January 4th, 2010

What Is The Difference Between Eczema And Psoriasis?

Finding the difference between eczema and psoriasis is bound to be difficult as it often confuses dermatologists so what chance does the layman have?! However, just as Alzheimer’s is a form of senile dementia, both eczema and psoriasis are both a type of dermatitis (inflammation of the skin). Without a skin biopsy or some other diagnostic form of test it is notoriously difficult for your doctor to tell them apart.

While eczema is believed to be a reaction to environmental irritants or allergies being made worse by stress and hormonal fluctuations – however, psoriasis is an inflammatory skin condition. Psoriasis is marked by patches of raised reddish skin, covered with a whitish silver layer. The most common form (plaque psoriasis) is common on the knees, elbows, scalp and the lower back.

The easiest way to explain the difference between eczema and psoriasis is to look at some basics although it is hardest to tell when looking at the hands and feet. While both involved red, itchy skin that can develop into lesions and will frequently appear on the scalp, psoriasis tends to have a silvery scale that flakes off and leads to the bleeding of the skin below and is more commonly observed on the knees, elbows, scalp and lower back. In contrast, eczema appears on the ankles more than with psoriasis and can manifest as really crusty sores, scabs and small pimples and sometimes lesions. If the psoriasis is on the hands, you will notice pitting on the nails that will not be found with eczema. This clue also holds when fungus is present.

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