What’s The Difference Between Eczema And Psoriasis:
Some people with eczema have a mutation (change) in a gene for filaggrin. This is a protein that helps moisturize and keep the skin barrier intact. Without enough filaggrin, skin is more prone to inflammation.
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Inflammatory cells cause your body to make too many skin cells too quickly, causing patches or plaques on your skin that are raised, red, and scaly. Eczema and psoriasis are chronic skin conditions that cause red, violet, or brown flaky skin. They’re commonly confused, but they have important differences. They look different, affect different parts of the body, and have different symptoms and triggers.
While eczema and psoriasis are both chronic inflammatory skin conditions, they are very different. “Eczema, medically known as atopic dermatitis, tends to result in dry, flaky skin that isn’t as thick or well-demarcated as psoriasis,” says Li. Where on the skin the two conditions present themselves is also different. Eczema tends to affect the wrists, arms, fingers, neck and face while for psoriasis, the common areas include the scalp, elbows, knees, gluteal cleft and nails, says Li. Some people can also develop leathery, scaly, or swollen patches of skin.
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When repeatedly scratched or rubbed in those areas, the skin could become thicker and have raised bumps called prurigo nodules, which can also occur on the trunk, legs, or arms. Skin is very itchy and may appear active red, scaly, and thickened, with occasional fluid-filled blisters. Why does sweat lead to the development of itch in atopic dermatitis? But know you’re not alone, and that there are treatments that can help you.
There are no blood or imaging tests that can diagnose eczema or psoriasis. Your provider will look at your skin and ask you about your general health to figure out what is causing your symptoms. They might ask you about any medical conditions that run in your family. It’s important to see a healthcare provider if you have skin symptoms. They can confirm’either by physical exam or looking at skin cells under a microscope’that you have eczema, psoriasis, or something else entirely, like lupus or skin cancer. There are similarities and differences when comparing skin changes that occur with eczema vs. psoriasis.
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Some people with eczema go on to develop asthma and hay fever. A personal or family history of asthma or hay fever can in turn indicate a heightened risk for eczema. People with psoriasis are also 1.5 to 2 times more likely to develop heart disease than people without the skin condition, get redirected here says the NPF. There may also be an immune component to eczema, says the National Eczema Association (NEA). People with eczema tend to have an overly reactive immune system that, when triggered by a substance outside or inside the body, responds by producing inflammation.
Reaction to Skin Injuries When a person with psoriasis has a skin injury, a flare or new lesion can occur in that area, a response known as the Koebner phenomenon. ‘A sunburn or a vaccine or any kind of trauma can cause psoriasis to appear in that area ‘ that doesn’t happen in eczema,’ says Khetarpal. Degree of Itchiness People with eczema tend to experience a lot of itchiness, says Khetarpal.
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With psoriasis ‘ which affects about 7.2 million people in the United States, making it much less common than eczema ‘ skin plaques or patches are usually red or raised, with silvery scales. The skin itself is thicker, denser, and more inflamed than normal, and it’s unlikely to cause oozing or weeping. Among people with darker skin, psoriasis usually appears as purple or discolored skin. Like eczema, there’s no exact known cause for psoriasis, but it too has an immune system link.
For instance, eczema tends to develop in the folds and creases of the skin, such as behind the knees, on the neck, in the creases of the arms, and on the face. If you or your child has a chronic rash-like condition, it’s not always easy to know if it’s eczema or psoriasis. Fortunately, there are some significant differences in appearances and symptoms that can help you get a better idea of which condition you might be looking at. Some research suggests that eczema may be caused by a gene mutation of the gene that makes filaggrin. Filaggrin is a protein that’s responsible for maintaining a protective barrier on the surface of the skin, and if it isn’t created properly the skin can let in bacteria and viruses. A deficiency in filaggrin can also cause moisture to escape, leading to dry skin symptoms often seen in those with eczema.
These can include tiny dents; white, yellow, or brown discoloration; crumbling nails; or separation of the nail from the finger or toe. ‘In eczema, usually the nails are completely normal unless there’s eczema around the cuticle,’ Khetarpal adds. But while eczema and psoriasis may look similar, they are actually different conditions with different causes, says Shilpi Khetarpal, MD, a dermatologist at the Cleveland Clinic. Both the CDC and the FDA warn against treating this common childhood condition on your own with non-prescription treatments. It’s also important to know that eczema can prompt a secondary infection. To prevent this, your doctor may use topical and systemic antibiotics to remove bacteria and calm the inflammation.
Avoid scratching or picking at eczema lesions and acne pimples. This can introduce bacteria into the skin and cause a secondary skin infection. Eczema most commonly affects the backs of the knees, the insides of elbows, and the back of the neck.
‘In eczema, people are scratching more, so it’s common to see the skin superficially infected,’ says Khetarpal. In both psoriasis and eczema, certain triggers can bring on a flare. While emotional stress is believed to trigger or worsen both psoriasis and eczema, other triggers are more specific to each condition. To the untrained more info eye, these skin concerns can look very much the same. The most widespread symptoms ‘ dry, itchy, scaly patches of skin ‘ may show up in either condition, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Free to everyone, these materials teach young people about common skin conditions, which can prevent misunderstanding and bullying.
Both conditions show up as skin inflammation, meaning they look like rashes. Dr. Fernandez says their differences lie in their cellular and molecular makeup. The degree of itchiness also offers clues about the cause of your flare-up.
Eczema tends to develop in the folds of the skin, while psoriasis develops on outer surfaces, such as the elbows or scalp. For severe cases of eczema, it may be necessary to take oral medications like antihistamines or immunosuppressive drugs. They can help stop severe itching and calm down an overactive immune system. Phototherapy with natural sunlight or with ultraviolet light can also help treat eczema, and many people can calm an eczema flare-up with natural remedies like lukewarm baths or coconut oil. One 2014 study included participants with both eczema and psoriasis. If eczema is severe and does not respond to home treatments, a doctor can prescribe medicated creams and ointments to reduce symptoms and their occurrence.