Psoriasis - guttate

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Psoriasis, guttate on the arms and chest

Psoriasis, guttate on the cheek

Guttate psoriasis is a form of psoriasis with characteristic waterdrop-shaped scaly macules.

Guttate psoriasis

Guttate psoriasis is a relatively uncommon form of psoriasis. It is usually seen in patients younger than 30. Flares generally follow an infection, most notably strep throat.

Psoriasis seems to be an inherited disorder, and it appears to be related to the immune or inflammatory response. It often is aggravated by injury or irritation (cuts, burns, rash, insect bites ), and may be severe in immunosuppressed people (such as those who have chemotherapy for cancer, or with AIDS ) or in people who have autoimmune disorders (such as rheumatoid arthritis ). Medications, viral or bacterial infections, excessive alcohol consumption, obesity, lack of sunlight, overexposure to sunlight (sunburn), stress, cold climate, and frequent friction on the skin are also associated with flare-ups of psoriasis. The disorder is not contagious.

Normally, skin takes about a month for its new cells to move from the lower layers to the surface. In psoriasis, this process takes only a few days, resulting in the build-up of dead skin cells and formation of thick scales.

Review Date: 04/30/2005
Reviewed By: Jonathan Kantor, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.