Psoriasis - FAQs
Is psoriasis contagious?
No. Psoriasis is not contagious. It cannot spread from one person to another through contact.
I have learnt to live with psoriasis. Is it necessary to treat it?
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease and needs to be medically addressed. If left untreated, there is a possibility that it will increase not only in number and size of the existing lesions but also affect the finger and toenails and joints, sometimes causing deformity to the joints.
Can psoriasis be cured?
It depends upon the chronicity and type of psoriasis. However, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says that if all existing psoriasis lesions are healed and no new lesion occurs for five consecutive years, it can be termed as cured. Guttate psoriasis is a type of psoriasis that has best chances of being cured.
I am suffering from psoriasis. Is it true that my child will get psoriasis?
About 40% people with psoriasis have family members with psoriasis. However, there are also cases of psoriasis that occur without any family history. This indicates that although there is a genetic predisposition, there is no guarantee that a person will develop psoriasis just because of a positive family history.
I am applying some ointment on my psoriasis patches. The patches go away when I apply, but show up once the application is stopped. Can homeopathy help me?
Application of ointments can help temporarily to heal the existing lesions. However, they cannot stop the development of newer lesions in different areas, nor can they control the complications of psoriasis.
Homeopathic medicines can help not only to control newer lesions and prevent complications, but over a period of time, they help to heal the lesions completely, and with virtually no side effects. One has to keep in mind that psoriasis is the disease that has remissions and relapses. With homeopathic medicines, the periods of remissions can be prolonged and the periods of relapses can be shortened.
Myths and facts
- Psoriasis is contagious.
It is not contagious, and it cannot be passed through contact.
- Psoriasis is related to food.
It is an auto-immune disease, which has no direct relation to food.
- If I have psoriasis, my child will surely get it.
Strong hereditary tendencies cannot be denied, but whether your child will get it surely or not get it at all is something which no one will be able to tell surely.
- If I have psoriasis on one part of my body, it will spread all over.
There are many patients who have psoriasis on only one part of their body and it never spreads. So, it is possible that your disease may never spread.
- Psoriasis stops to spread the moment the treatment is started.
It cannot be guaranteed, as it takes time to build the immune system, and by the time the immune system is built, few new affected areas might appear, which in turn disappear as the treatment proceeds.
- Psoriasis completely vanishes after stopping the treatment.
Generally speaking, no new patches occur, but there are certain cases of extreme stress or infections or trauma to the skin that can lead to compromised immunity, in which case the patches may recur; however, these spots can be controlled with treatment.