Do you have persistent patches of red, dry, itchy skin that won’t go away? You may have eczema or psoriasis, two skin conditions that have such similar symptoms, it can be difficult to tell them apart.
Psoriasis vs eczema can cause similar conditions so it may not seem as clear.
What is Psoriasis
Psoriasis happens when an immune response is causing the body cells and dead skin cells to grow faster than normally. It’s an autoimmune disease that causes raised, scaly, silver-colored patches of skin; whereas eczema is a chronic skin condition that causes itchy, red patches of skin.
Eczema
Eczema is a form of atopic dermatitis that is caused by swelling, dry skin, and itchiness. Although the symptoms may be a result of this, medical personnel do not understand the causes. The rash may also present on the neck and trunk. Small, fluid-filled sacs may ooze or crust. Eczema on darker skin tones may look darker brown, purple, or grey and may show signs of skin swelling and dryness.
Locations on the body
Both skin diseases can show up anywhere on your body, but they have their own favorite areas. Psoriasis causes troubles commonly on the: Scalp Elbows Knees Buttocks Face. Eczema can occur in those places, but it most often inflames the skin on the back of the knees or the inside of the elbows .
Both eczema and psoriasis can affect the palms of the hands and soles of the feet , though psoriasis is more often the diagnosis when presentation occurs on the soles. With both, the skin may burn. Several health conditions can cause dry, scaly skin.
Psoriasis and eczema may present with similar symptoms: discolored skin, rash, and itching and burning sensations. Though they are sometimes mistaken for each other, in the majority of cases, the difference is striking to a health care provider. “Usually, it is easy to distinguish the two.
To a dermatologist’s trained eye, psoriasis and eczema tend to look quite different.
Difference between psoriasis vs eczema
Psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated disease. This means that your immune system becomes dysfunctional and chronically activated, which results in skin changes. It causes raised, red, scaly patches on your skin. There are many types of psoriasis , but the most common is plaque psoriasis, which accounts for nearly 80%–90% of psoriasis cases. Plaque psoriasis is a chronic condition, meaning there is no cure.
The biggest difference between eczema and psoriasis is the underlying causes. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease, meaning your immune system is dysfunctional and your skin cells grow too fast. The cells start to pile up on the top of the skin, forming the white scale,
Visually the difference between atopic dermatosis and spsoriasis is difficult.
In the case where a skin condition has swollen or blisters, it is important to look for other medical symptoms such as skin irritation or rashes. It is possible to tell psoriasis from eczema lesions visually but sometimes it’s impossible to tell.
Eczema
Thickened or darker, scaly patches all over the body It’s commonly found on the backs of the knees, crooks of the elbows, neck and hands Can be especially bad around the eyes. Some common things that trigger eczema include: dry skin, irritants (such as fragrants, soaps or cigarette smoke), fabrics (such as wool and polyester).
Eczema, according to the National Eczema Association, “is the name for a group of conditions that cause the skin to become itchy, inflamed, or have a rash-like appearance. There are seven types of eczema: atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, dyshidrotic eczema, nummular eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, and stasis dermatitis.
statistics
Eczema and Psoriasis Are Prevalent in the United States More than 32 million Americans will have atopic dermatitis, a form of eczema, in their life. About 7.5 million Americans have psoriasis. However, despite the confusingly similar appearances, there are clues that can help you tell them apart. Genetics, Environment or Autoimmune.
What is the difference between eczema vs psoriasis?
“We can often visually distinguish psoriasis lesions from eczema lesions, but there are definitely times when we cannot tell the difference. In those cases, we perform biopsies.
Psoriasis tends to be more inflammatory as compared to Eczema. Symptomatic eczema is a chronic skin disease with irritable red patches on its surface.
What are the key differences?
Causes of psoriasis vs eczema
Psoriasis is an immune-mediated condition, meaning your immune system becomes overactive. In this case, certain inflammatory cells cause the body to make new skin cells too fast.
Eczema and Psoriasis Are Prevalent in the United States More than 32 million Americans will have atopic dermatitis, a form of eczema, in their life. About 7.5 million Americans have psoriasis. However, despite the confusingly similar appearances, there are clues that can help you tell them apart. Genetics, Environment or Autoimmune:
While they may be difficult to tell apart, a dermatologist (a doctor who specializes in skin conditions) can spot the differences between these two non-contagious and common skin conditions.
Plaque psoriasis
There are many types of psoriasis , but the most common is plaque psoriasis, which accounts for nearly 80%–90% of psoriasis cases. “Plaque psoriasis is a chronic condition, meaning there is no cure.
Or called psoriasis vulgaris is the most common type and typically presents on lighter skin as red plaques with silvery scales. [ On skin of color, plaque psoriasis can appear as purple or discolored skin. The plaques may be thick, raised, cover a large area of skin, and usually have very defined borders. The plaques can occur in any location but often present on the trunk, knees, or elbows.
Psoriatic Arthritis
One in 3 people with psoriasis will develop psoriatic arthritis (PsA), which can permanently damage joints. That is why those with psoriasis should screen regularly for PsA using the five-question screener .
Atopic Dermatitis
Eczema – Dry and Itchy Skin. No one likes having dry, scaly, or itchy skin. And though it may seem like a problem that comes and goes, perhaps with cold or dry weather, or simply a sign for the need to moisturize, it may also be a sign of a medical condition called atopic dermatitis.
Eczema vs Psoriasis: What’s Causing My Itchy Skin?
If you suffer from itchy, red and dry skin you’ve probably tried every cream, ointment and lotion on the market to treat your eczema. But if you’ve tried it all and can’t seem to calm your itchy skin it might be because there’s another skin condition that can have visually similar symptoms and your eczema cream probably won’t work for it. It’s called psoriasis.
