Psoriasis (乾癬) can occur without itching. Do not leave it untreated just because there are no symptoms. Many people struggle with psoriasis for quite a long time. Unlike many other skin conditions, psoriasis has characteristic skin findings and a distinctive appearance. Because of this, appearance-related concerns may greatly lower quality of life, and psychological distress may limit social activities.
People who are not familiar with psoriasis may stare without meaning to, or ask whether it is contagious, which can easily be hurtful.
Psoriasis (乾癬) can occur without itching. Do not leave it untreated just because there are no symptoms. Many people struggle with psoriasis for quite a long time. Unlike many other skin conditions, psoriasis has characteristic skin findings and a distinctive appearance. Because of this, appearance-related concerns may greatly lower quality of life, and psychological distress may limit social activities. People who are not familiar with psoriasis may stare without meaning to, or ask whether it is contagious, which can easily be hurtful.
Psoriasis is known as a condition in which clearly bordered erythematous papules (丘疹) and plaques of various sizes form on the skin, covered with silvery-white scales. It is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that repeatedly worsens and improves, and it tends to occur mainly on the outer areas of the skin. As large numbers of keratinocytes increase in layers, the affected skin layer gradually becomes thicker. It usually develops more often in adults after their 20s. Although it is not contagious, it can cause many psychological concerns related to health and appearance. Psoriasis can appear anywhere on the skin of the whole body, and in general it may appear on the hands, feet, face, scalp, and fingernails or toenails, in that order. Also, depending on the area, people with psoriasis on the forehead may experience hair loss, while those with psoriasis around the fingernails or toenails may have changes such as partial pitting or, conversely, thickening. The Auspitz sign, in which pinpoint bleeding occurs when scales are scratched off, and the Koebner phenomenon, in which new psoriasis develops at a wounded area when scales are intentionally removed, are also characteristic signs of psoriasis.
The causes of psoriasis have not yet been clearly identified. However, it is considered to develop due to genetic factors, environmental or triggering factors, and immunologic factors. In other words, based on genetic factors, a person’s lifestyle and environmental factors act as triggers, and immunologic factors lead to proliferation of keratin-forming cells and inflammatory reactions. Currently known factors that can worsen or trigger psoriasis include skin trauma, infection, cold and dry climates such as winter, dry skin, stress, and medications. Statistically, it is known to occur mainly in spring, fall, and winter, when temperatures are lower and the air is drier. Recently, however, because surrounding temperature and humidity can be artificially controlled, the number of psoriasis patients has been steadily increasing regardless of season. Psoriasis (乾癬), which can now occur regardless of season, should be watched carefully if you notice a suspicious area somewhere on the body, as it may be a sign that something is wrong in the body or that immune function has declined. Psoriasis that repeatedly worsens and improves: identifying the causes is important Skin conditions cannot be viewed as problems of the skin alone. They are expressed as symptoms on the outside due to various issues occurring inside the body. When treating skin conditions, rather than looking only at the skin in a simple way, it is necessary to take a broader perspective and establish a treatment plan.
Psoriasis treatment at Kyunghee Ryu Korean Medicine Clinic is characterized by setting a fundamental Korean medicine treatment direction that does not rely on steroid preparations and aims to help prevent recurrence. We provide Korean medicine treatment in various ways, including herbal medicine, acupuncture and moxibustion treatment, pharmacopuncture, bloodletting therapy, Phototherapy, topical preparations, and lifestyle and dietary management, to help improve psoriasis whose causes are not clearly known.
(1) Through immunity, the skin can overcome skin conditions on its own. Infections or inflammation caused by the entry of external harmful substances can affect not only the affected area but also the body’s own recovery capacity, and this is related to the body’s overall immunity. In other words, when skin immunity declines, the skin’s self-recovery capacity to protect our body from external harmful substances decreases. At this time, if immunity is low, symptoms may last longer and recovery may be slower. The same applies when psoriasis occurs due to internal inflammation or waste products caused by decreased immunity. In Korean medicine, immunity is connected not only to the strength that protects our body from external harmful substances, but also to the balance of the functions of the five viscera and six bowels and the circulation of qi and blood. Our goal is to strengthen the spleen and stomach or support self-recovery capacity so the body can overcome these psoriasis symptoms, thereby helping raise immunity.
(2) Chronic inflammation can be toxic to the skin. Even when inflammation markers on blood tests are normal, many people with various difficult-to-treat skin conditions may have hidden inflammation in the body. Skin inflammation cannot be viewed simply as a problem of the skin barrier alone. The health status reflected by skin inflammation can also be seen as a measure of overall health. Primarily, it may be a problem of the skin itself, but beyond that it can also affect blood circulation and lymphatic circulation, hormonal and metabolic status, digestion, and gut health including the large intestine. Ultimately, the condition of the whole body should be assessed, and based on this, treatment aims to reduce inflammation.
(3) Waste products in the body can be toxic to the skin. For most people who have not had a serious illness or surgery, waste products in the body often come from food. Waste products can accumulate due to improper eating habits. If they are properly eliminated, this may not become a problem, but if elimination is not smooth, waste products accumulate and may cause skin inflammation. For this reason, this management must be addressed in the treatment of skin conditions. Through detoxification, we aim to help improve blood circulation and eliminate accumulated waste products in the body. Psoriasis: are you relying only on medication that helps only for the moment? In the early stages of psoriasis, many people do not appear very severe outwardly, and quite a few have little pain, heat sensation, or itching, or have no symptoms. As a result, many live without any particular treatment. One reason treatment can take a long time once psoriasis treatment begins is that “early treatment” was not provided. Many people leave it untreated until the affected area gradually widens, appears in multiple places, and becomes covered with white scales, and only then come in for care.
First, when psoriasis is suspected and you visit a dermatology clinic or internal medicine clinic, steroids are usually prescribed to relieve symptoms. Of course, they can help reduce symptoms right away. However, because these medications are intended to ease current symptoms rather than provide fundamental treatment, symptoms often recur when the medication is stopped. With repeated use, the same medication may no longer be effective, and tolerance can develop. In particular, long-term exposure to steroid medications can weaken skin tissue. Also, in what is called the Koebner phenomenon (koenber), irritation of normal skin tissue outside the psoriasis area can cause psoriasis-like symptoms to appear there, making it easier for the condition to spread.
Therefore, at Kyunghee Ryu Korean Medicine Clinic, even if we take a different path, we begin by identifying the underlying causes of psoriasis and provide treatment with the goal of helping the skin develop its own self-healing capacity, not only improving the condition but also preventing recurrence. In addition to personalized dietary and lifestyle management for factors that may contribute to each person’s condition, we work to strengthen skin immunity, reduce inflammation, and support the proper elimination of waste products that have accumulated in the body, so that treatment can take a more fundamental approach.