this skin disorder does have an effect in increasing the risk of death, the reason is not fully understood yet. These findings may point to the conclusion that having this skin condition is at greater risk than what we think.

The inflammation may be the answer

Some studies also found that there may be a link between psoriasis and the increased risk of heart disease or other chronic health conditions.

As mentioned before, this skin disorder is now widely thought to be an autoimmune health problem involving the inflammation and the faster growth of skin cells. Some experts theorize that the chronic inflammation of psoriasis may also affect other organs.

And in fact, inflammation within the body is one of the most common life-threatening conditions. Chronic inflammation plays a key role in causing death in many serious health conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

The following are some complications that may occur from psoriasis:

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