Eczema and psoriasis have distinct skin ailments which may need different treatment strategies.
Tell me the best treatment for your condition.
Although these two are difficult to distinguish from other dermatologists, it is still possible to distinguish the different non-invasive skin conditions.
They look similar. The conditions can be difficult to tell apart when they appear on your skin because they both cause dry, cracked and scaly skin. They’re not infectious. You can not pass them from person to person. They may be genetic. You can be genetically predisposed to either or both conditions, which means they may run in your family.
The National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) has several resources to help you better understand your psoriasis and treatment options. NPF has also partnered with the American Academy of Dermatology to update the guidelines for psoriasis treatment , so that your health care provider can stay up to date with current treatment options
Treatments for Psoriasis vs Eczema
Working with your doctor is the best way to find the treatment plan that can bring your skin symptoms under control.
The two have different causes and treatments. However, using topical medications, avoiding triggers, and keeping the skin clean and moisturized can help ease symptoms of either or both of these health issues
Some of the medications that are used to treat psoriasis may help treat eczema and vice versa. This doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s a one-size-fits-all treatment plan for both conditions though. A dermatologist can help you find a treatment plan that will work best for you based on your individual symptoms and medical history.
Topical medications
Topical corticosteroids have been the workhorse treatment for both psoriasis and eczema.
Immuno-modulators- biologics
Other medications that broadly suppress the immune system, whether oral or to be applied to the skin, can work for both. However, newer agents that are more ‘targeted’ to the now-known underlying cause of these two inflammatory disorders are more specific for psoriasis or eczema
Vitamin D
Synthetic vitamin D creams and solutions: Prescription vitamin D creams include calcipotriene and calcitriol, and they can flatten raised areas, slow skin cell growth, and remove scaliness.
Topical retinoids:
Retinoids are a form of vitamin A that can slow skin cell growth.
Light therapy
,Also called phototherapy, is another treatment for psoriasis. This involves controlled exposure to UV light, which slows skin cell growth and reduces inflammation.
Immunomodulators
Other medications that broadly suppress the immune response, whether oral or to be applied to the skin, can work for both. However, newer agents that are more ‘targeted’ to the now-known underlying cause of these two inflammatory disorders are more specific for psoriasis or eczema
Treatments for psoriasis vs eczema- biologics
If you have moderate to severe eczema, you may need to try a medicine that affects your immune system like , methotrexate, azathioprine, or cyclosporine. If nothing else works, your doctor may prescribe a biologic drug called dupilumab ( Dupixent ). You might also try light therapy (your doctor will call it phototherapy ) using ultraviolet light.
Biologics:
These are medications that can target the protein that makes you have the inflammation response. They’re usually given by injection or intravenous (IV) infusion. Systemics: These are medications you can take by mouth to control your immune system response and reduce inflammation. It’s often prescribed to you if your condition is severe.
Primary care providers can also help make a diagnosis and manage your symptoms, but a dermatologist has specialized training and extensive experience in recognizing subtleties of the two skin conditions. The treatments for eczema and psoriasis are similar
Eczema is a common skin condition affecting about 30 million people. About 16 million adults in general experience atopic skin dermatitis (AAD). AD is characterized by different adolescent symptoms. Childhood AD may be gone by or improve as you mature and sometimes persists through adulthood. Symptoms may also be:
when you hear someone talk about eczema, they’re talking about the most common type, atopic dermatitis.
Dealing With a Psoriasis Flare ups
Avoiding psoriasis triggers is one of the best ways to help prevent flare-ups. Stress, certain medications, skin injuries, and food allergies are common irritants that can be avoided with some mindfulness. Over time, it will get easier for someone to recognize what sets off their psoriasis, and if a flare-up does happen using topical medications and other treatment can keep the skin from getting worse.
- Keep your skin moist and cool. According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, moisturizing your skin with heavy, fragrance-free creams or lotions helps lock in moisture so that your plaques can heal.
- Take time to unwind.
- Eat more greens and healthy fats.
- Get a little sun.
- Treat your skin.
- light can slow down the abnormal growth of skin cells. It is used as a medical treatment for psoriasis, But remember, too much of a good thing can become damaging. If you go sunbathing without using sunscreen or are exposed to sunlight for too long, overexposure can trigger psoriasis symptoms .
What kind of doctor for treatments of psoriasis vs eczema
Primary care providers can also help make a diagnosis and manage your symptoms, but a dermatologist has specialized training and extensive experience in recognizing subtleties of the two skin conditions.
You can help limit the symptoms by getting proper treatment and taking good care of your skin,” Dry skin is itchy skin, so one of the keys to managing these conditions is to try to keep your skin moist and hydrated.
Best treatment if psoriasis affects your eyes
Best eczema eyes, dry eye relieve with TheraLIfe.
References
Clinical characteristics, symptoms and burden of psoriasis and atopic dermatitis in adults. Br J Dermatol. 2020;183(1):128-138. 2
Egeberg A, Griffiths CEM, Williams HC, Andersen YMF, Thyssen JP. Clinical characteristics, symptoms and burden of psoriasis and atopic dermatitis in adults. Br J Dermatol. 2020;183(1):128-138.
Accessed November 18, 2019. 4. National Eczema Association. Atopic Dermatitis. Accessed November 22, 2019.
“Psoriasis Treatments.” O’Neill, J. Acta Dermato-Venereologica , April 2011.
When comparing psoriasis vs eczema, there are a few key differences to know. IIIRusya / Adobe Stock Facebook Twitter Pinterest
